Rawhide

I think there's a little miscommunication on this. Oil dye, isn't really 'oil' dye. It is still an alcohol based dye. Just a little purer dye and better alcohol.

Sorry for the miscommunication. I did mean hidepounder. However, thanks for posting your work. Looks fantastic. I've never tooled a guitar strap. (Don't know anyone who plays. )

Tandy just started carrying a pair of Gingher scissors that are razor sharp and they cut leather very well. I'm not sure what weight you are trying to cut though. Another side note, I stopped cutting on a self healing mat, because the mat tends to grab the blade and make the cutting a little harder. I use a poly cutting board now and it's soft enough not to damage the blade, but hard enough, not to collapse on the blade and grab it.

Good info. I can usually enlarge something by scanning it and editing in in a photo software. Hopefully, I won't run into that clerk.

Bob, If you have a picture of this, I'd love to see it. Or maybe next time you do one post up some pictures if you don't mind sharing. Thanks,

I received a response today from the university about the logo, Here's what the rep said: ...Marlon: Thank you for your request and your respect for our registered protected trademarks. Please accept this e-mail as a "one time" permission to produce a purse... I have attached a copy of the logo for your convenience. If you have any questions or need anything else, please do not hesitate to contact me directly. Thanks again... I think this is a much better way. I have evidence if this did come to fruition. Ian, I understand your point of view and I've never made anything with a military insignia. However, I work for a major defense contractor, and I wouldn't use our own program logo on anything unless I got permission, and I work there. Would I call the Pentagon for permission...no because everything on the military site is considered public domain and here's a quote from the marine corp website: ...Information presented on this site is considered public information and may be distributed or copied. Use of appropriate byline/photo/image credits is requested.... So using militia trademarks vs. commercial trademarks is comparing apples to oranges.

A #3 surgeon's scalpel with a #11 blade.

You can get white jeweler's rouge from tandy, white, red or green from woodcraft, or northern tools. The difference between them is the amount of cutting action. order of progression: white, red, green where green is the high polish.

Depends on the type of beveler. I assume you mean edge bevelers. You can use a string loaded with jeweler's rouge or a long thong of thicker lace cut from veg tan and loaded with rouge, but this will take you a while. you basically pull it through the tool away from the edge. you can also glue this lace down to a piece of wood and pull your tool along the lace. You can also use a dremel tool with a washer cut from a piece of leather and put onto a dremel shaft. (Bevel the edges of the washer to get a v shaped edge and load it with rouge. sharpen with the wheel rotating away from the edge. Sharpen the bottom only, trying to sharpen the top will only get the leather stuck between the inside walls of the tool. you can then knock of the wire burr on the top with a piece of folded sand paper. For perfect edger tools out of the box, Barry King, Jerimiah Watt, or Ron's tools. I prefer Barry's but that's my opinion. Be prepared for about 50 to 60 bucks a tool, but I think they're WELL WORTH IT.

Rayban, I don't have any proof of this issue, it was just told to me. I kind of think the same way that they'd be wasting time doing that, BUT I'd rather not be the example made of and the consequences that could ensue. I could be the straw that breaks the back, you know. Plus, more judges are hearing such cases everyday. Do you think it's worth the cost for RIAA to sue 20 people out of the millions that upload pirated music....no, but they did, just to try and make an example that no matter how small you are, you can be held liable.

Kate I agree with obtaining permission, which is why I asked the university for permission. However, I'm not trying to do business with them, or continually offer a product with their logo. I'm planning on producing a one time, gift. I still think it's better to get the permission than to pay for it later. I wonder how much a license costs in this case? Oh well, I'll wait to hear from them. Luke/Ray I've got a pm from someone that mentioned a person they knew used a NASCAR logo, and only once and it cost that person over 3 grand in court fees, and penalties. I don't think the purse is worth 3 grand nor me in a cell with a guy named Bubba.

Someone asked me to make a purse with a university logo on the flap. I'm just wondering if anyone has been through the process of getting permission from the choice university, or will they flat out deny approval. I've sent a request to the university and hope to hear back soon, but wanted to see the forum's take on it. I won't be making a profit on the item, nor do I plan to produce it again. Just wanting your thoughts.

You might try Chaylor Finneli.

Cost vs. profit margin. Even though the rubies are synthetically grown, they are still relatively expensive. Then it has to be cut and shaped and epoxied to the blade base, etc... Just got too expensive.

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.