bruce johnson

Look really good, Bret. If I had about 2 more horses I needed to rig up for, I'd sure be looking hard at these.

Beautiful paring machine Walter! The maker had some good ideas on the design also.

Hey, Mikey likes it!! I do too.

Good looking reins.

Walter, More great tools! I really enjoy seeing them and the variations from anything made here. You did another awesome job finishing off that Randall splitter as well. Enjoy it! - Bruce

It may also have been done with the nylon beveler that fits in a swivel knife or a push beveler. Either make short and smooth work of a long straight line like this.

Walter, You are very welcome! I am glad you are enjoying it and putting it to use. It looks great and you did a wonderful job cleaning it up. - Bruce

I hold mine with my middle finger on the trigger, my index finger on the right side of the frame above the bar pointing forward and my thumb is to the left side of the frame guiding the leather and keeping it down. I set my gauge blades in tipped towards me just a bit. That slicing action helps keep the leather down on the bar too. - here's a little unrehearsed off the rack action clip some schmuck was featured in for a museum display of saddler tools - .

I replied to your email, but to share with everyone - I would contact Dan at Campbell-Randall - http://www.campbell-randall.com/ .

Damn. I fixed a title. I am earning my keep around here after all. Yup, American. Americans tend to be pretty easy to take apart and get back together. The drive wheel on this is the top wheel. The lines can mark damp leather but not so much on dry leather or latigo.

I have added some more tools to my website today - Chase pattern splitter – 12 inch Rein rounders – three of them including the nicest CS Osborne bench mount I have seen Stitch groovers – CS Osborne compass groover and Dixon compass race Overstitchers – Gomph #7, CS Osborne #’s 6,8,9,10 Pricking wheel – HF Osborne #13 French edgers – HF Osborne #5, CS Osborne #’s 4,5,6, Vetter #1 Scalloping punch – Nice 3/4 inch half round/end scalloper Creaser – Nice unmarked adjustable screw creaser Shoe tools – Whitcher #8 lasting pliers in great condition, if you need a vintage folding measuring stick to see how big your feet are – 2 more up today.

The problem I had was not the design of the attachment. It actually worked OK. The problem was you had one hand running the machine and one hand to support the piece you were sewing and keeping it shoved up in there. That was a two handed job, especially going around a curve.

Very cool effect with the dark strands. I like that. Neat kind of a look with the casing swivel ends too.

Slick an edge with real bone one time and you'll want one. In some of the old sets I get there is a slicking bone or two. We have two lambs in the freezer and suspect some of the bones will make it out to the tool shop.

Got that price fixed for you. Fair prices for some nice tools.

I am just going by some that I have. These came with a bunch of lift the dot fasteners in a couple styles that fit these punches and the handled drivers are apparently to work the stud portion. Some of the sockets did have the tabs wider above the hole than below. I got these with a bunch of handled drivers and some of the punches were different from these also. I sold the fasteners, all the different handled tools, and the punches to a car restorer back east somewhere a few years ago. I kept the few duplicates back. The handled tools are all marked Carr and "Lift The Dot" but no markings on the punches. .

This one is for punching the holes for a Lift-The-Dot fastener. They are a directional safety snap that only are supposed to open if lifted in one direction.

And I have just the candidate to hang this on. Looks great Bret and I can't wait to turn his head with it.

Olaf, They probably don't have blades on hand, but can make them up. - Bruce

Olaf, Sorry I missed the last couple of posts to this thread. My blade measures 1-3/4" on the bottom from the leading edge to the back edge. The bolt spacing is variable and needs to be matched to your frame. As far as making a blade, I have been happy with the blades I have gotten from Campbell-Randall. I haven't tried anyone else. On the lever, the original is a wide head bolt, not a normal machine screw and a bushing. The square blocky looking nut in the first picture is what is on both sides of my Randall. The socket head screws on the back side that position the rollers are not original but no big deal. Pretty much my user has had all the adjusting screws replaced except for the one holding the lever on. I would borrow from it when I was refurbishing others and until now they have all been borrowed except the one.

Here are a couple I need some help with makers, and the plough gauge mentioned previously. The knife is one I have had for a while and is on my bench in use. I need help with the maker - I haven't seen a Mayer-Flamery with the hammer mark before. Is it one of theirs? The plough has only the tassel or bell marking on it. It is a nice smooth working one, just not sure who might have made it. Finally the plough gauge mentioned above. I still have some work to do on it, but here it is just about there. The shoe and guide block is gun metal. The fence and beam are steel. The top adjust and the binding nut for the roller are ornate brass. This is the prettiest English made one I have seen yet. It is marked "1897 A Butler London Warranted" on the shoe and the knife is marked "A Butler". Interestingly the knife is marked on the right side of the blade. I can't recall any others I have seen marked anywhere but the left side.

Tor, I finally got several Dixons at one time and cleared the waiting list for them. I have a top lever adjust on my website and also one that adjusts with the long screw mechanism. Those are pretty rare and a delight to use. Wait until you guys see what I just cleaned up - yes, from England. I need to do a little more on the knife and will have pictures tomorrow.

Not any more Mike. It is in the mail to a newer home.

Looking good there Mike!

I never started out to be a collector. Problem was I would get a cool old tool and it would never leave. Then another shows up, and pretty soon they have their own section. After a while it enlarged and now I have to admit - it is a collection. When we did the saddle tool display for the cowboy museum we got a lot of interest. It sparked the idea for me to make up a webpage of some of my collection to share on the internet. These are some of the more obscure early makers - all from the 1800s. Most of these tools are not for sale, but there is a lot of history there. Here is the link to that gallery page - http://brucejohnsonleather.com/content/index.php/leather_tools_for_sale/myleather-tool-collection-history-in-your-hand/ . I hope you enjoy.