Hillbilly tim

Wiz, et all, I'm sure in my reading zeal I mis-understood the web page. It wouldn't be the first time I read something and thought/ understood something entirely different!!! I like the idea of the sailrite machines, I could see myself with one as a reserve machine.

Harold, Which of the "Sailrite" machines do you have? I see some share presser feet with the consew 206 series machines too. Bro Tim

Take a look at standard rivet's company catalog, if you havent already. I cant find mine at the moment but, memory says..... Bro Timothy

I will admit I will many times follow Dwight's example, kinda. I partly skive the liner layer so it tapers steeply and ends by the fold. That way the roughness is hidden below the fold. ( I only skive the inner glue side). More times than not I also will use Chicago screws. Bro. Timothy.

I too have one of those presses. You MUST use the correct size mould die for the size diameter rivet you are using. If not, you WILL have un-uniform rivet heads as they will move within the die itself. You stated you are using a 12mm die and 9mm rivets? It may close them together but won't look good at all. Proper tool for the job always is a good rule to follow. Bro. Timothy.

I've always just used a cheap ol' tandy wide blade in a swivel knife. If sharp it will do a fine job on its own. Like I said, that's how I've made that pattern in the past. Don't have to overthink or make hard. Bro. Timothy.

I'm with Dwight. If that is the thickness you have, use it because, it would be a nice carry belt. Many folks will pay more to have one made that way so, your good to go. With that being said, yes a different and thinner can also be purchased and used to arrive at a other desired thickness. Yes, do stitch the length of the belt you receive a look of quality, texture, less stretching and will also aid in the adhesion of the two pieces. I made a 58" ladies belt for a customer the other day. It was 1" wide comprised of a top layer of 6-7oz and an inner of 2oz pig. All four elements assisted one another to make a strong belt; the four elements were the top and bottom layers, stitching and the glue. One word of caution, if you stitch across the narrow direction, which is perfectly fine to do, Don't use small close together stitches. If very many are used closely together it can cause a perforation action in the leather causing a premature failure of a stitched area. (Especially if under extreme pressure like any belt on me would be!! Lol.) Think one of those tearout cards in a magazine. If your stitching a buckle on use a fewer that your side stitch. Like hope I made that understandable. Bro. Timothy

There is such an item called an "electrician's chisel" it looks like a brick chisel that a stone mason would use. Although, it is thinner in its construction verses the masons chisel would be by over half thickness. It is the width of an electrical box to assist in wiring new home construction, when setting boxes in tight areas where the framer left you little room to work, lol. ( anyone that's ever wired new construction for a living knows what that's all about!!!) Anyway, a little changing of the cutting edge angle with a file and then a sharpen and your good to go! The factory edge is a blunter edge to resist breakage when chopping out wooden studs. Since that rugged edge isn't needed and a slicing type sharp edge is needed for cutting slots in leather the filing is needed. Think like your making a knife edge with your file. If you didn't make the change in the edge profile, it would tend to wander and mash when struck with your heavy maul. A sharp edge will stay on track and cut right through. Bro. Timothy.

Hello, as with many if us, we have to have practice or trial periods with new patterns we've developed. It would be very difficult for one of us to advise you how to go about your project only because you are the envisoner. Few are able to sit down and commit a new design to a finished project with "working out" those details before making the final job. Just give it a shot. Then if you have a specific tooling question, give us a shout back. Good luck, Bro. Timothy

I use this little plane. Its Krazy sharp if you put the time in properly sharpening it. really cuts finely when adjusted correctly. I have used it in some situtations in stacked welts. Bro Timothy

I like this one. Looks like it make do two different steps or two different style/sizes at a time. It does look like other tubular dies i have seen. Bro Timothy

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Thanks for the ideas, thats one thing i've never made, a bifold.

This is the exact model, the 29K71, I hope to find. Kinda slim in these parts. I suppose in most areas as well. Tim

look online for "pelican hooks" its a boating/sailing item.

Damp leather will dye very well. I generally use a misting from a spray bottle and allowed to "level" it's self to become even. A better solution to repair splotchy dye issues is adding dye to some "bick4" it will evenly adsorb using it. I have even repaired items that were otherwise perfect except for a dot, spot ,or streak by treating the area with bick4 rubbed in well excess wiped off and then immediately dye resulting in a perfect dye job. Bick4 is a leather conditioner that allows even absorbing. I love it. It's also good for cracking skin around your fingertips too!!!

Sure you can use it. After it has time to dry, buff it to brighten it up and remove any hints of excess dyes before continuing your finishing techniques. The biggest problem I have is with the Fiebings USMC black. It does leave a residue that requires some effort to buff clean before finishing.

This also allows you to do all your loops, etc, on your upper layer and glue on your second one to give a nice sleek finished appearance. just make sure you work in the bottom to the top moulding to the changes in shape, dry flat. I glue a larger width on bottom so its not to small after to moulding around the backside of the loops. THEN, trim to size and stitch if desired, which you do. lol.

Beeswax, tankards and leather bottles of old were sealed this way. Brush on melted wax and then drive it in with a hair drier as it will try to solidify on the surface. This is because the leather is cooler. I wouldnt use a heat gun because you could overheat the leather and ruin it. Good luck, tim

+1 It works well for me on most all "good" leathers, regardless if I burnish by machine or hand. Some cheap leather I've had trouble with and cant get an edge any way I try.

Are you sure that isnt a piece of left over, re-perpoused casting sprue. I cant seem to think that type of handle would be first thought, intentional. I have a few things I've picked up here and there that make neat impressions but were never intended to be a leather tool.

I'll give it a go too. tim

Beary bearman made it for me. I thought it was a beautiful piece of leather tools to me. Bro tim

Beary made this one for me. its a direct shaft mount design. saves all that cobbling together stuff I was gonna have to do. It was roughly the same price as their drill mount version. If you have a motor already, it makes a nice compact tool to mount on a portable base or bench. It ***really*** saves my hands. as many times as i've had them operated on, I gotta do all I can to make things easier. Bro Tim

Howdy folks, I'd been searching for a while for a good stone for the bench i intend to build after the first of the year. I found a great deal on a 12"x18"x3" slab of granite with a smooth matte finish on all sides. Its a machinist stone so its ground flat and square. on sale for $46 and best part is free shipping! That saves more than what the stone cost! and its brought to the door by UPS too (85lbs). Been looking all summer for a decent deal, all the monument companies around here order everything in precut. so I had no luck there. free shipping is through end of 2013. I have no relation to the company, just happy to be getting a deal. look at enco.com with keyword search; granite. Thanks for reading my spiel! Bro Timothy