Johanna

The brown looks like a deerskin. The black is probably a cowhide, guessing from it's size and the way it drapes. Cabretta leather hides are smaller, and you would have remembered the bill, if not the hide. This made me think about one thing we are missing in our computer investigations of leather, something the old-timers in the business call the leather's "hand". It's the smell, the feel, texture, absorbency, and drape of a hide. With experience, a quick touch and sniff of a hide gives a person a hundred subjective data, the brain interperets it all and offers a clear mental description of a leather that pictures simply cannot represent on the computer. I wish there were some way to say "This leather needs this-many-mml of water to case and carve", but no two hides are the same. And if they were, Dale's hide in Colorado is going to act differently than Smilin' Jim's in Alabama. Maybe take pics of the flesh side? Johanna

It only updates every hour, but yours shouldn't be reading "zero". I'll check into it. Johanna

Verlane was generous with her time and her knowledge, and she made many friends. She gave more than she took, and left too soon. Godspeed, Verlane. Johanna

Glad it's working. Be nice if all problems would fix themselves! Johanna

I don't know of a problem...did you try it twice? Johanna

Nice tattoo, Chris! For anyone else looking at this thread, this page from PCMag compares cameras. Johanna

Matt posted the details for the John Bianchi holster class in Wickenburg, Arizona this Spring on the calendar. Scroll to the bottom of the main forum page and click on the event for the details or click here. Thanks, Matt! Johanna

I deleted your avatar. Try it now. If it doesn't work, PM me the new avatar and I'll fix it for you. Johanna

Most leatherworkers who do work that is distinctly uniquely theirs benefit from a gallery/portfolio website. It helps to build credibility and enhance a reputation, and it can be marketed for extra sales. Most of the leatherwork I see on ebay is competing with imports by an emphasis on quality. The ones doing it have standard designs and do such quick production work that a braider or carver might not be able to sustain the pace. Some leatherworkers like custom work because they can charge more for it, and some are able to standardize designs and drop the price. If anyone needs affordable dependable web hosting, PM me. Johanna

Posting pics is easy. Either click "new topic" to start a thread, or "post reply" to answer one. Scroll underneather the message area to "browse" and locateyour attachment. Then click upload. The page will wink and refresh. Pictures are automatically resized by the forum software. To remove an attachment, use the drop down arrow of choices under "manage attachments". I love this place, too! There are some terrific people here, and lots of chances to learn something. Johanna

Good grief, I'm still blushing. A friend suggested I fill in the rest of the story. Here goes! After John died, I began going to church every Sunday morning. Moms take turns watching the little ones in the nursery during the service, so it was probably the only hour during the week I was allowed to complete a thought. Every Sunday, a strange scary looking man would sit behind me and stare at me. I was oblivious, my sister was not. Upon investigation, it turns out I used to play with his sister when I'd visit my grandmother as a child. Okay, creep identified, and I still ignored him. Two years go by. Then my 22 year old cat died on a Saturday, and on Sunday they unfurled a banner that said, "Love never ends" and I started to cry. I'm crying because John isn't around to see our kids, I'm exhausted, and I know I am going home to bury my cat. I leave the sanctuary rather late, and bump into this man on my way to the nursery. He is getting his two kids, I get my two, and he's trying his best to comfort me. And he asked why I'm crying, and I answer "My cat died." and I wait. If he laughs, this conversation is over. If he snickers, I'm gonna beat up his sister for old times sake. Wade doesn't miss a beat. "I'm sorry. That's sad." he says, "No wonder you are upset." I decided at that moment to try to like him. We got married in that church about a year later. He brought over a giant workbench from his house, and helped me round up all the leather shop boxes and unpack them. He reminded me of all the guys that would wander into the Tandy and never want to leave, drooling on the tools and paying with the money folded carefully and tucked behind the kids' pictues in his wallet. (Every Tandy manager has been discreet about the ticket with a customer's Significant Other!) I knew he would be an easy fit, with his experience in wood and metal working. I put the shop together while he hung the lights. I made a couple of belts for family members, turned off the lights and walked out. He spends more time in the shop than I do. I will use it to fix something, or make something if I really really want to, or to entertain the kids, but I'm done in there. I like to go to shows, see old friends, and see all the pics of what people have been up to. There are some neat people in leather land! I wish I could have talked to all you folks when I was learning the ropes. I would have read every post on here, and pestered with questions. I found a bunch of MIWL magazines one time, and read them cover to cover, even though they were already 20+ years old. I remember trying to figure out what a "bosal" was, something that was explained in plain English today. There was no "Google" when I was learning. My daughter is older than Google! The Internet is great for keeping people connected, at their convenience. I'm glad the technology exists to host this forum, and glad you all choose to share some time each day with your teachers, peers and friends. Now everyone get back to work and start pounding something. It's what we do. We're leatherworkers. God bless you all, goodnight. Johanna

The reason they detach is because they hit you or the passenger in the face doing 80 mph down the road. Strictly for show, not for riding. Johanna

Here's an older workshop thread. I think it would be great to see more pics. Johanna

Yep, please do what Art said, too. Thanks, Art. :hug: Johanna

Where is Freak? I can picture him in one of these! Nice work, welcome, here are some chocolate chip cookies. Never eat the doughnuts here. How do you make the horns stay on? If someone pulled one, would it come off? Johanna

Nope, leatherworker.net isn't going to have a store. But I would like visitors to browse to quickly find the eleven guys who could make their dream item, visit their websites and make their own arrangements. I would love to find some software that allows people to do their own content (like a myspace page) to invite people to their websites. I don't want leatherworker.net to be responsible for bookkeeping, inventory, shipping, taxes, insurance et. al. but I do recognize the site's potential ability to direct sales. I am hoping that the ability to search a database of leatherworkers by specialties helps in the education of leatherworking newbies as well as providing extra prestige and sales to all the hardworking leatherworker participants. If they would reciprocate with a link on their site to leatherworker.net, it would be good for us all in the search engines, too. If anyone hasn't already sent me a site banner and some pics, send me that, and permission to use it, to: profiles@leatherworker.net so that your site gets included in the update. I currently only have 140 or so on the list, so if you're not sure, send me a note. To be clear- this has nothing to do with the Marketplace dealer designation we have for businesses that intend to make more than 20 "sales flyer" type ads in posts a year. If you want to use the Marketplace as a source of advertising, you will find an audience here on this board, so PM Art for information. Johanna

Luis, I'm going to move this to the Show Off section, and return it to here in a few weeks. Very nice, thank you for sharing! Johanna

Carrying ready made inventory depends on the kind of work you do, but one thing it is essential to have is pictures to show as examples of your work. Whether they are used as references on a website or placed in a hand sewn photo album to be placed into a customer's hands, pictures will help your credibility and sales. Best of luck, Heather. It is my dream that all competent leatherworkers have the option to quit their day job. Johanna

Carving quotes takes up a lot of space. Maybe some gold foil leafing would satisfy the customers? This leather business card is 15? years old, and the letters aren't showing any signs of wear. Johanna

Whoo-hoo! It WORKED!! (jumping up and down in my tinfoil underwear now!) Johanna

We have been moving threads out of the Show Off forum into the categories of leatherwork they represent for the convenience of our guests and new members. If someone is interested in motorcycle leather, for example, there is an entire forum devoted to the subject that they can browse through. It works well this way, because each new item can be spolighted in Show Off, then viewed later in its regular forum. Not everyone wants to see everything, and the forum is well suited to selective reading. If you are having trouble using the built in search feature, click over to the regular main page and use the Google "search this site". You can also click on a member's name and see the threads they started, and the topics they posted in. The forum search will now accept three-letter words, too. Johanna

Try it now. ~J

*Johanna hugs Ben.

I'm sorry you guys are having these problems. I don't know why this is happening either. I have been looking around the IPB site for an answer beyond clearing cookies. If I don't find anything better, tonight I will zap the whole forum while wearing my own tinfoil hat. Interesting that it works for some of you when you log out. Skipj- I thought you got yours working? Johanna

On the main page, right above the section at the bottom titles "board statistics", on the right, click "delete cookies set by this board". Click the "help" at the top right of the page, then "cookies" to get detailed instructions for clearing cookies in different browsers. Reboot and find your tinfoil hat. Johanna