Widget

Thanks for the response. I usually do 6 stitches per inch. What ply would you recommend? I'm thinking 7 but not sure....

Hey all, Does anyone have any experience with Royalwood's Irish waxed linen thread? Looking for an alternative to the "Thread brand thread" from Tandy or Springfield, but would like something a bit more easily obtainable than Tiger. Love to hear your thoughts, and Happy Thanksgiving.

Thanks to everyone for the advice. Nuttish, wasn't saying I was dying the edges of the Horween, just saying that was my "normal" edge finishing method. Avgvstvs, thanks so much for sharing your process. Seems like this is the way to go, and your edges look great. Thanks! -Widget

Hi everyone, need some advice. I'm going to try to do a journal cover out of Horween Chromexcel. I don't know how to finish the edges with this material, and I'm doubtful (just based on the feel of the leather) that the traditional bevel, soap, burnish, dye, burnish again will work. Or does it? Any advice is much appreciated. Widget

Thank you for the advice everyone. I ordered a 22 oz. Barry King Maul. It shipped today and I can't wait to get it (OK, I used it as an excuse to buy one of his swivel knives while I was at it...don't judge me :-) Oltoot, I agree that there are probably weights for all purposes...I currently have three hammers of different sizes/materials/weights, but I find them tiring in long sessions, so I thought I'd try the maul. Thanks again guys, appreciate your responses. -Widget

Hey guys, Ok, so I need some advice on how to put together a thing I'm working on. It's for a recreation tall ship in our area, which is really cool, so I want this to look as good as possible. I've been asked to make a thumbstall for blocking the primer hole on a cannon, which has come together pretty easily (I think). The other thing is a "bag" for a cannon charge (the bundle of powder that you put in the cannon). The example they showed me was basically an 8"x18" rectangle, rolled around a 3 3/4" gusset. The example piece, was saddle stitched with the gusset piece "inside" the roll. It's hard to explain, but imagine if you started the roll and the gusset flesh sides together and stitched like you would for a regular rectangular gusset. Anyway, I was thinking it might look better of the edges were whip stitched. So, first question is, what do you all think of that? Second, is which would be the flush edges? Here at least a picture is worth a thousand words.. Thanks for any advice you have...I'd like this to look as awesome as possible...

Ok, so that might have been a bit dramatic...sorry. I'm looking at buying a maul (prob a Barry King if anyone has opinions on that). If you could own just one weight of maul, what would it be? I'm looking at mostly simple stamping, but stuff where you want a good whack (basketweaves, larger cams, etc.) and stuff where the taptaptaptap is better...beveling, back grounding, etc. I do this on a shoestring budget so can only afford one, bottom line. What's your (collective) opinions in the one weight to own? Thanks for any and all opinions. Widget

That is simply stunning work. Just wow....

Hey guys, I've been reading threads on saddle stitching. I'm doing a guitar strap for a friend that I've lined with kip and want to hand sew the edges. I've read a few opinions on saddle stitching, and from what I gather, it's "sew with no more thread than your outstretched arms." Which I get due to wear on the thread. When that thread runs out, do you just backstitch a few, then start with a new piece? Does the backstitch leave an "undesirable" look at all, or does it just blend in? I've done double loop lacing before where splicing leaves no traces of it, but am not sure/can't find if there's a way to do this with a saddle stitch. Thanks for any advice, using yet another snow day to knock out some projects :-) -Widget PS I learned a valuable lesson today...pricking irons work as well on fingers as they do on leather :-(

Beautiful work. Just stunning. I love the relief look of the characters.

Hey all, Experimenting with making a marlinspike sheath out of horsehide. What do you recommend to finish it? I'm not concerned with dying, just sealing as it will be exposed to a lot of weather. Carnauba cream? Atom wax? Do these even work on the really hard grain of horsehide? Thanks for any advice, Widget

Pete, thanks for the thought...don't know why that didn't occur to me :-) Stain is on, so I'll let you know how the "unveiling" works out

Hey guys, I strop the blade like a religion...sometimes a few times in the process of cutting out one larger sized design. Casing I think I'm getting pretty good at, but there are times where I just take one cut and say that's still too wet or dry.... Thanks for your input, and Kings, I completely agree about practice...I do so as much as I can...I think Springfield leather thinks all I buy are the bags of scrap :-)

Hey all, not sure where to put this, so I put it in the section listed "Not sure where to post...." :-) I've been at this for about a year now...slowing starting to move from kits and such to cutting my own stuff...deciding what I like to make, etc. etc. I enjoy very much the western floral style carving (even though I'm still not that good at it). But I am frequently frustrated by the accuracy of my knife work, especially at the end when doing decorative cuts—I find it hard to control the blade when adding cuts to burnished areas...pear shades, etc.) I'm using the swivel knife that came with my beginner Tandy kit from last Christmas and using up the last of my Tandy kits. As I decide which tools to upgrade in which order...which is the more "important" tool in accurate carving (I understand the practice side is first and foremost), the quality of the knife or the leather? I'm debating a Barry King swivel knife but want to make sure the investment (even tho it's only $45) is worth it at my current skill level. Hope that makes sense, and thanks for the advice.... -Brian

Merry Christmas everyone, I'm working on a journal cover currently that I'd like to stain the grain with a saddle tan and leave the flesh natural. Is there anyway to mask off the flesh without tearing it up to prevent errant stain from finding its way back there? Incidentally, this is a really fun project, I bought a small journal kit for my 8 year old daughter and told her we'd do it however she wanted, but she had to help. Last night we did a stamped border, the words Notebook and Journal and her initials. I had her help with the stamping, I'd hold the tool so it wouldn't bounce and she'd do the hitting (amazingly, I have no swollen fingers today :-) I showed her color swatches of the dyes I have on hand, and she really wants the saddle tan hi-lite on the grain and a natural flesh, but I'm worried about getting dye back there. Thanks for any advice, Brian

Dwight, Thank you again! I'll try that...

Hey guys, thanks for the responses. Dwight, never be afraid to tell me I'm doing it wrong, I likely am. I may have just gotten my bottle of the Weldwood too dry somehow. I bought it and didn't have the occasion to use it for awhile and when I went to glue on a lining the other day is was very thick, like the consistency of honey. Tree, I'll try to get some thinner and give that a go also. JLS, thanks for the heads up on Barge...I work in a small room off my basement that has about 0 ventilation, so it's good to know what products will knock me out!

What do you guys use for contact cement? I've tried the Tandy stuff--way to watery; and the stuff from the Home Depot--way too thick. Is there a specific brand anyone would recommend?

DoubleC, thanks for your response. I may be changing my mind and just leaving the whole thing natural...it's a Christmas gift and someone who knows the person well thinks they would just like the "natural beauty." On a test piece, I rubbed in some Resolene and a patch with Tan Kote. I like the way the Tan Kote darkened the burnished areas just a touch...in your experience is Tan Kote good enough to use as a final top coat, or should I Tan Kote then put something else on? Thanks again for your advice!

Hi all, I'm looking for advice on what types of finishes you apply to leather to leave it "natural" from the tooling/carving. I'm wanting to finish the checkbook cover in the picture....what I'm thinking is using Fiebing's Chocolate Brown to die the background sections, but I'd like to leave the rest "au natural." What would I use to finish that off? Thanks for any advice, and happy holidays to you all. PS Thanks for all of you experienced folks who have been so generous with your help and advice. Its been a year since I started this addiction <er> craft, and would have given up on it if not for the help and advice of you fine folks. PPS If there's any critique of the work as well, let me know. I know in particular my pear shading and decorative cuts still need work... PPPS (Last one, promise) Ignore the splotchiness of the corners...I took this with my phone 10 seconds after I finished, so the leather is still drying.

Cool, I'll try that (hopefully) tomorrow and post my results.

Electrathon & Lou, Thanks for the suggestions...I picked up a bar of saddle soap from a tack shop. Would you recommend slicking the edges before or after I paint them with Super Sheen as a resist?

Stunning work! I wholeheartedly agree with a darker color for the logo...

That's a great design...I really like it. Is the belt lined (hard for my old eyes to see) or is the stitching for effect?

I'm making a belt for my dad....I'd like to pre-paint the border with Super Sheen as a resist, then use either an antique or a hi-lite stain on the tooling....leaving the border natural leather, the "innards" brown-ish. I did a test swatch just to see what happened, and when I slicked the edges (I used gum trag and a wood slicker), the burnish on the edges didn't look very good with the rest of the natural leather. Is there any way to get a nice edge without overly burnishing or changing the color so it doesn't contrast with the rest of the natural leather? Thanks for any thoughts you have, Widget