Sjohnsone

Well I really feel like a dum dum for posting this. I've been doing leatherwork a good while now and have made many different things and there is something I consistently battle over and over and over and over again - the flap. It doesn't matter if it's a bag flap or wallet flap...I have such a massively difficult time getting a perfectly even rounded flap. I have a compass that I played around with this afternoon and I hate to say it got the better of me. Can someone enlighten me on how to get perfectly rounded and even sides to flaps? I would really save me the time of digging through cans and bottles to get the right shape and dimension, plus i'd feel like a little more professional. Thanks in advance, Seth.

put some on a chunk of crap and tie it to the outside of your car and drive around with it on there for a few weeks. You'll soon find out. that was supposed to say scrap. Hahahahah.

Just to throw my two cents into the penny jar - Skip the glues and cements. Get some of those black triangular paper clip things from staples..the ones with the silver tabs that you can flip forward and back. Put them along the seam of whatever you're working on and take them off as you progress around. I messed around with glues and everything else and to be perfectly honest it just takes up too much time and you risk getting it all over the place or gluing your piece together weird. Good luck.

3 oz should do ya, bud. 5-6 is a bit overkill. You'll end up with a massive leather phone brick!

I wish you the best of luck man! I checked out that school and it sounds pretty awesome. I'm active duty military and I'm going to look into seeing if they GI bill will cover it. Sounds awesome! I wish you the absolute best.

I read this earlier this morning when I got up and put a good amount of thought into the school, scenario and circumstances. I know some stranger's opinion probably isn't worth a ton, but sometimes they can help. I too was at one point very much in love and engaged to a girl who sank me like the Lusitania. It's awful and feels horrible - feels worse than someone dying because they are gone, but still around. Doing new things afterward is an excellent way to keep your mind off things, but the thing I never counted on was that the one thing you take with you, no matter where you go to get away and try new things, are your problems. I'm not sure my rationale will really set in, but perhaps maybe before you go to this (seemingly VERY expensive judging by the prices on the website - how much is the masters class anyhow?) you should (if you haven't - and don't take this condesendingly) sort your own issues out first. If you're going to do a course like this, you're going to want to be as mentally and physically and fiscally prepared as you can be, rather than haphazardly selling off equipment (really nice sewing machine btw) to just scrap by. You're going to have access to awesome workshops - wouldn't you rather be able to afford to spend your extra time with teachers and students rather than try to get a job on the side while your there? I'm really sorry about the relationship man - it's so hard, and I hope you've got a good group of friends up there in Portland that you can lean on. That's my two cents, for whatever it's worth. -Seth

Wrote to them yesterday. Still haven't heard back. isn't looking so promising.

Will order them tonight. I'll let you know after I get them!

Does anyone have a line on where I can find a company to make button snaps with a logo on them? I've seen a few companies do this and I think it looks great.

I'm starting to see more and more leatherworkers with customized snaps (makers mark image on them). I think it's awesome looking and I'd like to do it as well. I tried searching for ages on the internet and everyone I ask gives me the cold shoulder. Anyone have any leads? Thanks in advance, Seth

Does anyone know how to make a leather book slipcover? I'm trying to make a neat cover for an HP Lovecraft book using black pigskin and veg tan leather. Any advice would be appreciated.

Just to throw in my two pennies. Years ago I went to work in Manhattan as a photographer. I was new to the trade and had really never learned how to take people critiquing my work. The first few times I showed my portfolio to people I walked away feeling awful. It wasn't that someone had called me a name or had been overtly rude to me, what the had done was be brutally honest as a third party/objective viewer. Over time I came to realize that ultimately that third part is my customer, not myself. I could take a photo that I absolutely loved, yet did nothing for anyone but me; however in order to grow I had to take these "beatings". Over time I came to understand that the more people were honest with me, the more it helped me in the long run. It got to a point where I would show my work to people and if they had nothing but good things to say about it, I felt as if they weren't really devoting their attention to it. I came to relish in what people perceive as "negative" because it was opening my eyes to what I was unable to see before. Because I sought out people who were very honest and told me without hesitation what I could do to improve, I did improve - at a very quick rate at that. I hope this helps. Take it on the chin and keep your swivel knife moving - allow what you see as negativity help shape you to become better at your craft. -Seth

One last quick quesiton - I don't know if it's because of the multitude of clothing companies out here, but those models and walking foot sewing machines go for a fortune in Los Angeles. Any recommendations on websites to pick one up?

Awesome awesome. Thank you so much for your advice guys.

Just wanted to get the professional opinion of you all. I have a fairly small budget ($400) and I'm looking for a machine to do wallets, etc. Does anyone know anything about the Tuffsew machines for sale on ebay? Are they complete rubbish? here's the link to one http://www.ebay.com/itm/INDUSTRIAL-WALKING-FOOT-HEAVY-DUTY-SEWING-MACHINE-UPHOLSTERY-LEATHER-COMMERCIAL-/321008647674?pt=BI_Sewing_Machines&hash=item4abd9b3dfa any input or advice - or if you know of how I can better spend the 400, I'd appreciate it. Thank you in advance, Seth

Tim - would there be any way you would ever take the time to explain how you constructed that? Was it hand stitched? Machine stitch? how did you do the pockets?

Holy smokes you guys are freaking awesome. Seriously - some sound advice I'm going to spend some time processing all this great info. Jimmy - I think what you said about using the overstitch on both sides, plus using a stitch as an anchor point just really rang a bell with me. The form you were talking about really sounds great - I'll have to see if there's a shop around that can do forms because it would just make everything so much easier rather than having a wobbly-bobbly half sewn bag to be working with. The only part that's really throwing me for a loop here is the part about what you guys were saying about the insulation/eraser, etc. I guess I just don't fully understand what you mean. What do you guys think about taking a dremmel to an overstitch wheel and say just grind down every other point? Every two? It might give a better spacing and be easier on the fingers. To be honest, that many stitches on that bag was a freaking strength of will test hahahahah. Thanks again guys, you rock. And thank you for the compliment on the bag!

Howdy everyone- Just seeing if someone can enlighten me on the correct process to sew gussets into rounded/slightly rounded/square bags. Just to give you an idea - this is the first messenger bag I made: So to clarify what I'm actually asking I guess, I'll list the issues I keep running into and my process. For every bag/case I've been making I cut my pieces, work the edges that will join together so they are more flexible, sometimes wet the beforehand and bend them out. Then I take the pieces and put leather weld on them and clamp down with those black paperclip clamps. Then I go over the stitch grove i cut earlier and mark it with an overstitcher on one side. I use the awl, put the needles through, yadda yadda. The problems I keep running into are crooked stitches and it seems like my awl won't always go through straight through to the corresponding stitch groove on the gusset. Does anyone have a step by step for a bag like I posted? How about one for a motorcycle rolled tool bag? I wish I could really ask what i'm doing wrong, the problem is that I'm teaching myself and I just feel like I'm screwing something up here. Thanks for your help in advance. Seth Just to say in advance - I picked up the Stohlman book on making cases...it didn't exactly help me.

Afternoon/evening folks, I'm looking at getting a machine in the very near future in order to expedite construction, and I'd like a little advice. I'm completely in the dark when it comes to machines - though my ex recommended that I get an old singer walking foot or one of the old treadle cobbler's machines. Just to give you an idea of what I'd like to do in the future: Leather and cloth combination for wallets Gloves Jackets bags (hopefully at some point I get brave enough to do shoes) Ultimately I realize that for these items, hand stitching just seems to not be the preferred technique, as the small aberrations in stitches would likely lend themselves to a rather primitive aesthetic. Your knowledge and advice is greatly appreciated. V/R, Seth

Holy smokes! You guys are awesome. What about Murphy's? When I was a kid my dad had me work it into my baseball glove. Seemed to leave a nice finish.

Thanks, Jack! I'm still sifting through the myriad of information on the site. Really appreciate it though!

That the book in your profile picture? It's pretty handsome!! I was going to try the resolyene (sp?); however I saw some projects that went sour with it cracking a bit. I'm a bit of a naturalist when it comes to doing this stuff. I'm new to leatherworking; however my father and I had a taxidermy business while I grew up so I got used to working with different hides as a child. If I could I'd like to find a beeswax compound that I could make myself. One of my friends has a bee farm to make honey so I think I can get some wax from him. I wonder if there's a natural additive I could mix the wax with to get it to remain soft? Has anyone tried warming bees wax slightly and rubbing it over and then buffing it out that way or will it leave an extremely waxy residue?

Morning/Afternoon/Evening folks, I'm sure this has been asked 999,999 times in the forum and I hate to be that guy but it's a dye question. I'm using the Tandy Eco-flow, which in my opinion is akin to using watercolors to dye the leather. Regardless of its stubborn resistance to actually permeating the leather, what in gods name can I do to keep it from rubbing off on clothing over time and running off in embarassing streaks if rain gets on it. I do not want a super glossy finish at all. Currently at my disposal for finishes I have The Fiebings Atomwax business(not sure if that's the right name), A neatsfoot compound that was on sale (don't consider this a finish really), and a stray bottle of tandy leather finish. I've watched a few videos where people used sno-seal. Ultimately I prefer the warm look of a waxy finish like the atomwax provides. But for the love of god I do not want this dye running at all! Thanks for your wisdom and advice in advance. -Seth

Well thank you very much for your help. You're all very wonderful for offering your assitance. After hours of struggling with it and not wanting to punch holes into the bag, I devised an interior wallet system for it instead, which I honestly like even better than a pocket!

My apologies - I can't upload a drawing or photo at this time. I understand it needs to be sewn on prior to bag construction. It's a pocket - which is closed on three sides and sewn to the front of the bag panel and will be situated between two buckles.