Rawhide

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.

No apologies necessary Ken. Just difference of opinion. My opinions are based on doing small projects like notebook covers and wallets and such. I've never made any garments or bike seats, so naturally I forgot about those situations where I think round holes would be almost a necessity. For instance, your vests, David's & Shirley's seats are fantastic and they all have holes for lacing. However, If you use the round holes on a wallet, it looks like it came from a kit. Which is not to say that it's bad, it just looks like a kit. I started with using round holes and the two prong needle. I then switched to using the permalock needle somewhere along the line. I did like using it, but after a session with Peter Main, he explained why he uses the 2 prong needle and more importantly how. Holes are definiteley easier to use, but when I look at the work by Al Stohlman ( and I don't mean the stuff he did for tandy catalogs, etc.. but his personal items) They all have slits. By the way, I do use holes for mexican braiding, but I hardly do that because of the time consumption.

It's the BEAV!! Hey man, missed you around here. Glad to have you back. Hope all is well. The stool looks great. Is that a tooled rope border or a real one?

For those of you that use the hardboard for a work surface, how do you attach it to the subsurface? Do you glue it down, let it float, or what? Thanks.

Fabulous site Barry, Simple, and effective. One suggestion would be to show the awl handles in someone's hand for reference comparison. Most people probably don't realize how fat the large one is.

I have spoken to Jim Linnell on this issue and he said that Tandy (him specifically) are collecting all the old craftools that have the higher quality than today's craftools. Once the collection is complete, they plan to re-tool all of them based on the old tools as masters. When will this happen? I have no clue. But it would be nice to contrast some of them to what we have. Now with that said, I've fallen in love with Barry King's tools and plan on trying Bob beard and Wayne Jueschke tools.

can you sand the back with sandpaper? I know this is what could be done on cow, but I've never worked with ostrich before. Marlon.

Ha ha ha. I'm sure everyone would. They did however come up with a little compressor and a beveler. I forget the name of it but I think Bruce Johnson had one. It would oscillate in and out and you could drag it along an edge and quickly bevel it.

That's what this place is for. We look forward to seeing your work. Everybody has to start somewhere and it's great to get started. Marlon

I agree here Rayban. However, the quality of tool does make the impressions look better, deeper, etc... with stamping tools, and swivel knives, while they won't make you a better user, they do alleviate a lot of the cramping, they turn easier, etc... As an analogy, you can build a house with a hammer and nails, but you can also build it with a nail gun and compressor. Some choose the hammer and nails, some choose the nail gun, but the invention of the nail gun has revolutionized home building. So while practice is needed (lots of practice), higher quality tools do aid in making the job easier.

I have no idea. I don't have one....yet. Just figured I'd mention that I didn't see one

yeah Luke, Looks like you need a head knife, a splitter, a plough guage, etc... the list continually grows. Marlon