Pip

Yes I get you, been trying for days to get one right but still not happy with the edges. Did you use edge seal, or some such, or just burnish? Pip

¡Hola! Welcome to the forum. The sandals look comfortable, ¿how long did they take to make? Pip

Welcome Gill, great bags, a bit ambitious for me yet!

Welcome from Liverpool (or close enough)!

It's great to know there are more of us in the UK.

Hey there, welcome from Wirral. Glad you found your way here. Always bad, loosing something, don't let it eat you up. A wise friend once said to me "it is like drinking a poison and hoping the other person gets ill". They sold it to a friend, the lesson here is it was worth selling and more importantly buying! and the next one you make will be better, the one after that better still. Well met OdinUK! I have some spare awl shafts, made by a great man and leatherworker from the Wirral called Hugh, who gave them to me, I can spare a few they will need handles a stropping to a mirror finish. When you say costume are you larping, re-enactng, cosplay or fetish? I will have a look I am sure I have a few bits of scrap leather knocking around that might make nice bracers, not beautiful but good to practice with and maybe a cowboy cuff pattern somewhere that may help with shaping. PM and I will send. I started with a Stanley knife, (i now use a round/head knife), a ten piece tooling set from le prevo, some harness needles, thread and beeswax, an edge beveller (no 2 I think) a home made beetle, made from hornbeam or beech I forget which, a pair of dividers and an adjustable stitch groover and a home made awl, from a sharpened nail. I was lucky and have had three really generous people help me out with tools. It is a big outlay. Firstly, make yourself a strop, to keep you tools sharp it will save much frustration and cuts. Plenty of advice on here to help. Pip

Welcome foxy d, yeah this place is really friendly, some beautiful people here, all willing to help. Don't worry about asking questions, especially before parting with pennies! Lots of guys here been working for years so lots of good advice! Pip

Welcome to leatherworker, glad you joined us and stopped lurking, beautiful work bud, do you sell the buckles separately or just with straps? Beautiful buckles especially small ones are hard to come by, unless I am looking in the wrong places. I have just started playing with watch straps, not much margin for error. Pip

I am usually a stitching fan but liked the counterpoint of the nickel studs with this particular watch.

What is March's challenge, please?

This strap i made out of necessity the original strap for the watch wouldn't allow changing the battery and had to be cut off. Everyone seems to like it though, got me a gig with a local pocket watch converter, making handmade straps...... thanks guys, all feedback is good and handy to know.

Met a new photographer through work. What do you reckon as a marketing shot for the watch strap?? Pip

Nige Been off grid for a while, now catching up on threads, sorry I didn't respond.Kinda got sucked up into my job, haven't had a chance to look. I recently followed advice used a bit of beeswax on the awl and now much better, plus I learned to sharpen better. Thanks for your help. Pip

Welcome to leatherworker, if you need help shout out, people are really nice here,great to have newbies in the craft. Pip

Cheers Tom.

belated welcome!! Pip

Hello from Liverpool (or close enough) uk

We must have the same friend, I know someone not to far from me who found that out too, he also put his hand in front of his head knife once, ruined his project and nearly his fingers. Silly boy he has learned those lessons but continues to need teaching on new ideologies. Pip

Looking for UK company making stamps/brands and decent sheepskin supplier. Also looking for equality soft waxy belt leather supplier.

I got caught by that to blooming post office, and they'd dropped it a few times too!

Anything in north west?

Thanks guys I use a 45k a bit got a good deal on one so snapped it up, struggling with a few bits so as its my first machine, these should come in handy. Pip

I don't write leather instructions but often do instructions for other aspects of work, I always aim at the age of 8 - 10 years, with some technical stuff explained happy to read through and critique if that helps. Apologies got over excited and saw this post wanted to help, lesson to self read all posts before quoting one mid way!! d'oh

that is so cool, thanks guys a great tutorial and a real inspiration having just got some barry king stamps mmmmm. resisted for some time because of price and shipping but once I got them people happy to pay more for products. Really looking forward to having a go at these. Fab!!

alas no, I am having the same problem!