Rawhide

@Sam, Ice cream land has slowed quite a bit, but it's to be expected. As for the maul, gotta give credit to Mr. BearMan, Ed LaBarre. This thing is freaking fantastic. Very well balanced and I can tool with it for a long period of time. I love it. @ Randy. She did love it. I managed to keep it hidden from her until I completed all the coloring. She was quite the happy camper.

Thanks guys. I appreciate all the suggestions. I will look for the crocus cloth and try that out.

If you really want the best, look for a Gomph or C.S. Osborne on ebay, or call Bob Douglas. I prefer Gomph. I have a set of Gomph from 5 to 12 spi and love them!

Don't know if this is the proper method or not, but here's how I do it: I completely finish the work, dye, resist, stain, topcoat, etc... all of this is done first. Then I use a channeler (stitch groover), to remove a thread of leather from the workpiece. Then I stitch in this groove. The stitches then sit in this groove, below the surface of the leather to prevent wear and tear. I haven't had much "hard" use of my items so I haven't had them get dirty. I do wax them pretty good, but that's all I do. Marlon

@ Pete, thanks for the best wishes...it is an italian ice and frozen custard shop (www.ritasice.com). @Dustin29, Thank you much. I enjoy doing the work, so I'm glad you enjoy looking at it!!!

@Ed, Thanks Ed. I've been trying to do a little more color. I still have a long way to go, but, at least I'm trying. (Notice how I slipped the maul you made for me in there?) As far as the lacing goes, It's something that I think I work hardest at second only to handstitching. I think it's these finishing touches that can set work apart...now if I can just get the rest of it down like that, I'll be good. @Pete, Pete I've been terribly busy. My wife and I opened a franchise in March and have been in full swing with that since then. It took me about 5 weeks on and off to complete this little thing. The star's borders are cut with swivel knife and then rounded with a modeler. Then lightly beveled on both sides. @Kate, Thanks a ton Kate. I'm glad to know I'm improving. Still have mountains to climb, but I'm still hiking!!!

Hi LW.net family, Here's a business card holder made for my wife. It's been tough getting to do any leatherwork here lately, but finally got to crank something out. It's made of 6 oz, Wickett and Craig, and dyed with spirit dyes, resisted and antiqued with sheridan brown. The lace is hand cut kangaroo from Tandy's new line of kangaroo hides. Any questions or critiques are always welcome. Sorry for the picture quality (cell phone) Thanks, Marlon Close up of lacing... Back

Try this webpage: http://www.sewingmanuals.com/Sewing_Machine_Manuals/Pfaff_Industrial.htm

Holly, I'm definitely not an expert on sewing machines, but it's possible that it's a little out of sync. If you watch the bobbin and needle interaction, while turning the pulley, you may be able to "see" the disconnect, and adjust accordingly. Marlon

Punch a hole in the corner of each piece and tie them together with string, then hang them by the string. I'd look for a way to keep the covered so they don't sunburn, but this way you can literally flip through them and chose what you need.

I bought a used 8" Chase pattern splitter a few months ago from Bruce Johnson, and I love it. I thin string all the time with it. Eventually I would like to have a krebs style as well, because of the dial in feature, but the one I have now is fantastic.

Looks like a harness makers vice. basically a stitching horse for harness makers to hold the straps in place while stitching. (At least that's what I'd use it for). The teeth bother me though as I wouldn't assosiate that with leather, .....maybe shoe maker's vice?

Chrome tanned leather will not burnish. you can either use edge kote, which is an acrylic based paint, or you can skive toward the edge and then turn the edge. Turned edges are how most commercialized chrome tanned leather is finished, except maybe belts.

I'm sure one of the custom tool makers could make you one. Or even one of the maker's stamp makers could make you one out of delrin.

Pulling plexiglass away from the leather seems a tad difficult to me. Here's what I've been using lately. X-ray film. The x-ray film is flexible, yet won't stretch. I use rubber cement on the film only. I don't put any rubber cement on the leather at all. I usually put two coats on the film. When tacky, I put the leather on the film and use a glass slicker to ensure good adhesion. then I use a piece of crepe rubber to remove the excess dried rubber cement. Now I case the leather and then tool when it's ready. Once tooling is done, I can hold the piece flat to the bench and slide it to the edge of the bench and peel the film off downwards using the edge of the bench as leverage. This won't distort the tooling and since the film is flexible, it can be reused again and again. To remove the excess adhesive off the back of the leather, I once again use the crepe rubber to remove it. Marlon

Hi Fredo, I had the same problems myself when I first started. The thing is to be ABSOLUTELY CONSISTENT with how you do each hole. If you punch a hole and start with the left needle first, then you have to start with the left needle for every hole thereafter. My initial advice is to get Al Stohlman's book, The Art of Handsewing Leather.This is the definitive work on hand sewing. But don't do like I did and skim it to get the basics. Actually read it step for step and you'll see vast improvements. Also, I prefer to use linen cord instead of the nylon or poly threads at Tandy. I think it just looks better. The idea though is to place the awl, needles, everything, it the the exact same position from hole to hole. Marlon

I bought some 2 oz goat from Seigel's and it is pretty nice. It is of vegetable tannage. Not sure what type of tannage she is after.

Ed, What's the price of a 16oz'er, I think it's about time I get a new maul. Will they all be straight heads or can I get a tapered head? Marlon

Hello Todd, My awls are NOT hollow ground. What happens is the awl cuts on two edges and pushes the leather aside on the other two. The hole is opened long enough to sew it, but the leather tends to try and mend itself. This is why it appears the awl is a hollow ground blade. Marlon

I've never used nylon, (I don't think I have anyway.) I can tell you that I have had holes fail before the cord, but over years of hard wear...think saddles and such, linen has been known for dry rotting. I'm pretty sure nylon won't rot on you, but for belts, purses, gun rigs etc.., I would use the linen to get the pretty white stitch. As far as needles and awls, nothing special is required, and the diameters are comparable. For most stitching applications 3-cord, and 5 cord are probably the most used. The only other consideration is the twist direction. There is a school of thought about using left (S) or right (Z) twist cord. I use left with no issues. There is a discussion thread on it here somewhere. I bought left for one reason only, and that is because it can be used in a sewing machine. I've never done so, but that was the reason. Marlon

Ed, Very fine work and I must say that your talents really shine in this box. I really like the bear paw print in the interior. Would you share how you made the impression areas for each tool and the paw print? Marlon

Here's what I found...The thread that most people use (usually from Tandy), is the culprit. For one thing the thread has WAY too much wax on it (which you can remove with brown paper bag). What you are seeing with the clean stitching are usually Linen cord. When pulling, the thread stretches, and it tends to look dirty. When you pull the linen, it doesn't stretch, so therefore it doesn't look dirty. Marlon

Recent work by Peter Main, Sorry I haven't posted Peter's work in a while, I've been really busy with a new business, but here's some of his latest work along with some Al Stohlman originals... Peter's comments in red. ..the last belt I made myself was around 2003...thought about time I made myself another. ...here are some boot tops recently completed. They are yet to have onlays set into the frames on the front, and dates inlayed above and below the steers head on the back. These tops remind me why I prefer inverted carving...I don't like backgrounding. ...these pieces were made by Al in the sixties for Oliver Sturdy and his wife. Oliver Sturdy was the founder and owner of the Craftool Company in California, prior to selling to Tandy Leather Co.These pieces are for sale and any inquiries should be made directly to me at: petergmain@msn.com