Regis

Tom, Office depot calls them "Binder Clips". Here is a link Binder clips They hold the sizes of leather I work with very snug and real easy to take off as you sew. Regis

Lately been sewing bags and purses with 3-4oz leather. I've made some choices and am unsure if they are pretty standard. Stitch length - I've settled on about 6-7 stitches per inch on glued seams of 2 & 3 layers of 3-4 oz. Decorative stitching length depends on size/type of design (e.g. 12spi for small with tight corners and 5spi for large with long lines. Thread - I'm using 92. Would like 138 but my current portable Consew has small bobbins that run out very very quick with 138. Needle - I have been using #20 needle for 92 thread. Don't really know if there is a relationship of needle size to leather thickness because you seem to be able to use a few different sizes for same thread.. Tension - I seem to have to adjust tension every time I switch to different combinations or types of leather. Don't know if that is my machine or if that always will be the case. Start-stop - I'm using 2-3 back stitches all the time now. Pulling to inside doesn't always help unless I glue. I have been trying to stop gluing so much and trying to clip together before sewing. I don't know if that is better or worse for long term. Question - Should machines of this class ( Class 18, or 618, or 1541 etc ) be able to sew anything that will fit under the foot? Skiving - I have not been skiving but, must now start to get smaller seams. Is it correct to skive everything down to 1-2 oz? Thanks, Regis

That did trouble me too for a good while. I've been making bags and purses lately and just recently decided that choosing design and patterns for different parts is just part of the enjoyment. I tool at least a small part of everything I make and enjoy matching to overall design. Maybe it would be different if I had high volume. Regis

I agree with name. BUT, I got carried away with mine and put my full name, initials, city, Maker, and fish symbol. End result was that it looked good on my computer but, is too small to read everything. I had 2 made 1/2" & 1". Needless to say, the 1/2" is totally worthless. My background in goldsmithing had me thinking too small I guess. Put as little as you can on as big a stamp as you can for the work you are doing. Pretty much a hundred bucks down the drain. Regis

Welcome Stephanie. You'll find lots of help here although I, and many of us, wish we was "somewhere" near a guild. Someone here was making gloves a year or more ago and maybe they will chime in. My daughter would love for me to make gloves and she collects dress gloves. Again, welcome, Regis

Welcome Eric. Glad you decided to join and share your work & ideas with our helpful and friendly group. Regis

I use illustration board for tooling thin leather e.g. 2/3 oz. Rubber cement onto board, let dry. Then spray with water a couple times to case. Regis

I'll second that, you are talanted. Welcome to this great forum of sharing. You may well be teaching/helping as much or more than you are learning. Looking forward to seeing more of your work. Regis

Sterling silver would be much easier to use but, wire is not strong at all. What guage were you thinking of using? Bezel comes in various widths and is often embossed with a design. Source I've used mostly is Indian Jewelry Supply in Gallup, NM IJS-supply. Regis

FamilySkiners, Welcome to this leather worker group. We are glad to see you and your work. Your English is much better than my Russian. I look forward to seeing more of your work. Regis

Only ones I've done after dark were indoor. Light in summer means bugs. If you don't have big bug problem, just mount as high as you can. If you are in a place prone to lots of BUGS, I'd suggest depending as much as you can on street lights. Any you can mount high could help. Check to see if the torch lights are allowed. Have a very good battery camping light that you can turn on for someone to closely inspect an item. my 2 C's Regis

Steve, Welcome to our forum of great leatherworkes (of all levels), helpers, and friends. Looking forward to seeing some of your work. Regis

Happy birthday to you, Happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Johanna, H a p p y birthday toooooooo yooouuuuuu, and many mooooore. Regis

I see the problem with almost any stitch line creating a coarser area that rubs the edge of guitar. As someone mentioned earlier, why use 3 peices rather than one. If you use your original 3 tooled peices, you could sew them just so it is attractive seam (turned in and 1/2"+ glued back to itself inside). Then line with a single peice of lamb (garmet) sewn only around the outside edge and glued in. Interesting, I'll have to try one of these. Regis

I'm almost finished with a small purse made from lizzard lamb. It has lizzard look embossed in and a glaze over. The glaze has come off in a few small spots and I need to know if there is some way to protect it. It is garmet weight about 1.75 oz, very soft and nice looking. Is flaking like this on glazed leather common? Would something like leather balm protect it? After buying the 1st hide and seeing how nice it was, I bought a few more so I really want to solve the problem and make things from what I have. Thank you, Regis

Jordan, I'm in the same boat here in the Florida panhandle. Ours has been off and on for sale for over a year. I'm even part time in real estate and have thrown some Broker Open Houses with loads of food so agents get to preview the house. Very few buyers in our price range. Best of luch to you. Regis

Welll, I my expensive kangaroo hide just arrived. Looking close, it does not look like what I had in texture & feel. The kangaroo is pretty thin (2 oz) and the original is considerably thinner but, probably more than 1oz. Sooo, now I have a dk brown hide waiting for an expensive project "someday". Still don't know what the original peices are and won't try buying anymore exotis to try to find out. Thanks, Regis

Welcome Lance. Thanks for showing some really nice examples. I particularly like the preacher with Bible held high. Your lettering looks very good. Thanks and glad you're here, Regis

The original post was a year ago and I did buy all the croc & ostrich that he had. Croc's were about 10 peices most with metal tags and about 15"-18" long and (tapered). The ostrich were irregular sizes in brown and black about 1 foot each. Also picked up a few peices of kangaroo. Yesterday I ordered a small (5 foot) kangaroo hide that cost as everything I bought last year.

Welcome Gisela to this great leatherworker community. You have done some very nice work there. Your English is a lot better than my German spelling. Although I speak Greman after living near Koblentz for 7 years, I can not write/spell. Regis

Ed, I think you missed it there. A conservative president (8 years) and very liberal house and senate (including the few years that "so called" conservative party was in charge). Congressmen threatening lenders to provide loans to unqualified borrowers and then blaming the lenders. Congress now selling access to keep certain car dealerships open. It's a group of gansters in DC now and has been getting worse for years with only a scattering of patriotic constitutionalists over the last 20+ years. Even the liberal John Kennedy would not stand a chance these days for being too conservative. It is so refreshing to see that patriotism of the American people from Boston to the heartland on July 4th. I don't understand how we as a grassroots patriotic people deserve what is in Washington (both parties). BTW - I spent 7 years in europe and appreciate the national pride & community spirit most had at that time (1960's). Regis

Marlon, You were correct, Hidecrafters had some kangaroo hides. Pricey but, I bought a small one mostly to try to confirm the peices I have. I'll have a use for it as accent & trims. Too expensive as liner unless perhaps for a billfold. Thank you, Regis

James, I have their catalog and never saw that before. Their frames are in 2 different places (33 & 199) and I just missed it. Thank you very much, Regis

I am so proud of our nation and especially our founders and forefathers. I was Blessed to be raised by responsible parents who instilled love of God and our national heritage. We had American history in school, real heroes in real life, and entertainers who lifted the greatness of our country. Now our youth are faced with freak shows that denigrate our heritage, and too many men who won't stand up as men and be responsible for themselves and their families. With these immoral models I am especially proud of the young people that rise above the trash, respect themselves, and take pride in a nation that still provides freedom. Freedom to learn, to work, to grow, to be responsible, and yes to fail. I can not go through a wonderful patriotic medley without tears for those that gave their lives for the freedoms we enjoy. Let us hold them dear and remind our youth of the real heroes that made this nation great. We need a new generation of real men & women who respect themselves, respect each other, respect our heritage, respect their neighbors, and respect our nation and stand up for all these. Regis

Wish I could but, all I ever had was about 8 irregular shaped peices that were roughly 6x15 inches. Thanks Regis