Johanna

Wolvie- I like antique because you can wash it off. Wet, no, soak a sponge and scrub it off. Sure, you'll have a little color yet, but you can get rid of streaks from the first or tenth application. As far as Super Shene goes, I don't like it. It always seems milky streaky, and it cracks. It was developed as a non-toxic finish for institutions- prisons and schools- and never has been the preferred choice for people on the outside with options. If you must use it, get the spray or apply with sheepswool, one coat, straight like you said, no rubbing. It messed up the antique because it "wet" it again, just like the water above. If the item is going to flex a lot and isn't deeply textured, I prefer Leather Balm w/Atom Wax, buffed until done, then buffed again. If the item is going to be somewhat protected, Neat Lac. I have seen some people use Future Floor Wax with good results, too. With antique you'll get a better result if you wait until the leather under it is kinda dry before applying the finish. It's not a bad idea to do it in several stages- you can always go darker, but never lighter, you know. If it's an important piece, test on a piece of scrap from the same hide so that you get the effect you are looking for. Oh, and sometimes antique streaks from the finishes that the tannery puts on the hides. The smooth piece splotched and the other piece may have, too- you just couldn't tell because of the area covered by stamping. If you suspect there is an erratic gloss on a hide, put some rubbing alcohol on a piece of sheepswool and minimize it. Some people use lemon juice, or oxalic acid, but the former I never have on hand and the latter is overkill. HTH Johanna

Kate- I feel for your neighbors as they try to recover and rebuild. I'm glad you made it through safely. (((hug))) Johanna

Snow in June is just not right. Tell me why you live there again? Do yaks shed? The mama yak's coat looks like a buffalo's coat, with long shaggy outer layers. Can you shave a yak and spin the hair into yarn? I don't know if I'd want to eat a yak steak, but a yak sweater would be cool. Especially if it snows all summer long in Colorado. Johanna

I read a Stephen King short story called "Quitters, Inc." I think many years ago. People signed up to quit with this company and were followed and watched. When they smoked, loved ones were abducted and had fingers cut off. Some people were horrified and quit, some people let it happen over and over again. At seventeen the story disturbed me, as it was a perfect metaphor for all addiction. An addict will lie cheat and steal. The first couple cigarettes I smoked again were on my back porch, away from my whole family, because I was ashamed of myself. Would I cost them a finger for a cigarette? I quit drinking in 1993 and it wasn't so bad. I dieted off 100 lbs and learned to live with it. I know smoking is dumb and bad for me, but I still want to. What is wrong with me? Beave, don't you dare take the tin foil hat off, especially while sandblasting. It's our lucky hat, and you know we need it. Hmmm Independence Day, I like that though. It falls right in between my daughter's birthday and mine, and me being smoke free would be a good gift to myself. Her father and I always celebrated our anniversary on July 4th, too. (He died of a massive heart attack at age 50, a three pack a day smoker.) See what I mean about Steven King's chopped off fingers? They are everywhere! But I walked up to the counter and said, "Give me a pack of Salem Slim Light 100s" just like I have a million times, and I dug around in the truck for a lighter that worked. I'm not proud of myself. And it tasted good and familiar and I smoked the second one. And I knew I was going to finish the pack, even if it was just one or two a day. My family just shook their heads and rolled their eyes...she's smoking again. Johanna

I was thinking "grandma" too, but you're only 29, and that is waaay too young! I had no idea a baby yak could look so cute (or an adult one, for that matter!) Thanks for sharing the pics! Johanna hoping baby doesn't wind up in the freezer, it's hard enough to live where it snows in May

I never know what will fall out of pants in the laundry. I found this little gizmo and asked about it. It was cut with the lasers- everything from the writing to the shape, and it measures steel. I know the edges of a hide are erratic, but a little keychain version of this would be handy for leather, wouldn't it? Or maybe someone is already making them? I figured I'd ask you guys, and if someone has one, I'd like to see what it looks like. Johanna

Well, I am a dismal failure, because I started smoking again, though not nearly as much. I am going to try to quit again, because I really do want to quit. I made an appt. with my Dr. and think I will try one of the meds like Chantix. The reasons I started again are nothing but excuses, and I'm not satisfied with any of them as justification for buying more cigarettes. Old habits die hard, but this one has to go. I feel like such a schmuck. Johanna

Registered members' posts show up immediately in all forums except "help wanted" where guests have permission to post. I just checked your account, and I don't see any recent post of a belt. Johanna

Fixt. Welcome to LW! We've been pleasantly surprised as well. Glad to have you here. Johanna

#2 again. #4 & #6 have the overlap in the W, and #4 looks plain and generic. I like the serif in #2. ~J

I like #8 better than #6 (maybe I have a prejudice against the overlap in the "w"?) and I'm thinking #8 looks more crisp than #2. Johanna

You can just use the Live Chat feature here on LW. No need to involve Yahoo. Looking forward to seeing you work! Johanna

I put all four side by side on the screen. I like #2 the best. Johanna

When I read this I paused at the possible historic moment I might be seeing...this may be the first documentation ever of Art making a mistake. Wade said typos don't count as mistakes. Great job on the newsletter, Anne! Johanna

Make life easier and please post each project to its own individual thread. Your work will get lost among all the posts if you start a new topic for each update. We like to see what you are doing, and enjoy following a project's progress, so please reply to the existing topic rather than start a new one for each update. New project= new topic. Update= "reply" in the original thread. Thank you very much! Johanna

We have the software already in place via Parachat, our Live Chat server. Kate and I are also working on a video integration on the main board. (Think forum with YouTube videos in posts.) We don't want members to need to download and install anything on their computers to see videos. Reason being- these are leatherworkers, not geeks. The majority of the people here would prefer to point and click, and we're all safer that way- especially if we leave Beaverslayer's tin foil hat alone. LW's server can handle the extra traffic and bandwidth. You've got some good ideas Troy- and I have some questions maybe you can help with. Meanwhile, let me point Kate to this thread and see what she wants to add to it. Johanna

Wow! I saw one of those machines once at the Tandy facilty on Eversman Pkwy. years ago. I remember being surprised at the Rube Goldberg looking monster in our modern digital world, but the guys said it was more accurate than anything else. Tandy was still measuring hides with it in the 90s. Johanna

Congrats, Duke! You will be our first victim test subject in the video integration project! Any other volunteers? Johanna

I use my deadblow for pounding down stitching or lacing. Since the surface is much smoother than my rawhde mallets, there is less of a chance of marring the surrounding leather. When stamping, sometimes it helps to give the stamp a little whack, then carefully position the stamp in the little grooves you just made, and hit it again, much more forcefully. That cuts way back on the bounce because the stamp is seated before the strike. I set hardware with a heavier maul. Now that I'm thinking about it, I'm not sure why, it was just the way I was shown. Johanna

http://leatherworker.net/Sheridan08/index.htm Thanks ClayB for sharing your pics!

Gee...I wonder if Buckeye Leathercrafters would mind if I listed these on their website? Glad you're on the ball Brent! ~J

Johanna pours Ed a tall stiff drink and gazes fondly at her hammer & flat iron collection.

new website for Dennis Lane and David Morris: http://dennislane.com.au Mail can also be sent to Dennis and David by the board via PM. Johanna

I removed Ms. Hudgins' email and phone number from her email above, (I don't want her to collect inadvertent spam!) so please post your thoughts and ideas here, and I will make sure she gets them. Thanks for your help, folks! Johanna

If you raise an arm with two fingers up, all the Girl Scouts know to be quiet, and they raise their arm with the signal, too and get quiet. I wish there were something similar in Boy Scouts- if there is, I don't know the signal. Johanna