Johanna

Did you see the pics Clay took at Sheridan this year (Rocky Mountain Leather TradeShow sponsored by the Leathercrafters & Saddlers Journal)? http://www.leatherworker.net/sheridan07/index.htm The quality of the displayed work impressed me, just like Chester Hape's work. Johanna

In XP, the Character Chart is kinda hidden. Start> All Programs> Accessories> System Tools> Character Map. I right clicked on it and sent it to "shortcut on my desktop", then dragged it to my Quick Launch for convenience a long time ago. Since the Char Map does give you the alt codes, it's easy to memorize the ones you use the most frequently. For example, Alt and 0169 make a copyright symbol: © If I had to constantly switch between languages I think I would buy specific language keyboards and just swap them as needed. I know I can type anything on this standard American keyboard, but remembering all the tricks, codes and key combinations for the different characters in different languages is more clutter than my brain can absorb. Characters is a list of the alt codes. WebSlang is a list of acronyms, chat slang, txt msg abbreviations & emoticons. After the leather related pages on my website, they are the two most visited pages on my site. The hits come from all over the world via search engines, and people obviously bookmark the page. So I figured that if the pages were going to be looked at that much, might as well put some advertising on it. (It's the American way!) Leatherworker.net hasn't gotten any hits from these pages. Go figure. Some of you may have noticed that I'm a compulsive list maker by now. If you have suggestions, corrections, updates etc, please let me know so I can fix my lists. If anyone wants to share a list, leatherwise or otherwise, I'd be tickled. I love lists, don't you? Johanna

These just in from Rachel Hill, Lonestar Leathercrafters Guild, Ft. Worth, TX., hosts of the 2007 IFoLG Show. (If anyone had trouble with the pdf format, let me know and I'll convert them to Word or something friendlier.) If you have been procrastinating on your competition entries, get in gear! October will be here quickly! Johanna 2007_IFoLG_Show__Workshops___Classes_.pdf 2007_IFoLG_Show_Packet_for_Guilds.pdf 2007_IFoLG_Show__Workshops___Classes_.pdf 2007_IFoLG_Show_Packet_for_Guilds.pdf

Ralide makes one-piece polyethylene saddle trees in Tennessee. They claim on their site that more than half the trees and stirrups made in the USA are done on their products. Link for small trees. Johanna

Duh, and there is Indy and Pieter, too. What I need help with is when the person on the other end doesn't understand English very well and I need to write to them in their language. Don, it's good to know I have you and Xavier and a couple others who can bounce back and forth between languages comfortably. We truly have an international forum here, and you guys can be a big help when there are language barriers. Thank you! Johanna

Wow. I just sent him an invitation to the board, too. Good find, Don! Johanna Gesa, where are you? I could use some help with the German!

I've had good luck getting manuals and parts lists from Proleptic, but I don't see your model number listed here: http://secure.nccoastcommunications.com/pr...ory.asp?catid=9 I would give Dan Preston a call just in case he has one and doesn't have it listed for some reason. Or, he may know where to find one. Anyone else have any good ideas? I did a couple of internet searches and came up with blanks. Johanna

As long as Beeze doesn't mind telling, that kind of info is appropriate for the forum. Pecards is good stuff, but this thread has got me thinking... Bike seats, by their nature, are going to be exposed to sunlight. The leather would be expected to darken over time. Since you guys are using veggie tanned leather, are you giving the customer instructions for oiling the seat so it doesn't lose all of its moisture and dry-rot? I'm thinking of all the neglected tack I've seen that was exposed to the weather constantly, and never maintained. I would hate for a work of art like you guys do split and crack in 10 years because the biker didn't have a fat enough behind to cover the seat, or a roofed place to store the bike. The commercial chrome tanned leather doesn't hold up well to weather, but I imagine veggie tanned is even more sensitive. Maybe it's just a moot point because the folks that are buying the seats probably re-do their bikes every few years anyway, but I just wondered if you guys (and Shirley) took special measures to protect veg tanned leather. Where Shirley lives my eyeballs dry out instantly, and I wonder what effect that extreme dry heat has on a bike seat, or saddle, or other item used and kept outdoors, and what can be done to minimize the negative effects? Johanna

I suppose you speak French as well, right X? I just sent an email to the artist with an invitation to visit the forum and introduce himself. (Herself?) Awesome work- I just wish Google translator worked a little bit better. Thanks for sharing the link, and (fingers crossed) maybe we'll get to meet the artist! Johanna

For anyone reading this thread...this is what works for me. YMMV I use Life-Eye (Permalock) needles, too. If the leather lace breaks off inside, just hold the needle with a pair of pliers and burn it out. I trim the lace to a point and screw it in. I also sharpen Life-Eye needles. I do not like the pronged (hooked) ones at all. It seems like they lose the lace and tear up my hands. A Life-Eye can take quite a tug, securely. As I'm lacing, I never set the needle down (It keeps the lace from twisting) and I use my left hand for the final tug and pinch. If you do twist the lace with a Life-Eye, you can just unscrew the lace from the needle and yank out the errant stitches, rather than wrestling the lace right side up through the holes with a pointy modeling tool. Anytime I have to sew two pieces together, if at all possible, I punch my holes with the two pieces right on top of each other (one punch, two holes) and that method helps to line up my holes better. I can't carve leather worth a toot, but I can lace and sew like a wild thing. I had to keep up with Little Jon when we had the shop, and our income was determined by how fast and how much we could get done, with our own hands. Johanna

Craft Aids are made from a hard plastic with ridges to give you the outline of the design when you rub the pattern with a spoon on wet leather. As far as I know, Tandy Leather Factory owns the Craft Aid business. Craft Aids used to be manufactured in Texas, but I don't know where they are made these days. Johanna

I like the tri-weave front accent. Good lettering, too. (love the font!) Hope to see it when it's done (and hopefully not black! LOL) Johanna

I got the cd today...WOW!!! Here are the pics ClayB took: http://www.leatherworker.net/sheridan07/index.htm Enjoy! Johanna

It's about time! Sheridan 2007 pictures here. What outstanding work!! Thanks, ClayB! Johanna

You can always trim and burnish, but you can't make the area bigger. Try doing the stichline leaving some excess, making it a bit more oversized, and then eyeball your trimming, and measure I wonder if there are any hard and fast rules? I guess it would depend on so many variables- thickness of the leather, stress it needs to take, stiches to the inch, etc. You can also rivet cell phone holders just like cigarette cases, or get fancy and charge extra for an applique braid. HTH Johanna

Try reducing the size of the pics if you post any more on the forum. I can't believe you tricked the forum to accept all of those! Thanks, Clay, hold the fort until I get home! Johanna

I can't wait to see the pics either...but the PO didn't have them yesterday, and they won't be open until Tuesday. Arrrggghhh!! Johanna

If the bags go skidding down the highway at 60 mph it isn't going to matter what kind of leather it is, it will get road rash. If you want to patch the leather on the bags, either the belly or shoulder will work, but if you think the spots are going to recieve more than ordinary wear where the patches go, consider black latigo or veg tan 8/9 oz or heavier. Bellies vary so much in their thickness and stretch, that you'll have to evaluate what you have, as to whether it's suitable. It's not uncommon for bellies to be thinner than the rest of the hide, especially at the back or shoulder area. That's just the nature of the beast. (Oh, bad pun...) Johanna

When you are checking around, ask about "Blacksmith leather". I think that it what you want. Sometimes the hardest part of locating the right leather for the job is knowing the name the vendors call it. Most places will send you swatches, too, if you ask. It's a good way to figure out if the leather is going to meet your needs before you commit to buying it. Johanna

This is from the Pitt Pounders' Newsletter "REAL WORK" FRANK ZIGON (A VERY LONG TIME MEMBER OF P.P.) HAS A MET A PERSON "RYAN", WHOSE FRIEND NEEDS A GUITAR STRAP. FRANK DIDN'T KNOW WHAT TYPE DESIGN THE FELLOW WANTED. RYAN OPFER - RYAN'S CELL PHONE 724 747 3895 CASTLE SHANNON PA 15234 PLEASE GIVE RYAN A CALL IF YOU ARE INTERESTED, OR PASS IT ALONG TO SOME INTERESTED CRAFT PERSON.I WOULD APPRECIATE KNOWING WHAT CAME OF THIS INQUIRY THANKS, FRANK

This one came from the PittPounders site: DAVISLINK@aol.com

These folks liked Billy 2-shews' work, and asked about a custom piece. contact Mrs. Sykes

I keep getting mail from customers wanting me to reccommend a leatherworker for their job. That used to be easy- I'd hit forward and send the request to a few people I knew could meet their needs. It's not that simple these days. I don't want to steer work to a select few, or overlook the ideal leatherworker for the job by accident. There is so much talent on the board I would only cofuse the customers by providing a list of names. Some of you aren't taking on work now- and some of you want it. I'm going to post the recent requests I've had. If you are interested in the job(s), please contact the person directly and make the arrangements. I opened this forum so that guests who have not registered can post. If it gets spammed, I'll put it on moderation (approval required by a moderator to be seen). If you are looking for a leatherworker, post your needs and contact info here. Post again when you've found your person, and I'll close the thread and delete your contact info. If you tell us who you selected, and why, we will all get a better idea of what is hot, and what is not, and we will be better able to meet your expectations. Johanna

Okay, everybody who wants to go play in Bruce's shop, raise your hands! Johanna

A few Sheridan pics here. ClayB took 250 pics, and I will be uploading them soon. Clay, thank you for everything, especially your patience. Johanna