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Domino

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Posts posted by Domino

  1. Posted · Edited by Domino · Report reply

    Well, it said "Fire Breathing Dragon(s)" in the topic description.....here ya go: post-5374-019027000 1338176900_thumb.jpg

    He he.. I considered doing that. Instead I went for a crazy idea that I may not get around to doing this month. I've already spent a fair bit of time planning it, and sorting out the artwork. I've estimated it'll need about 2000 tool impressions from the 4 stamps I plan on using (I saved the 5th in case I decide to add a border). Each needs to be accurately positioned and I still need to make some sort of guide for the tooling as each of those 2000 stamps will need to be pretty much spot on for it to work. I'm not going to spoil the surprise by posting my artwork, but will post the final work even if it's a little late.

  5. Posted · Report reply

    Bit rushed as I've been busy and only got to this today.. Used swivel knife, backgrounder, beveller and seeder..

    post-29835-077419900 1335735384_thumb.jp

    I didn't bother doing anything fancy with colouring - only having a few shades of brown to choose from is kinda limiting and I wanted to assemble this and make sure the design worked.

    I think I'd make the decorated panels a bit smaller next time, they are too close to the folds..

  7. Posted · Report reply

    I'm interested to know what your opinion of this place is...

    what are the prices / products like?

    is it worth a drive out?

    It was for me.. I ended up spending £80 without even trying.. £57 for a 3mm 1.25 sq meter shoulder and the rest on bits I picked up from the offcuts mountain.. I managed to stop myself on that pretty quickly, I could easily have spent the £80 just on offcuts.. Mountain is definitely the right word for it though.. Waist high and at least 10ft deep by 20ft wide.. I had to climb on it to check some pieces towards the back and I literally only checked the top.. Who knows what was lurking if I started digging.. There was some really nice maroon hair on hide that I left as it would have taken me over budget - there was a lot of unusual offcuts even some shiny silver leather, and more normal stuff - I even saw some pigskin in there. The bits in the offcuts were a large range of sizes. There were even what looked like at least a side of black goat, so there was plenty to choose from. I'll be going back with a bigger budget next time :)

    Here's the three offcuts I picked out..

    post-29835-023623700 1334335034_thumb.jp

    The brown is about 1 1/2 sq ft, the black about 6 sq ft and the blue about 4 sq ft.. So looks like £2 per sq ft for stuff on the offcuts pile.. You just pick pieces and he tells you the price afterwards. That's why I put the hair on hide back, I picked a piece that turned out to be £20 a bit much for an impulse purchase that may or may not have got used.. :)

    It is a warehouse rather than a showroom, so I didn't bother looking at all the hides etc they had.. I asked specifically for a small 3mm tooling shoulder, we pulled out a roll that had maybe six hides in and the smallest one looked fine to me, so that's what I got.

  8. Posted · Report reply

    The Columbo side is really nice...I was nervous about getting it because its my first bit of "proper" leather. I had used a couple of tooling bellies i bought dirt cheap in Tandys sale, but its pretty crappy stuff. I phoned Le Prevo and spent 15minutes chatting with the guy who selects the leathers. He was extremely helpful and knowledgable and gave me a really good explanation of the differences with the leathers. Call him - you wont regret it.

    Yeah, I do like Le Prevo, but I'm just about to set off to check out J Woods Leather - they are just 20 miles away, and I'd prefer to not have to order any more leather through mail order. What's the odds I won't need a wallet when I get back :)

  9. Posted · Edited by Domino · Report reply

    Nice design. I'd have been tempted to improvise and find a small round nail to make the ends of the catch slots - those punch holes look a bit big to me. With the two flaps and main crease there's a lot of smooth folds, good to hear you plan on reflecting that smoothness in the edges.. I do like it, I kinda wish I'd gone for the columbo side now when I ordered my leather from Le Prevo, there's a lot of character in that leather.. I've got some purple violene dupion silk I planned on using for a wallet lining. It's a very similar colour to yours, but has a red weft so changes colour in different light.. Now I'm gonna look like I'm copying you - must be a Northern English taste, I'm in Burnley :)

    The lining looks loose, did you test gluing it down and decide against it?

  10. Posted · Report reply

    Yeah, it does make a big difference.. I've switched to a hollow ground for my main blade, but yesterday I was using Little Border Wizard, so I was using my original blade.. Halfway around the project I was kicking myself for not sharpening it before starting.. I swear it was getting duller every six inches. Of course I didn't want to risk not getting it back into the Wizard in the same place, so I struggled on, but it was really hard work cutting towards the end.. I had to use the tool the other way up to use the other end of the blade for the last curve, by then I was having to push so hard I didn't fancy my chances of getting around a curve with the side I started with..

  12. Posted · Report reply

    NICE FIND! Domino, As a woodworker thats a good find. As a leatherworker thats a GREAT find. I thought about a cutter like that but did'nt know what to look for. I bought a set of gasket cutters up to 2" but I need to sharpen then (any ideas):feedback:

    Thanks :)

    Hopefully someone will have tips on sharpening, because I'm clueless..

    On both these, I was the only bidder.. So cost me in total, with shipping, £15 - about US$24.. Bit of a bargain I think..

  13. Posted · Report reply

    Just got this off ebay.. I didn't know much about it when I bought it, but did a little research while waiting for it to arrive.

    It's a Goodell and Pratt No 41 washer cutter. It's advertised in their 1926 catalogue, but I don't know the exact date of this one.. Goodell and Pratt closed down in 1931 so it's at least 80 years old, and could be over 100 assuming it was the 41st model of tool they offered..

    post-29835-067611900 1333628694_thumb.jp post-29835-050852500 1333628704_thumb.jp

    I knew I needed a brace to use it, and with no Goodell Pratt ones available I went for a UK made one from W Marples and Sons (I was tool poor before starting leatherwork :) ). The nearest I can find is in their 1938 catalogue, but mine doesn't have the alligator jaws..

    post-29835-019611200 1333628717_thumb.jp post-29835-048875100 1333628727_thumb.jp

    Here they are together..

    post-29835-081945200 1333628736_thumb.jp

    Now I need to go shopping for some clamps to hold the leather..

  14. Posted · Report reply

    Rats.. I should have said that.. Good excuse when my carving looks nothing like my plan..

    I printed out my design and realized a few things did need changing.. I simplified the flower so I'd half a chance of getting a tool to it - I based it on a lliama (as used in leys) to match the theme. I also had to move the stud position, so I redid the cogs to make it more obvious they ran together across the panels and to leave space for personalization... So here's the new improved version.. Hopefully my leather will turn up before I change it again :)

    post-29835-073741700 1333549194_thumb.pn

  17. Posted · Edited by Domino · Report reply

    Is that a wallet????? COOL SHAPE!

    Yeah, well coin purse.. It's based on an idea from an idea.. I couldn't find a pattern for the cutting so I made my own up.. Hmm, looking at video again, maybe I should have allowed a bit more for the outside folds..

    Tiki Steam Punk??? That is a strange combo for sure! hahaha It is tiki on the inside but on the outside it is all hardcore steam punk...

    Other way around.. I'd decided on the steam punk idea for this before I started in leathercraft, it's what my very first coaster was a practice run for. The bottom of the press studs will be the axles for the cogs :)

    I wasn't entirely sure what to put on outside.. I kinda played with the idea of the outside of the machine, but it didn't feel right.. When I saw the challenge, I thought it was perfect for the outside to give a cool looking purse with the hidden steampunk detail..

    I'll have to use v gouge, hole punch and stud setter to finish it.. Are assembly tools freebies in cases like this or should I put those stages in another thread?

  25. Posted · Report reply

    What are you wanting to make with it? Most places I've seen are the same price regardless of the weight, so I'd say if it's available get something heavier and then skive it down as needed. Most of my stuff is 8/9 though, so I'd rarely have to skive that. I guess if everything you make is 4-5, then it would make more sense to get the right weight.

    Prices here go up with the weight (though it's priced per square foot, so maybe the same if buying by weight).. For 3 1/2 - 4 mm (which I'm guessing is around the 8-9oz mark) the price is pretty much double. I'm looking at this shoulder as being as cheap as offcuts, so gives me plenty to practice on and perhaps tackle something bigger like a bowls case..

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