Red Cent

Placing the edge to be skived even with the edge of the block towards you will help. I can get a quick feather edge by pulling through to me and over the edge. Safety skiver.

Thanks for the sage advice. And I am listenin'.

Congrats Steve. Everybody has said it all. Except........I don't envy you sometimes having to put up with us. Please keep up the good work.

Been doing some research on how the hides are cut. Never heard of belt shoulders. Inventive advertising? Good belts (big subject) are usually made from the backs of the hide. This could include the shoulder. The shoulder alone does not produce constant thickness as it travels across the back rather than running down the back. Having said that, I am not a connoisseur of leather. I always buy veg tan double shoulders and my belts are pretty decent. As you can see, there are only so many names you can give to a cut and the graph is fairly universal.

Apply liquid polish in crease areas. This will accelerate the wrinkles. And wear them. And wear......

Wet the boots from the bottom of the laces down. Before totally dry, apply NF oil. When almost dry, apply a little darker polish. Dry with hairdryer. Water will open pores. Oil will make the leather darker. Polish, same. Hairdryer=dry. Do it again.

I am an instant gratification person. Couldn't wait.

Nope. I also use an old Craftsmen table top drill press with the belt on the middle groove. Sounds like about the same speed. Both does a great job with the dowel rod. The cheap grinder does not have a lot of torque but that lets me know if I am pressing too hard.

http://gadgetsin.com/handmade-leather-iphone-wallet-2.htm

WLG, sorry I missed your request.

Cover laid flat. A single piece of leather is cut into a kinda T that the purse is snapped on. Wings sewn on and bottom of T folded toward the top of purse. The purse is another single piece of leather. Can't figure why the missing mid section. Too floppy? I would guess the wings and the other folding part is secured by the snaps that hold the purse in place.

vinagroon.

In my short time of experience, I have never seen that before.

Thanks JL. I have been reading about the bend and double bend which is, apparently, part of the back. Or butt. Or sides. (tongue in cheek) As in most endeavors, there is a lot to learn. And, I guess, that is what leatherworker.net is all about. Now to leather. I use 8-9 and 4-5 for holsters. When I purchase hides I usually pick up a 4-5 and a 8-9 double shoulder. Comes out pretty even. If I buy a side, can you get an 8-9 and another side in 4-5? I ain't gonna get a splitter. At least not yet. I suppose this sounds juvenile, but I am still learnin' at 72 .

Well, when making holsters some edges do not present themselves for burnishing after everything is sewn. I glue, sand, and do all the things needed to the edges as if I am finished. After folding, finish sewing, and wet molding I go back over all the edges that I can get to smooth ant rough spots. When making belts, I do the same thing because I don't want to handle the belt much with the white thread. Black, its different. What product are you asking about?

First machine?

"If the square foot cost is about the same as the double shoulders you're now buying, why not just stick with that." Other than seeing so many square feet of beautiful leather, I guess I will stick with the shoulders.

C'mon people. Surely we have more experienced people who can help. Unless you don't want to, of course.

Water.

Thank you Big Jake. Other than knowing that the hide I saw was almost flawless, I have not much knowledge of what to use for what. I have read, and wanted confirming, that the center back is the best for belts because of its consistent thickness. 'Course I use the double shoulders now for holsters. That leaves the sides (lettered D & E on my printed chart) and the belly (designated by a F & a G). I understand the belly is too supple? for holsters and belts. If I could make good use of the belly parts I would not have waste and could justify buying a couple of sides at a time. A thought. To get different ounces/weights, do you buy multiple sides? Sorry. My ignorance regarding the hides is embarrassing.

And, I cannot find a "contact" icon so I will ask here. My "next paragraph"/enter key will not work anywhere on the forum. Works everywhere else. Anybody have the problem?

I know, but I still feel a little backwards in asking. I went to the leather shop yesterday and purchased three medium size double shoulders in different weights. I helped carry them to the wrapping table and laid out there was beautiful piece of leather about twice as long as the double shoulders I buy. And it was half again as wide. It was a "side" that was "domestic". There were imports of sides there also. The square foot cost was almost the same but, of course, the total would be much bigger. From what I have read, the side includes some belly. Is that correct? I make single ply 8-9 belts, double ply 8-9/5-6 belts, cowboy holsters, and revolver and pistol holsters. Where will the belly part fit in? I have also read that the top part of the side is very good for belts. Is that correct? In my little niche, what are the positive and negatives of buying the side?

Sometimes the best of us flubs a draw and the holster tries to ride up with the gun. That stud will immediately encounter the belt and, hopefully, releases the revolver:).

Very nice work.

Working on a holster, it occurred to me that I need to take a picture. This is a couple of pics of veg tanned 8-9 oz glued to an 4-5 oz, edge beveled and carefully sanded. Wetted the edges and burnished. Applied Fieblings brown edge dye and reburnished. All done with my thrifty nifty groovy grooved out dowel rod on a nail.