immiketoo

Welcome to LW.net and to a craft thats done without buttons!

Welcome, and good luck on your journey! Be prepared to have a lot of money and time wrapped up in this new bag!

Hermann Oak offers three colors I think, natural, russet and black. Not sure if these are what you want though. Other leathers like English bridle leather comes in some nice colors as well.

Ok, so for finishing you're looking at opposing issues. Waterproof and flexible. The only finishes that are water proof are lacquer type finishes. They come in many forms including wood varnish. They can be flexible to a point and I have used them with some success, but they look plasticy. Bee Natural RTC is a great finish, but its water based and therefore not water proof. Just resistant for a while. You also have atom wax, and tan kote. Not water proof but nicer looking. Some folks combine the lacquer with one of the latter finishes to get the best of both worlds. Ive been making things for a while now(a little over three years) and Ive learned that oiling isn't as necessary as many folks think. If your making working gear for horses or people, oil is good since it will be subject to the elements. Regular every day items can use a little oil to set the tooling but its not necessary. Bob Park said this to me a few years ago and I have found it to be true for the most part. The darkness depends on what kind of oil. Neatsfoot compound gets the darkest but has a rich caramel color, pure neatsfoot is next and gives a golden color. Olive oil is the lightest, depending on which brand and its color is what I would describe as honey colored. However ALL of this varies on how much you apply and how much sunlight. If you plan on coloring your pieces, the oil will affect your outcome unless you use acrylic paint. Hope this helps.

Another option is to make a leather plug. You can get as much or as little reliefurther as you like, depending get on how much work you're willing to do. Here's the depth I got on my Hannya holster using this technique. You can find all you need on this in the Al Stohlman book on figure carving.

You had some serious competition in your category, Bob. Your figure carving is great as is the rest. Well done!

Thanks everyone.

The three tool set and a bunch of practice are the only way to get good at this. I don't always like the way mine look either. But I just watched Keith Seidel set some in his shop, and its clear that practice is the key.

Sanding is your friend. Id stay away from machines until you get the feel for it. Another option is to cut out one piece, glue it to the second piece and THEN cut the second piece. This ensures they match, but its a bit more difficult. Lastly, I'd try to get a good leather knife. They are worth their weight in gold for cutting out pieces.

No sir. Don't let the stitch line fool ya. Colt Commander.

I decided to enter the world leather debut in Sheridan this year. I didn't do to badly all things considered. I learned a ton and had fun doing it. Thanks to the judges and the leather crafters and saddlers journal for making it a success.

As a guy who produces videos for leatherworkers, I can see both sides of the story. And, as Ive learned, my product has gotten better. I only hire those who know what they're doing AND know how to teach. I have watched everything there is on the web, and there IS a need and desire for video classes. This is excellent discourse and it helps people like me keep focused. I edit out all unnecessary drivel, and I try to keep my instructors on point during class. Because so many of them are professionals, they know how to get to the point. Someone above mentioned folks being afraid to try, and this is something I have observed as well. Drives me nuts. We answer the same questions time and time again, but thats what being stewards of leatherwork are for, right? So, I'll keep answering, and I'll keep pointing folks to videos that can answer those questions, whether they're mine or someone else's. There are three major types of learning. Visual, auditory and hands on or doing. Everyone has some combination of the three, so trying to present material that is easy to digest can be problematic, and as Colt mentioned, the editing of the videos takes far longer than the recording itself. Anyway, this topic is near and dear to me. Hope we all keep moving forward though

awesome. I'll have to pick one of those up! Thanks, guys!

How much was this, and does it work well with acrylic paint?

This looks like a single saddle stitch to me, but how its terminated on the back is a mystery. If the thread is synthetic, you can melt the excess so that it will not unravel with a soldering iron or other heat source.

This is true. However, paint will not age with the leather, so you may end up with a very stark contrast between now and later in its service life. IF you're looking to achieve a more precise color, look into spraying the color. This completely changes how most dyes look, especially blues. Also, to add on to the cyberwolfe, starting with the lightest color leather is your best option.

If you ever want to chat, we could always Skype or go on xbox. Just say the word. My TX is the same, but I never have it on here in greece.

I have a pro edge and a LaBarre. Like the pro edge due to the spacing and the curves.

It is kind of a fairy tale. Except the internet speeds. Those are a nightmare. How you been, buddy?

Hi there! My name is Mike and I'm new here. Ok, that's a lie. But I am new to Greece. Met a woman here on the site, fell in love and eventually moved to Greece. Good times. Good food. Great coffee. See ya round the site!

What kind of pistol?

Welcome, and keep on learning!

Welcome! Cant see any pics. Put them up when you can!

Welcome, Denis. Do as much research as you can before you buy tools. There are some pitfalls in certain areas. You can't go wrong with a starter kit from Tandy, but you might find cheaper options on ebay. Good luck, and ask questions!