lightingale

I would love to try these out, and even considered making my own at some point. I make and sell a lot of tapered sighthound collars (I have two saluki dogs). You can see photos of my collars on my website http://salukifeathers.com/ and my Etsy shop at https://www.etsy.com/shop/SalukiFeathers I'd be happy to beta test your template, as someone who does dog collars almost exclusively :-)

I have a suggestion for a letter stamp set: letters or numbers that are SMALLER than 1/4". I make dog collars, and often personalize a name and phone number on them. It's a common request to have the phone numbers made smaller than the 1/4" stamps I have, but I've been unable to find such a set. I've been meaning to look into metal stamps but haven't gotten around to it.

This is a brilliant idea. I checked the sheet for my favourite conditioner (Aussie leather conditioner), although the ingredient list was... not what I expected: Petrolatum USP 55.0 – 70.0 8009-03-8 > 2000 mg/kg (rat) Not applicable Natural & synthetic wax blend 10.0 – 15.0 Proprietary None established Not applicable Aliphatic hydrocarbon 15.0 – 35.0 64742-47-8 5000 mg/kg (rat) Not available Petrolatum? Isn't that vaseline? I'd rather not buy pre-made sample tins, as they're still pretty expensive. My profit margin on most of my collars doesn't enable me to send an extra $4-$5 product along. Plus, I like the idea of making a conditioner from scratch. I happen to have beeswax bricks on hand, and it's only $10 for 32oz of neatsfoot oil. I ordered 50x 10ml lip balm containers for about $0.45 apiece, and I figure each sample will cost me roughly $0.55. I can understand staying away from vegetable oils. I haven't heard of them going rancid on the leather or in the stitches, but better safe than sorry. The beeswax/shea butter/almond oil/vit E oil recipe was attractive to me as a leather balm because it can be used on the skin too, but it doesn't stay fresh for too long. I'd like to stay away from tallow and lard for the same reason. Right now I'm leaning towards using beeswax and neatsfoot oil in proportions that yield a butter-like consistency (like the aussie conditioner, but maybe a little stiffer). There aren't a lot of other leather conditioner recipes online, but some call for ingredients such as lanolin, glycerin, tea tree oil, mink oil, etc. Any thoughts on those ingredients? Technically, since only the queen bee and a few select drones actually "get any", all beeswax must be virgin because the worker bees are too busy to bee "getting busy".

I sell tooled dog collars online, and I think it might be nice to send along a small container (like a lip balm container) of homemade leather conditioner with each purchase. I'm imagining something with the consistency of butter, that you can dip your fingers into and rub in with the warmth of your fingertips. I've dabbled in making hand balms for the skin (beeswax, shea butter and almond oil), and the recipe could probably be modified for leather. My thoughts for leather conditioner ingredients are: Beeswax (just enough to get the butter consistency, maybe 30-40% of the total?) Oil - Olive? Peanut? With a touch of neatsfoot? Vitamin E drops - a preservative Any thoughts or suggestions?

1. Wet leather is easier to edge and skive than dry leather. 2. Be creative and go beyond kits, materials, tools, and patterns from the leather store. You can take inspiration from other crafts to make something very unique. Example: pick up a cabochon from the jewelry section of the hobby store and try embedding it in leather. 3. If you have a great idea for a project, make a list so you don't forget. 4. Many people will tell you to get the best tools you can afford. I disagree. Try the cheap Tandy ones to learn the techniques, and if it's something you see yourself using a lot, then upgrade to the best you can afford (exception is the Tandy diamond awl; that thing is useless, so get at least the Osbourne one). You don't need to start out with a full set of Barry King tools and a Bearman maul! This way you'll quickly build a repertoire of tools so that you are able to make and learn from a variety of projects.

Try buffing the black after it has dried to get rid of extra pigment. I usually only top coat after everything else is done, but there's no reason you can't topcoat the black and then topcoat again after the acrylics are on (if you're still having smudging problems). If there's one thing I've learned in leathercraft, it's that there's no one "right" way of doing things.

I'd be interested as well. Sounds like a fun project to try when I have no orders on the go. My husband wants an archery gauntlet, which your patterns might help me with.

I've used a v-shaped woodcarving tool to get the same effect in the past. It's easier to see what you're doing than the Tandy v-gouge. You need to have a steady hand and use a ruler on straight lines, but it's a very versatile tool.

What started as a couple of photos to post on here turned into a fully-fledged blog post. Thus, I post you the link with a photo tour of my workshop: http://salukifeathers.com/271/a-look-into-the-workshop/ I don't have as many toys as most of you, but I love being in my little leathercraft sanctuary.

I've had someone copy one of my dog collar designs before (blog post on it here: http://salukifeathers.com/213/im-flattered-my-first-copycat/). Let me tell you, it's not a good feeling to see someone use one of your own designs (one that you came up from scratch starting with a blank piece of paper and a pencil), particularly when they price their offering well below yours. It feels a little like you've been robbed. One can argue that everything has been done before, but when the "copied" version numerous elements that are identical to an existing piece of art, it is obvious where the "inspiration" came from. That being said, there is very little an artist can do about someone copying their work, as lawyers are prohibitively expensive, so most artists have no choice but to ignore it. "Metallic painted" dog collar is a little vague though. Crafters use metallic paint on many things. Incidentally, I also use metallic paints on some of my dog collars (which started when I decided to try mixing my metallic/iridescent/pearlescent makeup powders with leather finish). If you're just going to use metallic paint on your collars, I wouldn't consider that copying. If you use their tooling design and make something recognizably similar, then yes, that would be copying. If you're going to start a business in leathercraft, what better way than to use your passion to create something uniquely your own? It's a beautiful feeling of accomplishment, to have people appreciate something that came from your own mind and creativity by purchasing it. It's what makes the business fun!

I use plain old printer paper. The reason being; I draw my designs by hand, and then scan them into the computer for further processing in Photoshop. With Photoshop, I can duplicate and flip the design as I need for perfect symmetry. I then print it on normal paper and use that to trace on to the leather. If I need to scale the design up or down, I can do that in Photoshop and print a new template. If my old template wears out, I'll print a new one. If I want a thick material to use for tracingsomething like an outside curve on a sighthound collar, I'll cut it out of scrap cardboard that would otherwise go in the recycling or the fireplace (cereal boxes, dog treat boxes, etc.). I only need to draw one curve as I can flip it horizontally and vertically to get perfectly symmetrical dimensions :-)

There was quite the uproar on Etsy about the price increase, as people didn't update their shipping costs on their online stores and had to pay the difference out of pocket. For us Canadians, we actually got a new shipping method that is a couple bucks cheaper. Our shipping costs are still WAY higher than Americans, though. A 8x6x2 bubble mailer weighing 150g costs $18 to send to the states (cheapest method with tracking... NEVER skimp on the tracking with handmade items). Now it will cost me about $16.

What do you mean by diamond plate stamp? A stamp in the shape of a diamond?

Hi, If you want to stamp words like in the photo you posted, you'll want to go with Hermann Oak leather, or any vegetable tanned leather. You'll want to read up on how to case and stamp, and buy a set of letter stamps. There are a few things you can do with the leather to protect it from heat and water, as long as you're not submersing it or roasting it over the fire. Someone on the forum recently posted a video about a waterproofing agent involving wax and turpentine(?) and something else. I haven't tried it, although it looks like it would do wonders to protect against water.

I've been making coasters as promotional items using a large (2 x 1.5 inch) maker's stamp in the center. Using a maul is problematic not only for the lack of depth of the large stamp; I also get shadow impressions from smacking it multiple times with the maul. I looked up the imprinting machine on Tandy, but I'm not willing to drop $450-$500 on a machine whose effects I believe I can duplicate with things from the garage and hardware store. I admit I'm not the kind of girl who has spent a lot of time in the garage, so I'm looking for your suggestions as to how I can make an imprinting machine on the cheap. Doesn't need to be fancy... I just hope to stop wasting coaster-shaped pieces of leather on shadowy multi-impressions of my maker's stamp :-) Thanks

It's been 1 year since I bought my newbie starter kit from Tandy, and I've become immersed in this rewarding hobby ever since. You folks have helped me along the whole journey; this forum is a treasure trove of helpful information and inspiration! I even made an Etsy store, and have been having great success with it (and it's been helping pay for my tool addiction). I've spent thousands on supplies in the meantime, and looking back, I can identify the best (and worst) investments I've made. I'd like to start a discussion on what you folks have discovered when in comes to tools and supplies. Best investments: 1. Barry King bevelers. - There's no comparison to the Tandy ones. The steeper angle and finer checkered texture helped improve the quality of my tooling many-fold. Added bonus of no longer having annoying footprints! I picked up one of his swivel knives too, which he sized to fit my tiny hands. It seems to hold an edge longer and I seem to get less hand strain. 2. Beary 16oz maul - I used the standard Tandy poly maul until I read a few threads here on Beary mauls. It set me back about $100, but my tooling impressions seem deeper and crisper for reasons I can't explain. And... I seem to have less shoulder pain, although I need to build more arm muscle strength to be able to hold it up for long afternoons of tooling! 3. Strap cutter / learning to cut my own hides - You save a lot of money when you buy the whole hide and cut your own strips (I make dog collars and belts). It is also more rewarding! 4. A solid work bench - My husband won't tell me how much he spent on this custom thing. It's huge, 8 by 3 feet and drawers for tools on either side. We put it in the spare bedroom, and I'm loving being able to spread out and leave my tools about (this coming from someone who used to work on the kitchen table, which used to bounce and leave tool impression "shadows" even with a granite slab). 5. Adjustable arm lamp - When working at night, it's hard to be sure that your beveler is -exactly- lined up in the swivel knife cut, so having an adjustable lamp helps TONS. Not to mention it saves your eyes... 6. A custom maker's stamp - another gift from my husband. I stamp it on my creations with great pride! I hope it eventually draws more business as people look for who the maker is on my products. 7. Tandy Elite membership. I know I knock down Tandy tool quality a lot, but for someone starting out, you can easily make back the $150 membership fee in your first year on dyes, finishes, tools, and leather, especially if you like to experiment. If you buy leather there, buy the European tooling bends as they seem to be the best quality the store holds. Also, you get discounts on theleathercraftlibrary.com where you can buy all the Stohlman books, which are fantastic for beginners. Worst Investments: 1. Buying leather online - I bought through Tandy, and especially when you don't really know what you're buying, you really should look at the leather IN PERSON. A half-shoulder is a lot smaller than it sounds, and that cheap single bend might be full of holes and brands. Also, you'd be surprised how much variance you'll see in the (lack of) quality of the flesh side! Had a bad experience with cracking... 2. Craftool stamps - Maybe I've been spoiled by Barry King's tools, but I've been repeatedly disappointed by Tandy's stamps. I haven't tried their new "pro" tool line, which might change my mind, but so far their selection in the pro line seems limited. 3. Buying one of EVERY COLOUR stain before trying it. Example: I only use Fiebing's antique paste in tan, dark brown, and occasionally black (diluting with Tan Kote as needed), yet I'm the proud owner of every single colour! I also got the super sale of the entire Eco Flo Professional Waterstains, some colours of which are horrible (blue and green, I'm talking to you!)... and how many shades of brown do I REALLY need? 4. Craftool 4-in-1 awl set - I REALLY wanted to learn to hand sew, but this stupid thing would NOT get through a single layer of 8-9 ounce leather. I thought I was the problem. I even bought sharpening stones (even ceramic ones) to fix it, and could not pierce the leather for the life of me. Gave up on it for a few months, until I bought an Osbourne awl. Problem solved, now saddle stitching is one of my favourite jobs! 5. Buying the entire set of Cova colours. There are MANY paints that will adhere perfectly well to leather. Cova colour is not the only one just because it is sold (overpriced) by Tandy! Well, that was a mouthful! That have you folks found to be worthwhile?

I use Tan Kote to dilute antique paste. In my last order of supplies, I wasn't careful and ordered Bag Kote instead of Tan Kote. Is there a difference? Can I still use Bag Kote to thin antique?

Not all finishes are meant to be used full-strength on a flexible piece of leather. I had similar issues using undiluted acrylic resolene on a dog collar. I switched to Professional Top Coat from Zelikovitz, and haven't had a problem since.

Having just received some makers stamps for Christmas, and also having possession of a pile of leather scrap too small do do anything else with... this is a brilliant idea. I usually attach a cardboard business card to all of my creations before they are sent out, but this might make more of an impression, pun intended.

My husband got me a set of maker's stamps for Christmas. He's always been interested in my craft, so I didn't think twice when he asked me detailed info on what I wanted a few months ago. He went with Argontool.com specifically http://www.steelstam...ing-stamps.html He got me a 5/8 inch stamp and a 2 inch stamp. The stamps are metal and I'm very impressed with the crisp impressions they make. They threw in a (huge) 2 inch maker stamp for almost no extra money. I make dog collars, so the 2 inch maker stamp is probably going to go unused (dear husband thought I could stamp the back of a tooled dog collar with the 2 inch one, but I appreciate the thought). I've attached a photo of the stamp impressed in dry leather with a single mallet stroke. I made the logo myself in photoshop from a photo of my saluki dog, and even the hairs on the tail and legs showed through on the stamp. My photo (taken in poor light) doesn't show the detail that came through, but at least you can get the gist of it.

If it were me, I'd mix a small amount of black antique paste with red dye, and dilute it with some tan kote so it doesn't go on as dark. It should give you a dark red antique that goes well with the red leather. I almost always dilute the paste nowadays. I don't know if this is standard practice, but I find the paste a little too harsh straight out of the tub (I use Fiebings).

I have extensive experience in Photoshop, which is what I use for my leather purposes, and limited experience in AutoCad. What are you hoping to accomplish with ERP?

I just got my dremel burnishers last week. They work very well, though I have to fiddle with my technique to get it perfect. You have to sand the edges to make them round, as the tool will not round it for you. When I used the plastic tandy thing, I was exerting enough pressure to round the leather at the same time so I didn't have to sand it. I use the lowest speed on my dremel and even slight pressure causes it to slow down (I have the dremel attachment that's on a cable so I don't have to lift the whole tool every time). If you go too fast, you burn the leather, which is evidenced by the smell! So far I'm loving it, and it will save a lot of time. It's not as easy as it looks, however, and will take some practice to get it just right.

I'd love to have them, also salukifeathers@gmail.com

I have to agree with the quality of his tools. I'm saving up to order more... although I learned my lesson against having it shipped directly to Canada! Duties are ouch... Good thing I have American family who visit often! I find my carving quality has much improved since buying his tools (even in figure carving), and the bevelers have made the biggest difference.