leatheroo

sweet!!!

i use a scalpel for cutting out the eyes...i free hand cut one, then use that as a template for the other eye (remember to flip it), that way the eyes are always the same shape.

hi des...get yourself a hairdressers training head..usually after all the hair is cut off they are not needed by the trainee...these heads are full life size the eyes and nose are the correct size and spacing..they are made from a plastic/rubber stuff so you can stick pins through the leather to the head to hold stuff in place...they come in male and female i also did a tutorial a while ago http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=2380&view=&hl=how%20i%20make%20my%20masks&fromsearch=1 Hope this helps caroline

loving your work...great pics...leather rebel!!!!!

for long pieces of braiding, i always braid standing up...the piece i am working on is attached to a door handle..no slouching!

hi weezy....just finished a course with Peter Main...the scalpel is the way to go....he uses a scalpel for some skiving and filigree work...the scalpel can be bought from a pharmacy as well as the blades...peter uses Feather brand blades...use them and throw them away... cheers

congrats to tom banwell....amazing artist

sweet

this shape is so great..well done

hi whitebeard...i can help you with the ones with the balls on the ends...i have a full set of these..they were originally milliners tools for making flowers to go on hats..usually from the 30's and 40's i think...i use them in my mask making for shaping leather...i know i will find another use for them one day.

thanks,i think i have worked it out

another great spider piece...following the creation process on facebook!

Ok, so i have spent the WHOLE weekend practicing turks heads...the light bulb has gone on and i understand the process...i can do it on my fingers, can do it on a mandrel..can do it on a project....can do it without looking at the book!!! i seem to have had a real mental block with these knots!!! So now i come to the part of enlarging a knot..the book says.. "Turks heads are enlarged by first making pairs.To do htis the working strand is run parallel with the first strand as shown (can understand the diagram) In one direction it goes on one side of the standing end then when it gets to the outer edge it crosses over it and goes on the other side of the standing end." So i do this all the way around the knot, and as i understand, i then split the pairs i have made...except my pairs dont look like the diagram in my book(ron edwards)..the diagram below shows how it should look (left)..and what i get is on the right..I have drawn the lacing as a double line so you can see the unders and overs. can someone tell me where i am going wrong...many thanks...

I think it is a beautiful bribe piece!!! if you want me to get picky...you have a halo effect going on...after beveling, try smoothing the halo away with a modeling tool, it will make the carving stand out more...having said that, if the bribe doesnt work you can always send it to australia...lol

well done, i like it...

love this design tom....my favorite!!!

sweet!!

Q: how many vegans does it take to change a lightbulb? A: none, vegans can't change anything.

well done yan, you might try using lighter leather, i use about 3oz-4oz leather for my masks, after they dry they will still hold the shape and you will find it much easier to work with. to get a good finish with the color you will find an airbrush invaluable....there have been lots of posts on the forum about which airbrush to get....looking forward to seeing more of your work.

Thanks for showing a merv saddle...the other teachers were Loraine Tinniswood, Joy and John Tonkins, Bill Webb and Robert Witthahn. If you want to see the conference info, go to www.dimensionsinleather.com.....it is on every 2 years...i am already saving my pennies for the next one in 2011.

a couple more

A couple more

Well, I am back from leather heaven! A full week of classes with the BEST tutors and students a person could wish for. A wonderful collection of great tutors…Peter Main, Joe Barth, Akiko Akada, Tony Laier and his wife, Merv Rowland just to name a few. My first class was with Merv, one of australia's best saddle makers. He taught me the finer points in hand stitching as well as a wonderful talk on the value of fine tools…his favourite expression in regards to badly made tools is "they're not worth spit!"…I will be using this expression for ever more. The next two days were spent with Peter Main…OMG..what a privilege to just see him work…I learnt sooooo much!!!!!! We worked on a carved filigree inlay belt…so many new techniques in just this one piece. The next day was spent learning turks heads and other knots…my head is still in a knot!!! Another two days with Peter, this time is was a covered and inlayed bracelet. We finished the bracelet early so we got to spend quite a few hours picking his brain on anything we could think of….. he had his wonderful album with him so we went through it asking "how do you do this?" his answers explained so many techniques and tips and tricks. In the evenings there were demonstrations and talks and long chats around the bar….did I mention lots of alcohol!!! I spent too much money….i came home with new skins and new tools. Peter brought a lot of Barry King tools with him that were bought up quickly, as well as his own blades, books and I also got one of his awls. All the tutors donated pieces of their work for the giant raffle that was drawn at the end of the week….each piece had a bag next to it…you put your tickets in the bag of the item you hoped to win…..i put 30 tickets in the handbag that joe barth had donated…..could you hear me scream when I won????...the poor elder gent next to me nearly had a heart attack!!! What a wonderful way to finish the week!!! There was also a wonderful display of the tutors and students work…so many wonderful pieces in one room….the inspiration from seeing all that great work will keep me in ideas for along time…. Thanks to Cherryl McIntyre and her helpers for organising such a wonderful event and all the wonderful tutors who shared their knowledge with us. The teachers Merv teaching hand stitching Akiko and student from Japan on party night Peter Main teaching The Joe Barth bag i won!!!! Me with my favorite teachers..joe and peter Some pictures from the display [a t tachment=28464:music_box.jpg]

i have seen him on facebook...he is good at poker!!

thanks mckenny!! Here is a post on how i make my masks...hope it helps http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=2380 I am not sure, but i think 7oz leather is quite thick...it is much easier to work with thin leather, i use 2mm...it will harden and the leather is really very strong