bruce johnson

I have added a whole page to my website today of wooden tools. There are three nice smashers or bouncers or seat slickers or whatever you were taught to call them. There are a couple wedge type and strap slickers including an Osborne marked steel insert model. Lots of edge slickers. These came from sets of old tools and are all in good shape. Some are CS Osborne Newark marked. You could be slicking with the same tool as a guy did 100 years ago. I also added some CS and HF Osborne draw gauges, a few different edge bevelers, and a HF Osborne Eureka channeler. Here's a link to the landing page for the tools - Leather Tools For Sale . Thank you, Bruce

I had typed in the #86 in error and corrected my previous post. It should have been the Osborne #84 splitter that has the handle and will do lap skives. Another handled splitter that will skive is the Heritage splitter/skiver. Campbell-Randall makes a handled splitter as well. Sorry for the confusion.

The bigger problem here I see is with the chrome tan. For softer leather like that, I use a bell knive skiver. I can set them to level split up to about 2 inches wide. I have run straps through crosswise and done laps. Somebody may have some experience with the Scharr-Fixx unit for this, but I don't. Other than that - it's the knife or hand skiver. There are a few more options for vegtan here. A handled splitter like the Osborne #84 will level split if you tighten the handle down. You can skive laps by pulling the strap through as you push the handle forward. I just got in a Heritage splitter that is a handier lap skiver by design than it will ever be as a splitter. In fact I am pretty impressed with it on a few laps I have pulled through it to try it out. A crank skiver can also run straps through crosswise and skive easily repeatable laps. With either of those and a pull through splitter you could do laps and level splits and sure be under $1000. Edit - I had orignally typed that the #86 was a handled splitter. It is not and I had a brain freeze thinking about the #84 but typed #86. The post is now corrected.,

I started off with a Boss when they were the only affordable option for me at the time. The next step for a powered machine was about $4500. I sewed a ton on it, and it was pretty easy for a 14 year old son and wife to use and help me out. Later I stepped up to a 205-64 and then a Ferdco 2000 from there. The Boss still got use. I could sew tooled wear leathers on whatever thickness of saddle pads I could cram under the foot. It was good on repairs. I could replace stitchlines in a lot of hard old leather. I could resew woolskins on curled skirts that the powered machines would skip on. I eventually did sell it, but still some situations I could probably still use it. Mine was one of the original cast iron models and was a tank.

Mijo, I know a guy not too far from you that has the Lucris III press and likes it. PM me and I can put you in touch with him.

I have it saved to favorites. Mine is running about 3 seconds per page to load. I use a cellular modem through Verizon. Once in a while on any site, there can be a "lag-time" when I click to go to a new page, It may be anywhere from 3-10 seconds but once it starts the page loads in about 3 seconds. A few forums are faster for me. They are the ones with plain Jane headers and no avatars. Some load slower that have more header ads.

Without a maker's stamp, that is a fairly common style of saddle from the maybe early part of the 1900s and that would be about all I could say. How are the stirrup leathers adjusted? I get the hint of a slide from a Blevins buckle in the picture, but can't tell for sure. That could sure change things if so, either a later addition or a more recent make of an older style. Value is all over the board. I have seen them bring $100 at local auctions and some decoraters pay up to $500. If it had a stamp from a maker, that could change things.

If they are the standard round screw in punches like mini-punches and maxi-punches I chuck the handle into a drill press and spin them on in. It makes a clean hole and pulls right out easily, No cranking the punch back and forth trying to pull it out of hard or thick leather. The holes are smooth. I use scrap cutting board on the drill press table as a backer.

Cheryl, I don't braid, and even if I did, Bret is way over on the right side of the bell curve of braiders. I have the dark colored reins he posted a few months ago. They are braided straight as a rule, feel good, and are a pretty color to boot. The body of this hackamore is the same color string. I think it will look outstanding paired with the reins in a two-rein set up.

The more I look at it, the more I like it. Pretty stoked to get one like it!

Super cool!!

And it is a two half-day deal. I was kicking around an all night drive Thurs night. I decided against it. Starting at 7:00 and a two half day deal It looks like fixed price estate sale with some silent auction stuff. If something grabbed me on the sealed bid or silent auction deal I'd have to stay over until Saturday afternoon. Just not worth it for me, but somebody local can make it work.

Most bisonettes should follow that curve but some won't depending on the angle they are bent at. A turnback edger and a round bottom edger will do it.

I have added several round knives to my website tonight. There are some very nice old CS Osbornes. I also have a cool combination knife that Frank Ringel made. It is patterned after the "French pattern" knives made 100 years ago with the straigh side like a head knife and the trailing side like some round knives. There are some affordable users - a Weaver that is all but new it isn't unused. There are a few unmarked ones too. One guy who bought one told me was giving his name brand knife to his wife to frost cakes with after getting an unmarked one. I also added some patent leather tool/freehand stitch groovers. Osbornes with a bunch of length to them. There are quite a few fresh stitch markers too. There are the usuals and the unusuals. I have a Gomph #18 if you care to sew 18 to the inch and have the most elegant make of pricking wheels to mark them out. If you want a little looser work, there is a #15 Osborne pricking wheel instead. Lastly - fresh creasers and ticklers. Here is a link to the landing page for the the tools on my website - Leather Tools For Sale . Thanks, Bruce

Here are a few ways I use blood knots - bit hangers and concho holders on some headstalls, strap ends, and saddle strings.

A wise old man told me that the name came from pushing your knife through the string into your finger. Everybody has done it. On the other hand, I have personal experience with a tool called a string bleeder specially made to cut that slit. I was wearing flip-flops and had a string bleeder roll off my bench, do a 90 gegree turn, and land vertically stuck in the top of my foot like a yard dart. It was like slow motion and I still didn't respond. You know that big vein on your arch? String bleeders are on them like a heat seeking missile. It didn't bleed until I pulled it out, but then was a real stream. Wore a casing bag on my foot to get across the house to the bandaids. Cats that were around then are still traumatized if I rattle a plastic bag. The same wise old man told me you will never cut yourself if you have bandaids handy in your shop.

Bill, Kind of think of the software like a car. Every year they come out with new models, kind of like new versions of software. Things change a bit with every new version. After a while they stop supporting the old versions, kind of like not stocking OEM footswitches for the dimmers on '67 Chevy pickups anymore. Because of other changes in browsers like Internet Explorer, Chrome, FireFox, etc. the software has to change to keep compatible. Just like new cars, the controls are moved and things look different because we have gone from the '67 Chevy to a 2012 Explorer without some of the changes in between. Even the administrators don't know exactly how things are going to look or work until the new version is in. That is where things are at right now. The big things are being squared away, other changes are being found and dealt with. As far as the applications like the flags, think of those as the aftermarket accessories. They will be reinstalled on the new version, but the first priority was to get the new version up and running first. To further this car theme deal. I drive a 2002 Ford pickup. I know every control, can work them without looking. When I travel and rent something, it is an experience. If I can get the radio going and lights and wipers figured out in 10 minutes I am pretty pleased. Last year I changed the rear view mirror in Indianapolis and 10 seconds later was connected to OnStar. About time to turn the rental back in and I have them pretty well down. The new version of the forum will be that way too.

I am not much for change either, but with software it has to be updated occasionally. These forum wasn't built from scratch, it is on a software template. I don't think this particular version has been updated for a while. I am not a computer expert, but what I have found is that as the newer versions are developed, some of the previous features that I get used to aren't supported by the developers and you can end up with an orphan set up. Thye work with older browsers but not with new ones, and things like that. There are still some tweakings going on with options in the background, more apps to be added, so this isn't the final version but at least it is up and running with pretty minimal problems so far. Much happier than after the historic crash several years ago when everything was lost and a ton of hours were put in by Johanna and Kate to unscramble text and pictures and recreate the forum. The main thing I have noticed so far was the "view new content". On the new version mine was on a setting that didn't list posts once I had read them. I knew it was there an hour ago, but where is it now?? I found the setting on the left menu bar and it gives you lots of options.

The small Chuck Smith flower center bevler, braid center basket stamp, and set of decorative cut stamps are gone now.

Largest Chuck Smith mulefoot is sold. - Thank you!

The smallest Chuck Smith mulefoot, largest Chuck Smith center beveler, and Hackbarth flower center on the far left are sold now. Thank you!

Lutz, I happened to have this one saved in my picture files and was able to reload it. I do the same pretty much now, but use a Barry Kiing rope stamp instead of the Tandy or HideCrafter ropes.

I have a few stamps for sale. These are stamps that have come in sets of tools and are all duplicates or close enough to what I already have. They are all in good shape - not dings or damage. The Barry King baskets are his #4 largest size – $35 each The Barry King lined and scalloped veiner is probably what he is calling the 2 or 3 – they vary slightly within the same size – $20 Chuck Smith mulefeet – $15 each Chuck Smith flower center bevelers – $15 each Hackbarth flower centers – $35 Jeremiah Watt decorative cut stamps – all three for $40. They work nice for tight spots and to do the tips of acorns. They are tipped to make partial impressions Jeremiah Watt flower centers – $35 each Prices are firm and no discounts for volume. Shipping will be flat rate Priority Mail small box at $5.50 for any or all. Insurance is your option. These are first come - first served, I am going to request that you contact me by email only. It is a little tough to keep up with private messages, Facebook messages, and phone messages to determine who was first. I can take payment by either Paypal or credit/debit card. My email address is bruce (AT) brucejohnsonleather . com . Title the email "stamps" and I will surely appreciate it. I can take payment by PayPal or credit/debit card. For PayPal I will email a PayPal invoice so if your email address for PayPal is different then let me know that. For credit/debit cards, I need to take that information directly so please include a phone number and good time frame to call (with time zone) and I will sure try to get a call in there. Thanks, Bruce

If you could some dark string again - a bosalito.

I'd add undershots/lifters in a couple of sizes.