johnv474

it's a little bit like trying to make a machine that could do oil paintings for you. Just like in oil painting, every stroke is different. Unless you are simply doing a repeating pattern, e.g. basketweave, then every hit of the mallet needs to be slightly different in terms of timing, pressure, etc. If you are doing a repeating pattern then this would be done with an embossing wheel instead.

A though is that if you are using dyes, etc., then those are largely alcohol based. That should have a type of disinfecting effect. Also, any soap should help. I suppose you could spray Lysol on it, but I wouldn't bother. If you want to disinfect just leave them in the sun for a few hours.

Permanent marker, especially the ubiquitous Sharpie, is 'permanent' but not really. It fades to green in sunlight. You can just use a little dye , carefully applied, and then coat with wax or Resolene. For those wondering, YES, Tokonole is worth the extra moneyn. It is among the best edge products out there.

I would suggest a coating of some sort because otherwise your plain veg tan is loke leaving bare wood out in nature--it will patina quickly but also deteriorate quickly. I would suggest at a minimum some Lexol conditioner (two light coats won't change color once absorbed) and then a coat of some kind of wax-containing product, like beeswax or clear shoe polish.

I know of two options that work well. In all cases I would use saddle soap first. Then I would follow that with teo lught coags of Rudys Tack and Saddle conditioner. It contains a fungicide or mildewcide to help kill mold and prevent its return. The other, more intense, option, is to use Concrobium powder and mix up a mold killer. This stuff is used on wood, boats, etc., and I have used it successfully on leather also.

I don't know much about this, but if I were to start experimenting with it, I would try either archive-quality fountain pen ink (I think Noodlers is a common go-to brand) or I would consider acrylic paints like angelus.

FWIW I have owned a few styles. Since the "Grandpa's Sit N Stitch" is no longer made, I plan to go with Dream Factory's floorstanding model from Etsy. I would also buy any of the other sizes (floorstanding or large, if I could only buy one).

This. Armitage channel on Vimeo. One of the best resources I have ever found.

May I ask why you want to figure this out?

Of those discussions I have seen on this topic, there are several that regularly get recommended. The old standby head/round knives would be CS Osborne, Barnsley (if you can find one), or Vergez Blanchard. These cost between $50-$120. So far as I can tell they are all made from a similar grade of steel and are typically forged. They tend to be a mild steel (if that is the correct term), which is relatively easy to sharpen but needs touched up regularly. The default choice for most is to buy whatever is sold at the local leather store: Tandy. I don't regularly see the Craftsman or Stohlman brand recommended, but many people end up owning them anyway due to the Tandy being everywhere. In terms of quality, in other discussions, one head knife that regularly gets recommended is the Weaver Master Tools head knife. This costs about $91. I consider this a safe bet even though I do not own one. If those prices are too high, there are some cheaper options. One option is to buy a vintage knife from an auction such as Ebay. In this way a person might get an older Osborne or Rose head knife and save a few dollars. There are high end, custom makers, as well. These tend to have excellent finishing, better steels, and a revised design--in some cases, improvements. Examples (of many--I am sure to be missing some) include Leather wranglers, Chartermade (I'm not sure if he makes head knives but makes knives), Doldokki, and so on. These knives tend to be in excess of $200. There are several notable makers I'm skipping here, but not for any reason. There are also some super-cheap knifes available on Amazon. I would not expect a no-name $25 knife to hold an edge all that great. It might start out sharp, though. If the above are not a good option, a person can repurpose other knives that have a similar shape. Look for a short (3" or less, I'd say) knife with a deep belly and long cutting edge (lots of swoop in the blade shape). A person will likely have to do some grinding, etc., but a knife such as an Ulu, Benchmade Nestucca, or Wander Tactical Tryceratops can be made to imitate a round/head knife (but for more money than the non-custom options above). The most recent option I have selected personally is the round/head knife made/sold by KevinLeatherTools (of CrazyCut fame). He makes knives from D2 tool steel (an improvement over CS Osborne, etc.). This steel ought to be harder so edge holding ability is improved at the expense of more difficulty sharpening. He has models for between $45-$60, shipped. However, they take about a month to arrive. This steel is not the absolute ultimate but no one I'm aware makes head knives out of any of the so-called super steels (which did not exist when CSO, Blanchard, etc. developed their blades). Mine is set to arrive Monday so soon I'll know better. For the moment I use CS Osborne round knives because it was the first one I bought. It has taken a fair amount of work to make it how i like (shortened handle to fit my hand, changing sharpening angle and putting on a better edge than the factory offers). I don't regret the purchase but want to spend more time using and less time maintaining.

What is the difference between English and French? Mine is from Abbey England. It does not fold in the middle as some (Blanchard?) do. Ebay regularly has them, as does Etsy.

This can be done but you need to find out if your bench grinder RPM is too fast. I don't remember the exact numbers but IIRC you want something like 1800 RPM if a 6" wheel. Many grinders are 3000+ RPM. That's too fast. Too much heat. There are slower motors and presumably ways to slow down motors. Dig around for what others have suggested.

That's a large request. In order to help you to build a house from scratch, so to speak, it would be helpful to know what experience you have in leatherworking. If not in leatherworking, do you have other experience in, say, making clothes? So far as I know, there are no books specifically on making this type of costume, but most books on costume making or clothing will apply. Many of the techniques would likely be the result of your own experimentation. Those few people who make complete outfits (eg Princes Armory) need to develop their own techniques, at their own expense and effort, and may not be willing to simply share the results of their efforts. 1-2 oz leather is extremely thin, by the way. I can't imagine it surviving in the great outdoors or any significant rigor without some significant, and careful, reinforcement. I would expect that the project would be mixed materials, of necessity. For example, you can buy a bodysuit that could be used as a pattern. However, leather may not have all the same stretch as, say, lycra. You will likely need to incorporate some stretch points. Do you intend to cover the mask/hooves with actual fur? If leather upsets that community then fur will likely do so even moreso. Rabbit fur and shearling (wool still attached to sheepskin) are a bit more understandable or arguable, since the animals become food first and aren't raised for their fur (unlike mink, for example). If you want bright white, then vegetable tanned leather won't be a great option unless you paint it.

An old yellow pages can be turned into any size book, for a model. Or layers of corrugated cardboard.

From my experience, your only thread choice is linen. A few brands are best known: Barbours, Campbells, and Sajou's Fil Au Chinois. You can buy unwaxed linen thread from Tandy, Weaver Leather, Amazon, Springfield Leather, Etsy, and Ebay. If you have a shoe repair shop nearby, or a saddle/tack repair place, you may be able to buy some from their stock. Why linen? Well, it's stronger than cotton, but not nearly as strong as synthetics like nylon or polyester. (By the way, strength is not the only factor that matters). It gets slightly stronger when wet, doesn't untie itself like synthetics, and has been used since forever in leatherwork. The key reason is none of these--if you buy it unwaxed then you can dye it to the color you want (using fabric or leather dyes). That was one of your critical requirements and is the only suitable thread for leather that meets that requirement. Synthetics, for our purposes, can't be dyed by the end user. Bonus: linen is much thicker than synthetic threads. Based on your description I am guessing that you would be satisfied with a 5 cord natural unwaxed Barbours thread, which I'd estimate to be just over 1mm thick. That is a reasonable thickness to suggest based on what you have asked for. Bad news is that you usually need to buy a pound of it, and that will cost you about $55, but it will last you a long, long time. It is generally available in 3 cord up to 7 cord for leatherwork.

Still no pictures. Marketplace rules still apply. Shared photos are not working.

Tokonole is excellent for a smooth, shiny edge, but it is not particularly durable as-is. When I use Tokonole, I will still put a sealer (Resolene) over the edges as part of coating the entire project. Two notes: Resolene is too concentrated. Dilute 50:50 with water for much better results. Also, tokonole (or gum trag) can resist dye so the edges look better to dye, then burnish with tokonole or gum trag. Some will lightly burnish with water or saliva before dyeing though.

This effect can also be achieved relatively easily with an airbrush, spraying dye. One of those compressed air sprayers could likely also work. While a great airbrush setup is not cheap, a basic setup capable of the above effect can be inexpensive.

Bright white? Would cream/off-white work? Must it be dyed through? I was going to say another source until I found this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DPVPGLL/ref=twister_B07DPXCWXB?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

P.s, if the leather has dried due to dyeing as you mentioned, some Lexol or Dubbin or other conditioner will help with pliability.

Regular old dye like Fiebing's? What is the thread made of? I ask because only natural fibers like linen really absorb the dye. Nylon and polyester can get the dye on them but it doesn't soak in under those conditions (they need to be boiled or something). Waxing only lasts a while. You will need to rewax as you stitch, as some wears off every time it is pulled through the hole. With linen thread you can see if fraying as you stitch a long run. The dye can also be sticking to the wax. Try wiping off your thread with a clean cloth then rewax. When you are done sewing, also try cleaning with saddle soap. Sometimes that will help remove dye from stitching.

The ones from Tandy are from China, but have consistency going for them vs the no-name brands. Use a small piece of wood, a ruler,or an empty dye bottle held against the chisel to hold the leather down while pulling out the chisel. This will help prevent distortion. Also, moistening the leather slightly will make it easier to remove the chisels.

This look incredible. About what size is this? I'm trying to get an idea of the scale without being familiar with the original.

When you fold something over, imagine it is going around a racetrack. The leather on the outside lane has to travel a longer distance and the leather on the inside travels less. If turned too sharp, the inside has nowhere to go and crinkles. The thicker the leather or tighter the curve, the more this happens. To address it now, you can try to press out the wrinkles with something smooth, like a bone folder, after getting the leather damp. This can be partly avoided by using thinner leather or attaching it when the leather is partly folded already. In the case of a wallet, glue down half of the inside part, flip over, press over the edge of a table. Then, turn it around and glue down the other half over the edge again. Or, glue the bend down while holding the bend around a small dowel. The other option is to help the leather get a little more flexible. Working the leather under pressure while folding, e.g while bending first time, apply pressure at fold and push down wrinkles as they want to form. Some water will help. Some water with a little soap in it will help more. The last option is a design change. On most mens wallets, the outside and inside connect in two separate sections, with an unattached part in the middle, and the outside is slightly longer than the inside (which makes wallets stay partially folded while at rest). When opening/closing, the two parts have room to move independently at the spine. Hope this helps.

Ohio travel bag. They are not as retail-oriented as Tandy so there may be minimums, but they have quite a range of hardware.