bruce johnson

Johanna, Ron's Edge Dressing comes from Ron of Ron's Tools fame. (www.ronstools.com) . It is a thin liquid to dampen edges and then burnish. It obviously has some beeswax or similar wax, because when it dries in the dish, it is wax. Don't know what the carrier is. It slicks down easily, and darkens up with more friction heat. I like it for edges I won't be dying later, as it resists the dye somewhat. It is nice on saddle part edges, but for horns and sewn stirrup edges, I still like my diluted white glue. Makes a darn hard glassy edge that really resists scuffing. Bruce Johnson

Joel, Ok where do I start? The first thing is to have the edges squared up. There should be no stairstep between the lining and the the outer piece. I use a stationary bench top belt sander with different grades of grit, depending on type of leather and how much stairstep there is. The belt sander is much less prone to heat up and scorch leather like a Dremel or sanding drum will. I then use an edger. Which one? I have used Tandy edgers, Osbornes in a couple styles, Ron's edgers, and most recently got a set of Jeremiah Watt's round bottom edgers. For the price, quality of cut, blade's ability to hold an edge, the ones from Jeremiah Watt are the best hands down. The others are in a drawer. Then what do you use to set your edge with? I use plain water, water with Procarve, gum tragacanth, spirit dye, bees wax, saddle soap, Ron's edge dressing, and diluted white glue. Sounds like a lot, but I DO use all of these throughout the course of a month. Depends on what I am edging, how thick it is, what is the piece used for, whether I am going to slick with a wood slicker or rubrag, is it going to be dyed, and am I going to put a finish coat on it.. I either rub in both directions with a rub rag or use a wooden slicker. The rubrags are canvas, denim, or other coarse cloth. Some are rubbed in bees wax and others are dampened, rubbed well in white saddle soap, and then left in the can to stay moist or left out and allowed to dry. The wood slickers are either used by hand or most commonly chucked into a drill press on moderate speed. So, I guess to summarize I use a lot of different techniques depending on what I need the final product to do. Try each and see what works for you. Bruce Johnson

Teri, You might try a dilute vinegar (white vinegar) solution. I used to have a similar problem in my old shop. I would get spotting in as little as overnight sometimes. I must have had some nasty spores in there. I have also heard of using dilute lysol, lemon juice, and oxalic acid solution. To prevent this, case with BeeNatural Procarve. This solution has a fungicide in it. I have not had a mold problem since using it. Most of the suppliers carry it, or you can order direct. Throw out your casing bags, too. I would also not let leather sit cased in the fridge for a week. It might work for some, but I won't go much longer than 24-48 hrs. I dry it if going to be very long, and then rewet, although I sure don't like too! Bruce Johnson

Steph, David Morris was in Sheridan for Saddle Week this year. I really enjoyed the 4 days spent with him as a fellow student. He is very willing to share what he knows, and that is a LOT!! He can talk about trees, mechanics of fitting trees, and mechanics of putting a saddle together. You will learn a lot. He is a great guy. Bruce Johnson

Tom, I have Irfanview, Photo Deluxe, and some other software that came with cameras or scanners. I also have HP Imagezone (was on the scanner disc for my laptop) and I downloaded it from the net onto my PC. I usually like it the best. I recently got Photoshop Elements 4.0. We learned a bit about it from a camera class we took. It is Ok, the plus is it comes with a book, and you can buy other books on it. I generally find I learn better from reading and seeing a picture, than from the help section of the software. I think once I figure out Elements more, I will like what it can do. I think Elements cost me about $80. If your computer can handle Elements, might be worth a try. Have a good one. Bruce Johnson

Holly, Have a little more thinkin' time now. Tom hit on a great suggestion - a guest book for Grandad. Mine was for a different purpose and was done with my wife's favorite patterns, and the cover had her name in her handwriting style tooled in - another story. I would do what ever you can to make Grandad's room different than any others. My Grammy had a leather clock with her favorite flowers tooled in (she was a daylily and hosta guru). The picture frames were leather covered and tooled, and she had a tooled leather wastebasket to keep her crochet supplies in (and to hide the dried beef she wasn't supposed to have). Leather Bible cover, Wheel chair or walker pocket, a lot of possibilites. Make it so Grandad's room doesn't look like every other one with $5 wood framed pictures, plastic garbage can, KMart photoalbum. They are living there, not just staying there. When they get to this stage in life, give them something to show off from the grandkids. It is a conversation starter for guests and the nursing staff. And the guy in the next room doesn't have something just like it. Even though I was 2000 miles away from my grammy, we had a connection through what I made for her. Her "cowboy" grandson in California made it for her, and everybody knew it. Bruce Johnson

Holly, I would add his name somewhere. Then the cardboard "name tag" on the door can be taken down. The things I have made for my grandmother when she went into the home and the guest book for my first wife's funeral are, and will always be, my best work. Bruce Johnson

Blake, Pictures of some of Richard Fletcher's plates and the impressions can be seen on his website (www.leathertool.com). His pictures are probably better than I can do. I bought several plates off ebay when he was running specials to raise money for new equipment. I have bought some directly from him, and bought about 20 or so at the Sheridan show. He has them is several sizes from belt flowers and leaves up to 3inch or so. The custom Delrin flower I had him do ran me about $80, I think. The others were in sets from $10-20 per plate on the specials. The big plus for these plates is the speed and consistancy. I did an emergency oak and acorn belt for my son in less than an hour stamping time total. Stamped in the leaves and acorns, cut in the stems, and tooled and backgrounded. The Delrin plates work better for me in the press (a shop press), The cast plates I use a maul held vertically on the plate (head side down the spread the blow), and hit the handle end with another maul. I also have a pretty good selection of tapoffs, and they have their place too. I am working up patterns that incorporate the cutting plates and stem work into a tapoff for corners, crosses, and the like. Hope this helps. Bruce Johnson

I forgot about one other maker of cutting plates in my previous post. Harper Manufacturing in Las Vegas, NV has some listed on their website. I have not used their's nor no of anyone who has. Several have their maker stamps and are very happy. \ On a sad note, I have just heard from two different sources that Mitch Botts passed away. He was one of, or the, principal behind Gore Tools along with Jay Lynn Gore. I mentioned them in the previous post. Bruce Johnson

I have used several tap offs for quite a few years. Have also followed this thread regarding making your own out of other materials, and references to the Gore tool ones. A few considerations. The Gore tool referred to are not tapoffs, they are cutting plates. Tapoffs leave a line to cut with the swivel knife. The cutting plates actully cut the line, much like a cookie cutter. The lines are raised to a depth that allows the outline to cut onto the leather. Tapoffs are recessed and leave a raised line to cut,actually they depress the leather around the line. I have had cutting plates from Gore, traded them off a few years ago. I currently have a lot of plates from Richard Fletcher. He casts them, and has several "stock" flowers, leaves, and a few silhouettes. He has done some custom ones for me out of laser engraved Delrin. The plates from Richard do not have handles. They are designed to be used with a press or tapped with a mallet. The plates with handles tend to break at the joint of handle and plate if the plate is very large. Besides, Richard, Jeff Mosby in SC makes plates also, although I believe only Delrin at this stage, no casting. Bruce Johnson

For leather, Skirting - Siegel of California Lining and Chap leather - Siegel of California lighter weight tooling leather - Hide House in Napa For tools, Osborne - Siegel of California Stamping tools - Hide Crafters, Barry King, Wayne Jueschke French edgers/Round Bottom Edgers - Jeremiah Watt (Horseshoe Brand tools) Sewing machine thread and supplies - Ferdco!! Hardware - Weaver, Walsall, Tandy/TLF Silver - Hansens Western Gear/Hansens Silver Monel Stirrups - Trina Weber (Weber Stirrups) Saddle Trees - Quality Manufacturing/Timberline That is my short list!! - Bruce Johnson

I am Bruce Johnson, and am seeing a lot of familiar names here. I know some of you by sight, and others through the net. I have attached a picture of me, so if you see someone who looks this, Just say Hi. I have been doing leatherwork as a side business for about 16 years. I have evolved from checkbook covers and personal goods to saddles. I still do about everyting western related, but the saddles are starting to take a bigger share. I pretty much have a part time business that is full time. -Bruce Johnson