sbrownn

I have found that there is a limit to how far down the road I can go trying to fix something and sometimes the garbage can is my best solution. Eventually I learned to pretty accurately determine what might be fixable and what would just be a waste of time. Come up with a solution you think might work and try it. If it doesn't work then write it off as a lesson learned and make another holster that's even better. I have also found that no matter how well I think I have done on a piece there is always room for improvement.

The answer to both of the questions probably has something to do with the size of the market. The smaller the market the less a company wants to invest in a redesign and the higher the unit cost of production that must be recouped.

I use the single toe foot when I want to sew up close to something. An example would be the stitching on a leatherman tool sheath. I use the right single toe foot more than any of the other feet I have and in fact I leave it on most of the time for everything.

I use Skidmore's Leather Cream on everything I make and use that is leather. I have used it on my motorcycle seat for years and in fact that is how I first discovered it; it was shipped with a custom leather motorcycle seat I had made.

One positive about vacuum bagging is that the vacuum process removes the excess water from the leather the same as it removes water from an air conditioning system; it lowers the pressure in the bag to below the vapor pressure of the water and "boils" it off. This allows extra leeway in the moisture content of the leather and speeds up the "drying" process. Without getting the leather pretty wet I have found it difficult to create the kind of detail desired. I make my holsters from two layers of 3 oz bridle leather so I have an outer layer and an inner liner layer. I soak both pieces and then wet mold them by vacuum bagging before gluing. This allows the two pieces to form independently and they can slip and adjust to each other. After they have been purged of excess moisture during the vacuum bagging process I apply contact cement to the inside of both layers and vacuum bag them again while the cement is still wet to compress the two layers together. I realize this process seems time consuming but it does result in a really nice holster. I don't bother to detail my holsters anymore that what the vacuum process achieves as I don't really see the the purpose other than decoration.

Exactly A $100 vacccum pump and bag will solve most of the issues.

If I were stitching that I might try a longer stitch length.

As long as you are set up to spray dye you should probably also spray the finishes. I haven't run into the problems you are encountering but I would guess that if you spray dyed damp leather it would feather out following the moisture in directions you don't want it to. If I were doing what you are thinking of I would dye dry, let the dye dry and then spray the finish. The only time I use any finish is after I have laser embossed something and then it is to keep the embossment from smearing.

I've gotten so I only work in pre colored bridle leather anymore and I don't bother to finish it because it doesn't need it. There are lots of colors, more uniformly dyed than I could ever do, it holds stamps well, can be dyed over and doesn't cost any more that good quality veg tan. I like the Chahin leather in the desert colors sold by American Leather Direct. You can order it in various colors and thicknesses and one of the nice things about it is that after it has been split down they paste the back side very nicely so you don't have to do it yourself.

Looks great.

I run my brush at about 5 psi.

Yes, you have to be very careful as you progress to the darker colors to make sure your overspray doesn't obscure the previous colors you have laid down. In order to control overspray I thin my dye down, turn my airbrush pressure way down and pay attention to the angle I am spraying at. Are you using an airbrush that lets you control the spray with the button on the gun?

When I do my "traditional" sunburst I use English Tan bridle leather as my strap material and it's natural color forms the base layer color. They have a Yellow Thistle color that is brighter so I may try it next. I like that pebbled finish on your strap.

I guess it depends on what type of awl you are using. I use a Palosanto awl and it's edges do not taper at all. It came sharp and I keep it that way and find it is much easier to use than my other awls that do have tapered edges.

Take a look at some pictures of brown sunburst guitar tops to get an idea of the colors used. I do a more traditional sunburst and usually use at least four colors: purple/red/orange and yellow.

" are awls supposed to be sharp?" Yes, they should be sharp on the edges and pointed as well. Different sized awls are used for the different sized holes needed for the different sized threads.

I was told cheap tools won't sharpen but I'll give it a try and go from there...wish me luck I think that "cheap" tools might not hold an edge as well as some of the tools made from better steel but I'm pretty sure you will be able to get them sharp. I have some expensive knives that don't hold an edge either...I think the key is in the kind of steel used to make the knife from the beginning.

BuckleGuy is an online store. In my experience, you don't have to be afraid of buying leather from them sight unseen.

Well, it does allow you to make really nice looking things before you learn how to do professional level dying but the main reason I like it is because it has allowed me to concentrate on other aspects of my leatherwork like edges, and stitching and still end up with a nice looking piece. I usually don't bother to apply a finish to the projects I make out of bridle leather either; not that it doesn't make them look "shinier" because it does, but I don't see enough gain to bother anymore. The "stuffed" leathers are pretty weather resistant as they come from the tanning process so I leave it up to the customer to apply a finish if they so desire.

You can buy panels of bridle leather in a variety of colors and weights from Buckleguy. My suggestion would be to try using some pre-dyed, high quality bridle leather for your wallet project that has already been split down.

I can't say enough good things about the edgers made by Ron's tools. For thin leather like you are working with I especially like the Montana edgers.

I wish there was one though.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong but I don't think there is such a thing as a "saddle stitch machine". As far as I know all sewing machines of this type employ a lock stitch.

I've almost completely quit dying edges at all. I think that slicked and polished undyed edges are quite appealing. That's not to say that some of the dyed and polished edges aren't very pretty, because they are but why cover up the "natural" look of the leather?

Thanks, that makes more sense.