Rayban

Jim, that's a whooooole nudder discussion that also comes up every now and then when someone decides it's been too quiet around here.... My answer in a word is....depends.....some leather work will always have to be hand stitched, while others, machine stitching will do just as good of a job...such as lining a knife sheath... Now let's sit back, pop open a cold one, and see what you've done started. RG

I've often wondered what that look was called....

Great looking work as usual Troy. I just asked a biker bud of mine to be on the look-out for an old POS chopper seat pan so I can do one. You guys have given me the bug....and no, I'm not a biker.

It looks great Roo....too bad you can't see it.

I want to congratulate my friend Jason who is now the new manager of his own Tandy store! While he has some clean-up to do, he's open for business, so if you're near Merrilville.....stop by to visit. RG

So Suze, what if I make something by hand at home and it wins a contest?? Don't you all have something better to do??/ And what am I doing taking part in this??? I'm going for a beer run....

I agree with you hidepounder.....making leather stuff and making motor cycles....hmmmm..tough one. This is just another one of those " let's stir up some do-do" posts....and darn it if I didn't bite,....

Welcome aboard Redbeard....your work is looking good.

I have Wayne Jueschke's brochure, he makes nice ones, $225....which is why I only have the brochure.... I had this one gifted to me, maker unknown, no stamp, etc....but I got a nice edge on it and performs very well, so look around....

I just unwrapped my new Douglas awl/handle....WOWZERS!!! So THAT"S what a good one feels like!! Very nice....you guys were right...maybe I should believe you all more often....

So what's your point Bree?....other than dumping crap on a guy who didn't know leather from synthetic, and you had a laugh at his expense.....I don't follow....

They come up on EBAY all the time....I have this "brass buckle alert" thing going on....and I see one on there every day, seems like.

I spent this week hunting for the same thing.....I didn't like the one I found at my local retailer so I ended up ordering the Douglas awl and hasp....and this one: http://www.midcontinentleather.com/p-84805...l-stabbing.aspx It a fraction of the Douglas but it looks like the one that will fit in my Tandy hasp that I've had for years.... I decided that I do enough hand stitching that I broke down and forked out the $$ for the Douglas after reading the reviews on this forum....I believe that's called blind faith.

I recently got some Angelus tan and I was shocked at how "orange" it was....I quickly mixed it with lt. brown to get a "tan" I could live with.... Another thing I would try.....start with Whicket/Craig russett and leave it nat'l...in time it turns into nice Osage lookin......

I have a 1" x 30" belt sander from Harbor Freight ($40) that works great for that......and a 2" x 40" Craftsman that also works great.....I use which ever has the belt on I need for the job, since they both do the job just as well IMO...... For the money, the HF at $40 is tough to beat for touching up leather edge work......I use both machines for knife handle work as well.....

...My camera does that all the time....it's called an out of focus picture....still a cool stamp, and you can easily see, if you want to, that it makes a good impression.

Thanks Lobo....PM on the way....

Thanks Tina....the more I look at them, the more I think I'll end up doing them myself....

Who was that masked man??? Anyone recognize this fella??? I'm pretty sure he posted these pix here.....he looks like he has exactly what I'm looking for.

My buddy wants me to make him a shoulder harness type holster in leather, but we talked about the harness itself being made of webbing or thick elastic to conform to the body better...better than I could with leather. Is it possible to buy the harness itself? know a source? Thanks, R

Interesting Mike....been thinking of trying the oven thing on a knife sheath....will my wife's discarded toaster oven work?? Interesting how you pick up lots of cool tid bits on these tutorials...things that are sitting right in front of us but never recognize....like mounting a burnisher to a lathe.....I could have thought of that if I had only thought of it....dahhhhh.

Thanks ZAP.....excellent tutorial...just when I was thinking of ordering a blue gun.....think I'll try the tracing thing first, then use the real gun for final fit. Thanks again.

K-Man....my buddy has a Beretta 92SB compact....is that any where near the Beretta 92FS ?? Do you know? If it will work I for sure want it. R

Great job Marlon....I would have liked to see it w/o the darker b/g on the floral carving to tone it down a bit, but that's just me..... but the craftsmanship is A-1, top notch, PRIMO!!

Kevin must not carry it.... It's all I have used for the last 4 or 5 years...I "discovered it" at a horse show back then when I was walking by a guy selling it and he pointed out how ratty my boots looked...had to agree with him so I let him give me the treatment with it.......went away with clean boots and a bottle of the stuff. I use it for cleaning and finishing tack, and a final finish on new leather work I do.....it works for me, .... I like it.