lwm803

I have a print out of your design on my workbench. When I have a little time to spend on leather related projects this will probably be my next DIY. But right now I am helping the community theater build the stage set for their next play and I still have to get that 5 gallons of Fireside Ale bottled before I can stir up anymore sawdust in my shop. With Christmas coming I may need to brew one more batch of beer as gifts for my brother in laws too. LOL

I agree with 25b on this one....nevermind. There's no point in arguing much about things that matter little.

If you like the square edges on that belt go with them! Some of us find the "exceptional product" look just as off putting as others might find the old work harness look for everyday use.

I have had good luck with warm vinegar in a glass dish on a hot plate. For more serious rust I have resorted to electrolytic rust removal in a 5 gallon bucket using an old battery charger as the power source and washing soda as electrolyte. In some cases a fine wire brush on a bench grinder is all that is really needed but a good long soak in hot vinegar followed by scrubbing with a brass brush usually does a fine job for me.

I have one of those so called "cheap and useless" Tandy round knives. I also have better than average skills at putting a good cutting edge on various tools. It is probably due to that second fact that I find my "cheap and worthless" knife to be the first thing that I reach for when I need to cut a piece of leather. I only work with leather occasionally so am far from an expert but learning to use and actually using a round knife is worth the effort in accuracy of cuts, time saved, ease of use and yes even safety as long as you keep both hands behind the blade. It is quite simply the right tool for the job but by far not the only tool that can get the job done. Use what you will, it's the finished project that's important. If you are happy with that, then the tools you are using are the right ones for you.

I usually sit at a table, put the bracer on then lay my wrist with the bracer on the table with the laces facing up. It might take a bit of practice to learn to tie them one handed but believe me it can be done.

Those look good and I am a big fan of bracers. As someone who has spent may hours wearing bracers it is an easy choice. The one with laces can be left open to help cool the wrists and the laces will not catch on everything that comes close to them like the clasps are likely to do. So, I actually like the looks of the one with clasps and they would be easier to put on, but if I was going to be wearing them much I would choose the ones with laces,, just my experience.

First the Confederate flag, whats next? The religious cross? This country is quite literally going to pot!

There is quite a difference between handmade leather goods and cars, tv's, and power tools. I do not get your comparison here. I did not suggest that you not put your makers mark front and center on everything that you make. I only suggest that I, and probably at least a few other people, would choose a plain unmarked item over one that resembles an advertisement for the shop that made it. I have seen many nice items which were severely cheapened, TO MY EYE, by a prominent makers mark. I am simply not a customer for that item.

I may be the only one, in which case my opinion does not matter, but a makers mark on the show side of any product is an immediate deal breaker for me. I do not want your mark displayed on my personal property regardless of the quality of work. The key fob idea is an excellent one, in fact come to think of it, I have a small stack of Tony Lama "coins" which come attached to the boots by a bead chain and are easily removed, but would never wear a boot with the brand name clearly displayed. But that is just me.

I start any new knife on a coarse stone until it comes around to the angle that I stroke the stone rather than trying to match the manufacturer's angle precisely. In most cases close is close enough. From that point on it is a simple matter to keep it sharp on finer grit abrasives and or a good strop as the angle comes more natural to my own grip. I have not been trained to do this, it is simply the method that I picked up over 50+ years of sharpening my own knives, tools and implements. If you have ever noticed that it is easier for you to restore the edge on your own knives than those previously sharpened by someone else you have proven my point here.

I've made that knot using nothing more than a pocket knife for over 50 years. But never knew what to call it. I always referred to it as a "saddle string knot". The special pliers sound interesting though, as i have cut many off center with the old Schrade Walden.

This is a case where operator skill is more important than the abrasive object being used. My old stockman's pocket knife is always shaving sharp and all I ever use to sharpen it is a couple of Arkansas stones followed by a quick stropping on my boot top. My three brother in laws all carry high dollar "tactical" pocket knives which they attempt to sharpen on fancy Lansky setups, etc. Their knives are never what I would consider sharp. Of course in a "tactical" situation they may have me beat, as long they did not need a sharp knife. It is a matter of how much time you put into developing the skill to use the tools that are available not the tools that are available..

I am only an occasional leather worker but I have never had the thread catch on the cam lock nut that I used on the stitching pony which I built. It seemed less likely to cause such problems than the wing nut option.

As far as round knives go the Tandy "junk" works fine for me. I keep it sharp and honed, and it cuts effortlessly. But I understand sharpening knives and leather working is not an everyday event for me. It is easier to justify the smaller investment in suitable equipment that sees limited use, especially when a bit of work (sharpening/stropping) results is better than satisfactory results. Sure better steels hold an edge through more cutting, just as a Ferrari will cut through the wind more easily than my Silverado (either one can get me to my destination).