Grumpy Coyote

Elementary question, but how do you construct card slots so they stagger? That is, how does the upper card not just go to the bottom, level with the card on the front?

Why not just use leather? Mounting them in leather is easy as cutting a circle.

I've been playing with brouging ideas like this (brogue is what that technique is called in shoe-making, I'm told). Marking the pattern is the tricky bit. I intend to print a pattern, then trace pretty much like you would do for tooling. Alternately, I may try this gizmo: https://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/en-usd/home/department/tools/punches/8054-00.aspx as you can set the basic pattern any way you like, and then fill gaps with a larger diameter punch.

Nuttin fancy, but my first arm guard. For a friend who makes bows. I have a few things I'd do differently next time, but it came out ok. I was on the fence about adding the strike plate, but it's grown on me a bit.

Dye it, bake it low temp, and make certain the dye/stain is very, very dry before waxing. I've had luck with a heat gun on small pieces - even a hair dryer works. No baking. Also, like Dwight said, you can just dip it. The heat is for the wax, not the leather. As long as the wax is liquid, and the piece is warm it should have the same effect. I keep a tiny crock pot (payed 10 bucks I think), just for my bee's wax. Often I'll bake a flask for a few minutes after dipping, but just to get the wax to settle into the places I can't reach.

At a guess, I's say the project was not fully dry - though it could be the type of stain. What brand are you using, and on what kind of leather?

Did you sand the edge flush before burnishing? I usually get this when my layers are uneven. A quick sand to level them out before burnishing usually avoids it.

Guys like this give proper know-it-alls like me a bad name. Tell him I'm coming over to take his "arrogant jerk" membership card back. It's too exclusive of a club for the likes of him.

So good. Beautiful version - and much improved. Do you have any shots of it open?

Rolled toggles. I use leather toggles all the time on bags, not a bit of metal needed. Also, you could use a loop and tie, or any thing else like that. Creative solutions to hard problems will sometimes make the best designs.

Is that 5 layers? Nice. Assuming you drill? Or do you pre-punch the layers?

I like the lacing solution. I don't usually care for grommets or lace hooks, the integrated loop works great.

Waxed leather will never come out light. Beeswax will always darken a piece several shades. If I need a light piece of waxed leather, I leave it natural and it comes up a medium-light brown at the lightest. It looks like you are going for Cuir Bouilli - which will always be darker than the original material. I'd say go for it. The hassle of bleaching isn't worth it, and a darker brown on black finished piece could be cool too.

All the time. I'm usually far more interested in the luggage, bags, armor, etc. than I am in the content of the show. That says as much about the lack of good content as it does about my passion for leather goods... I think...

Boxes, bags, cases... anything with a structure would be great. There are no rules, just experiment and make things. You'll find what works.

Terrific. I've been playing with saddle stitch embroidery as decoration lately, and this is just great.

Love 'em. Bottle is a cool shape. Triple stitch lines?

That's a beaut. Cool engineering and very nice details. Love it.

Sonotube is a great idea. You can even paint or cover them. You can make 'em into shelving, stand them on end... Great idea Gump.

Not sure I would hang them directly... But you could easily make hanging shelves to store the rolls. Chain, wire racks (cheap kitchen racks would be perfect) and some eyehooks/bolts would give you a simple system to store rolls on. Make sure the wire racks are covered though, you don't want the metal to stain or imprint. I use a couple of old table cloths folded up.

I want to keep mine under my cutting table. Actual experts may be along shortly, but I currently roll my hides and currently store them on a rack - a cheap shelf system in a closet. I'm designing a cutting table with storage underneath for the rolls; I just haven't gotten around to building the thing yet.

I've been thinking of making Kydex corners and then stitching them in place. I never met an adhesive that I couldn't screw up.

This is about strategy vs. tactics. Like others have said, it's not about what you are selling. It's about the *perceived* value of what you are selling to your target market, and what makes your product different than anyone else's. You start with a couple of strategic questions: 1) Who am I selling to, specifically? (Hint: the answer isn't "everybody" or just "wallet buyers") 2) What makes my product different than the other choices that audience has? (Hint: the answer isn't *just* "handmade" or "mass produced") Once you have those questions answered, the "mass-produce vs. handmade" question largely answers itself. Start-up costs aside, you pick the most efficient and affordable method to produce the product that still gives you the highest quality differentiated product. If handmade is part of what makes you different, then that's that. Figure out who you are building for, and why they would pick your products first.

Technically, I suppose it's a PALS clip, as the webbing it's designed to go into is PALS (Pouch Attachment Ladder System) webbing... but most folk just use the term for the broader MOLLE carry system. We do love our acronyms over here. The PALS webbing is pretty common on bags and pouches here (I have a ton of it on my camping gear), so that clip comes in handy. I usually just make belt hangers for pouches and such out of 1 inch strips (which is the PALS standard) and a snap, but I couldn't resist trying this gizmo.

Thanks... I got that modular idea from Sagewood Gear - he's got some impressive designs. http://www.sagewoodgear.com/default.asp%C2'> on a ring belt hanger next.