Johanna

Well, I know I've been at the keyboard too long. The first thing I noticed when I saw the pics was the hole punched before the "fringe" slits at the bottom of the piece. And I involuntarily nodded my head. Do you folks know why he punched holes before he cut the leather? Because the holes will prevent the leather from tearing, even as the piece is in action. Doubt me? Get out a piece of scrap and make a cut. You can tear it easier than you can if you punch a hole before you cut, and, thus, have a curved line at the top. This is probably the same rule of physics that makes Roman arches of stone last for centuries, and I don't know if the practice even has a name, but it is one of the hallmarks of a good leatherworker vs. a mediocre one. Johanna

A savvy Tandy manager should encourage a guild, and get everyone's phone numbers. That's a shame that your local store isn't supportive of O-Mi-O, an established guild. Are there any local churches or schools that might give you space? Maybe you could offer classes in exchange, or something. Johanna

The electronics business was sold in the Seventies, so, no, they are not "one and the same". (I have heard that Tandy determined that leather was forever, and there was no future in electronics!) The Leather Factory was formed by ex-Tandy employees, just like Hidecrafters. Art is right, by the mid-Nineties, Tandy Leather stores were bleeding red ink. At that time, Tandy was diversified. They owned a framing business, Joshua Tree, Pier One Imports and who knows what else. Tandy Leather was just a small blip in their radar. In 1998 or so, I think the shareholders wanted to see some returns on investments, and that's when the whole thing collapsed. It didn't surprise me that they went out of business- what was unbelievable was how they had stayed in business so long running it the way they did. One fellow manager described life with Tandy then like "Rearranging the chairs on the deck of the Titanic". When the Leather Factory bought the Tandy business, they essentially got some older accounts back and the Tandy name. The production facilities they had proudly showed us a few years earlier were gone. Many dedicated employees in Ft. Worth had moved on to other things. The accounts had been neglected, the suppliers had shifted, and the Leather Factory closed the full circle with their new acquisition. Tandy Leather stores are skilled labor intensive. They don't have high retail profit margins. (You make more on a hide the more you cut it up, and the more you cut up, the less of it you'll sell) The accounts they service out of sight of the walk-in customer, the ones who used the catalog to place their orders, are the ones that pay the bills, not people stopping by to make impulse purchases. You cannot hire just anyone in the leather business, either. This isn't a Wal-Mart, where the customer is expected to know how to work the cat litter and toothbrush he just bought. Anyone who thinks they are a leatherworker should try answering the phone in a busy Tandy for a week. You learn to take notes, because you can't possibly know all the answers, and even you did, you don't have time to explain them, over and over. Even if you have never made a "thing-a-ma-bob", you need to know how to figure it out, as well as remembering how many mallets per scout you need tonight, and where to find brain-tanned alligator. (Okay, no one ever asked me for that, but I wouldn't want to bet that somebody hasn't been!) I notice that the Leather Factory hired some of the best that Tandy had. That was smart. These folks could not be replaced. From the start, I think the Leather Factory had more focus, even when the two companies were competitors. I believe that Tandy/TLF will be a successful strong retailer in the future because of their demonstrated ability to cater to the market. I have heard unsubstantiated rumors that Hidecrafters will soon be sold. It will be interesting to see the big guys sort themselves out with their customers. But the fact remains, the customers and retailers are often the very same people, because leather isn't as easy to sell as groceries or car parts. The general public is a bit intimidated by the medium until it is "taught". The customer's confidence that they aren't going to ruin all their investment is the best sales tool. Just my 2 cents and change... Johanna

I use a rotary cutter the same way Greg uses his knife to cut fringe. Johanna

Yes, he can sharpen head/round knives. Thanks for noticing the omission from the list! Neil is a leatherworker (that's what prompted him to get really really good at sharpening!) so the blades we use don't intimidate or surprise him. Johanna

Step one would be to ask the wife exactly what she wants in a purse, what features she would find handy (pocket for cell phone, ring for keys, zippered compartments etc) then ask if she wants to carry the purse by a handle or straps or both etc... Get her input on where to beigin, and she'll reward you with using the purse when it's done. Johanna

The wooden Tandy strapcutter has never been accurate for me. I usually insert a strap of the same width I want to cut, adjust the tool, and ignore the measurement lines entirely. It's a handy tool, especially for the money, once you have a straight edge for making straps, but the ruler on it cannot be trusted. Johanna

Memorial Service for Ben Hughes Friday, July 6, 2007 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM Tomaszewski Funeral Home 2724 E Allegheny Ave Philadelphia, PA 19134-5916 Phone: 1-215-739-6624 Fax: 1-215-425-6920 Condolences may be sent to Ben's daughter: Virginia Hughes Memorial Fund donations may be sent to the Lupus Foundation of America or the American Heart Association. Those organizations will ask who should receive acknowledgement of donations; therefore, please provide Ben's daughter's name and address. Lupus Foundation of America In Memory of Ben Hughes Phone: 1-202-349-1155 Online Memorial Donation: https://secure.campagne-online.com/registra...&LangPref=en-CA Mail a Memorial Donation (PDF): http://www.lupus.org/support/Donate_Off_Line.pdf American Heart Association In Memory of Ben Hughes Phone: 1-800-242-8721 Online Memorial Donation : https://donate.americanheart.org/ecommerce/...temId=prod20007 Mail a Memorial Donation (PDF): https://donate.americanheart.org/ecommerce/...s/ahaP4form.pdf

Getting an external hard drive to do back ups is a smart inexpensive option, especially if the thought of losing the info on your computer makes you sick to your stomach. They are easier than ever to use. XP will "find" them and you just copy files (don't move them if you still want to access them from the computer w/o the exteranl hard drive attached) and done! Hope this info helps a little. Johanna What to Back Up Windows Address Book (Outlook Express) Default location C >Doc & Settings> User> Application Data> Microsoft> Address Book> User. WAB Outlook Express Messages OE messages are saved in .dbx files, and can be backed up in that format, but not read without importing into a functional OE, where they will overwrite files names the same thing, so be careful. You can buy software like DBXpress to open them outside of OE. OE messages can also be saved individually to the folder of the user’s choice in the .eml format. Default location: C> Doc & Settings> User> Local Settings>Application Data> Identities> Long string of variable numbers> Microsoft> OE> My Favorites- IE bookmarks Default location C> Doc & Settings> User> Downloaded Programs Keep a folder somewhere for programs you download. Get into the habit of "saving" downloads, and doing your installing from this designated folder, instead of directly from the download. Back up that folder periodically to ensure easy reinstall. My Docs XP, by default, puts your albums, e-books, pictures, music and movies into the My Doc folder. You may need to set up other folders outside of "My Docs" of these same file types, don't forget to include them in your back up routine. Themes & Preferences If you use a particular skin or theme, screensavers, sounds etc, you will want to back up your settings and preferences, unless you are confident that you can restore them manually. You can even save your cookies. How to back up an XP computer

Kate, it was easier to change to poll than to bend the poll rules. I answered the questions as i would have when we had the shop. We wore and carried our leather, and passed out a card to anyone interested. Word would spread, and people would come looking for "that leather guy", or we'd go to another bike run, rendezvous, pow wow, stables or even bars, on lazy days, and hustle work. There was no internet, and we could never afford the Yellow Pages. We loved the leather shows, but you don't sell leather to leatherland, of course. When I met Jon I didn't even know leather could be carved or stamped, couldn't have told it apart from vinyl, and didn't much care. I was 28. If that is our "average consumer", we have a lot of work to do to educate the public about the endless possibilities of leatherwork, or else they will buy the poorly made mass produced garbage, and never know the difference. (shudder) Johanna

Sigh...I don't know, but you are the last person I'm gonna do tech research for. LOL I'll check it out tonight. Johanna

Yes, I have a whole box of metal templates- everything from wallets to cigarette cases to checkbooks. A friend gave them to me as a gift, and they have been very handy through the years. Each one is labeled with a Sharpie pen, and they do not wear out or leave marks on the leather. For your needs, Ed, it's still not going to be as fast as clicking, but it will probably reduce hide waste. Johanna

Ben Hughes, of Philadelphia, PA, passed away peacefully this week after a long illness. Some of you may remember him from his term at the IILG as webmaster. He was a gifted leather artist, friend to many of us, and a man of character and grace. I will be sending condolences to his family, and if you would also like to, please PM me for the address and details. Johanna

Ahhh... I really like when leather looks like leather...nice work, Steve! Thanks for sharing with us! Johanna (off to look at Steve's saddle blog...)

Glad you found us! The forum is just a year old now, and I am happy to say we have some of the best leatherworkers in the world participating, as well as all sorts of new-to-leather folks who are eager to learn. Glad to have you here, and please make yourself comfortable (feet are allowed on the coffee table). Which firearm forums do you recommend for the gun enthusiasts, by the way? Johanna

The forum uses a cookie to log you in automatically if you have the "remember me" box ticked. Do you have software that might be clearning your cookies when your browser exits? When you exit the site, are you clicking the X to leave or using the "log out" button? If you have the "remember me" box checked, you shouldn't need to log in every time you visit the forum. Johanna

Remember the audio recording of the guy who tried to cancel his AOL account? I'm trying to find it. Now, that is worse than a telemarketer! I can just imagine what you do with stupid phone calls when you're bored, Monkey... Johanna

My dad speaks several languages fluently, and will speak Polish or Hungarian to telemarketers for as long as it takes them to hang up in desperation. He will say "Visa" a few times, just to keep them on the line. If he's bored, the conversations are hysterical- he'll be asking them about marrying off his ugly daughter and how many goats do they have to trade...but I understand enough Polish to get the jokes. The typical telemarketer does not. I know these folks have to make a living, too, but I think Caller ID was one of the best inventions the phone company ever came up with. If I wanted a home security system, new siding for the house, or to give a charitable gift, I would initiate the call, thank you. Johanna

I know we kinda did this in another thread...but to serve saddler members better, please take the time to answer the polls and leave your comments. It can't hurt to introduce ourselves again, either! Johanna (who is not a saddler and does not play one on TV!)

After the judging on Friday night, the names of the entrants are displayed next to the work, to be admired all day Saturday by the show's visitors and the public. There are also Guild displays and vendor displays to look at, too. Johanna

Usually masking tape is used, since it doesn't leave residue. Many of the experienced judges recognize a regular entrant's stuff, anyway, though, so it's not exactly foolproof, but judges are known for behaving with honor. Johanna