Tim Schroeder

I spray my dye thru an automotive spray gun (HVLP). It turns out a lot more even than wiping dye on. The black I do with trimmed sheepskin.

I have a set of the Craftool Pro Classic's with the big fat black handles. I just sharpened them (every grit of sandpaper from (800 to 10,000)and they cut very smooth. I just bought a set of the Kemovan Round D2. #2 thru #7. They are very sharp and cut super smooth on veg tan. I bought the Kemovans because I like the Cocobolo handles and the small steps between sizes. In a set they were $43 each shipped to the house. The Craftool #0 is the same size as the Kemovan #5, 1.6mm. The Kemovans only go up to #7, 2.0mm so I bought a Wuta M390 #5, 2.2mm. I also bought a Diudus #4, .7mm off of Amazon ($16) and it was very sharp so I decided to try the chinese stuff because I can't afford the Ron's Tools edgers. They are very expensive. There's a local leather shop here and when I looked at the bevelers they were all Ron's Tools and they love them. I was always trying to use the Craftool #0 but it always wanted to dig in. After close inspection you could see it was bent from the factory. I took it to the local Tandy and they said just tough luck they couldn't do anything. Took it to Tandy headquarters in Ft. Worth and they said SOL. They don't warranty their tools. I bought a new one and wanted to see how sharp they are from the factory. After sharpening the new one with 800,1000,1200,1500,2000,2500,3000,5000, 7000, 10,000 it wasn't even close. From the factory they were OK but not even close to the sharpened one. IMHO the sharpened Craftool is noticeably sharper than even the new Kemovans.

Thanks everybody. @PastorBob Its not the stamp from Sergey. I did buy the biggest diamond tuck stamp off Ebay from Bulgaria, but is to small for the purse. I hand cut and double bevel every line twice. I go back and bevel again after I use the horse hair blade for the finer lines around the diamonds.

Thanks @AEBL and @Jan236. I have them dyed now and was supposed to have this done by 4/28 for our anniversary. Not gonna make it because of physical issues. I will definitely be using the W&C from now on. It is very soft and you can make unwanted marks very easily. But it tools and dyes better than the HO I have been getting lately. I will try the regular tooling W&C to see how it tools and dyes.

Decided to try some Wickett and Craig American Vachetta from The Buckle Guy. Been using Herman Oak for 15 yrs and still love they way it tools but personally I think the HO quality has just gone downhill. When you order A grade you should get A grade. There's not anything A grade about any of the A grade HO I've been getting lately. It's nice to be able to order by the square foot but I have to order double what I need to get a usable piece. It turns out there prices are really good. Try to buy HO by the foot anywhere else it is 3x the price. Now it takes a min of 3 days to get an order out and then for some reason it gets to Dallas in 2 days and then takes at least 3 more days to get to my door and then you open it and you get crap. I called The Buckle Guy and ordered The American Vachetta Tues. at 3:30 and it was at my door Fri. at noon. It was also two almost perfect pieces. I don't know what was wrong with them but nothing is perfect. I think this W&C tools better than the HO. It is very soft and you have to be very careful not to make unwanted marks. After tooling the W&C was all one color like I tooled it to wet. Almost no burnishing color. This is what it looked like after oiling. Still not as much burnishing color as the HO. I usually dye and antique finish everything so the burnishing color is not really an issue.

I draw my patterns on grid paper, then copy on regular copying paper. Then lay it on the leather and put this big heavy piece of glass on for 5 minutes. If the paper wrinkles very much it is to wet to do anything to. You can see in the picture the paper is barely starting to wrinkle. I threw this copy away and waited a few minutes and used another copy. Then remove the glass and let sit for 5 min. and the paper starts to dry a little. Then tape it down so it can't move. I trace with regular ball point pen with ink in it so I can see what I have traced. Knock on wood, I have never gone thru with a pen. I did try a ball point stylus in the beginning, but it just tears the paper. I try not to move the paper until I'm sure I have traced all lines.

No longer for sale. Thanks

Yes I’m a tool freak. My wood shop is a lot better than my leather shop. I do wood for a living, leather is just a hobby. I’ve been working on organizing my tool rack. Just about finished. @chuck123wapati I’ve been sharpening everything I have and it really makes a difference in the final product. Everything now is polished looking. I need a buffing/polishing wheel for my bench grinder and I will be able to polish everything. Sharpening up to 10000grit makes a big difference. Used to be 800 paper 1200 diamond stone and a 10000 grit diamond stone from Leatherwrangler. The 3,5,7000 before the 10000 is a big difference. LOL @Mulesaw I use as many as 9 different bevelers and 8 or 9 different thumbprints and at least 7 or 8 other stamps on one carving. @AEBL yes that wet stone and strop just turns 90 rpm. You can use it on a lot of tools.

Im at home now

@MClarkI bought that one from proleathercarvers. I just started using a back beveler and I'm gonna get a Barry King now. I think his are just a little better. I'm gonna work on this and see if I make it a little nicer. Barry King's are twice the price.

00, 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 Craftool Pro Edge bevelers. $60 I just sharpened the four smallest. I’ve never used the 3 or 4. They cut really smooth. Located in Lewisville, Texas $18 shipping to the lower 48.

Just built a deck out of Ipet. Second or third hardest wood you can find. Figured some scrap pieces would make good strop boards. I would have run them thru the planer to thin them down but I was afraid it would tear up my planer. Just ordered a new set of edge bevelers so i built a new strop board for them. I had already sharpened my big Gomph French edgers to 3000 grit but just bought a pack of sandpaper from 1000 grit to 10000 grit and have been sharpening tools for the last week. Now I have a sharpening jig and strop that fit each of my French edgers perfectly. Also have the strop wheel on my wet stone grinder. Great for the swivel knife and anything else you can get on it.

Checking for the edit button. Yes it is finally back. Thanks @Johanna Thanks @Northmount

This is Johanna logged in as Tim checking the problem. Edit button now works. CFM means you can see the part of the forum that was political, controversial and busy, until I hid it.