Tim Schroeder

I use all Fiebing's dyes and antique finish. I started using a damp t-shirt wrapped around a block of wood to wipe the excess antique finish off so it only wipes off where there is no tool impression. Thanks Tim

Nice looking work. I love the the look of all black with tooling.

Finished in time for my wife to take to a big meeting in New York tomorrow. Everything she has is this same color. Wallet, checkbook cover, make up bag and phone case. There is also a tote bag to match.The tooling is a little different color. I sprayed to much Wyo-sheen and the med brown antique finish didn't tint the tooling like the the rest of her stuff. Everything is dyed with 50/50 light brown and chocolate mix with med brown antique finish. The stitching on the computer case is 346 bonded nylon using Tandy's diamond hole punches. The black ones, not there new pro line. The holes are a little big but my machines only sew 207 and it looks kind of small on a case this big. IMO I bought Bob Parks (Hidepounder) book on drawing patterns and it has really helped a lot but still have a long way to go. Thanks for looking and the positive comments. Have a great New Year, Tim

They are they pieces to a molded computer case for my wife. So it will be black with brown or tan tooling. I will post some pictures Tuesday or Wednesday. Thanks Tim

I would recommend Barry King Tools. He has everything in stock and at a descent price. Usually he gets early orders out that day and always by the next day. He even made me a special size beveler. I thought there was a size missing. I have 62 of his stamps and 3 or 4 of his swivel knives. I have been using the LeatherWrangler swivel knives in three different blade thicknesses. Took a while to get use to but they are great. Here is a few pictures of my tooling with almost all Barry King stamping tools. The new flower center is a Chuck Smith that I just bought of Ebay from Michael Fay. He said these were Clinton Fay's tools and they are selling some of them. I like the Chuck Smith flower center the best. Just ordered the two smaller ones. Good Luck.

Just decided there needed to be a new post for this section. Thought I would share a couple of drawings and the tooling from them.

Love the look of your tooling. They look great!

Love tooled boots. Those look really nice. I hope I can make my boots look as good as those. Can't wait to make myself a new pair of boots after Christmas

Yes, it was wet formed. I used a giant zip-lock baggie with a reducer fitting glued in the side that would let me hook up my vacuum cleaner like a vacuum press. I still had to take it out and work on it a little bit. No pictures of the inside. It was wrapped and shipped a couple of hours after I finished. The flap is lined with 2/3 oz. Herman Oak and the inside was lined with some slick black fabric. I used magnets to help keep it closed. I put a thin piece of padding front and back for a little extra protection. Thanks for the comments.

Last of the tooled items for Christmas. Just one more Dopp Kit with just initials. I make my wife ask her friends and co workers what color and everything about what they are getting so they really like what they get. Everyone likes the stuff I made her so everything this year was this same color. Thanks for looking.

My wife's friend at work has a bag this size so my wife asked if I would make her a leather bag for Christmas.

Venator, Thanks for the video. It really helped a lot

I am using the 88044 2mm chisels. I have the 2,4,and 6 hole punches. They work good with bigger thread. My issue is the back. I punched the holes in the outside before I assembled it and then used a diamond point awl to punch the gusset after it was assembled. I have never been able to make the backside look descent. Always crooked. The sewing machine is a least straight on the back side. Do you put a stitching channel in the back side? The only time I did that I missed the channel a little in places and it really looked like hammered crap. Maybe a little practice would go a long way. I was just at Tandy and looked at the fine diamond chisels but 7 spi are to small for me. I usually machine sew everything 5 spi with 138 or 207 thread. Mostly small stuff. Thanks Tim Here is a picture of the only really bad spot, the rest is acceptable. This drives me crazy.

This is a Christmas present for one of my wife's friends at work. The outside is 4/5 oz. Herman Oak and the gusset is 2/3 oz. Herman Oak. The inside is lined with Tandy's pigskin. Black. I don't hand sew anything but couldn't get it on a machine so this one was hand sewn around the outside. It would be nice to have some good hand sewing punches. This was done with Tandy's punches. Thanks for looking. Any tips on hand sewing are welcome.

This is my version of a separate bobbin winder. I think I saw one set up like this on Ebay. No belt just direct contact. These winders are great because you don't have to spin your machine so fast. I usually only have one big spool of thread so I will wind 4 or 5 at a time. Converted my regular sewing table legs to a cylinder arm table and then mounted the bobbin winder on the corner.

Barry King Bargrounders I have the next to the biggest set 3,5,7,and 9 hole,and a smaller set about two or three sizes smaller. Both pictures are using the smaller set.

Hi Tom, Thanks for the positive comments. Moisture is one of the main things to get right when it comes to tooling. Here is a couple of pictures to see the difference. The one with the CC initials was to wet when I tooled it. I am still a little impatient. It looks a little mushy. When the leather is just rite the tooling will leave a darker color. The beveled lines should looked burnished or darker. Same as the thumbprints or pear shaded areas. You can see the flower centers are not near as crisp as in the other picture. Hidepounders casing tutorial is the one to follow. I fill my sink with water, slide the leather thru the water and you will see air bubbles coming out of the back. You don't need to wait until the air bubbles quit coming out but you need the water to penetrate all the way thru the leather. Then I put a piece of glass on it covering the whole piece for 24 hours, then take it out and let it dry until it is almost back to natural color. Both of those are tooled on 2-3 ounce leather. Good luck

New backpack for my daughter.

Some finished pictures. I've been wearing them for a few days and they feel great not to mention some of the comments and looks I get. Some finished pictures. I've been wearing them for a few days and they feel great not to mention some of the comments and looks I get.

I've been wanting to build this pair of boots for 2 yrs. I almost have them done, just need to get them to the shoe man so he can stitch the welt. It will take some time to make the edges look good after putting the soles on so I have still have some work to do. They are embossed cowhide I found on Ebay. The insides are lined with Boot Lining Leather from Sheridan Leather. On these I am using a super lite weight sole that won't last a long time but they are only $2.50 and I will learn how to resole boots. These boots will weigh 3 lbs. 6 oz. when finished. The last pair were thin Kangaroo but the thick heavy sole I used got them up to 3 lbs. 10 ozs. A little heavier than the kind of Cabela's boots I have been wearing for 15 yrs. I have about 65 hrs in these boots. They will be my new work boots. The really nice Kangaroo boots will be my back up boots and going out boots. I use the flat soles because I work on white rock roads and they are easy to clean off when I go in the office. The MULE I ride has a gas pedal, no stirrups so I don't really need a sole with a heel. Thanks for looking. Tim

Well all I can say is awesome. The first day on the job and the boots feel like I have been wearing them for months. It's incredible the difference in custom made boots and off the shelf boots. I have wide feet with skinny heels so my heels always slid in my boots and the front always hurt my feet. I started on these on a Wed. and finished them on Sunday. I had 42 hrs. in these. I did spend a lot more time getting the last correct than I did actually building the boots. I built a practice pair all the way thru sewing the welt on and quit on them because I used some leather off a chair I found at work. The top layer looked like it was going to separate and crack every where they would wrinkle. It was good practice. I watched a bunch of Lisa Sorrells You Tube videos and bought Tim Skyrme's Bespoke Shoemaking book. I think most people could build shoes or boots if they put their mind to it and didn't give up. Thanks for all the comments. I have to thank Bob Park for tool rack. I used his tool rack as a starting point. His tool rack inspired me to build it just as his work inspires me to get better at tooling and the construction aspect of leather.. Wish I could draw patterns like him. I included a full picture of the tool rack. Thanks again to Bob Park. My shop is our Formal Dining Room. Thanks Tim

Your tooling patterns are buy far the best looking patterns I've seen. If I buy your book will I be able to draw patterns like that. Incredible work. Thanks Tim