Jump to content

lranger

Members
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Content Count

    91

  • Joined

  • Last visited

Posts posted by lranger

  1. Posted · Report reply

    I live in a very remote location in the Littlebelt Mountains, in NW Central Montana. I get snowed in once the snow starts, and can only get in and out by 4-wheeler pretty quick.

    This morning, a hunter came walking in because he was stuck in the snow a couple of miles from here. He was looking around while he was here, saw my wool lined mocs, and gave me a $100.00 deposit to make him a pair.

    I had sent the first woman's handbag that I ever made to New York to a friend. A friend of her's saw it and was so blown away that she wants bags made for herself and friends. No telling how many I'll sell from that. It's amazing. There must be a lot of people out there that appreciate hand made leather products and are more than willing to pay a good, fair price for it. My friend told me that if I'd make them and send them to her, they'd sell themselves. She may be right.

    It's encouraging.

    Keith

  2. Posted · Report reply

    Yes, this is kind of the point of my frustration with manufacturers. I just wish they would get back to doing a thing right. They have more knowledge of metals, and better, computer controlled machinery, so why can't they make things to more exacting tolerances and still save money?

    I am a lifelong General Motors owner. I am the second owner of a 1983 Chevy pickup that has 140,000 miles on it, and is still a good, dependable truck. I recently upgraded to a 2000 Chevy 2500 truck with a 6.0 litre engine in it. I needed more pulling power for the hills in Montana while I'm pulling a horse trailer. The 2000 truck has 117,000 miles on it and I believe it has the infamous piston slap problem. I don't think it will last as long as the '83. It just infuriates me that GM, after all the years they've been building trucks and engines, that they can't even get the piston to wall clearance right in an engine. But, as I've said, this problem isn't just GM, it's the thinking of most all manufacturing,,,, even individual people. Every time I make something, I'm trying as hard as I can to make it perfect. I've never made "perfect", but my last saddle was as close as you can come, I think. I just wish all the manufacturers of the world would get back to trying to be more perfect than worrying about their bottom line. I think they can still make decent money while producing a really good product. Yeah, I know. Wishful thinking.

  3. Posted · Report reply

    I totally understand that the manufacturing concept changed, starting around the 1960's I think, aiming to save on production costs and reduce the life of products in order to increase the bottom line of manufacturers and to keep the world economies rolling. I don't even disagree with that concept, to a certain degree. In the old days, they made things to last,,,, even toys. Nowadays, they only want things to last as long as what the warranty is, or less, and they have that down really good.

    My problem with it is that they have gone so far with it that you have to be really careful when you buy something or else it may not even work when you get home with it. I am particularly aggravated with the automotive industry, but it applies to everything. Maybe it's just my age,,, older people tend to like the old things, and resist change, wanting things to stay the way they were. The world and economies have changed, but it sure is getting hard to buy a new vehicle these days, for one thing. My brother says I need to quit living in the past. Maybe he's right, but I still think things were better in the past in a lot of ways.

  4. Posted · Report reply

    Absolutely correct, Colt, but I also believe people took more pride in their products back in the old days.

    The pre-'64 model 94 had better steel, more accurate machining, and stronger/better action than the post 94s, and the reason was to save money on production. So in my opinion, the older Winchester is better/more reliable than the post '64s. That does not mean that the post 64's are no good, it just means I'd rather have a pre-'64,,, because it's better.

  5. Posted · Report reply

    Catskin, please show me a quote where I, or others have dissed the new machines.

    I merely asked for the opinion of long time, experienced users of sewing machines for sewing leather, whether they think the old ones are better/more reliable than the new ones.

    I personally have always believed that old machinery and tools are made better than new ones. Just take guns for example: Why are pre-'64 Winchester model 94s worth more than post '64 model 94s?

  6. Posted · Report reply

    I have a pair of the sheet metal claps. They definitely mark the leather bad. The new type of vice grips that billybopp is talking about, which I also have, are better, technically, because the jaws stay parallel. But, I didn't want to use my "good" vice grips. The ones I made in the picture work fine. They do leave some marks, but they are minimal if you don't gorilla grip 'em down. The leather is really wet when you use them for going around a cantle and the horn, so any marks that are made can easily be rubbed out. Usually, the clamped area is not going to be visable in the finished product anyway. If the leather is dry, like in making these rolled handles, they don't leave a mark. I used them on the handbag pictured in my thread "First Attempt at Handbags. It costs virtually nothing to make them, and the ones you can buy start at about $75.00. Your choice.

  8. Posted · Report reply

    The pliers are basically the same thing as "cantle pliers", or "horn pliers" used by saddle makers. There are various companies that make them, Jeremiah Watt products is one, but they are fancier and more expensive than they need to be. I made my own by welding the wide steel plates to the jaws of a cheap pair of vice grips, which is what I'd recommend. You can make the plates any size and shape you want them.

  9. Posted · Report reply

    I see what you mean, Cheryl. I just love to see someone save something that's old so it can live a while longer. It is a nice chair. Just right for a cowgirl.

    Constabulary, nicely said, and I agree with you 100%. I WAS in a hurry when I bought my machine because I had a lot of work come in and I needed to get to working fast. Now, though, I have time to learn more about the machines and find a good oldie. Actually, my little Pfaff portable is the one doing the work now, but it will allow me to get it done and give me time. For a small home machine, it is doing a fine job,,,, and I only paid $15.00 for it. (I did have to partially disassemble it to free it up because it wouldn't sew when I bought it.)

    Thank you everyone for your replies. You've answered my question.

  10. Posted · Report reply

    Thank you all for your input. I agree with you, Tramp. I wonder the same thing.

    Again, I want to be clear that I'm not knocking any of the new machines here, I'm only trying to determine if the long time users of the older machines have a general opinion that the older machines are more trouble free. That's all.

    Cheryl, your figures are confusing me. You said your first job on the Cobra was 20 oz. The thickest skirting leather I've seen is 15 oz.,,,, about 1/4". Do you mean you were sewing two layers of 10 oz. leather? And on the pics. They aren't very clear for me when I open them, but it looks like the material is very thin, like 2 oz., and you called it 1". Do you mean 1 mm? Anyway, thin leather, like 2 oz. garment leather, is going to move. It wiggles around, walks, and stretches. I always glue everything together to keep it from moving when I sew,,,, even when hand stitching. I've sewn a LOT of buckskin, the movin'est stuff you can get. I always glue,, even thicker vegtan, 'cause I don't want it to move. I've never tried tape because I worry that it will adversely affect the machine's ability to sew. I hope you have very good luck with your Cobra, and the pouch you're working on. I'll be watching for a post.

    I've never seen a Cobra machine except in videos, but they seem pretty impressive. I am even more impressed with how thoroughly Steve explains EVERYTHING about the machine in his video. The reason I didn't buy one was because there wasn't one for light weight material, at least not that I saw.

    Keith

  11. Posted · Report reply

    I'm not trying to figure out how to do anything, right now. I'm just trying to understand why people are having so much trouble with new machines. The reason I want to know is so I'll know whether to keep the new machine I have, or get rid of it for an older, more reliable machine. (I've already been through two months of trouble with mine.)

    I understand perfectly about using a sewing machine for what it was designed to do, as in my examples. My point is, I expect machines to do what they were designed and sold to me to do. If they don't, I won't keep it.

    I would like to ask you about sewing 2 oz. leather on that Class 4. I haven't looked it up, but I wouldn't think you could put a small enough needle in it for 2 oz. I use a #16. What are you using? This is another area where I have questions. The way I look at it, the machine doesn't know what you put in it, and very generally, most sewing machines work basically the same way. They all have a needle that goes up and down, a bobbin that goes around (or oscillates), and they have upper and lower thread tension adjustments. So if you can physically get a smaller needle in it so you can use smaller thread, then why shouldn't it sew thinner leather?

    I believe that old things, like machinery and tools, are made better than new ones. I'm just trying to determine if that is the case with these sewing machines.

    Thanks for your interest and help, Cheryl.

  12. Posted · Report reply

    OK, I'm not trying to disparage anybody's machines. I'm just trying to understand. Let me put it this way;

    I have a Honda 4wheeler. It's a "machine" built for a specific purpose. I use the heck out of it, it takes a lickin' and just keeps on tickin".

    I have a Stihl weed eater. It's a "machine" built for a specific purpose. I use the heck out of it, it takes a lickin' and just keeps on tickin".

    I have a Stihl chain saw. Etc., etc.

    I have a Chevy 2500 pickup. It's a machine built for a purpose. I use all these machines within the purpose they were made for and they don't constantly jump timing or quit working for no reason. They last a long time

    A sewing machine is just that,,, a machine built for a specific purpose. If it's well made, I can't understand why it wouldn't just sew, and sew, and sew, and sew until you wear something out or a part breaks.

    I've been a mechanic all my life. I'm used to working on machines. It's just sewing machines that I don't have a lot of experience with,,,, but I'm getting there.

    Are you telling me that sewing machines are so delicate that you have to always handle them with kid gloves and baby them along all the time, and pray that you'll get a few days of work out of it before you have to work on it again? If that's the way they all are, then I don't see how they'd be worth it.

    Keith

  14. Posted · Edited by lranger · Report reply

    But, then you have the original method,,,, braintanning. And, there is bark tanning, which may be considered a veg tan. Don't know.

    It has always been my opinion that if you keep a gun in any kind of case all the time, moisture will collect and the gun will rust. I've experienced it myself, a long time ago, with a leather zip up case. Sooooo, I don't keep them in a case of any kind, except when I'm out hunting of course.

    However, back in the day, the mountain men and the Indians made their rifle cases out of braintanned cases,,, or wool blankets, or both. There is a website, braintan.com, that you could look at, and maybe you could do a little research on the net about braintanning. You might call the nice lady at SpottedPonyTraders and see if she can help you. I've always bought from her. I know there are an awful lot of modern day black powder shooters that carry their rifles in buckskin cases.

    I think all the elk skin I've had was chrome tanned because the edges have that gray color to it, but the buckskin doesn't. Commercial tanned hides have a smooth side (hair side) and a rough side (flesh side). Brain tanned hides don't have a smooth side.

    The short of it is that brain tanning uses a cooked up concoction of the animals brain, which is spread over the hide, rolled up, and let soak for days. No modern chemicals envolved. Brain tanned hides are expensive though.

  15. Posted · Report reply

    TwinOaks,, you are 100% correct, and I just proved it for myself as I have been testing all the different leathers I have on hand. The only thing I found that affected chrome tan edges was burning it with a hot iron.

    There are some leathers that I'm not sure what method of tanning was used, definitely not vegtan or chrome, that actually got a burnished look that would be OK, but the treatments you listed for chrome tan are the only ways I see to treat their edges,,, unless I can find something different.

    Most of my experience has been with veg tan leather, and buckskin, and I've really never tried or dealt with finishing the edges of anything else, so I'm kind of in new territory and on a new learning curve. Presently, I'm doing the Fenice painting thing.

    I appreciate everyone's input.

  16. Posted · Edited by lranger · Report reply

    Thank you, Bob, that info is very helpful.

    What I'm doing is trying to find a faster method of finishing the bare edges on leather like Tandy's Minelli sides and Tundra sheepskins for making bags and purses. Maybe I'm being lazy, but I just hate all the time it takes to paint the edges, then sand or burnish, then paint again, etc., etc. It may not be possible to do it fast and easy with acceptable results. It needs to be rounded and smooth with a little darker color without dying or painting like slightly burning the edge does for me. Maybe that's what the heating iron does that I've seen discussed lately. But, I haven't found those irons for sale anywhere, the ones like in the videos DavidL posted recently. I'll keep trying.

    Thanks again.

  17. Posted · Report reply

    Thanks TwinOaks,

    I gave that a try but it doesn't seem to work for me, especially with one layer. I made a 1" strap with 2 layers of 2 oz. leather glued together and with a strip of bag stiffener sewn in between the layers. I dampened the edge and can get a nice round burnished edge on my bench burnisher. But I can't do that with a single layer. If I could I wouldn't have to be spending so much time painting the edges.

    It seems to me that I read that people don't like, or want to burn the edge of the leather when burnishing. Well, I actually like that. It makes the edge a darker color, so I don't even have to paint or dye it. Maybe I'm just showing my ignorance.

    Keith

  19. Posted · Report reply

    I'm just trying to solve the problem, by whatever means that works.

    I would also like to be clear that Mike at Techsew support has been very helpful. He has taken pictures and sent videos of the hook timing, basically done everything he can. I appreciate that and I've told him so.

    I am sending some of the leather that's giving me the problem to Techsew. It'll be very interesting to see how they do with it.

    I don't know why it won't sew this particular leather, all I know is I don't want to be wondering if it's going to sew every time I buy leather.

    And, as I told Mike, at this point I don't think there is anything wrong with the machine, like something out of adjustment.

    I'm just hoping that someone might come up with some magical trick that will work.

    Keith

  21. Posted · Report reply

    At first, I thought the glue was the issue too, but I have since tried sewing the material without glue and it still skips stitches. What it does, usually, is start out stitching OK for a few inches then start skipping the stitches. It'll skip 5 or 6 stitches, hit 1 or 2, skip 6 or 8, etc. Besides, a machine that's made for sewing leather certainly should sew when the pieces are glued.

    Constabulary, the timing issue has been looked at. The hook was passing the needle about 1/8th" above the needle hole. I adjusted it to 1/16" above the hole. Still skips stitches. The only way I got it to sew this material as well as it does is when I changed to a #16 needle, as you suggested. I thought that fixed the problem, but NOT. Techsew doesn't want me using anything smaller than a #18 needle,,, spec is 18 to 24. I have a question for you,,,, how do you adjust the space between the hook tip and the needle? I know how to adjust the needle bar height, but can't figure out how to adjust the clearance between needle and hook.

    I just did another test. I tried sewing a small piece of everything I have here that's about 2 oz.. two different hides of tundra sheepskin, one 2.5 oz. cowhide, very thin pigskin, and buckskin. It only skipped a couple of stitches on the buckskin,,,,, but they were small pieces.

    See, if the machine skips even one stitch that's visible on a product for a customer, then it's ruined.

    On another note,,,,, I'm finishing the bag I was making with hand stitching. I haven't missed a stitch yet.

    Keith

  22. Posted · Report reply

    I thought I would update this thread in case there was anyone following it.

    I've been working with Techsew's tech guy but we really haven't found any reason for why this machine skips stitches on this thin leather I'm using. It will sew thicker leathers just fine, and with larger needles and threads. It will even sew several layers of linen fabric, but it won't sew this 2 oz. leather I'm using. Go figure.

    Keith

  23. Posted · Report reply

    The upper thread is threaded correctly and is between the two tensioning discs. I have tried adjusting bobbin tension up and down, and the upper tension up and down.

    My criteria for adjusting tension is; first that it will at least make a stitch, then that the thread is not laying on the surface of the leather either on the top or the bottom, then that the loop is inside the material and the stitches look good on the top and the bottom.

    How should I be doing it?

    Keith

  24. Posted · Report reply

    It's a Techsew 2700 and I'm using a #16 needle with #69 bonded nylon thread. I tried for a long time to get the machine to sew this material with a #18 needle and #69 thread but it will not even begin to do that. When I changed to the #16 needle I was able to sew the whole bag together OK until I tried to sew the strap.

    I just tried it again. It sewed 5 inches great, then broke the thread. I started again and it sewed about 3 inches and started raveling the thread again.

×
×
  • Create New...