Johanna

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

It Does Make You Feel Good, 1. Falling in love. 2. Laughing so hard your face hurts. 3. A hot shower. 4. No lines at the supermarket. 5. A special glance. 6. Getting mail. 7. Taking a drive on a pretty road. 8. Hearing your favorite song on the radio. 9. Lying in bed listening to the rain outside. 10. Hot towels fresh out of the dryer. 11. Chocolate milkshake (vanilla or strawberry). 12. A bubble bath. 13. Giggling. 14. A good conversation. 15. The beach 16. Finding a 20 dollar bill in your coat from last winter. 17. Laughing at yourself. 18. Looking into their eyes and knowing they Love you 19. Midnight phone calls that last for hours. 20. Running through sprinklers. 21. Laughing for absolutely no reason at all. 22. Having someone tell you that you're beautiful. 23 Laughing at an inside joke. 24. Friends. 25. Accidentally overhearing someone say something nice about you. 26. Waking up and realizing you still have a few hours left to sleep. 27. Your first kiss (either the very first or with a new partner). 28. Making new friends or spending time with old ones. 29. Playing with a puppy. 30. Having someone play with your hair. 31. Sweet dreams. 32. Hot chocolate. 33. Road trips with friends. 34. Swinging on swings. 35. Making eye contact with a stranger. 36. Making chocolate chip cookies. 37. Having your friends send you homemade cookies. 38 Holding hands with someone you care about. 39. Running into an old friend and realizing that some things (good or bad) never change. 40. Watching the expression on someone's face as they open a much desired present from you. 41. Watching the sunrise. 42. Getting out of bed every morning and being grateful for another beautiful day. 43. Knowing that somebody misses you. 44. Getting a hug from someone you care about deeply. 45. Knowing you've done the right thing,no matter what other people think. Lord keep Your arm around my shoulder and Your hand over my mouth.

I stumbled on this page by accident. I had forgotten how many different kinds of awls there were.

Welcome to leatherworker.net! Your welcome sign is very strikingly handsome. Glad to have you here! Johanna

Clay Banyai's illustrated guide to figure carving Johanna

ClayB's Figure Carving Tutorial Step by step instructions, written and illustrated by Clay Banyai. Outstanding demonstration of figure carving. (Thank you thank you Clay!) Johanna

Hey Freak, When you are dyeing leather, you have to let the leather pull the dye off the brush. Because hides vary in their absorbency, I can't tell you to hold this type of brush at this angle, because that won't work. Always turn the work, not yourself, and work so your arm only drags over the part you haven't painted yet. The last time I dyed a belt, what Clay said about glasses was apparent. I am 41, and don't "need" glasses, but I can't see like I could at 40, either. This is especially noticeable trying to get splinters out of the hands or feet of squirming kids and trying to do intricate or delicate dye work. My mom says that when her arms got too short to adjust the distance between her nose and the newspaper, she had to get glasses, too. She calls it "presbyopia". For items you really can't afford to mess up, whether painting or doing filigree, you can't go wrong with a good adjustable arm light in the shop. For whatever reason, the shadows I could tolerate in my twenties have become nuisances now. I try to remember to go slowly, and not be distracted while I'm working, but with four kids, it's not realistic, so the light helps a lot. Johanna

FWIW, for anyone else reading this, lime juice works almost as well as lemon, and orange juice does not work at all. Oxalic acid is strong enough to justify a warning or two, like follow dilution directions well, and don't let it in contact with your skin. Barb, I'm glad your piece turned out all right. These guys are great, aren't they? Johanna

In my dad's family, and my kids' dad's family, Mon Valley born and raised, we have a saying, "If it's brown, flush it down!" I'm not "into" football either, but I'd never admit to liking any other team than the Steelers. If I did, my immediate funeral would only consist of my mom's family, who are unaware of any other football team than Ohio State University (which is college, not NFL, and then I'd root for Penn State!) Go Buckeyes! Johanna

You are a Steelers fan, Holly, please tell me that's true? I am embarrassed, I married a Bengals fan. At least I know he's a loyal man. LOL Nice work, Holly! Johanna

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-2506806,00.html The wristbands on the wiis are too weak, and people are inadvertently smashing their tvs, coffee tables and friends when the remote flies out of their hands as the strap breaks. Nintendo has decided to replace all the wristbands with a stronger kind (thicker nylon!) at considerable expense. Another example of "do it right the first time so you don't have to do it over". Johanna

Did he call yet? Foam. The kind you buy by the thickness from the fabric store. It's not expensive, and it's useful to have some in the shop. Put some Cabretta on the back, stitch it in place and he will be thrilled. The hardest part to guitar straps is remembering to look at the guitar and see how they will connect best, and then measuring the person with the guitar at the height they want to wear it (gotta be just right when stitching in padding or carving designs) You can make the straps adjustable, but charge more. Measure the one he's using now and go by it rather than any measurement he gives you over the phone. LOL Hope you pick up the job, can't wait to see pics. Johanna

Paul Burnett (PaintingCow Leather) is another leather feather master. I posted a picture of the earrings he made for me somewhere on this board. Chris Kearns, president of the PittPounders Leather Guild in Pittsburgh, Pa. is another leather feather expert. Johanna

I like Leather Balm with Atom Wax, but if you're not really careful, it will gunk up carved pieces. It is not the ideal finish for things that will be expected to get wet. It is water resistant, not water proof. You cannot beat black Leather Balm with Atom Wax if you do biker gear restoration and cleaning. You apply it, and then buff it until your elbow cramps, and it will make the leather look brand new, without staining any of the hardware. I never had a biker complain about it running in the rain (probably because of the heavy drum dyed leather most commercial saddlebags are made out of) and I've never had a problem with the finish cracking or leeching on belts and other personal items intended to flex. I do think it allows Neatsfoot and other preservative oils to penetrate better over time, and some leather is more thirsty than others. I don't finish things with plain Lexol after I've used any antique, ever, because it will likely bleed. Lexol (or I personally like Dr. Jackson's Hide Rejuvenator) can be used for natural leathers that aren't going to be exposed to weather, but without a sealant coat, the piece will be succeptible to water damage, whether it's spotting or extra markings. Neutral shoe polish is another good "water resister", but not a substitute for a sealant finish over antiqued and, sometimes, spirit or oil dyed leather. For carved leather that isn't expected to flex much, spray Neat Lac is quick, easy and pretty, and effective, just make sure you have good ventilation and that you don't spray "runs" into your work. Mist it evenly in light coats, because two applications is better than one sloppy one. Johanna

I always liked it when my customers left stuff up to my judgement, instead of insisting they have frogs or something stamped on their checkbooks! LOL Holly, lace a little on one side with one color, and a little on the other with the lighter color. Do a variegated braid for fun in another sopt. Then put the project away and go play with Ethan for a few hours. When you come back and take a look at it, you'll know what's right for the work. Then just cut out what you don't like. Johanna