Sparks

Darkbeer, There are directions for making a stitching horse in the back of Al Stohlman's "The Art of Hand Sewing Leather." Tandy carries the book, as do others. Looks good. Sometimes I want mine to hold the leather tighter, so I can see some real advantage to having the jaws tightened by bolt would be a great alternative. Sparks

I used an airbrush for the first time on my last project. The portmanteau that I have displayed in my gallery was airbrush dyed using Fiebing's dark brown. Then I edge coated by hand with brown edge coating--also Fiebing's.. I might have put the dye on a little thick to get it all even looking, and it bled like crazy every time it got a drop of water on it. When I finished it I used a Red Wing Shoes product called "All natural leather dressing." the leather dressing is a combination of pine pitch, mink oil and beeswax. I found the shoe product at the Red Wing shoe store here in town. After putting the leather dressing on the case, it evened out most of the variations in dye (caused by the leather getting wet), and now the dye does not run, period. I haven't tried yet, but I could probably take it swimming with me and the finish would hold up fine. Check my gallery for pics of the portmanteau. Sparks

Does anyone know what the following tools are for? I bought them with some other leather working tools this summer. A few have guessed they were cobbler tools, but the cobbler had no idea what they were. The leather crafting store was clueless but gave their guess, too. it's the bottom four tools I am interested in learning about. The top one is still being made. Sparks

Nice Treasury of tools! I also like the ones Compound displayed. I have used a tool like the upper left one in Compound's collection. I can't remember if it was just a long needle or one with a handle. A neighbor had it and I needed to sew a button on an overstuffed chair...the tool had the length to get through the material and all the padding so I could attach the five buttons or so I needed to complete the upholstery job. I can see where that stag handled tool would be very handy for marking where the circles are to be cut or deeply incised. Handy stuff. Thanks all for sharing.

Just finished this project. Lots of challenges and I had to learn several new skills. Luke Hatley helped a LOT via the phone and internet. Thanks Luke. Pictures to follow after I shrink them...

Luke, Try Moscow Hide and Leather. If this guy doesn't have it, he might go kill it for you. Click on hides and furs. He has beaver in the round, etc. etc. http://www.hideandfu...ry/Dressed.html http://www.hideandfur.com/ Sparks Luke, Try Moscow Hide and Leather. If this guy doesn't have it, he might go kill it for you. Click on hides and furs. He has beaver in the round, etc. etc. http://www.hideandfu...ry/Dressed.html http://www.hideandfur.com/ Sparks

I think your roughness is on the side opposite where the hair was when the animal was alive. The hair side is called "the hair side." I think people also call that the grain side. Opposite that is the side that was inside the animal, this is caused the flesh side. I'm not sure if it is the skinning job (with stray cuts that went through the fat into the hide) or if the roughness is caused by the tanning process, but for some reason it is there. Some pieces have more of it than others. If you need to make leather thinner--for sewing or whatever--thin from the flesh side because the hair side provides the strength. Having said that, tonight I thinned a piece of leather that had two surfaces glued flesh side to flesh side--I ended up thinning the hair side from the side not showing. That side will be glued to another piece and sewed. Sparks

Welcome. You'll find us a ship of schools. Someone always seems to have an answer for anyone with a question. There are some great people here. Sparks Boise, ID