HippieLee

Really nice and unique. That's ANOTHER project on my to-do list lol.

Heck for 12 bucks you can probably drive in to the Orlando Tandy store to pick something up and still come out ahead on gas...

Turn about's fair play! When you get 'em done lemme know if you take lay-away.

Funny you should ask this as I was watching that new Musketeers show last night and, of course, I noticed the fancy tooling on their leather armor and wondered if it was historically accurate and, if so, how they did it back then...I imagine, like mlapaglia said, they have had leather working tools in some form for a very long time even if they didn't have sleek ball bearings and anodized aluminum. I saw a video from the 50s of a Scottish guy making a pretty nice sporran with not much more than a head knife, mallet and a pricking iron.

What do you do with the flaps on the inside? With fabric they are probably soft enough not to be bothersome but leather will be thicker won't it? (OR are we talking very thin garment leather) Would it be too many holes to go back and sew the flaps flat so on the front side you see the seam and a row of stitches on either side? Would that weaken the whole piece too much? Just leave 'em be? glue and hammer a bit?

Yeah I reckon that's a pretty good question - I've never had a brief case OR a messenger bag and I'm not sure which one I want BUT I know I want it to have a shoulder strap. I guess I need to figure that out first. I want it to be kind of a combo bag for carrying the laptop plus other tools I often need for work (punch-down tool for cross-connecting phone wires, testers, toners and such) But not my whole tool-bag - just a few of the frequently used items and the smaller supplies like short patch cables and bridge clips and maybe a couple other things. I'm still debating on whether it's even a good idea to cram that much stuff in a bag. Right now I use an ill-fitting back-pack for the laptop and a couple freebie bags I got at various trade shows for my tools and a big bucket in my truck for supplies. That's all cumbersome and I'd like to consolidate and look snappy as well. Maybe I'll have to make a matching set with laptop bag and tool-bag... I May even get froggy enough to include a sheath for the punch-down tool that can move from my belt to the case by including a place in the briefcase/laptop bag that can accept the clip.

If that wasn't so sad it would be hilarious! On a side note, is the Grapevine Opry still going? I miss Texas.

Welcome Jo! Advice, supplies and ideas abound here at LWN! Look forward to seeing your projects. Hopefully you get more stuff out than I do...i procrastinate too much from fear of doing it wrong when I should just do it and learn from what I did wrong.

I kinda feel bad about all this but I know you guys are right. I still like my local Tandy store but that's 99% because of the two part-timers there that teach all the classes. I've learned a lot from those two guys and they are not afraid to tell me "Don't buy that here..." from tools to supplies they will let me know if it can be had better and/or cheaper elsewhere. I have love in my heart for them for helping me get started in leather craft but on the other hand I'm not trying to get ripped off. I was there for a pictorial carving class yesterday and am loving the class and new techniques but I had a look around at the leather and saw a lot of uuuuuugly pieces. More holes and scratches than smooth leather.... I watch videos online by guys like Nigel and Ian and even considering the poor quality of youtube video you can see the leather they have is something I've sure never worked with...I'd probably lose my mind if I got hold of some Horween... Of course, they do still have some decent stuff - I got a really nice piece of turquoise pig suede (4~5 square feet) for 10 bucks. I'm gonna use it for liner on a peacock-themed cell phone case I'm making for my wife

All I know for sure is do NOT store them on the table next to the bird cage. Unless parrot guano was the desired effect. stupid birds.

I have a pretty heavy laptop when you include the power brick (or even without it it's still a tank lol) so that is important to me. I think as long as it;s engineered and executed well with good strong handle joints and whatnot I can;t see how 5/6/7 oz wouldn't work. But before I begin mine I'll be experimenting some just to make sure. (my wife and daughter both want handbags/purses so they get to be my testers. lol)

Welcome from Orlando!

You're at 521 now :-) Beautiful stuff, btw!

Sounds about right to me - probably something different for the gussets (maybe even milled so it's soft - or chrome tanned but the chrome tanned I see at the store is all pretty thin. I haven't worked with any of it yet so I don;t know if it's suitable for more than a lining. But I guess they use it for upholstery and stuff so somewhere they must have stronger... Mostly I'm replying so this gets bumped so maybe some more experienced folks will see and offer some real advice rather than my guessing. :-)

Never done it from the supply side but I've won more than a few free concert tickets from the consumer side. IF you can afford to give it away, it is probably fun for the users who have a shot but I'd put in a clause that says something like "must reach a thousand shares" or some other number that suits you. You don;t want one guy to share and have to give it to him and get nothing out of it since, I presume, eyeballs on your site is the goal. Be sure to think about whatever terms and conditions apply. "Hey folks! IF this post reaches 500 likes and shares you could win this fabulous real leather thingamabob!" "Winner will be picked at random from qualified sharers" Must by 18 or above to enter, Continental US only, etc ...

Thank you Tom! Should I try to find polish colored the same as the shoes or is there a clear/neutral color that works for all? I really like the color of these shoes and I'm worried about changing it by not finding the right shade... On the other hand, I don't want to derail leathervan's thread even more off course than I already have - thank you very much for the exact instruction I needed. (And thank you OP for indulging my side trip here).

Thank you Chief!

I'm embarrassed to ask this but is there a best way to actually polish shoes right? I have a couple pairs of nice leather shoes and so far they haven't needed a big-time polish but I can foresee a time when, after long use, they fall into a disheveled state and it would be downright scandalous to walk around in poorly cared for shoes and also try to call myself a leather worker. I'm new at leather so I give myself that excuse but I can't, in good conscious, continue that charade forever. Is there something in the manufacturing of shoe polish that makes it good for shoes but not so good for leather-work in general? And when you guys say "first finish" do you mean even before dye? Or just the first thing after dying? or could be either?

I lived across the river in Florence, KY for about a year and change when I was in first and second grade so that was about 44~45 years ago. I don't remember either of you! (lol) Next trip to the store Imma get me a can of that Aussie.

I definitely agree any branding/logo/mark etc... should be hidden inside or on the back and discrete. That's why I'm having a heard time figuring out what I would want to call myself...all the names I've thought of would just be too much to put on the piece but the logo for them would make a good mark (I think at least - still need to try some out lol). Perhaps this is a good place to invest in some quality inkjet photo heavy cardstock and make some little tags with the info and the logo and just put the mark on the piece somewhere hidden. Maybe attach the tag with a nice bit of chain or leather braid if you got minions to do some braiding for you (for you folks who produce a lot. lol - I have maybe 5 things done since I started and 3 more in process so I reckon I got time to learn and braid.) (this is NOT counting the mountainous piles of scrap I have from just testing different stamping and tooling and dying effects).

lol, it's ok - even upside down those are some really nice sheaths. I have a gerber multi-tool I need to make a case for so I really do appreciate you sharing yours with us.

Those are nice but please tell me more about your anti-gravity table!

Why couldn't the maker's mark include both the logo and the info? I mean, I know it may not happen for a while, if ever, but isn't a goal to be recognizable by just your logo? The way you do that is simple, effective logo with the spelled-out info around it or incorporated into it. If the logo happens to be cattle brand looking thing I think that says "leather" to people especially when they see the logo AND the JAJohnson leather below it or around it or however... I'm asking because I have been struggling to figure out what I even want to call myself business-wise and a lot of what I decide on may hinge on how cool I can make the logo. Or if I even want to be a business - I love working with leather but it may never be more than just a hobby I spend a lot on lol. BUt I still want a makers mark and I want the people who DO get a piece I make (Whether I sold it or just made it for them) to be able to show it to others and say (hopefully with pride) "See here? This was made by Hippie Lee"

Beautiful rig but i guess this means you can't pick me up some BBQ brisket and Shiner Bock. Oh well. (lol)