johnv474

"If you think the Chinese product made for export to the US are low quality, you should see the ones made in China for their domestic market." - an M&A attorney to me, after touring some factories there that were under consideration. It seems safe to count on me likelihood that somewhere there are factories with quality too low for even TLF to use, right? I am not an expert at knowing the lowest quality manufacturers well, but I expect that a search on Alibaba would provide a list of manufacturers with tools cheaper/worse than even Harbor Freight would carry. I invented the $200 edge beveler to illustrate the idea of giving a Boy Scout a sniper rifle, so to speak, but they do exist. Barnsley made/makes them and Hale & Co sells them. I have had to modify even my Osborne tools to suit my needs (e.g shortening round knife handles, narrowing pricking iron tooth width). The toolmaker just gives the user a starting point.

It would be safe to say that because of the size of Tandy's operation compared to any other stores catering to this specialized hobby (at least in the US, maybe worlwide), that their products are not sub-par. They ARE par. Their products consume the large center of the bell curve in terms of marketshare. They are the standard, and there are better and worse out there, reaching out far in both directions. I regularly use and recommend Tandy's tools (but no exclusively). To someone who hopes to make a few belts or a wallet, the grace found in the $200 edge beveler could not be appreciated. Where there is a budget (and there always is), it is hard to find a better bang-for-the-buck option, unless the buyer has unlimited time to search auctions, flea markets, and classified ads, hand-picking used higher-quality tools at a bargain price. Some of my Tandy tools have never needed replacing with better and more expensive alternatives.

If you look towards fine leather goods, many of the traditional ones descended from ones made by saddlers... who were the closest we had to a leatherworker capable of making anything he was called upon to make. You can learn an awful lot by learning to make straps of all sorts. When a person can make belts of all types as well as watchbands or keychains or whatever, then the fundamentals learned will apply elsewhere. Sewing long straps will help you figure out how to sew in in straight line, at the consistent distance from the edge. The skills of skiving, sharpening, sharpening, rivets, etc. Would apply to saddlery , well.

On top of your wood you can also put a piece of scrap 8 Oz veg tan. When you hit your stitching chisels in, then you won't have to worry as much about them even reaching the wood... and you know the leather won't ruin the tips. By the way if you contact a place that installs granite countertops you can usually get a sink cutout or a scrap end piece from their dumpster for free or nearly free.

I do not personally prefer to sew by machine, but I would mix them in some applications. In many situations, the stitching is not visible, such as in a turned tote bag (which is sewn inside out). In such a case, the added value of hand stitching could be outweighed by the expediency of production. So long as the stitching holds, I think few people care enough to pay the extra cost. In visible areas I would prefer hand sewing and using that as a selling point.

Agreed, you want to buff off the dried pigment that has remained on the surface before applying Resolene, even though the sticky Resolene will catch most of it.

People reactivate their cement by adding the matching thinner. I don't think any of the binding agents evaporate, just the solvents. Barge has an All-Purpose Thinner to match their All-purpose cement, and so forth. The thinner costs half of what the cement does.

This is a cool idea. Thanks.

For me, a big part of the answer is planning out the order of assembly to consider cement times. If I am gluing a few pieces at once then by the time I have spread cement on the final part I can go back and put the first parts together. By the time the last part is together, I can sew (though in all cases it's better to leave the cement/glue to fully dry before sewing). If you just can't wait then consider using cyanoacrylate (super glue) for holding the pieces. I can put a few dots of that, press pieces together, and be ready to sew in 10 seconds. Since super glue is not flexible, though, I would run a line of flexible white glue or contact cement as well, which can finish drying after the sewing is done. Maybe not ideal, but it would work.

Shoe repair shops will have long-arm patching machines to reach down the shaft of the boot and the right stitchers for fixing the stitching around the soles. I would expect that rebuilding or re-sewing most of the boot will not be cheap, but it can be done,

Thanks for this. I had not tried gum trag and also edge paint together, and was not aware of adhesion issues.

Hard to tell for certain but it looks like cowhide with a pebbled finish. Pigskin ha ha distinct 3-hair pattern from the hair follicle and split is basically suede, not leather like that picture shows.

Saddleback uses 5-6 Oz chrome tanned boot leather for most bags and briefcases (wallets and belts are different). Their claim about inferiority is inaccurate, but you can still treat the edges. I would suggest a little gum tragacanth along the edges (a mild glue), to hold fibers together, Rub with a slicker a little, and then use edge paint. Fiebing's, Angelus, and Wood N Stuff have highly flexible acrylic paints for leather that stick well.

"Please excuse my butting in, but I couldn't help it. The poor fellow in the video has a bit to learn about stitching. First he..." I am reviving this very old thread because it keeps appearing in my search results and may likewise appear for others. The comment above demonstrates an unfortunately common attitude in the leatherworking world, and that is that there is only one correct way of doing something. There are different ways, different traditions, and many of them will result in successful results with long-lasting stitches and good-looking products. The other issue that people who find this topic might want to know is that the young man in this video works for Hermes... a company with a famously long heritage of fine craftsmanship, with numerous world-famous and winning saddles created over the centuries for royalty and the elite of the world. Their apprenticeship program for sewing consists of several years of stitching nothing larger than a watch band, before being entrusted with making bags, handles, or cases that will sell for tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars. They are among the most elite leather goods in the world. If anyone has a bit to learn about hand sewing, it is those of us whose works are not in the same category. So before anyone lend to much weight to the above comment, or similarly-toned comments in other threads, consider that not all opinions expressed in these forums are equally well-informed.

Do you have access to a splitter? what diameter of a tube? if greater than 3/16" or so, it may require a filler. A 1" wide strip of 2-3 oz (after splitting) will make a nice tube you can bend around without notching.

Applying dye first to dry leather will make the dye soak in faster (since there is a bigger difference between the wet dye on the surface and the dry leather). However, it may be more likely to have splotches. The above advice sounds good, to oil if it will be flexed during assembly. Also, I hear that the dye can dry out leather further because of the alcohols evaporating. Oiling first can help there, and I hear it can help reduce the chances of having splotches. One way is not always better than the other.

You are welcome to start a new thread (no pun intended). That said, here are some guidelines. Keep in mind that your hole size, stitch spacing, leather choice, and even needle size can affect which thread works best. For about 9 spi, .020 Maine or. 4mm Tiger thread or 3 cord linen. For about 7 spi,.030 Maine thread or. 6mm Tiger thread or 4 cord linen. For 5 spi, .040 Maine thread or .8mm Tiger thread, or Nyltex/sinew, or 6 cord linen. With linen the rule of 11's (number of stitches per inch + number of cords is 11, higher for chunkier look, lower for lighter look). I made up the name of that rule, but it's based on the chart in Stohlman's sewing book.

If this comes up again, look for the contact cement that is made for vinyl. Many of the all-purpose cements will stick about anything to leather except for vinyl. Renia works, as well Masters Vinyl Bond, Colle de Cologne, or Masters Multi-Purpose (but not All-Purpose, oddly enough). Don't bother with super glues, as they are brittle and will crack.

One thing that can help a little is to use a smooth faced hammer. Fold the leather where you want the crease and tap/hit with a hammer (how hard you hit depends on how easily the leather shows marks). That will help sharpen the fold. Then, sew as normal.

I vote for the clicker knife as well, for the reasons said by others, and for its manueverability. If the template is just straight lines,like for a briefcase, that maneuverability may not add any value. Oh, and following up on what JamesR just said above, it' possible to use a round punch to cut exterior corners too. If you buy a spare belt punch (round), then file down part of the circle, you can have a corner punch for any small radius. I know Osborne makes those up to 3/4" diameter.

Neither your profile nor your website say where you are located. They probably would want to know whether you are in Alabama or Zimbabwe before committing to shipping.

Also, if people are told from the start that you will start th project, say, eight weeks from the date you receive their deposit/payment... and then the project is finished earlier than that they will be happy. You will have exceeded their expectations. Promising three weeks and shipping in six weeks would give the opposite effect.

I know one belt maker buys sides, cut his belts to the length needed, then sells discounted shoulders and bellies. The customers love it. It's one approach.

You can also use the same brand of thinner as the cement to remove residue left after rubbing. It takes a few minutes for the thinner to loosen it up. Then rub with some gum rubber to pull it out. You should be able to dye better after that.

Those are stitches to the proud of. I can't explain the difference (why thinner works a little different), but I have experienced the same. 25B's suggestion is a good one too. I have tried that with success. I suspect the true masters of this skill are versatile and adjust their style to the needs of the leather, the thickness, an personal preference. Nigel (whose stitch I admire) mention changing things up sometimes for different projects. Only machines blindly do the same thing repeatedly with no judgment. Hence, craftsmen can do some things machines can't. Hope this helped!