bruce johnson

I like the end grain on the bench too. I cut wafers about 1" thick off the ends of a 4" post. Most of my holes I drill with a maxi or minipunch chucked into a drill press and turned on. I use a scrap of LDPE for that. It works really slick and no drag or egging out the holes trying to crank a punch back out. I use poundo on my anvils when I punching inside a pocket.

I use press blankets that are a cost-off from printing shops. They are a cloth backed rubberized material. You can cut them with knives or scissors. The printers clean them up with solvent before I get them, and have never had any ruboff problem. I use them rubber side down to help keep from slipping. On the back I write info like zipper length, gusset length, and in the case of custom fit things - who they are for. They will also sew on a machine for test fitting things where the tolerances need to be pretty close. I used to store them in boxes until I visited Ken Nelson. He had some blueprint drawers. I picked up a couple scratch-n-dents at a used office furniture place pretty cheap.

For stamping, look for a piece at a counter top place, headstone shop, Habitat for Humanity store, etc. These places usually have something that will work. Some of the counter places have sink cutouts or a corner cut for free. Some of the headstone places have a broken slab pile. It will be way more satifactory than trying to balance on a 2# anvil. You still need an anvil, but not for this.

First thing - go down to the river and drink some Hassayampa River water - local legend. 1)We stayed at the Las Viejaros or something like that. It was alright for us. 2)Best T-bones I ever ate were at Circle 7 or something like that. I had to eat there twice in a row to prove it to myself. Yep, the second one was as good. Mine were medium rare. For entertainment, watch Barry King eat one nearly raw. 3) The museum in Wickenburg is great. well worth a visit. 4) Visit the jail, I think Bob Park told me he was born there. Maybe they have a sign? 5) Be on the lookout for anyone named Harvey.

Mine is a part-time business that I take seriously. The biggest challenges I see is being one guy doing it all. The time it takes to order supplies, keep the books current, handle the updates on my site and blog, and keeping that end going. The actual leatherwork is easy compared to that sometimes. Some I can do on breaks at my day job. Other things I just have to take time out of my productive shop time to get done. As far as expectations for this coming year, I am still seeing inquiries and orders. I don't have a lot of excess inventory of madeup products. Most everything is made to order, and sometimes I will make up another alongside it for economy of time and to have a little on hand stock. That way I have a few things on hand that are good movers - reins, a few personal goods, a few pairs of spur straps. These are kind of "want it now things" and also make a handy deal for the fundraisers and benefits I choose to donate to. I am comfortable I have pretty much all the tools and equipment I need. I have a little set aside for an unexpected bargain if it comes up. I am seeing a dip in prices for equipment and this may be good timing for some tools and equipment. Some guys are selling excess to streamline and help with cash flow. Others are playing things close to the vest and it is more a buyer's market right now.

The metal in the anvil will react with damp leather and cause black spots. I do use anvils a lot though. I use a 5# for setting small rivets and snaps, or set it on a cutting pattern to keep it from shifting. I usea shoeing anvil to set copper rivets on or to slip the heel into a pocket with a piece of poundo over it to punch a slot inside a pocket. They are pretty handy, but won't replace a rock.

Welcome Paul, I figured you were already here. Good looking work, as usual.

I see different impressions and checkering patterns on the bevelers. It wouldn't matter to me whose they are. I would probably use a few different ones to get different effects, just like I do out of my own rack. I don't use an 809 on an interior stem, and I don't use a Woodruff on a border. I'd agree that the detail needed on a small seeder isn't much. They are each a little different, and I'd go with whatever caught my eye. I like the center 3 a little better over the two end ones. On bargrounders I kind of figure small dots are small dots. Some bargrounders are better than others about not sticking. I've got a couple that are alright, but I don't barground much. I think the bigger differences show up in the single impression stamps like baskets and blocks. To carry this "pick whose stamp is whose" I am attaching one of mine that compares a couple off the rack tools to some that cost me a little more. In all fairness to this off the rack waffle, I tried one a few weeks ago, that wasn't nearly this good. Another interesting little deal here. I looked up some old Tandy catalogs today. I have an old Hinckley-Tandy from the late 40s probably. Stamps ranged from 50 cents to $1.50, prices on request for the bigger ones. In 1954-55, one to two dollars bought most of them. They aren't much more than that now relative to everything else.

That might be a bit of a problem. My 1-3/4 cutter is an Osborne. It sort of cuts in a cone shape and so I usually cut heavy leather from the back to front so the edges flare down. I can cut them from the front, but they won't look nearly as good.

Kings X, FWIW, Would it work for you to have me cut you 20 conchos and send them? That would be cheaper to ship than a cutter and no return shipping. I could cut you 20 in about 5 minutes and my scrap bin wouldn't even notice.

Doug, The closest to the craftools in price and a better quality impressions for the ones I have are CraftJapan. The Craft Japans I have are pretty good. Once you get past that, then for price, quality, availability - Barry King. I like some of Chuck Smith's stamps, and they are about like Barry's pricewise. Up from that price-wise, Wayne Jueschke and Bob Beard.

Slick, Yes and yes.

There is another theory about the development of the Cheyenne Roll by Meanea. These guys roped tied on. If the cow got behind you and started up the other side, that lip helped keep the rope from riding up the back of the cantle and jerking into the small of your back.

The stamps usually referred to were mostly one line of stamps, and not craftools. I bought them because they had good impressions, some designs that were different, and seemed like a good value for the price. I bent and broke my fair share of them with cased leather and a 16 oz maul. Not everybody had problems with these stamps, but plenty of us did.

A friend of ours died a few days ago. Yesterday I was honored to be asked to make the funeral guest book which can then be used for a photoalbum afterwards. I realized when I set the first stamp it was eight years to the day I did the same thing for my first wife. In an inner sort of way, this was one of the best projects I could have done. This guy was a cowman, and those who understand can maybe appreciate the design a little more. We live in an area where branding cattle is still done, and there are guys branding this time of the year. The center is a plugged hair-on hide inlay that I ran his brand on. I use a spoon tip on a woodburning pen to scorch the hair off and then dye the underlying leather. (well alright, I use a Sharpie). I seal the dye with LeatherSheen. I have done that on a lot of hair-on items with brands or initials and it really makes the dye last. He was a real salt of the earth understated sort of guy so I kept the overall look pretty simple. The border stamp I chose is kind of a personal favorite. It is a copy of an old McMillen pattern I had Barry King make me up in three sizes. The old waffle stamp patterns were pretty popular, and the rope center design really "cowboys" it up I think.

Elton, Good looking bag. That apron split really looks good, and I like the carving work too. Good job no matter how cold the shop was.

I make my placemats a little differently, and will attach an example. These are a chap leather body with tooled side borders. I mostly use chap leather for the bodies, but have used some oiled vegtain too. I use Feibing's Leather Sheen. I have used Future floor wax in a pinch and don't see any difference. I put on on a pretty good coat, when it is almost dry, I put on a light coat. When it is just past tacky, I put another light coat on. I usually end up and have about 4-5 light coats when I am satisfied. I have not had a problem with staining, our own set is used a lot, and out maybe 8 years now. They wipe with a damp rag. I have customers who roll them up in drawers for storage, ours are sometimes. No problems with flaking or cracking.

Doug, Good to hear from you. I used Barge a long time and never had a problem. I switched to Renia a while back. I have done 20 or so with Renia and it is maybe a little stickier, but way more fumes. I use a wire brush to rough up the surface of the can and then apply a light layer of glue, same with the leather. Usually I add another coat to the leather to make sure I have plenty on the surface. I stick it down when it is pretty dry and then rub from the center out to make sure the bubbles are out and everything is stuck. I weight them for about a day too. I haven't had any problems drilling them for conchos. My own can has something like 20 small conchos for flower centers all around the edge. A while back I caught my horse standing on it.

Brad, Quick and dirty. You first need to figure out the cost of materials, add in incidentals, and then the markup. Thyen you need to estimate the time involved. To cut and make up all the insides, stamp the design, put it together and finish it. If you haven't done them before just like this, you are going to need to make up cutting and tooling patterns too. You need to either add that total cost in, or figure a reasonable number to prorate that time factor out on. Then add up the time and figure what you are worth. There are people that work for beer money and people that do this to pay the mortgage. No right answer.

Penske, I missed this thread until Clint brought it to the front again. We did some of this in the past and my sister-in-law is a serious reined cowhorse person who has shown on several levels for a long time. Mostly she has trained and shown in cutting board type saddles for the last several years. Maybe a little more front rise in the seat than some extreme boards, but a BW kind of front end with a 3-1/2"or so horn kicked forward a little. The biggest difference between the two events is working a single cow down the fence. They want a horn they may need to get ahold of turning a cow on the fence and pulling up out of a tight turn. Some want a little longer seat for some room to maneuver without getting popped up out of there. The reiners seem to like maybe a little lower set of swells and lower horn, and maybe a little shorter seat. With the increasing popularity of some of the ranch horse versatility classes and "Horsemen" contests having steer stopping again, some of the cowhorse people are needing something they can rope out of now too. The beefed up BW ranch cutters with a roping horn and a little bigger bar pattern are getting more popular looks like.

Josh, That is some great work. I am sounding like a broken record, but the progress you have made is just amazing. Good for you on getting orders for another, it won't be the last.

Tim, You are sure welcome. And we know a lot of you are getting leather stuff today. Post them here along with your happy mugshot!

I'll kick it off here. My Christmas Eve present I chose to open came from my pal, critic, and art advisor - Harvey Lutske. Harve came through with a western DVD, but the real treat to be used and cherished is a Bearman maul. I already stepped out and gave her a run down a strip of scrap. Oh Yeah, Ed makes them well. They are a beautiful piece of work, well balanced, and did I mention beautiful? Thanks Harvey and Ed!!

Denise, I figure in round numbers I have about $650 with monels and mohair cinch plus the cost of the tree and silver.

As far as prices, you just have to call him. This stuff is priced all over the scale. He is a cool guy to talk to, honest to a fault about each piece he is going to send you. I have mostly dealt with him at the shows, but have phone ordered a few times too. A few years ago we were at the Sheridan show. Jim Linnel's intro class for the kids just let out, and some of them were wandering through the big room at the trade show. Every kid that came by, Jerry was just handing them a free frog skin. Even if they didn't look his way, he sought them out. "Dude, this is probably the only thing they are going to be able to walk out of this room with. I just gotta do it, man!"