Woodyrock

I have a Kinsley machine, which I have used for several decades. A lot of spill over, you are pressing to hard, or too long. The spill over should easily come off with a soft grey eraser, which used to come with the machines but they are just art erasers. BTW most of my foil is old enough to vote, and still works fine. I do not know anything about the new machines but with the Kinsley you can print on anything that will fit.

There used to be a good leather shop in the artists quarter in Tijuana. I have not been there in over ten years so do not know if it is still there. I always walked over, and coming back US Customs was very interested in the rolled leather. I several times had to unroll for inspection.

Does anybody know of a source for punch tubes, and copper anvils for Eyelet Tool Company spring punches? Osborne tubes are not the right size. Thank you, Woody

A leatherworking tool the collectors seem to value is the heavy rawhide mallet. If a leatherworker wants, or needs one of these you have to settle for one in poor condition. The renewal of one is actually quite easy once you have it apart. Once apart, and old rings removed (small wooden wedges will help) ,I derust the iron parts, prime them, and repaint. The next step is to make the many rawhide rings, making them slightly larger than the size you want. Assemble the new ring, and leave it to set for a few days, and compress, then retighten. Unless you are lucky, a new handle will be needed as getting the old wedge out will usually ruin the old one. Here are photographs of ready to reassemble, and finished. After the mallet is reassembled, and compressed size the rawhide by sanding against a disc sander.

It would be most likely to your benefit to sew the heel tab by hand. I remember seeing these made in New Zealand, (early seventies) where I worked but only remember the heel tabs were sewn on a dedicated machine. I hand sew all my mocs.

I need mallet dies with rounded corners to cut 2" x 4" and 3" x 4" pieces, any condition so long as they can be sharpened.

I have dealt with them for years, and I must say the old web site was a pain, so usually went with the catalogue.

A wee bit of a late reply, but PVC is VERY mouldable when heated, (heat gun) so instead of a round tube quiver, just heat until limp (do not scorch) then press down to desired shape with a board on top. You can then cover with very light leather to reduce weight.You can even make quite impressive bows from PVC pipe.

Access please. I am having some customer requests, and need ideas. Thank you.

I did clamp two pieces together, with light saw kerfs where the holes were to be bored so the drill bits would follow true. First with a small drill bit, then larger by steps. The hinge was an old cast iron one I found in a second hand shop. The wooden one worked as well as the iron one I now have.

The traditional punching anvil was (is) a block of lead. It does not move, does dull the punch, and is more or less self healing. You can 'heal' the surface by lightly peening it with a smooth faced hammer. I have been using the same block since the late sixties. It is roughly 6" x 6" x 1".

My grandfather was a harness maker, and had a straight blade lap skiver for doing harness joins. I make leather polishing belts for lapidary work, and do all my lap skives by hand. This is getting old quick when I get large orders. Does anybody know where I can get a lap skiver? One I remember had a big blade with a handle that was pulled. The harness was clamped into the machine. Woody

I am game, please let me in. Woody

Scrub it clean with with a good soap (sunlight) and a kitchen scrubber. Do not use bleach, but household peroxide can be used. Shaping can be done with woodworking saws, files, and wet/dry abrasives. Boiling bone will weaken it. Woody