Rawhide

I don't want to take the fun away. Just trying to keep the few brain cells I have in tact, so that I can keep the memory loss away!!!

Lippy, I can't answer the needle question, but I use Barbour's 18/5 cord, left twist for general hand stitching. If I want sew something real delicate I'll probably use 3 cord. A saddle, maybe 8 cord. The needles I use are from Tandy. They are egg eye, size 000.

Hilly This may be sort of a pain to do but after you ventilate properly, put on a charcoal dust mask or a cartridge respirator. It will keep you from smelling the fumes. M

Hands down, Versa Groove by Bob Douglas.

This is not the same thing. The kneaded eraser is something used in drafting or pencil drawing. Here's a photo of the rubber cement eraser

It's called crepe eraser or rubber cement eraser. Hobby Lobby carries it, as well as most art supply stores. Be prepared to look for it though, most 17 year olds have no idea what you're looking for. It's a little piece of rubber basically about 2" square. Looks like what they put on the soles of some shoes.

Here's more of the boot inlay's from Peter.

Here are some parts that will be added to some boot tops Peter is working on. ...here a couple inlays for boot tops....there are many more yet to finish, all for one pair. I have completed 16 shotgun gun shells (one shown) and two bags. The very rough looking background area will disappear upon inlaying into the tops...as the brown calf (that the tops will be made from) will kiss-fit (and be sewn) around the shape of these pieces. More to come, Peter

The handstitching isn't that bad if you have a stitching horse or stitching clam. If you do it like the Al Stohlman book on handsewing shows, you get a good rhythm going and it goes pretty quick and they look even. thanks Bree.

He does have a website, but you can't order online. You'll have to email him. His email is linked in his website. Click here.

I contact cemented some garment leather to the jaws of my sitching horse to prevent the marking. Works pretty good for me.

Bob, I use a head knife for just about all my cuts, unless it's an delicate cut requiring the scalpel. I find that I can control the head knife much better than anything I have in my arsenal. I usually cut on a poly cutting mat or poly cutting board, because the self healing mats tend to grab the knife edge and make it a little harder to push. The poly makes it effortless and in my opinion effortless = safer.

I've got one too! And I use it exclusively. I can bevel, smooth, round, emboss, and petal lift with it! Great tool.

Bob, I've got an answer from Peter on your question: ...the lining leather is just one piece. I have cut the billet shape either end and beveled it with 'that' modeler tool...also beveled the black border that runs into this shape...it's just a nice way to frame the colored scrolls. Peter... "That" modeler tool he refers to is a modeler of his design. He does make them for sale if anyone wanted to know.

This process doesn't change the surface apperarance very much, other than to "flatten" out some of the inconsistencies of the leather. With this process, you wouldn't burnish to a point of sealing the leather off like you do on the edges. I'm not in my shop right now, but if no one else posts a picture before I can get around to it, I'll post one.

I'd call Barry King. His are the best. I think I paid 35 bucks for mine. It's got a "purdy" wood handle and 3/8" thick glass, nicely rounded. Barry King website 307.672.5657 phone I don't think his webpage has the slicker listed yet, but just call and ask.

Dave, will there be a video for the 1797ab?

Peter asked me to post this for everyone to see. Forgot the picture.

I slick as well... and yes with Barry's slicker. It does help with the inconsistencies in the leather, such as the fat roll areas and such. I do as hidepounder does and slick back and forth in all directions. Works for me.

I know. I was having a problem with the blending of the white. I used cova for the white and spirit dyes for the rest and I didn't dilute the cova well enough. I hope to get better at it. This is maybe my third or fourth piece of actually coloring leather with dyes. (I wish I was Peter Main or Silva Fox sometimes.) Crystal, the eyes were dyed with diluted yellow dye and USMC black, and added a few drops of Neatlac once the dye was dry.

Thanks Allen, The outside cover is made with 6 oz, and the liner is 2 oz, the pockets are 4 oz. I haven't had many orders for these. This is a gift piece though.

Thanks everyone. tgardner, I did hand sew that. I can hand sew about an inch a minute, so collectively it took me about an hour and a half to stab the holes and sew it up. I live in west fort worth near Aledo and Willow Park.

interior

Just about finished this one up. Have a look and comments and critiques are always welcome.Thanks,

Bob, Out standing work again. Question: Do you slick by hand or use power slickers and the like? Comment: I would have dyed the edges of the interior pieces as well, just to give this edges a little more definition, but you're making me think I need to take some art classes to be able to draw patterns like that. Just WOW.