immiketoo

That^^^

Swivel knife 101. The knife really doesn't matter as long as it swivels smoothly in 360 degrees. Aside from that you could use a stick or a screwdriver. What really matters is the polish on the blade. If its not mirror smooth, you will get that described chatter. Very few blades come from the factory in usable condition and you may have to finish the edge yourself. its easy to do. Get yourself some 400 and 600 grit wet dry sand paper and a strop with some red, green or black rouge. I prefer green myself. Find the angle of the blade and gently polish the blade with even strokes on each side, until you see even sanding marks. Then switch to the 600 and repeat. Go to 800 if you want, then do the same thing with the strop. Once your bald has a mirror smooth polish, it will carve like butter. How long it stays like this is dependent on the quality of the steel. There are good and bad steel but they will all work. You may just have to strop more than others. Right now, the best blade steel is from Leather Wranglers. It requires less stropping than any other blade out there that I know of. The worst are the blades from China. Tandy has a variety of good and bad blades, each in varying degrees of readiness. The end result is mirror polish. At that point, the blade doesn't really matter as far as smoothness. However, you mentioned varying angles. I stay away from anything thats very steep. Straight or low angles are easier to control and give better results. They also jive the user more confidence as you aren't fighting the geometry of the blade while cutting. Now, ceramic blades are a hot button topic. They work if polished properly, but they're brittle if you drop your knife (It happens), and I have yet to see one with an angle that's worth a shit. I have spent a LOT of money on swivel knives and blades and I use most of them a little, but one is my go to blade. I prefer steel as they are easier to maintain and replace, and they are generally less expensive. If you subscribe to the Leather Crafters and Saddlers Journal, I did an article on how to take a shit blade and make it useable. Basically what's above with pictures. Also, I have a website with videos that cover everything you could want to know about setting up your knife and blades. check it out. www.learnleather.com or find the banner at the top of the home page!

Ive used Douglas awl blades. I have three of them and they are great but really thick. I recently switched to awls by Lederlouis and they're excellent for half the cost of a douglas awl and haft. They are smaller and have small hafts that fit in the hand nicely.

You can't thicken spirit dyes. If you let it evaporate, you'll end up with a much stronger and more potent color, but it wont be thick like paint. Secondly, if your paint is cracking, you're either using the wrong paint, or applying it way too thickly. I use paint that has the consistency of milk for all leather applications. Try thinning what you have and sneak up on your color slowly with multiple coats.

My pleasure, bud!

You've been at this longer than me, but the first holster I built was from that kit. Its shit, but in that regard, it opened my eyes to the idea of flat backed holsters. Then I thought I knew better and made some 50/50 rigs. Worked great at my table. Now I incorporate a little Tandy into the mix

Yes!!!

Sadly, I can't. I don't know much about it, other than what I've seen online. The only guy I know for sure is Sergey Neskromniy on FB. He also posts here but I don't know his user name.

Traditional bookbinding is a thing, and there are a lot of cool things that can be done with it. Another idea is to make a slop cover for a book and add your tooled panel on the outside of a normal hard cover. Google will give you a lot to look at, especially if you look at antique or ancient tomes.

Just remember to keep the RPM low so you don't burn your edges. Burnish good, burn bad!

Looks like you're on the right track. Best teacher is experience at this point. Nice beveling.

Nice looking holster, Jeff. Pretty simple concept. Even Tandy has it on their universal pistol kit. Some folks compensate with longer wings to get enough room, others do all their molding on the front panel to achieve the same thing. A slightly longer top piece just makes the flat back easier to achieve. I learned this the hard way after making my first 50/50. Couldn't even pull it out. Ugh.

Lol...I don't know if I spelled it correctly. Had it happen to some boots recently. Spoo?

Honestly, I think its just over oiled.

I think its spue. The fats from the leather moving to the surface. Its very common on things that sit in the right conditions, and it comes off easily as well. But he asked how to recreate it, so ...

Lacing is plenty strong, and Roo is exceptional. You can make this quiver worthy of roo easily. Just take your time with the details and don't worry about the quality. It's in the details.

Use diluted white or off white acrylic paint to get the same effect.

I use Bee Natural RTC finish. Just because its not so shiny as resolene. Seals great for antique and looks good.

Nah, there are so many things I am not a master of, its depressing. I just am pretty ok at figure carving

Reindeer, despite what Jeff says, there is a lot of value in watching how certain techniques are done and how a tool might be used differently. This is why trade shows like Sheridan and Prescott are so popular, and why Bob Beard travels the world teaching. Most people lack the ability to accurately describe a complex process in a way that will make sense to everyone, hence the term a picture is worth a thousand words. I started www.learnleather.com because I was as frustrated as you with the lack of quality instruction available online, and because not everyone can afford the thousands it takes to go to a show. I have many classes from true professionals on my site. Bob is talking about a class by Chan Geer that is fantastic. That being said, you are having several issues that can be addressed. What tools are you using to carve? Do you have the proper figure carving bevelers? Without them, it's quite difficult to get the proper effect. Stohlman's book is fantastic, and a great resource, but it doesn't preclude other resources. As for you wanting a video on the use of the modeling spoon, I have one on my site that has been recommended by folks like Peter Main. Its just me, and as such, I am willing to offer this video class to you for free just so you can see if its a format you like. Here is the link, if you want the class, message me privately and I will send it to you. http://www.learnleather.com/shop/modeling-spoon-basics/

That's a nice looking shop, Jess. I love the feel of the place and it looks like you've thought out the work space as well. Kudos to making your dream a reality, and I wish you the best. The problem you describe with an apprentice is not uncommon, and I distinctly remember an old man with a shoe shop offering to pass on his knowledge and his shop to a dedicated person. I know he went for years without fulfilling that offer. I'm not sure what happened in the end, though. The problem is understanding the average teenager these days. As a police department training officer, I saw this issue manifest in a variety of ways. Young people do not seem to have the same mentality of those of older generations, especially those who have served in the military. They are a generation of instant gratification, and I can see where the no pay option would begin to chafe, as my officers made well over 60k a year to start and we couldn't motivate them to learn new skills without ordering them to do so. Its a sad commentary on our times, but most 15 year olds don't know what they want 3 weeks from now. I was certainly that way when I was that age. All I wanted was something to keep my interest and to chase Tammy around the room whenever we were together (Thats probably only one thing, actually). The trick is finding someone who is interested, and then challenging yourself to keep them motivated while they learn. Apprenticeships in the past, and those still in effect today, offered compensation on several levels. Room and board, food and a small wage for incidentals in addition to learning a trade. Contrary to the past, we have a lot more distractions available to us today and convincing a child to ignore youtube, FB, snapchat, pinterest, ect. ad nauseum is a nearly impossible task. It's about perceived value to them, and not being bored. Most kids out of college expect a six figure job and are emotionally unprepared to learn that they have to gain some experience before anyone would actually hire them. Just some thoughts on the matter, but perhaps you could look at your apprenticeship offer from a different perspective and package it for your intended target? Anyway, great workspace, and I hope you find someone soon!

Well I've only been at it for 4 years, so I can't say from actual experience, but Ive seen painted pieces that are over 20 years old and they still look great. Acrylic paint is essentially plastic when it dries so its very durable. The pieces Ive done look exactly the same as they did when I first made them, 1, 2 3 or 4 years later. Time will tell, I suppose.

I'm certain I could, although it would be much more difficult than a dragon. Especially if it was someone you know. But, if you take the time to perfect the colors, its just a matter of technique. Good carving helps too.

I never thought about it like that, but that's a good point! I like function as much as anyone, but I like it to be pretty too.

Thanks, everyone. Simple stuff, but fun. Got tired of cutting myself on them.