GoldenKnight

Nice. For the plastic window, you can use clear vinyl for marine (boat) windows and weather covers. Same material for convertible windows. Available at awning/sunbrella or marine supply, or Amazon.

The real border crisis is not state-to-state, nor is it the use of an oil-based leather dye. If it is, we are in so much more of a bad situation than I thought. Besides, if felons get sanctuary status, are they really going to be able to validate any penalty to your possession or use of oil-based dye?? Just add a little n.f. oil to your alcohol-based dye. I've done it successfully several times & no complaints. YMMV

Use most of Mulesaw's logo suggestion with these adjustments: 1. Border -- Make the border an outline of the map of the U.S.A. (I spent 10 years overseas, non-military, and the map of the U.S. is readily recognizable.) 2. Logo -- Swap the hammer for a swivel knife or maul. (This removes the similarities to the communist flag logo.) I love the U.S. flag for "Union" and the colors, but it looks too cartoonish and somewhat like a political pin-on button a kid puts on their backpack. For color print you can use the red, white, and blue for the different words. Union in blue. Leather Supply in white. Shape of the U.S. map outline in red. That would really pop in print & business cards, be identifiable, and yet not overly complicated. 3. Font -- Keep the same font as your current logos. Continuity is key. Nike keeps their font regardless of equipment or level of product/model. These changes should clean it up, appear more professional, and be easy to reproduce from an ink print to a laser etched brand mark on products.

Very cool ideas. I have seen this done with pottery as well (Alewine Pottery in Gatlinburg, TN does this on various mugs, plates, bowls, etc.) Hopefully those that have looked into this more will update their results, methods, and provide some additional tips.

Using Sharpie permanent markers is nothing new, and a good option for small detailed work. I have done this on several small projects for outlining the stamped letters of a name, adding more color or shading to other figures (grass, flowers, wood edges of a tree or log, ...). The Precision/ Ultra Fine tip ones are great for that and Sharpies come in a great range of colors, so you don't have to custom mix dyes and you have color consistency for shading IF that's what you need and when they get used up a little or dried out, they are actually really useful then for light shading on figure carvings that won't see use except for being be wall hangers or shelf sitters. However, for my larger projects nothing beats a brush and dye from a bottle - the proven way to know it is getting deep saturation into the leather. For outdoor and animal use gear, this is essential. It all depends on your project, depth of dye penetration needed, etc. For veg tanned - yes, Sharpies will work for some projects for a limited task, but they need to be limited in use because they cannot be refilled, they do run out of consistrnt ink flow, you cannot control saturation like you can with a brush, etc. I would use the previously recommended dye techniques combined with the previous advise provided (proper swivel knife outline cuts, possible some beveling) prior to dying. I think you'll see the results you are seeking. Best of luck.

What about using latigo since it will be around water from time to time between rain, snow melt, or hose spray?

If you are wanting to use thin & finished upholstery leather as the top, but make it strong enough to be useable without the expense of quality veg tan, I would sandwich Cordura, jeans, or canvas duck cloth material glued between a top and bottom layer of finished upholstery leather. Sew around the outside perimeter and maybe add a decorative pattern across the seat to keep the layers together over time and use from separating. (Do not make the stitching pattern too tight of a stitch or detailed where it would weaken the thinner leather or add to premature wear.) That will produce a nice finished look, be leather on both sides, reinforced in the middle, and save costs.

Angelus brand has a Light Rose dye that has worked well for me in the past when I needed items dyed pink. (Usually around November, for Breast Cancer Awareness month items.)

Look at this on eBay http://www.ebay.com/itm/292384444955 I bought a few of these. Just like one I got from Tandy on sale, but here it is less $$ and in various colors. Probably the same maker. The only downside is the 1 to 4 week delay on delivery.

Gold Frost Eco-Flo Hi-Lite Color Stain is another option. I tried uploading a pic, but the file was too large. It will give that appearance too.

What about using Gilder's Paste? The gold, antique gold or mix the copper and gold and you can get a cool effect. There's an endless amount of artistic freedom there. It's a really cool product. https://goo.gl/images/hVqZ1L https://goo.gl/images/gwL2SV Here's just one of many sources that sells it. Wally World (Wal-Mart for the international community/ folks), Amazon, Springfield Leather, ... and others. I've used it with good success on some projects and a little goes a looong way (1 oz covers 30 square feet). Coat with Resolene (spray it on is best if able) & it should give a good result. http://www.firemountaingems.com/shop/gilders_paste-leather_working_technique I think it might be the solution to what you're looking to do and be a keeper. Let us know what you end up doing. Be safe.

Very cool. Nice work.

You're near a friend of mine -- Lui Rayon, a mentor, incredible master leather craftsman in my opinion, and friend, not to mention the owner of Daddy's Leather Supply in the southeast quadrant of SR 836 and SR 826 in a warehouse area. He has the only real working leather shop I know of within a few hundred miles. Check him & his store out. This is unsolicited advertising for him, so that's quite a statement. http://www.dleathersupply.com Welcome to the forum.

Another option - one I have used successfully - is using Fiebings water stains and added some neatsfoot oil to my cup of stain, warmed it up a little more than room temp, then applied. It seems to go deeper into the pores of the leather and never rubs off. Let it dry a day, then Resolene, & good to go. Resolene cut 50/50 with water.

I went to the tile section of my local home improvement store, got a glass bull-nose wall tile used for border edge (about 2"x4") and use the rounded bull nose part. $0.67 I figured if it didn't work, it didn't break the bank. Still using it 3 years later.

Okay, so this is an old post, but I just happened upon it as others may also do in the future. Besides Al Stohlman's books on making leather cases (an absolute requirement for anyone learning how to make any type of bag, container, pouch, sheath, holster, etc. as the fundamentals are all here to build on), I would suggest a few things. 1. Go to a law enforcement supply store in your area and see what they have for sale. If they are carrying those items, its because they are selling. 2. Note the manufacturers. Look at their web sites for photos or request a catalog with pbotos. That will help you to see angles, cut outs for knobs/buttons/levers on the different equipment, shapes of the items you want to make so you can modify them to your own style, etc. 3. Talk to your local law enforcement professionals and see what their preferences are for their on-duty AND off-duty gear. Tell them why you are asking (custom leather worker) and ask which companies they prefer for their gear and why they like certain manufacturers for different pieces of gear. Any seasoned professional will be able to tell you what they like and don't like, and why. Take some notes. Ask to take photos of their duty-belt gear setup. Although standard equipment (gun, handcuffs, radio, extra ammo carrier (for speed loaders - revolvers or magazine pouch - semi-autos) will be common elements, they may also carry an expandable baton, compact flashlight, Taser, extra Taser cartridge(s), folding knife or multi-tool, pepper spray, extra single or double handcuff case, key keeper, straight or PR-24 (side handle) baton holder, large D-cell type flashlight ring holder, etc. It won't be odd to find mixed brands of gear on a duty belt (from Safariland, to Bianchi, to Blackhawk, to Gould & Goodrich, to others ... all in black, and appearing to match the other gear/tool pouches - no matter if made of nylon/cordura or leather) because it is a personal choice for many officers who want what works best for them and their individual setup. Some departments issue a standard brand and caliber of firearm for on-duty use (maybe a Glock 17, for example). Find this out and see if the department has a list of their approved carry weapons for on-duty AND off-duty. Also, check to see if there are any requirements for holster designs, such as it must have a safety strap for gun retention and not be an open-top design. Yes, this is very common for departments to have such policies. This is actually good for you. It gives you the parameters you need to ensure your products meet the departmental requirements, allowing their deputies/officers to buy your product(s). This specializes your product designs, decreases the need to supply a bunch of options to entice a sale, limits your need to buy several different makes & models of blue guns and holster patterns, while allowing you to focus on a few solid designs and improve on ths overall quality of your products. You will also want to know which sidearm they carry off-duty and HOW they carry it. Do they carry their gun inside or outside the hip, ankle, waste (fanny) pouch, purse, pocket, ...? Knowing this helps you focus on products that you can sell vs. shelve. See why its nice for an agency to have a select 1 or very few approved guns? Less hassle for you. ;)4. After you establish a rapport with one or more law enforcement officers, VOLUNTEER to make a product within your skill set/ability for them and GIVE it to him/her to use, evaluate, and critique for you. That is theirs to keep. By doing that, they will view it as a personal item and not a loaned or borrowed item and will handle it as such and honestly evaluate it to see if it meets their personal requirements and standards. By collaborating with a professional actively working in the field, you will learn a lot as a craftsman and custom fabricator. Ask them to put it through the paces so you can see where, if any, improvements can be made (slant angle, belt loop size, reinforcement points, location of retention snap release, height of holster placement on their on-duty (or off-duty) belt configuration, etc.). This is your research & development stage. Embrace and value it. Its priceless, because without it you won't have the reputation you want, referrals or sales in this area. As a side note, law enforcement professionals are a great and approachable group of very respectable people who work in the public and put their lives on the line for total strangers every time they go to work. However, for a non law enforcement person to get past the public presentation of a law enforcement profesional, it can be a slow start. Building a relationship with them to the point where they will discuss their personal safety practices that they rely on to get them through their shift and home to their families requires time and mutual trust. Be patient. Its worth the investment for the knowledge and friendships you will gain. 5. After you refine your product(s), GIVE him/her the final product they assisted you with and ask them to spread the word for you. Price to sell. Under cut the big names with your custom version of a piece of duty gear as you build clientele. This is how you build up your local custom gear line in a market flooded with longstanding commercial mass producers that have been trusted, tried, & proven. With law enforcement officers, they will not be quick to take a chance to experiment with a product where their life could be on the line and a delayed access to a piece of equipment, due to bad fit or failure to retain the tool properly, could cause a huge safety risk to them or someone else. 6. Once you have a few professional customers in the field using your product, ask them to write a brief review that you can use as a quote for an ad caption. Reward thsm with a small item like a custom key fob with their initials or badge/shield number, etc. on it. A leather cover for a pocket note pad is another popular item. Maybe tool their department's badge/shield on it. 7. NOW you can make a small "improvement" adjustment in your design (better snap, reinforced belt loop, stronger rivet, better thread, thicker or better quality leather, etc.), market it as the "improved" version and increase the price of your custom product to new buyers. This wasn't patterns. This was just some of my experience that has worked and what works better than straight-out cookie cutter products.In the Leather Crafters & Saddlers Journal, there used to be an ad for Law Enforcement Leather Patterns - "world's only instructional manual ... 19 proven products ... over 200 pages & 500 illustrations, + tips & techniques for $49.95 + S&H @ Legendary Leather, P.O. Box 1325, Fairview, OR 97024." I cannot vouch for ths book's contents, products, or methods. NOTE TO ADMINISTRATORS: If listing that rssource & address is a viation of the forum, pleas edit it out and accept my appologies as I was only trying to help point in a related direction.

Absolutely beautiful. Great color. What did you condition & protect it with?

I'd love to have it if you could pass it on. Thanks so much.

_

Wow - I sure wished I lived closer because I would have loved to pick that machine up. Sorry for the reason it had to sell.

Please post the solution when you resolve this issue. I'm finalizing my research & savings and expect to buy a 441 clone, leaning toward the Cobra Class 4, ... however, for the cost of this investment, it would be reassuring to know this isn't a problem with the machine, but a setting issue of the user/operator. Thanks.

Any idea what shipping would be to 33015? Does this package have the ESP?

Ditto on that. Curious on the asking price too. Thanks.

A few months have passed by. Still no picture. Need a status update when you get a chance, please. This is something that is on my upcoming list of projects as I am narrowing my final thoughts on purchasing a new sewing machine. So ... I'm trying to see which machine and options I need to make sure I get when I order my machine.

For what its worth, an acquaintance who makes dog collars ordered the rivets, buckles, & D-rings thru a supplier on Alibaba. The quality was okay for mid-grade production for smaller dogs, but would not have met my personal standards for custom work with my name attached or medium to large dogs... but to each their own. I thought the strength of the metal in the buckles was brittle & weak. I would agree that if I was going to buy hardware, I would want samples first.