krappstein

Sure. Got it from this forum: http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=14946 Although I used new steel wool pads and didn't 'pre rust' them. Just put them in a plastic ice cream bucket with one quart of white vinegar and let it brew in a warm corner of my yard to speed up the process. The plastic lid wuould come off easily if gas pressure built up inside. Stirred it up a little everyday when I got back from work, and kept adding pads until they wouldn't dissolve just to make sure all the vinegar had reacted / been used up. Then strained it with a coffee filter and stored in a couple glass bottles. Oh, and do read Chuck Burrows post (#4 in that thread, that´s good info). What I really can't comment on is the mix of tallow, lard, beeswax and extra virgin olive oil, because I've been adding to it trying to get the right consistence and actually lost track of the proportions. Unicorleather gives here a good basic recipe to start with: http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=46931&p=387904 You´re welcome, and thank you too. It's pretty much the construction of a three piece gusseted brifcase as per Valerie Michael's Leatherworking Handbook. That pebbled/grainy look on the calf is most probably because of me fiddling with them trying to bend them, form them, glue them, etc. Just make sure it's not too snug and maybe put a hole in the bottom to push it up with her middle or ring finger when she wants to take it out. Thank you all, guys. I'll try and update with some pictures with the phone in place when the owner gets it. Cheers Juan

Made of 6 oz veg tan and 3 oz calf for the gusset and pocket. Dyed with vinegaroon and hand stuffed as usual. A couple pictures of the WIP Cheers Juan

Nothing wrong with it. High end watch straps are sewn that way: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dw43Isosh_s Cheers Juan

I've been working on getting neater edges. Glad you like them. Made that clamp out of two broken chairs, Grumpy (bent boards for the jaws from one's backrest, leg from the other). The brass hinge was spendy but can't scrounge it all, right? Thank you all Juan

Awesome. Love the detachable flashlight holder. That keyring would make a great lanyard attachment in a pinch.

Thank you! Maybe a bit overkill to carry just a bus pass, but had a great time making it.

Man, that was soothing.

Chrome tan scraps with pigskin lining, sewn at about 7 SPI. First attempt on the pockets with a homemade freehand hot creaser. I'm not that steady handed, just ran it along the edge of a steel ruler. Oh, and for once I used PVA instead of contact cement. Less of a hassle and I got to use my handy dandy cast iron book press. Gratuitous photos of the WIP: Cheers Juan

Beautiful indeed. If you prefer strings then maybe Bach's cello suites and violin concertos? Can't comment on opera, the only one I know is 'Carmen' by Bizet.

I'd suggest Beethoven's 9th and 5th, and Mozart's Requiem. I'm particularly fond of the versions with von Karajan conducting the Viena or Berlin Philarmonic.

Lately, Porcupine Tree. Shame I didn't discover them earlier. Also Tool and Nine Inch Nails. Back when I used to make braided string lanyards a friend was astonished that I could plait listening to Pantera. Cheers Juan

There are a few parts missing. One is the belt derailer. The other is the actual sewing machine. What the hell. It will still make a nice working table. Cheers Juan

You just made me choke on my beer.

I'm a cabbie. No fun.

You're welcome.

Thank you, zuludog. Will look into it. I've been hanging around BladeForums and Armas Blancas but one more forum won't hurt.

That looks more like felt to me, but anyway... if the flesh side is nice and even you can stroke it with fine sandpaper, always in the same direction, to get a suede-like finish. This one I think was 320 or 400 grit sandpaper wrapped around a sanding stick and backed with a scrap of suede, although a small piece of EVA foam would also work. As for dyeing, I really don't know. And as usual, try it out first on a scrap.

Nice to meet you too, Jazzman. I've been at this as a pasttime for a year and a half or maybe two. It all started because I wanted a pocket sheath for a pen knife and decided to make my own out of some upholstery scraps I got from an acquaintance. No need to tell that first one turned out ugly as sin. Shortly after I bought a cheap awl blade and made a haft for it out of scrap wood, then I got a pair of proper needles and so on. So far I've made maybe a dozen items all for my personal use. Living by the sea is nice if you don't mind the humid weather and the occasional rainstorm. When I was a child I used to spend the summers at the beach, but as I grew older I guess between study and work didn't give it much thought until recently when a friend got me into fishing. Had almost forgotten how peaceful it is to stare into that blue yonder and hear the roar of the waves. Hey, I see you live about 50 km north of Sheffield? As a cutlery enthusiast that makes me a little envious. Cheers Juan

Well, for me it boils down to two things: One, it amazes me to be able to make something useful out of raw materials. Be it a wallet, a sheath, a belt or a bag. It doesn't even need to be pretty, and although you may be starting out with haphazard methods and makeshift tools you're still creating something out of nothing. You put your heart and soul, blood, sweat, and tears into it and you make something out of it. Something that is truly yours, because you made it. And two, it keeps my hands busy and my head clear. Cheers, Juan ETA: when I said "haphazard methods and makeshift tools" I was talking about *my* methods and *my* tools.

Heh... I usually end up having dinner somewhere else. Mostly at my desktop. Perks of being single. That's a nice tool roll you have there. Any details? Also, seems you have good natural light there.

Thanks for the advice, Chuck.

Pretty much the same. Mine (about one year old) is somewhat amber with some sort of brown crystals on the bottom of the bottle. It dyes the leather a dark charcoal grey. Once I oil it it turns proper black.

Had a similar issue, but gloves make me feel clumsy so I made a pair of these: No more sore pinkies and no dexterity issues either.

Fixed the link: Falconer bag Beautiful bag. Congratulations!

Then get to it! This one was made with very modest tools and over the course of a couple afternoons. Thank you. I've been carrying it for a few days and it turned out really comfortable. If you make that one be sure to post a couple pictures. Thanks. I've been struggling for a while to get decent edges. My impatience gets in the way most of the time.