bruce johnson

Cut and paste got me and left out more of my reply above. The second one is a loop creaser that was used to put a creased pattern onto loops. I have never seen them maker marked, but the only place I have seen them cataloged was on a single page flyer from Charles Rosecrans. I find a few here and there. I am up to 14 of them and have yet to get a duplicate.

First one is a washer/gasket/circle cutter to use with a hand brace. The second one I'll buy from you for $25 and then tell you what it is. ;)The third one is missing a wheel where the hole is. I have been variously told they are for cutting leather and cutting wallpaper - probably both because I get them in old leather sets. The last one looks like a fine saw, maybe used on leather but more likely wood.

First one is some sort of glazer or creaser. Middle one is an ice chipper or webbing stretcher. Last one looks like a glazer also.

Tandy pops up right off, and I just saw in ShopTalk or Leather Crafters Journal that Double K Leather in St Louis now has a catalog. Other than those, there are other suppliers like Springfield Leather, Zack White, and more I am missing that have pretty extensive websites.

I have had a couple of them mounted on the wood blocks. One guy told me they were a magnesium alloy that printers use. They don't take pounding all that well but last a long time with a press.

I have added a quite a few tools for sale on my website. There are a bunch of fresh stamps from Barry King, Gore, and Wayne Jueschke. I also added a page of just pre-letter Craftool stamps and another page called "bargain basement" with other Craftool stamps. I also added several rein rounders and two splitters. There are two lacing and braiding string cutters fresh also. Here is the link to the landing page of the tool section of my website - http://brucejohnsonleather.com/content/index.php/leather_tools_for_sale/ Thank you, Bruce

Call Vicki at Hitching Post supply - http://www.hitchingpostsupply.com/

Tough to hear that. I have had damage in both but have avoided surgery. It started out with my right shoulder. My doctor is a young guy andpretty sharp on sports medicine. He lined me out on some exercizes to strengthen everything and increase range of motion. He said he wanted me to do that before sending me to the surgeon and two things - either I wouldn't need the surgery or I'd recover and rehab a lot faster afterwards. No weight arm motions in different directions 50 reps each at a time 3X a day. Then step up to a 8 oz weight in my hand after two weeks, the 1# 2 weeks, then 2#. Never get my elbow higher than my shoulder the whole time. After 3 weeks I was thinking "This s**t is boring and it is NOT working!". A week later I was like "Whoa!, That twinged me when I started, this IS doing something after all". A two months I was good to go for the elbow-higher-than-my shoulder routine. No surgery and I am doing pretty good.

Many thanks for the great pictures, Wish I was there again!

Johanne, I just sent you a reply to your email. - Bruce

I'd agree with the others that slightly over is better. With English points the tip is easier to center of the fit it close though. Out of curiosity I measured about 40 English point and round end strap punches here. Makers represented are CS Osborne "Made in England" one piece forged punches, CS Osborne forged one piece punches, HF Osborne forged, Gomph forged, Dixon forged, older CS Osborne arch punches, and some recent make CS Osborne arch punches. All except one group were either dead on or all under 1/16" (most about 1/32") over the marked width. Although it can't be a scientific study due to low numbers, one of these groups was 1/8" over - 3 of the 4 modern CS Osbornes are a full 1/8" wider. The 3/4" was a touch under 1/8". Ed, please let us know how the SLC punch measures when you get it.

Yep, binder clips and line them up side to side. Sew slowly and take them off as you get to them.

For cleaning that smooth roller I would not start with 120. I would start with just plain steel wool to clean the surface grunge and see what I had. I think 120 is too coarse and may leave more grit pattern that you would then have to take out. I would start finer and maybe into the 300-400 range. You mostly want to take off burrs and sharp edges from the scratches. Once they are smooth, they won't mark your leather unless they are deep and wide. If you work lightly and evenly around the roller I think you can work them down by hand with out changing the profile enough to matter.

Very nice find! I don't know who made it, but the matching numbers on the parts indicates it is pretty old. They may have been building several at one time and individually fitting the parts for each particular one, then the parts were pooled for finishing before assembly. The matching numbers were stamped on the individual parts so they would mate up when assembled. This was common in many tools and bench machines I have from the mid to late 1800s. Most used numbers but have seen letters and punched "dots" in different patterns as well. It looks like a pretty simple design and taking it down and cleaning/lubricating are probably about all you will need to do besides the blade. The milled feed roller looks great! Not much wear or damage to the grooves.

I've used harness, latigo, and vegtan. Some want them thinner like 7/8 and others want them heavy for more feel/signal. Some like them longer for that same reason others like them shorter for "faster" action. Patterns can range from straight to scalloped.

Use something the same profile as the hole so you don't widen it out. I have got a ton of #1s that have been converted to #4s by sharpening with something too big. I wrap wet dry over a small dowel, nail, etc. I strop on the edge of some firm leather with compound. I strop the top with some package twine that has been rubbed with compound. The biggest thing is to make sure you are not bumping into the opposite edge throughout the process.

Travis, Some leathers do better with the wooden strap cutters, and some wooden strap cutters are duds. Soft leathers strip out better for me with a single edge razor blade in a wooden strap cutter. Firmer leather like vegtan and latigo can go either way. With bias because I sell refurbished old tools, I'd not seriously consider a new Osborne or Craftool if I was buying a draw gauge tomorrow. I haven't had a recent Tandy one in th elast few years, but the newer CS Osborne draw gauges have a hollow back aluminum bar. The old ones have a solid steel full thickness bar. It is the difference between formerly selling to a quality standard and now meeting a price point.

Pilgrim Shoe would be my only guess. Progressive used a different skiving blade and whole different mechanism than the Landis, American, and Champion 3-on-1. Hopefully they stayed in line on the cutter blade.

#30 for tighter patterns and #35 on larger ones for me. I could do it all with the #30s though. I didn't stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night but I did get some #45s I had been wanting to play with.

All good advice, plus one more tip. When you are punching try to get a little "twist" as you squeeze and it normally will take less effort with the slicing action. It took a guy watching me work at it to show me the easier way.

who made the punch? It may be that the replacement tubes from Osborne will fit it. The guys there will tell you that they have not changed the threading on the replacments since the originals. That is what they say and I'll leave it at that. For the cost of a tube though, I would sure try a new replacement first. The problem with sharpening much of a chip out of the existing tube is you are shortening it. That changes the angle it meets the anvil and brings on another set of problems.

Every letter on every thing I have done was dyed with a Sharpie marker and black dyed edges are done with a jumbo Sharpie marker or refillable marker with black dye.

My top 10 Things that work for me to keep my tools sharp A good cutting surface Good solid stamping bench with the rock inlaid Comfortable stool to work from with good back support. Good Lighting Comfortable mauls in weights that allow everything from a light touch to a smasheroo Good ventilation Good tool organization system Tools adequate for the job , they don't all have to be topshelf Someone to keep my shop clean

Great Job Mike! The feedback has been great and I am looking forward to jumping in once this merry go round slows.

Evaporust won't hurt anything. To answer the last first. I sure would not remove the handle. That pin is through the tang. Easy to mess up the wood trying to get it out. You will say bad words when the wood splits. You aren't going to hurt it by cleaning it up with fine grit sand paper and work up to superfine, then buff for a good finish. The big thing is getting the rust neutralized in the pits if you don't work them out.