bruce johnson

Ed, I don't think the Scharf-Fix will do that on any leather. Most handcrank splitters are 6" that I have used. I don't know of any that have an open side. Closest you are going to get is a bell knife skiver. Mine will do up to I think 2" with the guide fence. I have free handed some wider than that, it might take 6" off an edge in a few overlapping passes. If you just need to evensplit a 6" or a little better strip down, then a sharp blade and a Chase pattern splitter would be my choice. I have 8" and 10" Chase patterns, and they will do up to about 2" less than capacity without a lot of effort. Much wider than that, and you are looking at either a bandknife splitter or one of the new Artisan wide blade splitters they are coming out with.

Scouter, It is going to be interesting to see how others respond here. I had a conversation about this a week ago with a guy, who was havng the same problem, and mentioned it had stopped. I really have not recognised a problem with this. Here's what I do. I tape the backs with carton sealing tape. I really don't think what you do to secure it makes much of a difference. I wet my leather with the case solution of choice. I have used water, water/lexol/dish soap, ProCarve, and now use the lexol/baby shampoo formula shared here a while back. I wet my leather, and case it at least 8 hours but usually overnight at least. I seal it in plastic ziplocks, and those XXL huge storage ziplocks are a big help now. I leave enough air in the bags to keep the plastic off the grain side of the leather. Next morning I tool as normal. I have done the longer casing for several years, and have found no matter whose leather I was using, the effects were just better. What had changed with the guy who had the curling problem. He went from casing and tooling as soon as the leather returned "to color" or casing for an hour or two to casing overnight. The lexol/shampoo formula is not a quick case solution in my hands, and I told him I was overnighting it. He went back and tried some ProCarve and cased overnight, and said little or no curling too. We suspect that the casing level being equal through out the layers was the difference. If only the top layer is moist and it stretches slightly with tooling, then it stands to reason it is working against the bottom layer and curling over it. If the moisture is even, the compression is against the entire thickness. Some leather takes casing slower or faster than others. By giving it plenty of time, you minimize that effect.

I had heard when I was pretty young that the reason for the roll was to keep the rope from ridng up the cantle back when it got around behind and clotheslining the rider off. Anyone who has ever been there knows the feeling. I recall someone else (maybe Greg?) saying the same thing before the crash.

At the risk of starting yet another debate on the merits of the Boss, I'll respond. I had one and I liked it. It was my first powered machine, and I sewed quite few skirts on it. I have since replaced it with powered machines, but it will get the job done. I had one fo the cast iron frame ones, and some guys argue those are better than the aluminum. One thing about them, they hold the resale value. Tippman used go through a used one very reasonably, and will warrant it afterwards like new. Only downside is that they have a shallow throat. something like 6 or 8", but then the short arm powered machines are not much more than that.

Laura, The swells look more to me along the lines of Crosby or Campbell roper type tree. Not really an Association pattern. The low cantle and narrower Cheyenne roll suggests 1940s style, but that could go either way. I think I am seeing Al-Ray stirrup buckles. I am not sure how long they have been around, but know for sure they were around in at least the early 40s. I am striking out trying to match up any of the potential letter combinations on the worn makers stamp. At least the saddle and fender tooling matches. The fenders weren't scabbed off another saddle. The tooling pattern is pretty basic, and that style was used in several areas of the country. No real help there either. Sorry we aren't pinning down the maker for you. I have some feelers out, but nothing ringing any bells yet.

John, The SS nails are available from a few sources on the net. Biggest problem is that most are whloeslae sellers and have a minimum total order and a 5# minimum per size/style. Sheridan Leather Outfitters sells the nails by the pound. They have ring shank, twist shank, etc. in a couple lengths. I still use the #10 oval head phillips screws. I haven't gone to square drive heads so haven't looked for them. I get my phillips from the local hardware store.

Actually it is a flexible rotary shaft tool. The handle oscillates and has a large enough chuck to put stamping tools in it. The tool then oscillates. They used to sell these under the trade name of "SpeedStamper" in the LCSJ. Not anything you couldn't buy from other sources, although the large chuck oscillating handpiece might be a bit of a hunt. Some guys who do silver work have their stamping tool shafts turned down to fit the Gravermax handles as well. Barry was even making tools with thin shafts to fit the graver handles. All of my bevelers fit this particular handle with no modifications. I bought this right after I dislocated my thumb, and it helped take some of the heat off. It is good for repetitve stamping of "walking" tools like bevelers. I know guys who pear shade with them too. Basically you just run it down the cut line to bevel. I did a bunch of winelist covers last year for a restaurant, and had a lot of beadline borders with light beveling on the inside and outside of the beadlines. This makes that kind of beveling fly, and less fatiguing. Not the tool for everyone or used everyday, but nice to have when you do need it.

Will, I hear you on the thumb deal. I have dislocated my right thumb 3 times in the last 2 years. I could do straight lines and smooth larger turns OK with the splint, but the tight curves were all but impossible. A few things I did to keep it going. I bought a fair amount of the cutting plates that Richard Fletcher makes. They are in oak leaf, flower, and floral leaf patterns. They can be used with a press or tapped and they cut the line. Some people call them "cheaters". As I have healed, I use them less. One reason is that they require some care in postioning, can't see through them. The other reason is that although I probably have 30 of them, I never have the right size for anything but a stock pattern. The third reason is I am getting bored with the same ol', same ol'. I don't have those old J hook dec cut stamps that Tandy had eons ago, but I did like you did, took some veiners and thinned them up. Then ground the marks off them. Made a thin cutting arced tool. Tap them to make a cut, tip to the right angle. I also used them to cut the tight curves and scallops, by holding the stamp so the face was all flat to the leather. A little dremel work on off the rack veiners, and they are pretty good for that. Barry King makes some leaf and scallop cutter stamps, and I have had him make me some custom sizes to fit some of my own patterns too. Jeremiah Watt makes some dec cut stamps too. They work decently on narrow sticker tips, but kind of get lost on wider things. I still use them a fair amount though, good for what they are designed for. I also use some thinner veiners on tips to make dec cuts is a "V" pattern, or a single impression from a thicker blade to end some stickers. I see some demand for them, and think especially the curly set would have some market. Anxious to see the rosette stamps too.

Hilly, I remember the ones you were talking about. Bead lines can be made by a couple of tools. One is a beader blade that fits a swivle knife. It cuts two parallel lines with an arched center. There are also woodhandles push beaders. They are a wooden handled tool with a blade that has the parallel line cutters and arched centers. The push beaders are favored by some for tracking straighter lines or large radius curves. They tend to chatter on tight turns though. I use a combination of both sometimes.

My cutting table is an old "free to haul off" desk from along the road. I covered the top with particle board, and have a smaller piece of poly to cut on too. It is raised with pieces of PVC pipe that slip over the ends of the legs. My wife got this idea from "Martha". It does make it a nice height. The drawers hold stuff, and the open space underneath seats two plastic scrap tubs. The knives and blade tools all hang next to it, and away from the general tool population. My workbenches are a Gorilla rack setup like Barra described, as are the other benches and storage shelving. The work bench has a metal tray above it. I stick cow magnets to it, and then put small things like cordless screwdriver bits, awl wrenches, the most used punches, etc to them. My stamping bench is a used office furniture store find. It has enough room to get my legs under, and it a simple cube type construction. Plenty durable and surprisingly little bounce. It is a nice height with my rock on top of it, although I wish I had a bit more room on top. Tools are in cups on the wall behind it, along with mauls, an easy reach.

Steve, Neat work as your others. Good job on the lilies. My wife is particularly impressed with the back cinch loops. VERY cool. If you're roping all weekend, I am sure it is gonna look a little different Monday.

While we are talking glues here, does anybody have experience with using EMU's SAR 36 cement?

Elton, No, my son sells the auctions at the Testicle festival and the Cowgirl Luncheon (cowboys serving a luncheon to the ladies) we put on rodeo week. We spread the auctioneering duties around. He was taking bids near the front of the room at the dinner. As an aside, I donated a floral briefcase for the live auction. Wilford Brimley bought it, donated it back to be resold, bought it again, and then had it resold once more. It ended up and brought in about $3000. We have some cool supporters and fun events.

Denise, Not the typical branding fire or grange hall experience anymore. For the uninitiated, we are serving up what separates the bulls from steers - calf fries, mountain oysters, cowboy caviar, prairie pecans. These all come from a USDA inspected processing plant (really) and arrive frozen. The day before we have a get-together and skin/slice them into cubes while still semi-frozen. They are marinated overnight in red wine, basil, and garlic. Next morning they are batch fried in a commercial kitchen, and put into pans. Then a light splash and sprinkle of seasoning again. Night of the event they are slowly steamed to heat them up again. They are OK, a little better in the morning right out of the fryer I think. The main fare is served with buffalo chili, salad, tortillas, Jerold Camarillo's famous salsa, and bread. Unlimited open bar, which may be the real draw. All this for $50 USD presale or $65 at the door. Typical fundraiser stuff too - live auction, raffle, and buy a grid square on a posterboard. You win if a live duck craps on your square first. Easier to manage than a cow doing the cow crap bingo deal at the Portugese FES hall. Ducks being what they are, it doesn't take long to get a winner. All in all a real fun and unique community event. Leno mentions us, regional TV coverage, the talk of early morning radio nationwide. We sell the souvenir merchandise steadily through the museum website year round. I have done TV spots in the past. We can't mention the "Oakdale Testicle Festival" on the TV promotion spots (censor deal, like they don't say worse) and have to refer to it as an mountain oyster feed on the air. We refer viewers to the website to see what we are really calling it.

Andrew, I am guessing you looked at the website and noticed the main course at our upcoming "festival". We will be serving approximately 500 folks as usual.

I'm with Darcy too. In fact on my parts, I will rough up the grain side, apply the thin cement to the dry leather, let the first coat dry, and then give it a bath. Then when it comes out, wipe the water off the glued surface, apply another coat. When everything is the right temper, fan a paint stripping gun across the dried cement. This will activate it (make it more sticky) and then slap it down. I am told this is what Barge is designed for by the shoe and boot folk - being heat activated. I have never been impressed with Barge's ability to stick to leather that is wet initially. I have a full size fire extinguisher in my shop, and have never had need for it with the paint stripping gun and Barge, even on high. I have tried to light it up and can't get it to go. However, I did touch a sort of freshly glued in zipper end that was a bit frayed to a candle to seal the fray. That will light up your life. Note to self, no open flames with Barge.

YOU ASKED FOR IT. YOU GOT IT!!!! The link is www.youtube.com/oakdalekev. In fact just got an email from my pal Kev this evening. He just uploaded the edited proceedings from our annual fundraising dinner and auction. The cowboy's Antiques Roadshow is "The Cowboy Capitol of the World" episode 2, some cool old stuff, and shots inside the museum. The dinner is "the Cowboy Capital of the World" episode 4, and is broken up into 5 sections. I have major speaking parts in parts 2,3,4, and 5. Wilford Brimley (Quaker Oats and Liberty Medical spokesman) was our guest of honor. Worth a listen if nothing else to hear some pretty sage advice from an old guy. The camera makes both Wilford and I look pretty good for our respective ages. The camera really does lie. Yep, I'm wearing a pink shirt and one of my Joelle Smith ties, TETWP. By the way, our website is www.oakdalecowboymuseum.org. Worth checking out, we have our 27th annual "local delicacy" feed coming up next month. If you can't make it, there is souvenir apparel available.

I am with Ed, about 1/16". I set them on my anvil and smack them flat with a ball peen, or use the flat end of the setter mostly. If I need to dome them, than I turn the setter around and dome it after I have set it. I was shown this about 10 years ago, and have a little better appreciation for these rivets. They are a little more secure that way.

No, but I have refused to. After seeing how that one was put together, I had zero interest in doing anything with it.

It works well, but is kind of pricey compared to buying gallons of AP cement for production work. I used to use it quite a bit on a lot of folded things. Ventilate, respirate, all that stuff.

Steve and Bob, Osborne makes them. I ordered one and got it from Siegel's in 2 days. It is the #151 bag punch. They make them in 1/8" increments from 1/4" to 2". Really handy for back cinch buckles.

I use the TLF saddlemakers groover when I want to make small grooves on thinner leather. I have modified my blades a bit. I took my dremel and narrowed them up some, you really don't need that much blade thickness sticking out on either side of the hole. It mkaes more of a crease than cutting a groove. I thin them up from the bottom for the same reason It puts my cutting edge closer to the bottom of the blade tip. You have to go slowly and carefully or you might go too far. It really does improve their performance for me. I have attached pictures of the two I use the most. One is the Osborne probably like Marlon has (#30, I think). Not one to be satisfied with most Osborne tools as they come, I have modified it too. I don't need one to pivot on a sharp point, I need one to ride an edge. I ground the point off and left the inside flat. It rides like the oldies. Even the smallest grooving point is size #207 thread and up for me. The loop type blade will cut as deep as you want to go. A plus for me for some applications, but not for the "save the grain" consortium. My favorite is the wooden handled one. It is marked H&R. It is a nostalgia tool, and I bought it from my old tool buddy. I liked trying it out. He never would sell it to me directly, always figured he might need to "make himself a belt". Belt time passed and you all had a chance to buy it on ebay too. It is an old shoe tool, used for grooving soles. The downside is that the fence extends down pretty far. It is designed to ride off an edge and works well for double layers of skirting or heavy belts. Not so good for anything under 10 oz, unless you hang it over the edge of the bench. The upside is that is cuts a nice narrow groove, again as deep as you want to cut one. Apparently you can use it like a channeler, and glue up a deep channel and tap it closed if you want. Most of us have some tool(s) with a history, and this is one of mine.

Now this is what I needed to wear to the lutefisk feeds this past winter! I would have been the hit for sure, and the Swedish in-laws would have had yet another reason to wonder about me. Very cool work. Mange Takk,

Ed, The foot that Doug is using has a narrow raised ridge on the bottom behind the needle hole in the center presser foot. What it does is press the stitchline down into the leather after it has been sewn. The ridge on mine is maybe 1/8" long, it looks all in the world like the Adler center foot in Weaver's catalog. Problem with it is on a 90 degree corner or tight curve or point. When you lift the presser foot and turn the work, the pivot point is the needle. That ridge sits out behind that and pivots off the back or outside of the stitchline and makes an impression when it comes down. On a 90 degree corner it looks like an over-run crease line. On a tight turn, it looks like chatter marking chicken tracks outside of the stitchline. The reason I use the right foot on gussets is because of the plate I use. I usually sew gusseted things with tight corners on my stirrup plate. This are things with tighter bottom corners like a shaving kit, purse, or brief case. The rounded top of the stirrup plate makes the radius smaller and easier to go over over those bottom corners. My stirrup plate has a very narrow left ridge, and a wider right ridge. That is by design to get in closer to the wood on stirrups. It also allows me to deform the gusset less while sewing, helps to maintain a near 90 degree bend in the gusset lip, rather than flattening it out. The issue with using the right foot. If I use the left foot, it doesn't contact that narrow ridge and forces my work down over the edge. The right foot will walk on the wider ridge on the right side of the stirrup plate. That is why I use the right foot. To further muddle the issue, and clarify what some were thinking when we discussed this a while back - Why not use the double toe foot? On mine, the double toe foot pairs up with a wider center foot. If I use that, neither of the walking feet contact the stirrup plate.

Ed, Another alternative to the rougher brush deal is a welding brush from an industrial supplier, usually a couple bucks. There are some with stiffer bristles than others. I also use coarse sand paper sometimes for spot areas.