bruce johnson

I don't think I have seen anyone retailing Weaver's own line of tools or chemicals. About everything they sell is available directly from the maker or from other retailers. If you want one of Weaver's own products, probably the best way would be to put the word out or let some who regularly buys from Weaver know. They could piggyback your stuff to their order.

Josh, Good job, buddy Sounding like a broken record again, but I am really amazed at your progress. Congrats on these and looking forward to seeing the rest of what you are making for them.

Another good one, JW. I like that pattern a lot, and you pulled off another one that can give me fits sometimes. I see you are a fan of latigos on both sides too.

I've seen them sell from $5 to $35 or so. You grip them about like a pen, but that is about as far as it goes. I borrowed one when I had a hand injury a few years ago. I think there is a bigger learning curve than a swivel knife. The cutting tip swivels, so the actual tip is out on the end. It is like pulling a long trailer that cheats on turns. You have to make an exaggerated movement to keep the tip on the line on curves. It does large curves and straight lines alright. By the time I got pretty adequate with the one I was using, I was healed up. It got me by in a bad spot, and I appreciated that.

Scott, I do figure 2-1/2 sides per saddle, and that allows for things like a breast collar too. I can usually find some fillers and ground seat pieces in the scrap bin and use two sides. That figurees into two sides plus some. For a guy without the scrap bin, you probably will need to start with three sides and generate your own. The Bill Gomer DVDs are sold by Hidecrafter and Weavers. I am not sure if Bill sells them directly. Harry Adams book is sold by his daughter. One of them was selling it for a while, and I think I read that now his other daughter took that over. Here's a link I just found -Harry Adams Book .

I would agree with the Stohlman and Harry Adams books as pretty much a given. Bill Gomer's DVD is pretty good, but Jeremiah Watt's is more complete with more "Here's why you do this" along with the "Here's how you do this". Dale Harwood's DVD is very good, but assumes experience already. One thing I would add to your list of materials is at least another side of skirting. You will get into it.

Harvey, I make my outside first and then do the insides.

Good design Mark. I really like how that borderline becomes the stem. Clean job all the way around.

Finding out a little more about your splitter today. Landis did make a similar one, and thoughts are it predates the Landis 30. There is one of the old Landis style crank splitters on Ebay with a bunch of pictures. Other than the bottom frame casting, it looks pretty similar. Here is the Ebay listing link - Landis Splitter on Ebay . The Landis 30 and the Americans I have had all were similar and have two set screws that go down through nuts on top to level the top roller. The other views of the Landis on Ebay doesn't show anything like that. I have heard from a few guys in the past that most of the crank splitters were factory set that 6 oz equivalent was zero. They were set up to split and level shoe soles. To go thinner for other use a guy either cranked down the set screws on the adjusting bar or replaced them with longer screws if they were too short. He suspects there must be some way to adjust the top roller or make it go thinner. Most all of the other crank splitters had a way to adjust the top roller height for wear, but he just can't recall on the style you have. ShopTalk might have a manual, and Campbell-Randall might be someone to contact also.

I am with Jeff. I use tinsnips on the bogger skins, and those EMT safety/seat belt cutting scissors on the ones with little beads. I cut with the flesh side up. If you cut through these beads, some can be as sharp as cut glass and I have bled. You can gind them somewhat smooth with a Dremel and sanding drum.

Harvey used a block stamp from Wayne Jueschke on that one. It is Wayne's #123 stamp.

I haven't seen one of those before. I would suspect that two of those screws on top are used to adjust the top roller in relation to the blade. If you screw them both down, it should close that gap some. As far as rebuilding, it shouldn't be a big deal to remove the blade to sharpen and strop it. The rest of the machine looks pretty clean. Unless you have a burning desire to take things apart I wouldn't. I'd use some steel wool and brushes on a Dremel to clean the rollers in place.

Bill, It sounds like you are describing a Burgess VibroTool. They show up on Ebay every so often and some people have reported some pretty good results. Being an electrical tool from a few decades ago, at least a couple got a pretty good charge out of theirs too.

Anybody recognize this one - 180474447321 ? It looks kind of familiar to me. The work looks better than his ranch cutter. Looks like it may have a different maker stamp format than the ranch cutting saddle he has listed too.

They had health problems near the end, and couldn't do all they wanted to.

Dianne, There used to something listed in LCSJ called the SpeedStamper. Basically it is a rotary shaft tool with an oscillating handpiece. They haven't advertised for quite while and my not be in business anymore, but you can buy handpieces and rotary shaft motors several places. The nice thing about that handpiece is that most any stamps I wanted to use would chuck right into it.You just apply downward pressure and it starts jackhammering the stamp. As it does that, just push it along. I got it a few years ago when I had rotator cuff problems and there were only so many hits at a sitting. The SpeedStamper was a lifesaver at that point. I could do most all of my beveling with it, and save myself for the single impression stamps. Beadlines were a snap. One guy told me he could use pear shaders pretty well with it also. I am sure checking around, you could find one like they used to make up the SpeedStamper. There are other systems used (the Graver systems for silver) that guys use and have the stamp shafts machined down. I have Jeremiah's wheel beveler and it is alright for long runs too. I developed some wrist problems with push beaders and bevelers, so those kind of tools aren't real user friendly to me anymore if I need to apply much pressure.

Slick, I would have to agree with Bob's numbers now for most professional and semi-professional toolers using mauls. It seems like talking to some old guys, the sticks were pretty popular. I use mauls mostly like you describe with the rocking wrist, but will use one sort of like hammer on bigger stamps and punches. I have mauls in wieghts from 14 oz to 3#. To compare between two makers, I have 1 and 3 pounders from both Wayne Jueschke and Barry King. Wayne's have more weight to the head end and drop heavier.I have a 1# from Bearman, and his is between the other two guys balance wise. On the bigger block stamps I was using the 2# and having to put more oomph behind it and sometimes two hits per impression. Last fall I got a 3# from Barry, and it makes a big difference - less double striking and overall less fatiguing. I just got a 3# from Wayne last week and it falls even heavier. Which maul I choose depends on stamp size and shape, and how cased the leather is for the effect I want. As far as material, the rawhide wears and flakes. Barry and Ed use a white plastic material for the head. Barry grooves his and Ed doesn't. I have used the tar out of Barry's and the grooves wear flat. It doesn't seem to make much of a difference to me when they do. Wayne uses a tannish plastic for the heads on his. I have used his a ton too, and they don't seem to wear. You will hear guys tell you that you need to grind the shank on the off the rack stamps to have square edges on top for the maul head to "grab" the stamp. I have several Tandy and modified stamps I use and haven't squared them. I don't see any difference with them staying in my hand.

This is something I deal with a lot. I have been on both sides of the fence here - on the board for a non-profit for several years and as a maker who gets donation requests all the time. As a board member and officer - fundraisers are meant to raise money for operating expenses. We had live auctions, silent auctions, and raffles at a few events throughout the year. Live auction items were full donations with one exception. The only exception there was we sold a gun with an event plaque. The gunshop got the gun for us at cost. No money was paid out for anyhting else. These are showcase kind of items and while some years sold better than others, bring their value and more. Raffle items are usually big ticket items - trips to the NFR with tickets, accomodations, and spending money. The tickets are donated and the accomodations are sponsored, spending money is put up by the organization. Silent auction things were fully donated with a few exceptions. We dealt with one company that specialized in jewelry for auctions. We picked what we wanted to fill in, they had a minimum price. We paid that price only if something sold, and put the opening bids at that minimum. Everything else shipped back with no $ out. As a board we would have not accepted anything with a cost without that sort of arrangement. As a maker, I pick and choose who I donate to. I can't donate to all that request. The organizations whose members and attendees have supported me get something. Organizations I believe in their work get something. What they get really depends on the event. For one group - a high end item for the live auction, and a few silent auction items. Usually about 600 people there and a lot of attnedees have bought something from me. Other groups I donate large or small items to, it just depends on who and what. It takes money to run most groups and the more they can raise, the better it is for everyone. There are some tax benefits to donations like this, and check with an advisor on that. Sometimes things you can buy at wholesale because of your business status and donated is better and more time efficient than making something too. Personal benefit auctions are another opportunity. The catastrophic medical expense fundraisers are something I look at. I have been on the other side of that fence without one, and realize now how much they could mean. If anything, these are a great show of community to the affected people and that support is worth a lot. Donating something gets a business name out there more than writing a personal check. For most of the donations, they are things I have on hand. I will make up some things to have in-stock alongside the custom orders. I can just hand them something or tag it for them. Another thing to consider donating is a credit for a custom made item or equivalent credit towards something else. I have done that and it has worked out well. Make it a credit for so many dollars that will pay for the item, then any upgrades they pay for. The other scenario is making awards. Most all associations have an awards budget if they are giving them, so they expect to pay. I have done it off and on for a long time, and several others here do too. It can be an alright thing. My pricing on that is materials and overhead plus time. If I am doing several of the same pattern and don't need to change lettering, I might discount the time some to keep within their budget but never the other factors. One of these, one of those - there is no economy of time savings and usally full price. The trap I have fallen into before was that I had big awards orders which were nice for cash flow. The downside was I had to refuse some full paying orders at times because I couldn't get them done too.

Bob Douglas usually has some ready to go - (307) 737-2222.

Looks good Elton. Nice taper to the maul, and the stamps look good. He ought to like that wiggler.

For the time it would take a silversmith to get those letters off and engrave that area, they might be able to make a new plate with your daughter's name or initials. Might be a something for the next birthday or event in her life.

Josh, It all looks good, and the workbenches are nice with the storage underneath. Seems to be plenty of light too, that's a plus. Looks like a saddle stand next? It will make them easier to work on, and a three tier stand from the supply store will free up floor space for the waiting ones. You have a great sized stamping rock too. Glad to see that. You are going to be having some fun in there. Downer time. It really scares me to see the round knife in the apron pocket sheathed or not. Have a hang up place within reach. If you lay it down, always lay it down handle toward you. If the blade is sharpen enough to cut leather, it will cut leather. I have put them back into sheaths and eventually just the motion of setting them in has cut the welt. The blade working back and forth from wearing it, then bend over and it can drive it through the welt and mulehide. Contrary to the deer hunter T-shirt slogans, happiness would not be a large gutpile. We want you around.

Bob is at a leather show and I expect won't be home until early next week.

I spent today and some $$ there. Casey is right, there may be a few here and there show specials, but usually not many. For me it is not so much looking for a deal as it is hands on comparing. I am a little biased, because I do most of my serious buying of tools at the shows. This show let me compare stamps between Wayne Jueschke, Barry King, Bob Beard, Lana Smith, and Hackbarth and buy based on that. For hand tools, Bob Douglas had new ones he makes, Barry King,Ron Edmonds, Osborne, Weaver, Tandy, and HideCrafter. Bob Douglas and another guy were both there with older refurbished tools. You can compare mauls between Barry and Wayne, swivel knives between Lana Smith, Leather Wranglers, and Barry. Hermann Oak, Wickett & Craig, Sheridan Leather, and Tandy were there with leather. Two sewing machine sellers are set up. You can learn from all of these how something is supposed to work, how they are supposed to be sharpened and maintained too. Just BSing I pick up a lot. The offtime has been really special and entertaining at this show.

I used to tie those side pulls out of rope when I used them and sold some too. I used nylon heel ropes. You can tie them in a simple overhand knot but it is a little bulky over the ring. There is a knot that is used on the end of lariat ropes that is similar to a overhand knot, but the rope is stranded out and each of the the three (or maybe 4 now) strands is treated individually and makes less of a knot on catch ropes and lays smoother over a ring. Melt the ends with a torch. When you strand out these tight lay ropes, you need to wrap tape at the places you want them to stop, because they can unravel a mile once you cut them.