Rannoch

Thanks, Transporter. I sent a question to Weaver asking if their Master Tool Leather Splitter blade will fit the Landis, but haven't heard back. I took the machine apart, cleaned it, oiled the moving parts and put it back together again. I would like to have an extra blade so I can send this one out for sharpening and still use the machine. I polished the flat of the blade as directed, which helped a lot. Fortunately, a local hardware store had one inch bolts that fit the threads of the holes on the back of the machine, so there's that fixed. I wish there was a video out there that explained machine splitters as well as Phil Jury's video on the skiving machine over at leathercraftmasterclass.com. I have a hankering to order the Cowboy class 14 splitter. Does anyone have experience with the Landis 30 splitters and the larger Cowboy class 14? Is the Cowboy worth it? Can it split down to 1oz? thanks for all the help!

Are the Landis 30 (no longer in production as far as I can tell) and the Master Tools Leather Splitter the same machine? I'm having trouble setting up my Landis 30, which is missing the two screws that are set on the back just below the blade. I'm considering ordering the Master Tools gauge from Weaver to help set it up properly. Will the Master Tools splitter blade fit the Landis 30? Thanks for your help.

How do you find a "guy in China"?

Do any of you use a log like Nigel Armitage (see "Basic Saddle Stitch" thread)? If you have, any advice on what kind of wood to use, length, width, finish would be welcome. A madrona fell down in my woods, so a section of that should work well. Has anyone used madrona for this? How about broad leaf maple or red alder? The plan is to cut a foot wide section about 30 inches long, 90 degree angle at both ends, bark it, plane the best end, carve a shallow bowl in the floor end so it won't wobble, polish the working end with bee's wax. What am I missing? Do I need to let it dry for a period of time? What about forging an iron ring around the top to keep it from splitting as it dries? thanks for your help

Thanks SOS.

Beautiful.

What are the differences between these three kinds of leather? I make personal objects like wallets and bags, and until discovering Latigo I just went to Tandy to pick out hides that seem to best suit my needs. While researching my last order with Hide House this question began to nag me, and the thought occurred to me that I should order some of the bridle and harness hides they sell just to see what they are like. But that's a lot of money for R&D if I can't use the hide. Another question: is the California latigo they sell at Hide House different from other latigo? I'm grateful for any insight the brain trust here can give me.

Using less of the Barge cement has pretty much eliminated the glue problem I was having. But I also received and started using Nigel Armitage's burnisher ( ) about the same time that I took your advice to reduce the amount of glue. Barge cement is very messy stuff, made for gluing on the soles of shoes, but it holds better than the Tandy "Weld" stuff (which is also pretty messy). Rather than apply it with a brush I started using a small spatula. That really helped too. Thanks for your advice.

You could also make the bracers flesh side out. You will still want to buff and finish. Nick's Boots, for example, offer the option of a flesh side out vamp because it wears better once it's waxed and oiled up.

Thanks for the article and all the great information and advice. Sorry if I missed this reading through the thread, but my question has to do with to get rid of the little bits of glue that come out of the seam. After finishing the edge a tiny bit of glue will appear. Removing it with fine grit sandpaper and even a bic lighter works only for a short time. The act of burnishing seems to pull the glue out of the seam. The glue I use is Barge cement. Tandy's "weld" works a little better. Your help is greatly appreciated.

Beautiful. Many thanks.

Would you give us some photos of the interior? Is this your own design?

Lined with pigskin? Great work.

nice stitching!

The stitching is amazing. Beautiful.

Many thanks, again, for the information. Yeah, I'm still trying to figure out a design too. At least I know who to go to now and what it will cost me.

Thanks, Glockanator. Have you ordered from either of these companies? If so, what did you order? I'd like send them a page of images to put on a 8.5 by 11 inch plate that I'll cut and mount myself.

Magnesium is the material they use, but I don't care about what kind of material is used. You have to cut them out mount them, but it is A LOT less expensive than ordering laser cut stamps.

Does anyone know of a company here in the US that will make a sheet of photo engraved stamps in magnesium, like the ones described in this video by Ian Atkinson? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eu12MT8He90 The company Ian used is in the UK: http://www.leprevo.co.uk/ There must be a company in the US that makes this sort of thing, but I can't find one. thanks!

Beautiful!