MonicaJacobson

Huh, very cool! I'll try that. I haven't really done much edge tooling. Honestly, my husband does all my web support. I never learned how, and he's so conveniently to hand. Ahem. However, he said that you pay ZenPhoto, and if you contact them about it, they should be able to fix that up for you. I hand stitch everything. For one thing, it's cheaper, though probably not in the end. I'm at the Hobsession stage you mentioned, and am pleased when I make a small profit over my expenses. For another, I really like handstitching. Machine stitching might be fast, but I doubt anyone could say it's particularly relaxing.

Ha, I feel vindicated! I like your bridles, and there's a holster on your website that has a very interesting tooling on the edge. It's the Texas Jockstrap holster, and it looks like a wolf or bear claw edging? I don't think I've seen it before. If I might make a webpage suggestion, you should make it so that you can click on one picture, and then view the whole gallery from that one picture by clicking next. Thank you for the kind words! I'm trying to get better and still making a lot of mistakes, but this forum has been an amazing resource, and the people very helpful. The stuff I make is easier than you think. I've been using only chrome tanned lately, and that is much more forgiving than dying veg tanned. However, I'll be back to dying on my next one, so we'll see how that goes.

Thank you for the in depth explanation! Still, I think I'm going to have to fold some paper later to see what happens with those corners properly.

LOL, the person I made it for wanted pink.... so my light red was a bit of a blunder. Thanks anyway. Honestly, I prefer basic black or brown. It looks clean and nice, and really makes you focus on the inlay. If I can square it with my over-active thrifty conscience, I'm going to obtain some of that ostrich myself.

Yes, that hummingbird is awesome. Especially the border!

I do like the biker wallet. It looks like a quality wallet, and the tooling and paint work look great.

Cool holsters and sheaths, and cool guns, too! I know it's lame because they're not as hard, but I really like the untooled holster best.

Very nice! I really like that box...

Sweet! I like yours much better, especially as you avoided the super thick edges I ended up with. Also, that ostrich skin is super cool. Right up there with alligator. I couldn't figure out what it was. It would make really cool knife sheath inlay. Did you get it from Springfield leather?

Nice, and thank you for posting the tutorial. I was wondering how you did the t-slot part. You must be waaay better than I am at punching holes without the leather sliding around. Veg tanned is so much easier to work with because it doesn't stretch and move.

Thank you, Rosie, and Bill. Bill, I would like to get my chrome tanned edges better, and I am planning to start dying them a slightly darker color so they don't draw so much attention to themselves. Of course, you have to do that before you do Gum Trag, and I keep forgetting until I'm in the middle. Someone else on the forum mentioned Allen Edmonds heel and sole edge dressing for chrome tanned edges, and I think I'm going to give it a try. I've been leary of edge coats like Tan Kote because I understood that it could peel off. If that's not the case, I might try that, too.

Well, I took out a bunch of seams (I cheated and didn't completely unsew it), skived it down and slightly rounded the edges (per above advice), and it looks about as good as this particular one is going to look, probably, unless I buy the heat burnisher Olivier told me to buy. Thanks for all the help! Ha, now I'm thinking it's too feminine looking. Might try again with the whole masculine thing.

Thank you! I used another thin strip of the same leather. Honestly, I think it was too wide, and I think i made the straps themselves too wide as well. I'm not really sure what people usually use. Maybe two strips of leather glued together and then rounded over? I'm not sure. I also made the inside strips a little short, and didn't extend the stitching as far towards the bag as I suspect I should have.

Cool, thanks for the tips! I'll definitely try out some of the Dura.

Olivier, I thought only veg tanned could be dyed. I assumed that chrome tanned wouldn't take dye or something, because I've never heard anyone mention dying their chrome tanned edges. Maybe it just falls under the title "burnishing", and I had no idea!

That looks amazing!

I've never made any of these, so my feedback is of little worth, but I think they both look nice. I can't see the edges well, and there might be some roughness there, but otherwise, they look great.

Ha! Thanks WScott - in retrospect, if one were to make a perfectly masculine tote, ore mote, one should use veg tanned, and make two slender briefcase-like handles in the middle that attach to the sides with metal hardware. In which case, maybe it would be called a Totecase, or Tiefcase. Hmm... definitely lacks the ring.

Very nice purse!

Rosie, that is an excellent idea. I think I'm going to skive the corners, resew them, and round them as you suggest. That's a great idea. In fact, I really need to go back and watch more of Nigel's videos. I think I've only watched one or two. Thanks!

Thank you for the detailed advice, David. Flesh side to flesh side with piping on the inside? That would leave two visible edges with piping in between? I don't think I've ever seen that done. I've never tried piping, but I've been meaning to learn how to do it. It certainly looks great. The bias tape is a good idea. I feel like it would work best on 1-2 oz, while my leather is 3-4 oz. However, I could be wrong, and it does give it a nice, clean look. I'll save the thumbs for future reference.

Thank you, BillyB- I think you're right about the skiving. Thanks for the suggestion!

So, my dad mentioned he wanted something that wasn't a briefcase, but more like a tote. He didn't want a flap, and he didn't want something too big, just a bag with handles to carry papers. A lot of people have been making totes, so I thought I'd give it a try. I don't really like the unfinished edges at the top of most totes, so I tried to remedy the situation by putting an extra strip at the top. I like the look of the seams on the outside, and I like that I could get a finished top edge, but I don't particularly like the corners. Any suggestions would be welcome!

So much cool STUFF!

Really cool project! The lining is great, and you did a ridiculously thorough job laying it out and everything. It looks really well designed. @Dan - I've sold four bags with only 45 inch straps. It's true, you might find it easier to sell if the strap is longer, but it's certainly not necessary for it to be long.