Sovran81

Hi Chuck, I really value the input that more experienced craftsman give because most have been there and done that. If I could copy the formula of the better known commercial dressings I would. My being thrifty stems from as a plaiter the dressing is used as a lubricant between the layers of braid and I can easily use about 2-4 cups for 1 small project. Finding these commercial dressings in large quantity at prices that doesnt break the bank (especially without a resell license) hasnt been possible. The ingredients on the other hand are much cheaper and I have time, a stove and a mixer. It was my understanding that all processed foodstuffs available in the US had to be either pasteurized or irradiated to make them safe from food poisoning. Even bottled water is treated with ozone. I have never even thought of flaxseed oil. Would you be willing to share your recipe for your own "dubbin"? Please feel free to shoot down any ideas I post that you have knowledge with. It will save me a failure. Thanks

I watched Immortals last night. It was a good movie but hard to follow because I was constantly thinking of the leather armor and masks.

Have you tried splitting the strand so you start with a smoother flesh side? Also by beveling the strand the top grain extends further than the flesh and will hide the fluff better.

I know nothing about it so I did a quick google. With its high melting point and poor solubility in water or ethanol I think it would be hard to emulsify it into the dressing. On the other hand, one of its uses is the shiny coating on candies. so the question that comes to my mind is with its melting and solubility properties how do you ever get past the coating and get to the candy. So there is something I am missing with its use. Figure out how to emulsify it easily and it might work.

A cheap supply for beeswax is the hardware store. The seals used for toilet bowls are made from beeswax. I get them for $1 each.

This was one of the throw together projects. I had no plans, but I can run you through the build. I used the videos on youtube of the tool in action to guestimate dimensions. 1. Take a piece of wood 1x4x8 and drill 2 holes(3/16) in each end about 2 inches deep. 2. Cut 1" at 90* off one end and 1" at 45* off the other end. 3. Drill the 4 holes in the main piece large enough to accept brass threaded inserts for 3/16" studs. The holes on the angled side need to be deep enough so the insert doesnt stick out on the angle. 4. I used a router and clamped blocks as a guide for the sliding groove but you could just cut a dado all the way across if you dont plan on placing the top studs on the same axis. 5. Use flat aluminum stock to make the fences. Aluminum hand machines easily. For the slots in the fences I drilled a series of holes then used a coping saw to connect the dots. File smooth. I then glued a strip of wood to the bottom to add a little height and give a bottom face that can be filed for clearance on bevel fence. 6. Place the fences on the main body and mark for top studs. Drill the holes for the top inserts. Glue and install inserts just below flush. Glue and drive in the end inserts so they are just below flush. Loctite and install the studs. 7. Install the end pieces and secure with wingnuts. 8. File a dado on the bottom of the bevel fence the length of the finger just deep enough for the leather to pass under. I filed it 1 mm deep. The corner of this dado needs to be square because it is the width guide when beveling. To use the tool: Cut your strands wide and stretch them. Set up the square cut to cut just enough off to get the strand same width and pull strand through, trimming the outside curve of the strand. Set up the bevel cut to remove just enough to get the bevel and pull strand through on the inside curve of the strand. Reset bevel cut to give the finished width of strand and pull strand through on the outside curve of the strand. My strands are normally about 120 ft long sized to the widest dimension of the strand. Then I cut the strands to length, choose my taper points(for whips) and run them through the bevel cut again starting at the first taper point. Then again at the next taper point. The steps at the taper points blend into the plait and can only be seen if you know what to look for. It seems like a lot of work but the tool allows such speed the entire process doesnt take very long at all. It takes me about 2 hrs to go from hide to 18 12foot finished strands ready to braid. (not including the stretching. I havent found a speedy way to stretch) Here is the vid I used. Hope that helps.

I use the Aussie strander then finish with a copy of Bevans tool design that I "borrowed". One of these days I will take the plunge to roo so I dont have to pre-stretch goat hide. I spend more time stretching the goat for final sizing then all the other operations combined. http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?app=gallery&module=images&section=viewimage&img=14791

I am currently using a mix of tallow, beeswax, pure soap, and glycerin. Being the cheap bastage that I am buying something I can make much cheaper is wasting leather money. LOL My current mix works nice and can be cut with water if it dries out a little but that is part of the problem. I have been trying to find a oil that will work well in the mix that will help prevent it from drying out completely in the leather. Recent google searching has told me the following. That almost all oils oxidize to different amounts depending on the size of the molecular chain and if it is a saturated or poly-unsaturated oil. Heat also plays a large part in it, but there is not much that can be done about that since we are dealing with a hydro-carbon based molecule and if heat isnt used in the processing of the oil it is used for pasteurizing food oils. All the science aside( most of which I have a hard time understanding let alone explaining) it seems the best oil for the application is coconut oil. Within the next few weeks I will make up a small test batch and report the results if anyone is interested.

Thank you Chuck for your insight.

I have often questioned the use of olive oil since it does oxidize. I dont want my leather to smell like raunchy olives. Anyone with experience in its use care to comment?

I just received my Cambell Bosworth/Randell splitter(a copy of the Osborn 86) I split a chrome tan strap down to .under .5 mill consistently the entire length of the strap in one pass. For wider pieces I would probably do it in 2-3 passes.

I think I saw this on the AWPA site but I dont recall for sure. The poster uses standard box cutter blades which are much cheaper and available everywhere. He places the blade between 2 plates of aluminum at a depth equal to the notches on the sides of the blade and holds it all together in a vice. Then using another plate of aluminum as a punch and a hammer strikes the exposed back of the blade sideways which snaps the blade off even with the plates of aluminum. He claims these blades work great in the Aussie strander and skivers. I hope this is what you were looking for. They are stiffer than shaving razors so it should fix your problem.

Thank you Ferg. Those are the exact ones I was referring to. Now i am going to go back through the forums they are listed in and figure out why I couldnt find them. LOL

I dont know alot but those rivets look very 'aged'. Is this normal in your area?

I would really like to see a forum where all tutorials whether they have been pinned or not are gathered. I stumbled across 2 tutorials about cutting and stamping oak leaves. Now for the life of me i can not find them again. I have checked all the pinned posts and searched tutorials with no luck. Thanks

Willy I sent you a email.

There was a recent case I saw on a nature channel regarding a man in Alaska that was attacked by what appeared to be a brown bear. He shot the bear and following fish and game regulations informed the dept. The bear was confiscated pending species determination and record keeping. DNA testing proved it to not be a brown bear but a cross species of a protected animal. Mind you the bear was shot in self defense, but he has been informed that he faces heavy fines and possible imprisonment for killing a protected species that could only be determined by DNA testing. This is all before hide treatment. I can imagine the difficulties after tanning, dying and embossing as Catskin explained. Good luck with the book. It sounds like you have artistic license here.

I agree you are under charging. I make leather roses for less artistic interests and charge $20 per without the leaf tooling. Yours are much nicer than mine. Have you ever tried skiving the edges of the petals to get a little edge rolling happening?

Nice work. Reminds me I have too many projects and never enough leather or time. :D

What size awl or hole do you use for that thread?