silverwingit

You might try one of Montana Pitch Blend leather conditioners. They are a mix of bee's wax, pine pitch and oils. I use it when I want to "waterproof" a piece. They leave an oily/waxy feel that might simulate the leather you want. If you use Bag Kote the further treatments may or may not penetrate the leather. However, vegtan, IMHO, is the wrong leather to be using. It is a poor citizen in the application you want. It's too stiff and reacts very poorly to getting the least bit wet, including perspiration. Why not just purchase actual chrome dyed leather? There are several options for what you want. Leathertanneries and vendors sell chrome-tanned leather that is specifically made for motorcycle garments. There are other garment or upholstery leathers as well, and I like one called, "supersoft" that Weaver sells. It is nice and thick yet supple and flexible. It would make very comfortable clothing. And, no finishing is required. At least that's the way I see it. Michelle

Dwight's got it right. Again. Michelle

billybop and all, I looked into that Goldstartool press, but ended up opting for the Tandy. The reason was that the Goldstartool press dies are metric. I have hundreds of Ohio Travel Bag snaps, which are SAE. The vendor of one of these Chinese presses I was working with (many vendors sell the identical press) actually went to a local Tandy store, bought their SAE snaps and found that his press was incompatible with the SAE snaps. They distorted and didn't close correctly. I was duly impressed and thankful for this vendor's honesty and extra effort. So, just know that if you do decide to go with a Goldstar or similar Chinese press, you must be prepared to purchase all your snaps from them henceforth. I was not willing to entertain the idea of scuttling my countless OHTB snaps or to restrict my future buying options to a Chinese company. BTW, Arthur Porter has an excellent Youtube video comparing the two presses and confirming my findings regarding the incompatibility issue. Michelle

You are on a very good path! Keep it up. I myself am fascinated by your super-clean cut outs. Would you mind telling us how you do them? Many Thanks, Michelle

Now that ~is~ special! Nice work. Michelle

I purchased two Osborne stitching gloves, but I only used one of them once, for two reasons: 1) it was so clumsy to use that it caused me to bend a needle; and 2) more importantly once I learned to saddle stitch I realized that I don't need a glove -- at all, ever. I have two brand new gloves, one for each hand. I'd gladly discuss a trade, for almost anything leather-wise. They are likely my most unused of all my leather tools/accessories. So I ask the folks who have these, do you actually used them and why? Saddle stitching doesn't require them and in fact using a glove would destroy the "dance of he needles" as Nigel Armitage describes it. Is there another application that I am unaware of? Humbly, Michelle

I've found that trying to use an edger on very thin leather is fraught with problems, the main one being that it is sooo easy to be going along an edge just fine and then suddenly for no apparent reason you take out a huge "divot," ruining the piece. Instead, depending on the rigidity/softness of the individual piece of leather, either sandpaper or simply gently taking some canvas to the wetted edge will be sufficient to round off and finish it. With very thin or flexible pieces, I place the edge of the leather on my granite slab and burnish one side at a time as has already been suggested. The next step of applying beeswax and re-burnishing can also be challenging. Good luck, Michelle

Get a 1/2 inch drill chuck (careful for right/left-handed threads, depending on which side of the grinder), screw it onto your arbor and chuck a standard burnisher. Problem solved. Michelle

I've actually been thinking along these lines, not for shoes but for overlays on belts, cases, etc. I too would like to know what sort of hole punch is used for making all those tiny holes. My punches aren't that precise as they have beveled sharp edges. Maybe the only way is with a clicker? Michelle

Mine is at the left. It is in magnesium, as I wanted a mark that I could heat up. Good luck and please show us what you end up with. Thanks, Michelle

Beautiful! I have only one suggestion, and it has nothing to do with your gorgeous turnings, but the collet. I know next to nothing about collets, but I do know one thing from a user's perspective. I make a lot of wet-formed cases with very narrow "flanges" to stitch the formed front to the flat back/front flap. As a result the best collets I have found are the simple smooth CS Osbornes, the kind that you tighten with a wrench. The reason I favor them, and the reason for my comment, is that the Osborne collets are smooth out of the box. I polish them even further to a mirror surface. That way, the collet slides along the raised, formed front. Even if it touches that raised front section, it just glides along the leather without abrading it. I realize that mine is a fairly specialized application, but I have a beautiful Barry King haft that sits in my tool chest for this very reason. Those Osborne hafts aren't pretty, but because of the nice narrow, smooth collet they are highly functional for me. Now, if your beautiful hafts had such a functional collet, IMHO, that would be a perfect marriage. Just a thought. Michelle

BWiess, don't change a thing (except stitching across straps). Personally, I love your style. I also love your use of copper rivets. I think they look great on your bags and obviously they will hold forever. I do have a technical question about how you set them, though. Those rivets at the bottom of your bags must be hard to get at. Do you have a section of railroad track or other custom anvil that extends to the inside of the bag? If so, it must either be placed inside the bag in its entirety or be cantilevered off your bench. Or, maybe it's the horn on a blacksmith's anvil? I'm quite interested in any details you can provide. Thanks and keep up the good work. Michelle

Beeyoutiful!

Thanks, Joe and Cheryl. I had wondered about this question but was afraid to ask. I appreciate your candor and gentleness in the face of what could have easily been interpreted as a "trolling" question. It wasn't. The reason I asked is pretty simple. I don't drink hot drinks. I've probably never had a whole cup of coffee if I added all the sour sips I have taken over the years. I love tea, but it's always iced for me. Plus, where I live in southwestern Colorado, we use evaporative coolers ("swamp pumps"). These cool the very dry air by evaporating water, leaving it very , very humid indoors. That causes a copious amount of condensation on a cool drink, drenching all but the most absorbent coasters. I have received several Springfield Leather promotional coasters over the years and they are simple, unfinished vegtan. I used one and had the result I reported. The next time I went to set a cool drink on it, the bottom of the coaster had warped into a hemispherical shape and yes, I had to catch the drink to keep it from tipping over. Now, Joe, I have a suggestion. If you want to demonstrate your considerable talent, I would suggest that you don't do it with a product that has a ~huge~ caveat to it, with potentially damaging results if your warning to only use your coasters with only hot drinks is ignored. Why not make bookmarks or keyfobs, or a some other product that doesn't carry a potentially significant issue with it? I used to manage a medical device manufacturing company, and am acutely sensitive to potential liability issues. If it were me, I would not want to advertise my company via a product that could be a time bomb. Again, please forgive my frankness. I'm really only trying to help. Thanks and please accept my wishes for much success in your leather adventures! Michelle

A round ceramic sharpening "steel" would also work. Michelle

Um, er... Maybe I'm the only one to ask. I have a dumb question. In spite of your talented work, I have no use for leather coasters. The ones I have do not behave well when wet with condensation from a cool drink. They warp, harden and discolor. I wouldn't put a drink on a warped, hardened leather coaster for fear it would cause the drink to tip over. Have you not experienced these problems with your coasters? Do your customers not report issues with them? If not, what do you do to the coasters to avoid these problems? Please pardon my frankness. Thanks, Michelle

I'd try multiple coats some of that Fenice clear finish with intermediate polishing. Michelle

If steel rivets are rusting, maybe brass ones would help? I don't know what effect vinegar has on brass, but it might be worth a try. Good luck and please let us know if you find a solution to the problem. Thanks, Michelle

Neva hoid of it. Michelle

Good luck with that. Please let us know what you decide and how you do. Thanks, Michelle

From what I can tell, the European makers use Italian Fenice leather edge paint in conjunction with the Fileteuse heated iron to finish their chrometan edges. The Fenice paint can also be used without an iron and is now available from Tandy Leather as this video shows. I'm currently looking for a more affordable adjustable soldering or woodburning iron with different tips in place of the Fileteuse. Maybe something as inexpensive as this. http://www.leevalley.com/US/Wood/page.aspx?cat=1,41115&p=31041 Or even one of these with various available handpieces. http://www.leevalley.com/US/Wood/page.aspx?p=31042&cat=1,41115,45497&ap=1 http://www.leevalley.com/US/Wood/page.aspx?p=41116&cat=1,41115,45497&ap=1 If someone is further along with this than me, I too would appreciate knowing about it. Thanks, Michelle

FWIW, I'd slick the flesh side down with Tan Kote or Bag Kote and then seal it with Resolene. I don't think Resolene by itself will slick the flesh down well enough. Michelle

I'd just like to call attention to what are called "sheet metal vice grips." They have wide jaws that would be ideal for gripping leather as described above. http://www.wurtec.com/products/Hand%20Tools/8R-3.jpg Also, saddle makers use cantle pliers to grip leather to pull it tight. http://www.ranch2arena.com/R2A-CTL-PLIERS.JPG Good luck and let us know how you do. Michelle

Yeah there is a place or two where the gears don't quite mesh, but hey this is an artistic rendering not an engineering drawing. I like your bag a lot. I find the backgrounding to be particularly attractive. Do you mind if I ask which tool you used? Thanks, Michelle

Clintsdivco, you are an "arteest!" Michelle