steveh

most of the cheap import bench grinders have 1/2 inch shaft, with 6 inch wheels. Try find a low speed 1800rpm, so that you do not overheat your tools and loose there temper.

You have really anserwed your own question.Put the whole hide in the sun and let it even out. Yes it will be a shade darker, but it will be an even color through out and be useable piece of leather.

Ashley, I do not know about tanning them yourself , but a source for already tanned beaver tail is Sheridan Leather outfitters. Steve

It is an old style singer cylinder arm machine, about 3/8 " max material thickness, small bobin, thread capacity 69,99, maybe 138, good for sewing bags , garments, ect.

try, keystone mfg, at www.kmsinc.com, they may have what you are looking for, but min. order is 100 quanity. Steve

looks to me like the stitch was done on needle feed sewing machine, with a reverse twist spear point needle, the needle point is offset to slight angle of the stitch line. to achive this stitch.

Lightly scibe a straight line on cased leather with a stylus or dividers. Use the convex end of this stamp as a reference point on the scribed line. the point end of this stamp fits into the convex on the back of the stamp, simply continue to run the stamp down the lightly scribed line. This stamp is intend as border tool that looks like a hand laced applicade braid. Hope this helps.

Ted, I would glue the fork on and let dry good, I also like to have the seat installed, so I know where it is in relation to the fork.I dampen my leather with a sponge, I like to form a border with dividers set anywhere 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch from the seat, I will also use the horn as border and the front of the fork, then I will take a stylus and blend these border lines together with graceful curves. Then I will layout the pattern flowers and leaves with a stylus. I have heavy draw down so I will tilt up against my bench so that I have somewhat flat surface to tool on. It is not perfect and the tooling tends to be spongy surface compared to tooling bench. Some saddle makers have hydrolic chair with a locking pivot ball, that allows them tool in just about any postion. Hope this helps. Steve

It is a yellow powder that you mix water with, and it was used for glueing ground work, it may be hard to find, as it has been replaced by contact cements like barge.

Excellent work, unique mixture of floral and basket stamp well done. Steve

very nice work, how did you lay out the sunburst or camafloge tool, and what did you cut the lines with. Thank You

soak the tools in pentatrating oil wd40 or kerosine a few days, then use a brass wire wheel on them.

Ashley, Nice work, what style of tree is that? Nice rawhide braided welt, do you have to work that rawhide fair dry, to prevent shrinking? Steve

Greg, what is the randall krebs pattern? is the a pull thru type. or a manual crank type, also what is the blade width? thanks,steve