Hilly

I've seen chrome tan sides as low as $.99 sq.ft. at leather unlimited . You just have to watch the sales because these don't happen very often. I'm not sure, but I believe they also sell pieces of leather, but the cost per sq. ft. is probably high. I've seen chap sides on sale at Tandy for $1.99 sq.ft. This happens about 2 times per year. On the Leatherworker main page, there are links to other suppliers who might run the occasional sale. Good luck, and please share a photo of your work!

My suggestion to you would be to order C.S.Osborne diamond point awl from Tandy. This awl is a one piece deal and the blade is fixed, so no need to choose hafts/blades combos. Cost: $17.99 USD for the whole thing. It's cheap enough, simple to choose which haft and blade , needs a bit of a tune up, but will work well for quite some time if treated properly. I bought one 2 years ago, and it still works fine for me, and I've used the heck out of it. Once it's sharp enough, a good stropping once in a while, and a small cake of beeswax to stick the tip of the blade into between stitches, and you're good to go. Hope this helps you some.

I have heard that the Douglas awls come sharp. Some day I will have to order one from him. Are they expensive, Marlon? In the meantime, I use an Osborne I got from Tandy, and also, a really fine blade sent to me by another member here, in an Osborne haft I purchased.

I have had these "new" type of lenses for years. They are called trifocals. Once you have them, you won't go back to bifocals.

I have found with Hide Crafters that the best way to get what you want/need is to call them. Their website has been less than stellar for quite some time now. Good luck Hilly

Unless you are making a really heavy/chunky type of band, I would probably avoid the diamond point 4 prong punch, as the holes it makes really are too large and far apart for something so small. But, this is only my opinion... I have no experience with those sewing awls, so I don't know if you can switch the needle out for an awl. My suggestion would be to get a diamond point awl (made by C.S.Osborne and sold at Tandy), and the book "The Art of Hand Sewing Leather" by Al Stohlman (also available at Tandy), some waxed linen thread and harness needles (also at Tandy) and give saddle stitching a try. You might find it works better for you than that sewing awl. The only problem with the diamond point awl, is that they never come sharp enough right out of the box. You will need to "tune up" the blade a bit, and keep it stropped. Then it should be easy to pierce even thick leather with it. Let us know what you decide to do, and please post pictures of your cool projects! We all love pictures! Hope this was at least a little bit helpful. Hilly

May I suggest "The Art of Making Leather Cases" series by Al Stohlman. These are by FAR the most informative books I have ever bought. They don't go into carving or tooling, but the basics of making nearly any type of case you can imagine. I also highly recommend "The Art of Hand Sewing Leather" by Al Stohlman. Unless you have an expensive leather stitching machine, this book is worth it's weight in gold. Learning the basics first is a good idea. The rest will follow in time. Hilly

True, pronging chisels are made for lacing, but these are made for saddle stitching.

I'd get the "basic 7" from Tandy to start out with. Go HERE to check it out. These will do most of what you want to do.

That's a great idea, Luke! Can you show us a photo of a project you used this modified 4 prong punch on?

I would never even consider one of those 4 hole punches for something as fine as a watch band . They make very large holes, and it takes very heavy thread (spelled R-O-P-E) to fill them. Your best bet would be to get yourself a good awl haft and a very fine blade for it. I belive Bob Douglas (307)737-2222 sells what you are looking for. You also might try getting a pricking iron instead of using your stitching wheel. They don't punch holes, but work like a stitching wheel, showing where your awl needs to pierce the leather, and the angle it needs to be used at. I'd also like to suggest the book "The Art of Hand Sewing Leather" by Al Stohlman. It is packed with useful information on the proper techniques of hand sewing leather. Worth every dime. The best way to get perfect hand stitching is to practice......... a lot. Form your stitches the exact same way each and every stitch. Pull them the same tightness every time. Hope this has helped. Please post photos of your work when you finish! Hilly

Wow, I can see you've done this before! Very nice job!

Beautiful! I have always adored hummingbirds! I really like your colors, too. Not too vivid, not too dull. What did you use to dye it, and how did you apply?

Are you planning on using it exclusively for spraying dyes, or do you want one that's more versatile? If all you're doing is using it for running an airbrush, I'd invest in one of those silent compressors. You can park it right next to you, and not need a mile of hose, or have to listen to a noisy compressor.

Thanks for the tutorial, Tim! I will have to try this out when my new Barry King basket stamps get here! I'll let you know how it goes.

This comin' from someone who's still shiney! Why don't you lie with the rest of us???

Under 30 means 29.....................................................................again!

Happy Birthday, Barra!

Don't know if they still have them or not, but last I heard, Walmarx was selling small laptops for $199. Had about a 10" screen.

Yes! Thanks for that tip! How did you figure that out?

It still does it for me, and it's a PITA. I always get the following message: "Web page has expired"

What type of "bag" are you wanting to make? A handbag? A golf club bag? A luggage type of bag? There's different weights of chome tanned leather, such as used in making chaps, clothing, upholstery, etc.

How 'bout Eeeeewwwww! Or maybe Speeeeeewww!

The brother-in-law's Ford truck burned to a crisp a few months ago. Something with the ignition switch, I think. It was old, but insured. He got over 5K for a truck I wouldn't have paid $50 for.

I am in the process of making a album cover as a Christmas gift. The front is carved in the Sheridan style, and the back is all finger carved. In the center of the back, as a decoration, I would like to use a slotted concho with some thin, soft, "saddle strings". My questions are these: How are slotted conchos attached? What sizes can you get them in? I would like to find a big one - maybe as large as 2 1/2". Any suggestions as to where I might find something like this? I don't want a cheapie like Tandy sells, but I don't want to pay through the nose, either. A nice sterling or sterling plated engraved version would be really nice... But maybe I'm just dreaming...