rawhide1

I've thought on this a little bit and maybe Kevin Johnson comments and others should of been kept to ourselves inculding mine. Because Noah wasn't asking for advice on his relationship he was asking for our help. But I also find it pretty sad and distasteful that certian people find it okay to jump all over Kevin. I think Noah gets the point that not all of ya agree with Kevins comments. But Kevin is entitled to his say just like the rest of ya. So how is it any different for you folks to bash Kevin. Just wondering? Mike

Bob Thanks for your reply. One more ? does that four ounces of weight make that big of a difference. I mean does it cause a person to get tired that much faster. Does it make it that much easier to use bigger stamps or thicker leather. It just doesn't seem that 4oz is a lot of weight. I will be the first to admit that I haven't done a lot of stamping or tooling. And what little I have done hasn't been for long stretches at a time. So once again I'll ask the fellas that do it all the time. Thanks to everyone for their help Mike

NoahL Hell I'm sorry!! I went and stood in the corner for 5min. Kevin I don't care who ya are that was funny!!! I'll stand in the corner another 5min. Mike

I want to thank everyone for their help. I think I'll try the 20oz. Thanks again, Mike

Viking Nice work!!! Great way to use up scraps on the second one. Mike

I 'm fixing on ordering a maul from Barry King I was wondering what a good weight would be. I need a good all around as I don't have the funds for sevral. Right now I'm just using small basket stamps and such. But I wouldn't mind trying some carving in the near future. And I'm pretty sure I wont be stamping saddle weight stuff for quite some time(years) I was thinking around two pounds. Does that sound way to heavy. Thanks for any and all help Mike

Tim No kidding!! I'd probaly get turned in to peta! HorsehairBraider Thanks for the words and the offer of the goats. I really have thought of stepping in but for some reason I feel she needs to sort this out on her own. She knows I'm there if she needs me or my advice. Mike

Bruce Thanks for the repley Ya know when we got the calf me and the wife told our daughter it was her deal good or bad. She wanted one so it was up to her on it's care. We talked to her about putting him down cause he was suffering and she couldn't use him for 4H. Her repley was I got him so I need to try and get him thru this. She didn't want to quit him because he was crippled. And I'm glad she feels that way about being responseable for animals in her care. But I also explained that at some point ya can't keep shoveing money in critters that are that sick. And sometimes ya need to cut your loses for your sake and the critters sake. I guess I want her to come to that conclusion herself and not feel like I made her put it down or that she quit him. But that it was the right thing to do. As far as eating him I've put so much medicine in him we shouldn't get sick for quit awhile. LOL I honestly don't thank he will gain or be able to support much weight. On the death issue I don't know what to think. She knows about death I've had to put a couple of her pets down already and she dealt with it pretty well. She doesn't want to be there and I really don't want her there if and when I put him down. Actually she wants the vet to do it. But I explained that it would cost between 30-50 bucks for him to do it and around a .05 for me to do it. I told her I could make some rawhide out of him and braid her something up. She wasn't to sure about that but thought maybe I could tan him out for a small throw for her bed. I guess I'll do what ever my wife tells me to do. Thanks, Mike

This is almost to funny!!!!!! I say get rid of the girlfriend.There's more girls out there than ya can shake a stick at that love eating meat!!LOL Mike

Howdy to all in leather land!! This year we decided to get my oldest daughter (she's 9)a bucket calf for 4H. So about a month and a half ago a fella down the road says he's got a twin but one eye looks frost bitten it's turned white. He says we can take it and if it makes we can go ahead and pay him and if not don't worry about paying for the thing. So we take it home and my girls are just loving it to death. Well about a week goes by and we notice the things legs are showing signs of frost bite. So I ask my daughter what she thinks and if I should put it down. She says no that we should try and get him by it. So i figure what the heck it will be a good learning experince for her having to doctor one. By this time he has infection set in pretty good. I mean the smell is enough to gag a maggot. So we put the antibotics to him. Well we got the infection gone in one leg although he did loose all the hide on that leg. But it's starting to grow back and that's the good leg. He gets around damn good on three legs. So the other leg which is the worst and I was pretty sure he was going to loose that hoof. Well last night we went to change the dressing and guess what there wasn't nothing holding that hoof on from the ankle down except some liagiments so I went ahead and cut it off and bandeged it up. So now he's got I nub back there. So I guess I'm at the fork in the road. Shoot him or try and get him fattened up to butcher. My daughter wants to try and fatten him up. I would like for my daughter to make the decision. Just because she's been getting up early and feeding him before school and after school without complaining. But I'm not to sure on how long to give her or maybe it's to big a decision for that age. I'm on duty today so I haven't seen him but the wife says he's getting around good. So maybe well wait and see. The funny thing is his eye healed up and looks normal. However it turns out I thinks it's been a good experince for her. And showed her that life aint always pretty. So now I got a month to find a good bucket calf. Sorry for rambling I just thought others may of had gone down this road already. Mike

You weren't paying attention if you didn't see it coming. Get off your duff and get a job, any job, day jobs, whatever it takes. Stop feeling sorry for yourself. If you got the boot you probably had it coming. You're not much of a man if you don't support your family. I see this all too often and have no patience for it. saddlebags Now that's what I call tough love!! Mike

Pat Gail Hought lives in McKinleyville, California. I have no idea where that's at in relation to you but it might be a option. I know she does classes or did. She ain't cheap but nothing worth a dang in life is. Bryan Neubert lives in Alturas California I don't know where that's in relation to ya ethier but if it's close he might do some teaching for ya.Just a couple of ideas. Mike

Jake Thanks for the link. Talk about outstanding work heck it almost makes a guy want to throw his stuff in the crick. Thanks again I thoroughly enjoy looking at such fine work. Mike

bullet What style of bit hobble are ya building. I made the style out of Bruce Grants book. Which my two finished braids were about 16" each. So I cut my strands 24" I found I don't lose a lot when braiding four without a core. If your building the kind without the hangly dangly below ya my be alright. Ya should wind up with about 10 to 11" of finished braid. I reckon it just depends on the style your building. And heck if ya find it's to short ya can always turn it into a bracelet or something. Let us know how it turns out. Mike Sorry I just reread if ya have 16" of finished braid ya should be in good shape.

Welcome John Were glad your here!! There is a great bunch on here with a vast knowledge of the leather trade. An everyone on here is more than willing to help in anyway they can. So once again welcome and I can't wait to see your work. Mike

tmroper I use a osborne model 84. I've found that my blade needs to be sharp and the rawhide needs to be cased just right. I can then split my strings as thin as I want. I split some cow down yesterday paper thin. I will admit I've cut my share of strings in two and still do if I don't let the moisture get right. I'm sorry I don't have any pictures of a homemade splitter. But somewhere on the forum there was a topic on a homemade splitter I'm just not sure where. Maybe try that search thingy they got on here. Good luck! Mike

bullet I would ethier go o1,u1,o1 on the 6 strand or use a 4 or 8 strand braid. The 8 will be square without a core but you should be able to roll it to where it's round. I only braided 6 strands once and it came out half round which worked pretty cool as it was for a hat band. I cant remember if I went u2,o1 or u1,o2 anyway it was half round. I found that when I braid bit hobbles (curb straps) a 4 strand braid works good. Mike

LAPat I'll play!! I would say in this area $25.00-$35.00 range. Mike

entiendo Nice work!! I really like the brown and black color combo. It looks like ya got it whiped I can't wait to see the full size version. Mike

Thanks rdb!! Let the buying begin!! Mike

Howdy I went to run this program and a screen came up and said publisher could not be verified. And that I should only run stuff from verified sources. So since my computer skills are dang few and my wife aint around to ask. Will this program be okay to run or do I need to do something else to run it. I was trying to use the free version. Thanks for any help. Mike

Yawls lucky I have to try and keep the kids from fighting while trying to work! Or else stay up late after they go to sleep. Oh well one day they will grow up and be gone. And I'm not looking forward to that at all. Mike

Holly My wife has a .380 Walther PPK. It fits in her purse nice. And fits her hand good. It's a nice little gun although when I shoot it I wind up losing a little skin on my hand from they slide comeing back. So if she has big hands this probaly wouldn't work for her. Just something else to keep in mind. Mike

I agree with HorsehairBraider. It sounds like your core is to big or your strings are to small. Adjust one or the other and you should be fine. Mike

readytogiveitup I like your sense of humor!!! Ya sound just like the guys I work with. What ya describe kinda sounds like being a probie at the firehouse. Gotta pay your dues before your accepted. And man I'am glad those days are behind me. I do wish ya would get a shorter handle as it took me about ten min. to type your current one out. Mike