rjqhall

Thanks for your help everyone! Much appreciated!

Hi all, I have been using Ritza tiger thread since starting up in leather work but have recently been trying out some Fil Au Chinois as there are many people who prefer this thread. The issue I have is keeping the thread in the needle, with tiger thread I can lock it in by threading the needle and then using the needle to pierce the thread and creating a knot around the eye of the needle, Fil Au Chinois is too thin and does not have a flat edge like tiger thread does, so more or less every time I pull the tension on each stitch the thread will come out of the needle, unless I have a huge amount of thread to pull through each time which would ultimately waste thread. Thanks! Ross

Hi All, I've been trying to get hold of a UK supplier for a 441 Clone sewing machine, I have contacted Cobra and Cowboy who both kindly sent me their contacts for dealers in France and Germany respectively. I would still have to pay for shipping to the UK, does does anyone know of a dealer or contact within UK, preferably south England. Many thanks! Ross

Hi Neke, How have you been getting on with your machine? I'm very close to purchasing the same model from Seick and having it shipped to the UK. Would you mind posting a photo of the bottom side again with a smaller needle with thread and without thread . Many thanks! Ross

Do you think you could use an Arbor press with cutting dies? Almost like a manual clicker press? Is there such a thing?

Thanks for the links! Some of them are not too far away from where I am based so I can go down and have a go on them before purchasing. You have all been very helpful!

I'd like a flat bed ideally but am trying to avoid the bottom feed dog marking the bottom piece of leather, flesh side down. The Cowboy machines don't appear to have a feed dog so I am leaning towards a cylinder arm for that reason but I prefer being able to have the leather flat on the table. Thanks for your suggestions, I will look in to them. Ross

Do these machines have feed dogs? I have been looking for machine without so not to mark the bottom side. Or is it only the machines such as the Cobra series and Cowboy 3400/4500 that do not have feed dogs? Thanks, Ross

Hi All, I am at the point where I need to make the step from hand stitching to a machine stitch to increase production speed, although I am having a hard time finding suppliers for the machines I am looking at. A lot of topics in this forum are making me lean towards a Cowboy 3200 however the nearest sales partner for Cowboy is in Germany (as far as my research go's!) There seem to be a lot of old industrial machines on ebay but it is hard finding a machine that is specifically designed for stitching leather and the cost of a Cowboy is a lot having never had a go on one before making the purchase, taking in to consideration shipping costs as well. Plus there are so many versions of each Singer or Juki for example on ebay that is hard to know which one would be best and suitable, there are also people selling machines on ebay stating the machine can work with leather but unfortunately not all of these statements are true. Does anyone know of any dealers based in the UK, selling specificly leather designed machines? It would be great to find someone that deals with Singer, Cowboy, Techsew, Cobra and Juki, plus any others that could be recommended. Many thanks, Ross

Both look fantastic, do you have any advice on burnishing the edges?

Looks great! How did you burnish the edges? I just bought some Shell from Claytons and sons, have read mixed reviews and ideas on how to burnish the edges or well they can be done.

Hi All, Does anyone know of a cocobolo burnisher for dremel drill supplier in the UK? I recently purchased a burnisher but ordered one with a 3/8" steel shaft that is too big for my drill and didn't really want to pay the shipping charge from the US again for another one. Many thanks, Ross

Hello all! I have a few questions lined up that may have very basic and straight forward answers but to the novice they are quite confusing! What part of the tanning process makes a finished hide soft and luxurious to touch compared to hard? What part of the tanning process makes the flesh side rough or smooth (like the top side)? What part of the tanning process makes the leather firm or flexible and floppy. I have asked some people in the past but have never had a suitable answer, some have said it depends on the thickness of the leather but some leathers can be very thick and very soft to touch and vice versa with thin leathers, or very thick but still floppy or very thin and very firm. Also, what is the difference between bridle leather and harness leather, and do that both have smooth bottom sides? And does anyone have any suggestions for a waxy feel of shell Cordovan from either Horween or Clayton but from a cowhide rather than just the small horse shells? I am making leather wallets and purses and have found that 1.5-2mm or around 3oz is the perfect thickness for what I want to produce without the wallets becoming too bulky, what recommendations would anyone have for leather having the above mentioned waxy feel but with a bridle type flesh side, to avoid bulking up even more with lining. And if I were to line the wallets is pig skin or goats skin the best option, or is it just down to preference? From reading the posts on this forum I've become accustomed to there being no wrong answer but just many individual preferences. I am based in the UK so as well as this long list of queries if anyone had recommendations for suppliers that would be perfect too! Many thanks in advance! Ross