goldenstonebazaar

Thank you! This helps a lot. I'll try a new, this time different label, can, and pressure cleaning for a nozzle.

Can you point me in the right direction on how to glue lining to a bag with spray glue? What glue is preferable, and do you know any low smell, easier cleanup versions? My problem: I'm trying to add lining to the bag, thin suede or pigskin lining, so far practicing on scraps. It seems that many are using 3M Super 77 spray glue, it sounded pretty much straightforward: shake well, spray, attach, smooth. It didn't work this way: it produced not a fine particles, but fairly irregular blobs, not good. It was red label 3M Super 77 Low Mist Spray Adhesive. After that that I saw other Super 77 glues: black label Low Mist and Multi-purpose. Maybe I used wrong kind of glue. This glue required cleaning spraying head with turpentine (strong smell). It seems that it dries fast and that cleaning should be done at once, when clean hands without smell of turpentine are required to attach lining to main material. Are all Super 77 glues require cleaning with turpentine? Are there any low odor replacements for it? Another problem: I placed flat leather pieces on paper, back side up, sprayed glue. When it was time to pick them up to attach the lining, glue from paper and edges was sticking to fingers, and clean hands would be preferable when touch leather. What I'm doing wrong here? Maybe this is one of the things that anyone has to figure by itself. Anyway, advice, please, if you find it possible, if not - I'll understand and will continue by trial and error. Thank you.

Thank you all, it gives an insight what else could be done. Appreciate your help! I'll try to find soapstone in Art Supply or on online marketplaces and will get today metallic gel pen from Staples. Unfortunately, ball ended stylus would leave no mark at all on this leather, stitching groover will damage finish and this leather is too thin for it (half of mm or so), magnetic guide, at least what I tried to use for domestic sewing machine, is not reliable enough. The recommended magnetic guide is surely more powerful, but it's nowhere to attach to plastic body of this sewing machine, even if internal mechanism is steel, the only metal on outside is needle plate.

What pen/pencil/chalk will leave removable trace on very smooth black finished leather? I'm trying to transfer sewing lines from pattern to the front, finished side of a black smooth chrome-tanned leather (Mission pigskin and ostrich print on pigskin from Tandy, if this matters). Construction is similar to tool or pencil roll, seams must be on finished part. Tried: - To order from US silver pen. Out of stock, and I would prefer not to spend another $30 for shipping of one pen, as you understand. - Silver metallic marker. It leaves quite bright trace, removable by wet finger of cloth. If stitching is over it, particles of glitter become embedded in thread and holes, looks dirty grey, not good. - Chalk. Leaves some trace, brushable off, but again, if seam is over or near it, particles are all over the thread, whitish powdery residue. - White water soluble pen for quilters and white soap, same result: they leave no traces on the finished side of leather, faint trace on the back side. - Ball pen. Leaves visible trace, but not removable, still visible under the thin thread. The only option left is use masking tape as a stitch guide, but layout accuracy will be affected and there is a possibility that foot of the sewing machine (domestic kind) would drag and maybe displace making tape. Any other solutions? Thank you.

White enameled wire shelf from hardware store, can be mounted on the wall or hanged under the table. Free standing version is shoe stand from the same material, 4 shelves.

Thank you all for the replies! It seems that one have to stick to Fiebing's Pro-Oil dyes, anything else either stiffen, streak, bleed through or smells to the high heaven...

I'll second The Thread Exchange, and eBay for softer thread.

If lubricated means bonded, The Thread Exchange has a lot to chose from, including trial sizes. Too stiff for hand sewing, but good for machine sewing.

Tandy's milled leather is a natural, not dyed vegtan. Dyesing it by Fiebing's dyes stiffens it a lot, almost to the stiffness of the usual, not milled vegtan. What dye or stain was used on this bag and what finish, please? Everything I try (manual application) makes it stiff. BTW, leather on the photo looks to me like a finished chrom tan...

Wickett and Craig of America have saddle skirting.

And what about their line of dyes, how good are they compared to Fiebing's?

If memory serves, Siegel of California should have it.

When ordering online, the only shipping option for Canada is UPS (with their brokerage fees). USPS shipping can be ordered by phone or email, but with wireless phones and un-secure email I really don't know who would give them credit card number this way.

A little bit late with reply, but you can threat English bridle leather as any other vegetable tanned leather, but it's softer than tooling leather. Old Egnlish bridle (very expensive), European English bridle and W&C Show harness are firmer. Any of them stamps well, for small stamp with handle using the maul is enough, for large stamps - as Tandy 3D stamps or large maker's stamp - some kind of press for applying higher pressure will be needed. Usual finishes used for vegtan leather will work, and they will look glossier than on tooling leather. To improve with age, I believe that oil- or wax-based finishes should be used, but water- and rub-out resistance are lower than for clear finisheas like Resolene. You may search for waterpoofing dog collars threads. Applying as a finish shoe polish only (as for bags from this leather) doesn't protect leather enough for this use.

Thank you, Dwight, it's good to know. I test everything, but for weeks, not years, and up here is much cooler than at US South. Appreciate your help!

Windex type spay bottle and smaller drops personal hygiene spray bottles leave too big drops that have to be smoothed, so the sponge again.

You may try (on scraps): 1 - dip dyeing, 2 - repeated application of the dye (twice is usually enough), 3 - abundant application of dye (as by dauber or by saturated by dye piece of sponge). Then apply finish, let it dry well and then try sanding, even by 120 grit. Dip dyeing likely will go through the full depth of leather, manual application will leave central part of leather natural, but it will be less dry than after dip dye.

Thank you both, it was helpful. Is there anything more matte? Dwight, it may be from one of your posts about how to make old time finish by mixing equal amounts of neathsfoot oil and beeswax by weight, melting them together in double boiler, and applying as a shoe polish. There was reference to old lady who successfully used this as a finish for years. The onlty thing I worry about, if the dye (F's Pro-Oil or spirit dyes) may bleed throug it and that the oily finish itself may leave oil/waxy stains in hot climate (California, Arizona). Any information about that?

Exactly my sentiments/experience... There are few posts here, at Leatherworker.net, when holstermakers discussed dip finish in 50% Resolene with following brief blowing of excess by the compressor.

There was a post a while back (search for Resolene cut), it seems that dilution works for years.

6-7 oz, W&C, folder sheaths. Thanks.

I tried to seal small finished items by dipping it in 50% Resolene, as holster-makers do. One problem: without compressor to blow off excess (or rather place is not suitable for using noisy equipment), Resolene starts to cure and streaks too fast, wiping front and back by damp sponge is not fast enough. Had to return by manuall application of finish. Are there any other solutions? Thanks.

Chuck Burrows and Paul Long tutorial posts are on the web, better than videos, more info. 3/8" for welt and customer pays the shipping and insurance.

About top grit used: some are using up to 400-600 grit, but usually by hand, others use even micromesh belts from Lee Valley. A bit of overkill, maybe, but gives a smooth surface.

Cheap synthetic bath foam sponges work, some brands better than others, even color sometimes matters.