Johanna

Introductory Carving Class Part One Tools Swivel Knife - Used to cut the outline of the pattern into the leather and for decorative and accent cuts. Blade Styles 1.) Straight Blade - Used for general duty work. Has 2 cutting points ready 2.} Angle Blade. Usually used for fine detail and figure carving or filigree work. 3.) Hollow Ground Blade - A type of straight blade, the difference being in the way the blade is formed. There is a hollow formed in the center of the blade so that the cutting edge is much thinner at the center of the blade, allowing a sharper edge 4.} Hair Blades - come in two sizes (1M" & 3/8") ,and are generally used for "hair" textures in carvings. 5.) Double Edged' Blade- A straight blade that has twin cutting edges separated by 3/32" to allow cutting parallel lines. Materials 1.) Steel- Can be sharpened and stropped so are easy to maintain. Requires more frequent attention, but can be rehoned if the edge is damaged. Is available in straight, angled and hollow-ground configurations. 2.) Ceramic.. Edge bevel is determined at the time of manufacture and can not be rehoned or shaped by conventional means. Can be stropped to true the edge. Since it is a ceramic, it is susceptible to chips, cracks and breakage if dropped or hit. 3.} Ruby.. As far as I know these are no longer manufactured because of cost, but can occasionally be found. They have the same disadvantages as the ceramic blade, but are a little tougher to damage and, with proper stropping, can carry the keenest edge of all materials that I've used. Sharpening Honing - Shaping the blade. Done with a fine grit whetstone. Since the angle of the bevel is critical and must be perfectly straight down the center of the blade, this will be discussed at a later date. Most blades should not need honing unless there has been damage. Stropping - This is actually polishing of the cutting surface to remove slight burrs and to remove striations that build up friction and cause the blade to drag. Stropping is always done by pulling the blade across the strop and dragging it away from the cutting edge. NEVER strop into the cutting edge because this will destroy the edge. 1.) Strop - Using contact cement, glue a piece of leather, flesh side down, to a piece of wood. Once glue has completely set, wet the leather thoroughly with honing oil and set it aside to soak in overnight. After the oil has had a chance to penetrate the leather, rub the grain side down well with jeweler's white rouge. Don't worry if the rouge appears to clump or doesn't seem to coat the strop evenly. Once you start using the strop, the blades will even this out. 2. Strop the blade whenever you can feel any drag, or hear a noticeable "crunch" while cutting. Use Hold the knife in a way that is comfortable, but will allow you to roll the barrel between the thumb and fingers. This rolling motion is what enables you to cut curves. Downward pressure from the finger lying in the yoke is what controls the depth of cut so the usual fashion is to lay the first knuckle of the index finger in the yoke. If your knife has a height adjustment for the yoke, use this until the holding posture is comfortable. The actual cuttng is done with the point of the blade and a small portion beyond the point, so the shape of the blade that you are using will determine the way that you hold the blade. A straight blade will require you to angle the knife away from you, while an angled blade will allow you to hold the knife perpendicular to the work. Always hold the knife straight. Don't allow it to lean left or right as you cut or you will "undercut" the leather. This is a shallow cut that will cause a thin raised edge. It will create a loss of depth in the pattern and can even deform the pattern. Undercutting is usually the fault of unconsciously leaning the hand to improve your view of what you are doing. Install good lighting, and turn the leather; notyour hand. Never try to force your wrist or forearm into an unnatural position or motion. These joints were meant to move mostly in a straight line or slight, slow curve. If you need to make sharp curves or angles, hold the knife still and turn the leather with your free hand. The resulting cut will be more even and tight. Once you start actually start cutting the pattern, CUT the leather, don't just scratch it. I usually cut at least the depth of the blade's bevel if the leather is thlck enough to allow that without weakening it, Then cut from the foremost objects and work toward those design elements that are more detail oriented. Bevelers - Used to bring the pattern into relief and create a 3-D effect. The bevelers come in several styles and textures, but the use is essentially the same for all of them. The tool is wedge shaped and the point of the wedge is called the toe, and the rounded higher part is called the heel. The part that is perpendicular to the toe is called the face. Textures a. Smooth - the beveling surface is polished smooth to create a polished looking unbroken surface. b. lined - Has a series of lines etched into the polished surface (available either horizontally or vertically) and are usually used to create a special effect. c. Checked - The surface is checkered and is used to give a darker burnish to the leather and for slightly textured effects. Styles a. Regular - Available in smooth, lined and checked. b. Undercut- Smooth only. This is a special purpose beveler designed to undercut the leather and forcing the surface upward. This gives a slightly embossed effect as that portion is raised above the plane of the project. c. Pointed - These are especially designed for figure carving to allow access to tiny areas to bring them into sharp relief. They are available in all three surface textures. d. Matting - These were designed for figure carving. The purpose is to mat large background areas fading away from the central figure element to give the illusion of greater depth. The can also be used to remove a ridge around a design that doesn't have a border line. Use a. All of the bevelers are "walked"; tap & move, tap & move. b. The toe of the beveler is placed against the cut line, with the handle held straight up, but leaning slightly away from the direction of travel. This will reduce the tool marks in the bevel and minimize the point of the toe from digging into an unbeveled portion. The toe of the beveler is placed against the cut line, with the handle held straight up, but leaning slightly in the direction of travel. This will reduce the tool marks in the bevel. c. The face of the beveler should always be against the cut line. It is easier to control and judge how your work is progressing if you turn the project as you work so that you are always looking at the tool face. d. Depth of the impression is determined by the shading required by the project as would be determined by light and shadow. The depth of the impression is controlled by the impact of the mallet. Notes a. Tool marks can be smoothed by lightly running a modeling spoon over the beveled area. However, the best cure for tool marks is to practice so you don't generate them. b. There is a smooth nylon blade that can be used in a swivel knife called a "beveling blade". Backgrounders - Used to depress any background area and so enhance the prominence of the design and give the illusion of greater depth. They are available in a number of sizes and textures. There is another type of tool called a matting tool that can also be used for uniform texture backgrounding. In addition, other tools can be used to create unusual or special effects. Use - These are usually walked to avoid a choppy or repeating pattern, and care must be exerted to insure uniform impact of the mallet for an even depth of impression. Some styles of background tools a. Backgrounder - Usually a checkered tool with a small tooling area having sharp points to the checkering. This insures a deep penetration with minimal impact on the tool. b. Bargrounder - These tools have a series of tiny holes in a straight line and are perhaps the most difficult to use. Proper use requires exact alignment of each impression along a perfectly straight line. Due to the structure of the tool's pattern, you can not overstrike if the design deviates from the direct line. c. Seeds - These tools actually look like tiny seed pods. There are half seed tools that are exactly half of the seed impression for use in tight areas or along cut lines. d. Matting tools - These are textured figure carving tools that can be used for interesting or unusual backgrounds. ModelingTools Spoon - Used to smooth out hammer marks in beveling and as a beveler in tight areas. Ball- Used mostly as an embossing tool from the rear of the leather. Stylus - Pointed tool that can be used to scratch in accent lines or to trace carving lines. Deer Foot - Beveled rod that can be used as an undercut beveler or to lift cuts for contour effects. Leather - Only vegetable tanned feather is suitable for carving and stamping. A. The tanning process doesn't destroy certain proteins in the skin that are used in making glue, nor does it fill the interstitial area in the fiber. These open areas allow the absorption of water that essentially reactivates these proteins and creates a kind of cement within the leather. When an impression is made upon the leather, that impression is in effect glued in place. That's why the water content of the 1eather is so important; too dry and no glue, too wet, and water has filled the interstitial gaps. To achieve deep clear impressions, it is necessary that the work surface is non-yielding. (No bounce!) If it gives way under the impact of the mallet, the leather will move away from the tool's surface. This can have several consequences. One is the possibitity of a tool bounce giving a double impression, end a second that the tool mark isn't deep enough to give a good effect. The best surface upon which to tool is a good thick slab of smooth marble, or stone. Casing Leather - Applying water to vegetable tanned leather to prepare it for carving or molding is called "casing". There are several ways to accomplish this, but the best results are achieved using a spray bottle. This allows an even application of the water without water spotting. Spray the flesh side of the leather evenly and heavily, after you see it penetrate the leather, turn it over and spray the grain side. After several minutes, the leather will look as though it is beginning to dry. It may be, but the water is also penetrating deeply into the fibers. When the leather is nearly its original color, it should be ready to carve. The leather may look dry, but dry leather will feel warm the touch. Properly cased leather should look dry but feel cool to the touch. Because this leather, is made to absorb water, it requires finishing to seal it after the project is complete.This is accomplished by the application of a finish or sealer. Pattern Transfer - There are several ways to accomplish this. Tracing film. This is a thin translucent film of plastic. The pattern is drawn or traced onto the film, then the film is placed over the cased leather with the marked side up. Once it is positioned properly, the pattern is traced over using a ban point stylus. This transfers an outline onto the cased leather. Tracing paper - Used in the same fashion as tracing film, but is much more fragile. If tracing paper is used, it should be covered, front and back, with clear packing tape. This reinforces the paper and may allow more than one use before it is cut through. "Craftaid" (trademark of the Tandy Leather factory) is a plastic template having the design elements formed by raised ribs of plastic. It is positioned on the leather, then rubbed briskly with a spoon to transfer the design to the leather. John L. Henry 1998 Macon Georgia

The South Central Leather Guild is another guild dedicated to preserving and sharing leatherworking information in friendship. Their mission statement reads: (I like that!)Jerome Warburton (Grayhawk Leather) is the president of the guild, and with the help of Dave Howell, an old time Tandy Manager, has put together quite a collection of educational resources. A Yahoo forum is associated with the guild: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/flasah/ And they are working on an online leathercraft course. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/olhscleather/ Membership information is available on their website. Johanna

Reproduction of the Early Medieval Knight's Saddle by Sir Armand de Sevigny This well explained and illustrated article is very complete, and tells some history of saddles, their uses and their modifications over the years. Johanna

http://www.ssrsi.org/sr1/Textile/leather.htm Lots of interesting articles here...from medieval to Native American styles, tanning info, period shoe construction, various stitching techniques, brain tanning, tanning small pelts and deer hides, building your own smoke house, history of leatherworking, making tools, making things from hooves and claws, old time leather chemicals and dressings, whipmaking, lots of LARP and period info, and more... Enjoy! Johanna

I know what you mean about the absurdity of the fees, Holly- I paid $20 to be a leader of 8 Tiger Scouts (first grade boys!) I have more BSA leatherworking info on the way. I hope it helps someone else, too. Johanna

GROUP LEADER TRAINING PROGRAM Part One LEATHER MERIT BADGE INSTRUCTION Purpose: To present group leaders with the background information and basic skills necessary to enable them to guide their scouts efforts toward gaining the Leatherwork Merit Badge. This program was set up using the Boy Scout Merit Badge Pamphlet (1983 Revision). In preparing this program we have drawn on our skills and experience, so there will be some differences between the booklet and this program. Where these occur, we have taken care to explain the reasons for the differences. These should not, however, impact the skills necessary for successful completion of the program. Time Required: One training session of 2 -3 hours. Skills presented: 1.) ldentification of types of leather and characteristics of each. 2.) Transferring a pattern to leather 3.) Cutting leather 4.) Stamping a design on leather 5.) Dyeing and finishing the project. 6.) Laying out placement for and punching holes 7.) Lacing and stitching 8.) Care and conditioning leather Requirements Not Addressed: Tanning and Curing leather and visiting a leather shop. Introduction Leather has been in existence for as long as man has been a meat eater and has always been a by-product or the meat industry. The earliest man used the green, untreated hides of the creatures that he slew for sustenance for clothing and as a material in manufacturing his few tools and implements. These untreated hides were not very strong or stable, so had to be replaced often. At some point in history, men began to scrape the fleshy and fatty residue from the inside of the hides and a1low the sun to dry the skins. This is raw hide and today is still essentially made in the same way that it was in the Stone Age: scrape it clean, remove the hair, and let it dry completely. This rawhide is extremely tough and rigid and had to be softened by pounding it with stone, wooden. or bone tools. At some point in history, (some believe that it was the ancient Hebrews) people discovered that by soaking the skins in a mixture of water and the bark of certain plants would preserve the leather and make last indefinitely as well as making it more pliable. These processes led to tremendous improvements and uses for leather. This was the birth of modem tanning. Today, technology has improved the control that we have over the conditions but the basic process is still the same as it was thousands of years ago. All of the leather that we have today is still a by-product of the meat industry. No animals are raised just to provide hides to be made into leather. Leather can and is made from nearly any animal. We have leathers made from cattle, goats, sheep, ostriches, kangaroos, sharks, rays, eels, and snakes and the list goes on. Remember, leather is just the term used to describe a preserved skin or hide. Leather is usually divided into nine (9) categories. These are: (1) Cattle Group - Footwear, garments, bags, upholstery, personal accessories, harness, sporting goods, machinery components (belting, washers, packing, etc.) (2) Sheep and Lamb Group - Footwear uppers and linings, personal accessories, garments, chamois, Mouton and shear1ing, parchment, textile rollers, headwear, bookbinding, piano actions, sporting goods. (3) Goat and Kid Group - Footwear uppers and linings, fancy personal accessories, garments, bookbinding. (4) Equine Group - Footwear, garments, aviators clothing, sporting goods, luggage, belts (5) Buffalo Group - Footwear, fancy leather goods, handbags, buffing wheels (6) Pig and Hog Group - Gloves, fancy leather goods and luggage, footwear, saddlery and harness, upholstery (7) Deer Group - Shoe uppers, gloves, garments, fancy leather goods, piano actions (8) Kangaroo and Wallaby Group - footwear uppers, lacing (9) Exotic and Fancy Leather Group - specialty items This group includes, but is not limited to, things like seal, shark, walrus, turtle, camel elephant, ostrich, alligator, crocodile, frog, lizard, snakes, ray, etc. Tannages: All leather must be treated in some fashion to remove the moisture that would allow rotting to occur. The earliest and simplest method is making rawhide which essentially entails removing an of the flesh and fat from the flesh side of the skin, removing the hair from the grain side, then liming and rinsing the leather and stretching it in the sun until the sun has desiccated it. This leaves the leather so stiff and unpliable that it must be soaked in water or pounded soft to be of much use. Vegetable tanning is a process where the prepared hides are soaked in a series of pits containing progressively weaker tanning solutions. These solutions are composed of extracts from the bark and berries of certain trees and bushes. This process preserves the leather, but allows the fibrous structure of the skin to remain intact. Vegetable tanned leather is the only type suitable for carving. A faster method of tanning hides is the chrome tanning process. This accomplishes in a matter of days what vegetable tanning takes months to do. The fibers of the skin are affected by the chromium salts used in the process, so the leather is usually soft and flexible. Since it drapes so well, chrome tanned leather is ideal for garment or upholstery use. Oil tanning is usually done by solutions of fish and animal oils. This makes a strong supple leather that is somewhat water resistant. It makes good work aprons, boots, etc. II. PREPARATION A. Design Considerations The first and most important design consideration is to simply compile a list stating all of the things that you want to achieve with your project. This should include items such as function, size, color, mechanical devices (snaps, key hooks, rivets, etc.) and any other ideas that you have such as how it will open or close, hang, etc. Once you have this list, you can use it to put together a list of materials to insure that you have all of the needed items available before you start. This will prevent you from getting part way into the project and discovering that you don't have a buckle, enough rivets, or the wrong stamping tool. After completing the assembly of the materials and tools, you can begin the layout of the pattern. This should be a full size paper or cardboard pattern that will show where you will make cuts, where the stitch or lacing lines will be, and a rough placement of the stamping pattern. When you are satisfied with your pattern, you can begin to transfer it to the leather. B. Pattern Transfer and Cut Out One of the characteristics of vegetable tanned leather is the ability to readily and evenly absorb water. This trait is what allows this leather to be molded and compressed, and to "remember" its new shape permanently when it has dried. That's why vegetable tanned leather is the only type suitable for tooling and carving; no other tanning method gives leather this ability. Moistening leather with the proper amount of water to be effectively tooled is called "casing" the leather. This is easy to do, but takes practice to master. When the water is applied to the leather, it must be done evenly to prevent uneven color variations. 'This is most easily accomplished with a misting bottle. The leather should be misted until it is no longer absorbed immediately. Then you need to wait until the leather returns to its original color. It may appear as though the leather is seeming to dry out, but actually the moisture is being drawn into the underlying fiber structure of the leather. This underlying structure is what locks the impressions in place, so it must be damp. However, if the leather is too wet, the moisture will fill the spaces between the fibers and when you strike a tool the fluid will force the surface back out. "Mushy" leather will prevent you from getting a clear, permanent impression. The moisture content of the leather must be just right; neither too damp or too dry. If you are satisfied that the leather is cased properly, you can transfer the cutting pattern to the leather. Place the leather with the grain side (smooth side) down on a clean surface and place the "Front" of the pattern against the flesh side (rough side) of the leather. Using an awl or stylus, trace around your pattern. On page 15 of the merit badge manual it says to transfer the cutting pattern to the grain side We prefer to place it on the flesh side so that any mistakes or corrections can be made on what will become the interior of the project. When working on leather, all marks are permanent, so a change made on the interior is either not noticeable or is less objectionable than one made on the outside of the project Cutting out the project is best accomplished with a pair of heavy shears. These can be effectively used on nearly any leather up to about 11 oz. dependent upon the durability of the shears that you use. Carefully cut out the project and you're ready to begin the decorations stage. Once again, we offer a different approach than does the manual. They suggest, again on page 15, that cut out be done with a knife. It has been our experience that when working with youth groups, that the available knives usually aren't sharp enough, and the youth aren't experienced enough to do this safely, so we prefer using shears whenever possible. PROJECT 1 :Belt Since the project that we are going to do here is a simple belt, we really don't need to much in the way of a cutting pattern. We will be using a commercially available 1-1/4" strap and only need to cut it to length and place the holes for the buckle, snaps, and size adjustment. To determine the proper belt size, remove the belt that you have on, if wearing one, and measure from the fold over at the buckle end to the most often used hole. This will be the belt size. If you are not wearing a belt, pull a tape measure snugly around your waist over the belt loops on your trousers. DO NOT use the waist size off of your clothes for the belt size. This measurement is taken on the inside of the waistband and for the belt you will need to consider the thickness of the material between you and the inner side of the belt. Starting at one end of the strip on the flesh side, measure in 2-1/2" and mark a line across the strip. This will be the fold line for the buckle fold over. From this line measure down the strip and make a mark for the belt size. This mark will be the center hole of the five adjustment holes. Measure 5" or 6" beyond the center hole and scribe a line across the strip. This will be the tip of the belt Set the wing dividers to half the width of the strip and scribe a line for about three inches in each direction from the mark for the center hole. Move to the buckle end of the strip and scribe a line from the end of the strip in for about 5". Once this is done, set the dividers for one inch. Setting one leg at the mark for the center hole, make 2 more marks in each direction. This will give you 5 marks for adjustment holes spaced 1" apart. Returning to the buckle end, make a mark on this center line 1/2" from the end, then a second mark 1" beyond that These will be where the rivets or snaps are set that hold the buckle in place. Using the proper size punch, punch out all of the marked spots. The slot for the buckle tongue is punched by using a slot punch. Place the slot punch on the center line so that the center of the punch's length is over the fold tine. Punch this out. With all hole punching, remember to place a piece of scrap leather or a Poundo board under the leather to protect your tools from the hard surface of the table. Cutting the ends is done either with a strap end punch or free hand. If done free hand, use a burnishing wheel or a drinking glass as a pattern for an arc then cut with shears. C. Stamping Be certain that the moisture level of the leather is proper. Slightly dry is better than slightly damp. The leather should be nearly its original color but should feel cool when touched to a soft skin area such as the inner arm. Stamp the tool properly; firmly, squarely, and only once. The exception to this one strike rule is when using large area stamps such as alphabet or "3-D" stamps. In this case the heavy handle is struck once squarely, with force. Then the handle is gently rotated north, south, east and west and struck lightly in each position to insure that the impression is even to the edges of the stamp. The first strike will "bite" into the leather so as not to create duplicate impressions while the handle is being rotated. D. Edge Dressing To give the project a more finished appearance, the edge must be dressed properly. This is done with an edge beveller, or edger. This tool is used to round off the square edge of the strip. It is held at 45 degrees to the strip's edge and run around the edge of the strip, on both grain and flesh sides. Once the edge has been rounded using the edger, the next step is to burnish the edge. This is done by moistening the edge with a sponge until it is slightly damper than would be called for by proper casing. Then, while still damp friction is applied to the edge either with a "slicker" or a piece of scrap leather or coarse fabric like canvas. Burnishing is actually a friction burn that causes the fibers to fuse and glaze giving a compressed shiny look. It doesn't take a lot of pressure, just speed. Since speed is what causes the fusing, work in short sections of 4" to 6" . You may need to moisten the leather periodically to keep the moisture content high enough for effective burnishing. E. Finishing Finishing, the next to the last step in the project, refers to applying color and protective sealant to the leather. There are several different types of finishes and below is a brief description of a few, along with their advantages and drawbacks. 1.) Dyes - Dyes are a coloring agent where the pigments are carried in a solvent that dries slow enough to allow the pigments to penetrate the fibers of the leather. The three most common type are described by their particular solvent. a.) Spirit Dyes: usually are alcohol or mineral spirit based dyes. Penetration is fairly deep, but these have several disadvantages. They are toxic and flammable, so care must be exercised when using them. In addition, the solvents can be hard on the oils in the leather, so the project must have a conditioner applied after dyeing to prevent or reduce the chance of cracking. b.) Oil Dyes: these usually use some type of fish or animal based oil as the carrier for the pigment. The advantage of oil dye is that it dries more slowly than the spirit dyes which allows for a deeper penetration of the pigments. Since the oils of the carrier are more compatible with the oils in the leather, it is kinder to the project. However, a conditioner should still be lightly applied because of the leather's exposure to water during fabrication of the project. c.) Water based: These tend to be weaker in tone than the other two because of the necessity of using water soluble pigments. However, these are generally non-toxic and can be cleaned up with soap and water. These dyes are sometimes referred to as "institutional" dyes, as they are relatively harmless. 2.) Antique Stains - These are products that are designed to give an aged, weathered look to the project. It essentially give two shades of the same color. It is applied heavily and worked deeply into cuts and impressions, then allowed to sit for a short time to "set". Then the surface is lightly wiped with a clean lint-free cloth or sponge. This removes the excess antique from the surface area leaving a light shade while leaving a greater accumulation in recessed areas which will appear darker, giving the design a pleasing contrast. The two most common types are spirit based and water based. The spirit based is similar to a paste wax while the water based is like a heavy liquid or light syrup. The water based takes longer to dry, which gives better control of the "setting" time and the intensity of the effect. Additionally, the water base allows soap and water clean up. 3.) Acrylics - These are acrylic paints. As such, they have little or no penetration of the leather and so are subject to cracking when bent and scuffing when abraded. The colors are very intense, but can be toned done with water. Clean up is done with soap and water. 4.) Final Finish - These are applied after the project is dyed or stained as a top coat to protect the finish and the leather. Again, there are several types available. a.) Lacquer based - Strong protection, but prone to cracking on anything that flexes. Volatile and toxic. b.) Water based (acrylic) - Easy to apply and usually non-toxic. However, since these are acrylics, they may tend to crack. In addition, some of them start to break down and get tacky at about 110 degrees (F). This may seem quite high, but think about the inside of your hip pocket as you sit in the car on a summer day. c.) Waxes - These preparations are generally water based and they tend to remain flexible and are fairly immune to extremes of temperature. These are easy to apply and easily cleaned up, generally with soap and water. F. Setting Hardware - (coming soon!) G. Stitching and Lacing - (coming soon!) John L. Henry, Jr. 1998 Macon Georgia

Hey, David- we're "neighbors"! I'm about 90 miles north of you, near St. Marys. Will you give me ride in the Spring? Though it seems a shame to cover up such pretty seats with a behind. Thanks for sharing, and I'm looking forward to seeing more of your work. If you ever want to get your stuff off of photobucket and have a permanent gallery to upload pics to, let me know. (This offer is good for any leatherworker!) Johanna

And if anyone cares, this is how it looks for January so far... Search engine spiders are not included in visitors or hit statistics. Johanna

[attachment=603:attachment Hi, Hobby! We have Japan! These are the stats for the month of December 2006. January's are knocking my socks off. Johanna

Okay, Jim, just remember, you asked for it! I've got a bunch of them in a looseleaf folder. I'm counting on the members here to help me make the necessary additions and corrections so that I'm not spreading bad leatherworking info on the Internet. Help me out, guys! Johanna

http://www.cowsarecool.com/default.asp This site just goes on and on with misinformed and ridiculous accusations...when I first looked at the site, I thought it was a parody. Sadly, in their mission to "educate" us, they prove they are ignorant of leather and how farmers and ranchers care for their animals. The suggestion to switch to vinyl shoes should be taken by all these bandwagon zealots, and they should all get athletes' foot, just for not taking the time to get real facts, and spreading lies and propaganda. I have never been to a slaughterhouse and seen cows skinned alive. And we all know this is crap: Good grief, someone should explain economics and standard slaughter procedures to these folks...but that might be beyond their grasp. Johanna

Don't sell yourself short, Freak! I like your work, too. The teens are going crazy over those kind of wristbands right now. I swear you could stamp "obey your parents" on them, and they would still sell! The Goth crowd likes black with maybe chrome spots or spikes. The bikers call them "property bracelets" and they stamp names into them. I understand if you wear the name facing you, you "belong" to the named person. Away from you, and you want to. I have to sut the whole thing out of one piece of leather (not rivet the straps on) because I am allergic to the metal in the nickel rivets, and when they touch my skin, I get a rash. I can see where your method would be more efficient (less waste). If you did a show, though, you could have them ready to go and then fit the straps to order. Pop on the rivets and done, custom fit. I have a friend in Charleston, SC who welds inside ship hulls in dry dock that have to be 120 degrees. His arms are scarred from sparks and burns, and he hardly notices them. When I see him, I want to coat him with Neosporin and bandage him. I never thought of making him a leather armband, though I have made dozens for archers and LARP folks. Thanks for the idea, Freak- now, if I can get a tape measure around his forearms without a bunch of questions...lol Thanks for sharing! Johanna

They shouldn't animate in the selection area, but they should when added into a post. The "names" of the smileys are pretty random. I collected them from here and there, and didn't change very many of the names, unless two smileys had the same one, or they were badly titled. (In responding emails the name shows, not the smiley). In the control panel, you can even choose not to view smileys and/or avatars if you want (helpful for people with slow or expensive internet connections.) By the way, Alex, your avatar is one of my favorites. Johanna

John Henry typed this on a typewriter for a handout because we were doing so many holster classes in Macon. (In Georgia, they like their guns!) I scanned the pages, used some OCR software and have bleeding eyes from the editing- so blame any typos on me. I'm interested to know if you folks do about the same as he did, or what you do differently? Is there anything you like about this, or disagree with? I'm asking because I have dozens of workshops like this from our archives, and if y'all really want to see them, I will post them. I tried to clean up the formatting some, but he always was a meticulous outliner. Looking through all this other stuff of his tonight was bittersweet because I miss him, and it's almost the anniversary of when he died, six years ago. Here it is, Artifax Custom Leather's Holster Making Workshop. Holster Workshop by John Henry (written perhaps 1997?) Macon, Ga. Artifax Custom Leather Georgia Leathercrafters' Guild Materials Required: Leather Contact Cement Mallet Sinew 2 - 3/0 Harness NeedIes Chisel Wing Dividers Super Shears Dot Snaps Pencil Setter Skiving Knife or X-acto Two General Misconceptions.Heavy Leather No need for 9/1 0 oz. leather since the weight of the pistol is suspended from belt. The holster is only to make a pocket to accomplish this suspension. Using the equivalent of 6/8 oz. leather~ including the lining if one is used. Lining Holsters - These give the holster a more finished appearance since the inside is smoother. The lining is only a cosmetic treatment. Over the years I have come to some of my own conclusions about lining leathers. This should be avoided because the nap of the suede that makes it feel so rich increases its surface area, so it is more susceptible to absorbing moisture from the air. This can have two basic effects: 1.) Moisture can increase possibility of rust. 2.) Moisture can trap dust and sand which will act as a fine abrasive against the pistol's metal, similar to a very fine emery cloth. Chrome tanned leather- Chromium salts used in the tanning process can and do react with the bluing agents used on firearms, causing the appearance of surface rust. These should be avoided. 1.) Most garment type leathers, including suedes, are chrome tanned. These can usually be identified by a gray colored "core" area of the leather that will show in a cut area, if the leather is heavy enough for it to be easily seen. Vegetable Tanned Leather This is the only leather that I've found suitable for linings because it doesn't appear to have the dust retention on suedes, or the chemical reaction of chrome tanned. Vegetable tanned leather is made to accept moisture readily, but this is halted by proper sealing of the surface. I use Leather Balm or Carnuba Creme for this. Often I don't even line the holster. If the leather that I'm using has a fine flesh side, I just use water to burnish this well, after dyeing, to give the interior a smooth, glossy look. End Plugs These are pieces sewn into the muzzle end of a holster to close it. I don't generally use them because they can hold debris and moisture. Leather Selection. A.) First decide if the holster is to be lined or not. This will determine how finely grained the flesh side of the leather needs to be. 1.) If lined, the nap isn't too important, but be sure that the section of the piece that you wiII use is blemish free; no slices or thin spots. 2.) If unlined~ choose a piece that has the tightest nap that you can find in addition to minimal blemishes. B.) If the holster is to be lined, choose the lining and leather at the same time so that you can be sure to get pieces that will total the desired weight when laminated. If, for example, you want 8 oz. leather, either get a piece of 4 oz. that's twice the size you need, or a nice 6 oz. and a 2 oz. like calf. Be sure that both pieces are as blemish free as possible in the area that you'll be using. Pattern Making A.) The first step in pattern making, and one that should be repeated frequently during all stages of preparation and fabrication, is to carefully make sure that the pistol is unloaded and the action is clear of rounds. This part can not be over-emphasized. Don't trust any one else during your inspection. B.) After insuring that the weapon is not loaded, take a large piece of brown paper, either shipping paper or a grocery bag, and fold it lengthwise down the center. You need to have a clean, crisp fold. After the crease is made, open the paper flat with the crease running away from you on the table. C.) Position the pistol with the bore pointing away from you for extra safety in such a manner so that the front sight blade is resting squarely in the crease that you made. Then you should center the notch in the rear sight and the center of the hammer (if one is exposed) on the crease as well. From here on the directions are for a right hand holster. For a left hand model, reverse the directions. D.) Carefully so you don't let the pistol move, lay it over to the left. While holding the pencil perfectly perpendicular to the paper, trace around the pistol from the end of the bore nearest the crease, along the barrel and trigger guard, grip, hammer, and back to the frame at the rear sight. 1.) While at this point, mark the top of the rear sight by a horizontal line drawn parallel to the crease and another from the line marking the end of the barrel across the crease. 2.) Move the pistol off off the paper and put it in a safe place. Then, before going any further, label the pattern RIGHT HANDED with make and model of pistol, including any information such as barrel length, frame type, sight or trigger modifications, etc. 3.) Trace in the outline of the holster, using points 3/4" away from the trigger guard and muzzle end of the barrel as start and end points. For the top of the holster, sketch in the cut line to expose as much of the trigger as you like and coming back up over the body of the pistol to the mark that you made for the rear sight. E.) Carefully cut out only the section that you have sketched for the holster. F.) Fold pattern in half: then carefully draw a line 3/4" away from and parallel to the crease. Then trace around the edge of the holster from the crease near the muzzle up to the top of the trigger guard. From the point at the top of the trigger guard, extend a line straight up the paper that is parallel to the line drawn near the crease. G.) By now you should have the rough pattern cut out and ready to check the fit around the pistol and to set the belt loop. After checking once again that the pistol is not loaded, fit the pattern around the pistol to check fit. 1.) If satisfied with the fit, carefully hold the pistol against your hip and feed the extra paper of the belt loop under your belt. 2.) Adjust the holster so that the pistol is positioned where you want to carry it and at the angle you want it to hang. Once you have this, pull the paper belt loop snug against your belt and make pencil marks at the top of the fold over the belt and trace the holster pattern onto the loop paper where ever it can be done. This should give you an idea of the hang of the loop and how much leather you need to remove to get it to hang the way that you want. H.) Store pistol and lay pattern back on table with belt loop extended. Draw and label a line for the fold at the top of the belt, then sketch in the shape of the belt loop. 1.) I usually leave 2 1/2" to 3" for the loop. I measure this in fom the fold side of the holster, then swing a nice smooth arc from the point at the top of the trigger guard to the top of the fold over the belt. 2.) To layout the pointed end of the belt loop, I usually measure 3/4" to 1" below the bottom of the belt at the center of the loop and make a mark. Then 1 swing an arc from what would be the bottom of my belt to this point. 3.) Once these lines are all sketched in, trim the pattern. L. This is the point where you have to make layout marks for a safety strap. There are three different types: a.) Trigger Strap. Travels over the top of the trigger guard to the holster body. Is usually stitched or riveted to the back of the holster in the belt loop, fed through a slot punched above the trigger guard and fastened to a snap on the body of the holster just below the trigger guard. b.) Hammer Strap. Goes between the hammer and the frame to the holster. Is usually stitched or riveted on the rear of the holster inside the belt loop, just between the hammer and the frame, then runs around the front, behind the hammer, and is fastened with a snap set just below the trigger guard. c.) Hammer Loop A slit leather tab that loops over the hammer. I don't recommend this type from a safety standpoint, but may be required for a period type piece. There are two different styles for the strap types. Solid A single unbroken strap from the area of the belt loop to the snap on the body of the holster. Thumb Break. A two piece strap joined by a snap set between the area of the belt loop and the holster body set in such a fashion that the thumb can be used to break the snap as the hand reaches for the pistol. Dependent upon which type of safety strap you decide, mark the areas of the pattern where these will be sewn, threaded, and. snapped. ASSEMBLY I.) Lay pattern on top of Ieather so that the "front" of the pattern (the side that you labeled is on the flesh side of the leather. Trace around the pattern with a pencil or chalk. a,) If you are going to line the holster. place the pattern so that the "front" of the pattern is on the grain side. You want this piece to be reversed so that the holster and liner can be cemented flesh side to flesh side. b.) Mark any places where you will need to punch holes for hardware. I use an awl or needle to pierce these points then fit the line and holster together to be sure the spots match. If they match, punch them. 2,) Cut out the parts, being careful to stay outside of pattern marks. With luck and skill, you should have a slight amount of extra room. This can be trimmed off after assembly, just before burnishing the edges. By allowing this slight extra allowance then trimming it away you should be able to eliminate or minimize any holes in the edge caused by inexact fit of the edges. 3.) The filler is used to insure that the holster stays spread open in the trigger area to prevent binding and rubbing on the trigger and or guard. It also prevents the holster leather from being stretched during molding, which could weaken it in this area. If you are going to use a filler around the trigger guard, now is the time to cut one. 1.) The filler should be the same thickness as the trigger guar,or at best, just slightly thinner. It should run from the high point of the holster in this area to where the holster begins to taper toward the barrel, just forward of the trigger guard. You should cut these strips about 3/4" wide and long enough so that you will have enough of them to laminate together to have the proper thickness. 2.) The filler should be skived to a near feather edge from near the center of its length to the bottom edge where it lays under the frame. 3.) I usually add a little extra to the top of the filler (above the point of the trigger guard area) to give me room to adjust fit and trim clean after assembly. a.) Cut strips to desired length, then scuff the grain side giving a better gripping surface for the cement. Laminate the pieces and lay them aside to set. 4.) If holster is to be carved or stamped, do it now. Be sure to tape the back with masking or duct tape to minimize stretching during tooling. 5.) Set hardware. If the holster is to be lined, laminate the holster to the liner, weight it down and put it aside to set. 7.) Check fit of holster around pistol.- Make any adjustments necessary now. a.) Mark your stitching line with the wing dividers. 1.) If you used a lining, this stitch line should be marked the whole way around the project to secure the lining. b.) Use the thonging chisel to cut your stitching holes in the holster and the filler. c.) Cement in filler. 8.) Dye the project a.) if Iined with vegetable tanned leather, dye and finish the liner. b.) If unlined, dampen the inside of the holster and use a piece of heavy scrap that you have molded into a sanding block to burnish the flesh side. Remember, as with all burnishing it doesn't require pressure but speed to build up the required friction to burnish properly. 9.) Stitch together using saddle stitch. a.) If lined, I start at the bottom of the front near where the holster bottom starts to run horizontal. I stitch the lining and holster together and continue around to where I start to stitch the back and front together, then continue up to the point above the trigger guard. From there I continue to stitch the lining and holster together around the front, continuing around the belt loop and closing off the stitching when I return to the point above the trigger guard. 10) After stitching, use a sharp knife to trim the edges even. If necessary, you can touch them up with sand paper to be sure that they are smooth and flush. 11.) Bevel the edges. Dress them for burnishing in the manner of your choice (ie. Edge Coat, Gum Tragacanth). I prefer water. 12.) Burnish the edges until they look hard and shiny. If trimmed and burnished propedy the seam where the pieces join should be nearly invisible, 13.) Wrap the pistol in several layers of plastic wrap, wet the holster and push the pistol in. Work the damp leather around the contours of the pistol then set it aside to dry. 14.) After completely dry, remove the pistol and condition the leather with your favorite conditioner. Johanna & John L. Henry Jr. Macon GA

Fisherman's Bend: secures as end is pulled Clove Hitch (Builder's Hitch): for fastening staging Timber Hitch: holds w/o slipping or jamming Sheet Bend (Weaver's Knot): used to join ropes, threads & yarns. Used on ships and in textile mills Fisherman's Knot: strongest method of joining fine lines Surgeon's Knot: Modified from the reef knot Reef Knot: (Square Knot) : Should never be used as a bend Figure 8 Knot: a temporary knot * a "bend" is the joining of two separate ropes together Johanna

I flipped it for you. Wow. Love the detail on the dragon scales. Is that done with a heat tool? I remember as a kid using a magnifying glass and sunshine to burn designs onto wood. (Probably lucky I didn't start a major fire!) Obviously, your method is a lot more precise and gives you better control. Thanks for sharing! Johanna

http://www.pslg.org/ The Prairie States Leather Guild has a new website, thanks to Joe Holman. The PSLG meets in Downers Grove, Illinios, and was formed in 1955. It is an active member of the Midwest Federation of Leather Guilds and a member of the IFoLG. Membership includes a monthly newsletter. Sign up here.

Whinewine- can you give us a tease about the article? maybe a pic or a description of the process(es)? Doggone it, I'm gonna have to renew my sub to the LC & SJ again! Johanna

I get the most interesting mail! This artist is from Brazil or Minnesota, not sure, and here is his description of his work: I have been crafting my maps on leather using technique called PYROGRAPHY. Pyrography is the skill of using fire to create art. PYRO means fire and GRAPH means art. Perhaps the first art was done by the caveman on a piece of animal skin with a stick of burning wood. The maps I make are entirely done by hand which makes every piece very unique. In my work I use fine ox leather, simple tools and well practiced fire engraving methods. All the lines and shades are burned into the leather thus impossible to erase or fade. Dyes are applied to the skin to create deeper shades and contrasts. Next, the surface is coated with plant solution to protect it against time and insects. Finally, natural paste is applied to attain fine finish. The completed piece can be hanged with wooden rods and leather straps or enclosed into a wooden frame to complement any setting whetter it is home or office. My maps are highly decorative, elegant and engaging. They make unforgettable souvenir, unique gift or breathtaking decoration which only becomes more beautiful with time. Because I use raw leather and hand tools each piece is slightly distinct and projects its individuality. See examples at mapsonleather.com Be sure to look at the colored versions, too: http://www.mapsonleather.com/coucol75100ab.html It's not a very easy site to navigate, but click here and hover your cursor over "List of maps". After you make your selection, hover your cursor on the small images, and the picture will display in a larger size on the right side of the screen. I was really impressed with the detail the artist/historian includes in all the pieces. I would guess that when paper was cost prohibitive and fragile, many a map was made in this fashion- even after a rough storm at sea, you could read it! Has anyone here ever tried pyrography? I've seen examples of it, but never anything on this order. I emailed the artist and invited him to have a look around leatherworker.net. Johanna

Hidecrafters has some good deals right now- old and new items, with Dale Hietala's bear on the cover. You can view the flyer here: http://www.hidecrafter.com/uploads/HC_DIGE...AN-FEB_2007.pdf You'll need a pdf reader...get it here: http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html Anyone have Jim McGuire's "Hints & Tips" coffeetable book yet? It was compiled from old issues of the LC & SJ. What do you think? Johanna

Beautiful! I like the round braid, too. Adds to the elegance of the clean design. Thanks for sharing! (you do make the blades, too, don't you?) Johanna

In this month's PSLAC newsletter, there is a fascinating article about the production process of Bob's tools, written by Norm Lynds, an accomplished toolmaker himself. I knew there was a lot that went into making these high quality tools, but didn't know just how much is done by hand. You can go to the PSLAC site and click "public index" or go here: http://pslac.org/public/01_jan07.pdf You will need a pdf reader to view the newsletter. The free one from Adobe can be obtained here: http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html This month's newsletter also has an informative lesson in bookbinding, and a Tandy press relese (Wray Thompson is stepping down) as well as other items of interest to leatherworkers. Check it out! PSLAC is one of the best leatherworking resources available, and if you join, you get to see more than you would have guessed. Tell 'em Johanna sent you! Johanna

Okay, some latigo will bleed, but the *better* brands bleed very little. Of course, I do not know the current market for latigo, because I haven't sold/bought latigo since...ummm...1998. Does Leather Balm w/ Atom Wax help? Or is another sealer more effective? Just curious. Johanna

Dale, I love looking at your work. When did you know you were going to be an artist? In addition to the careful detail that identifies your work, you have an eye for color. Do you work in other mediums than leather, too? Thanks for sharing...I would enjoy seeing anything you are working on, any time, leather or not. Johanna

Latigo isn't meant to be dyed by the consumer/producer. The oils, waxes and dyes the tannery injects during the manufacture don't really allow much penetration of liquid dyes or conditioners. Latigo will seldom, if ever, bleed, even when soaking wet from water or sweat. Real latigo won't show "chips" or scratches, either, because the color is all the way though, unlike vegetable tanned leather. Latigo is stiffer and, though nice to look at, probably overkill for human restraints, and expensive if you get into commercial production. Latigo is made in many colors, from gentle browns to reds to blacks. Siegels of California and Wickett & Craig will probably send you samples, if you ask. Latigo doesn't need "sealer" like Super Shene. Just watch your girlfriend's skin for irritation, as sweat can sometimes cause chemicals to leach out of the leather and cause a reaction (good advice, latigo or not!) Usually it's just itchy, but if the skin gets broken (from scratching, for example) infection may set in if the leather is exposed to raw skin. (Any leather, not just latigo.) The reason the Shene peeled is that the latigo leather can't absorb it like veggie tanned leather. Regular veggie tanned leather is suitable for your purposes, and you may want to experiment for different effects. It is possible to stamp some hides of latigo, but difficult. If you do, prepare to wet it thouroughly, let it soak in, press it for a long time and still be unhappy with the results. Make sure any leather you choose is dampened and buffed smooth on the side that will touch her skin. Rub it with sheeps wool intil it shines and is smooth, then do it for another hour. Even better, line it with some soft sheepskin for comfort. Latigo won't stretch as much as veggie tanned, but vegetable leather won't stretch enough to matter. She's a woman, not a horse. Okay, I'm taking the liberty of adding you to the "adult only" area because I don't want to say much more on the main board and risk offending someone. I'm looking forward to talking with you more, and there are some other folks here that know lots more than me and have better imaginations. I'm not trying to discourage your posting at all, so please don't misunderstand. You sound like you've been at this long enough to understand discretion. Johanna