TSes

Really good job. Are you drawing your own carving patterns yet?

I like the Weaver Master Tools edgers. The 1,2, and 3 are the most used. I have 4, and 5 but they are seldom used.

Bridle leather will work great for a belt. The break in period will be longer than tooling leather, but it will eventually soften with use.

Very nice work. I like the knife also. Reminds me of an old Bob Loveless style knife, but I don't know for sure if he ever used Damascus.

I think fredk pretty well explained the physical differences. You can tell the age by how the tool is stamped. If the marking is Craftool USA followed by the tool number, it was made in 1970 or later. Earlier tools didn't have USA on them.

It doesn't look like you used a beveling tool on it. Make sure the tool number starts with a "B".

The first thing you want to do is check your snaps and make sure they will work on 14 oz. of leather. That's pretty thick, and standard size snaps won't work. You may have to install the snaps on one piece of leather before gluing together.

We get them locally from Columbus Fastener in Columbus Ohio. 5/32" diam., and grip size 1/16-1/8. I'm sure they are available lots of places.

If you go to the Weaver page the Vikefan listed and scroll down a little from the bells, you'll also see solid brass mounting pins for the cast bells. Click on the pin picture, and it will show you how to use them. We've been using them for years, and never had a failure. The stamped type bells that Mark842 mentioned, can be riveted to a strap using a pop rivet gun, going through the back of the strap, and into the bell.

That should work.

Pure neatsfoot oil.

Answering your questions in order: 1. I prefer to use a darker antique than the dye color. It makes a higher contrast look that I like. Using the same color will work, but the contrast will be lighter ( if any at all ) so it depends on the look you are trying to achieve. 2. Yes. A final finish coat will protect the antique. The traditional steps are: light coat of oil (optional), dye (optional), resist, antique, and final coat. 3: Yes. Most of the older work you see is not dyed. Similar steps as #2. Oil (optional), resist, antique, finish. Also, I still use a lot ot the eco-flo gel. Very easy to use, and gives natural leather a real nice color. I like the Briar brown, and Mahogany. Hope this helps.

It doesn't take too much since only the surface will be compressed. Wipe the surface with a wet sponge and when the natural color starts coming back, you're ready to go.

1) If you close the adjustable creaser all the way, the creased line would be very wide, since both edges are working together. That would be OK on certain projects, but a single edge crease ( using either tool) is usually prefered. Your example is single edge. 2) The less expensive tool will work fine. (Wetting the leather is the best way to crease.)

I really like the coloring of the carved areas on all the items you have shown us. It looks too dark to be an oil, resist, antique finish, so I'm guessing you dye the leather saddle tan, or tan, and then resist and antique. I also like the unusual bolster application. I don't think I have ever seen that before. Overall, it's a very attractive, and well made set.

Most traditional Sheridan tooling is done with a handful of tools. Checkered steep bevelers, horizontal lined thumbprint (elongated pear shader), thin veiners, bargrounders (background tool), under-cut bevelers, leaf liners, and flower center shaders are the main tools used. Tandy offers a couple (thumbprint and veiners) in their higher priced tools, but you will probably have to get most of them from a custom maker. All come in a variety of sizes to fit your work size. I like Barry King tools, but there are several options. I would recommend looking at the book "Sheridan Style Carving" by Bob Likewise. It's the best book on Sheridan tooling I've come across.

Really nice looking holsters. Is that standard swivel knife tooling, or did you use something different?

You can't use a chisel on both good sides and put them together with both good sides out. The chisel holes will be oriented in opposite directions. Best to do both layers at once.

Just click on the envelope icon at the top of this page and compose a message with your name and address. Send the message to TSes I'm glad someone can get some use out of it.

Are you looking for an S628? I have one I'll give you for free. I picked up a handful of tools from a friend and have one of these already. The previous owner ground a flat spot on the shaft so he could line up the stamp easier. The actual stamp engraving is perfect. Send me your address and I'll ship it to you free of charge. Tom

A Loveless cam is nothing more than a small bump that is added to the inside of the welt. When the knife is put in the sheath, the finger guard slides over the bump, and pops into place just below the bump. It helps keep the knife in the sheath. Google "Loveless cam" and you can find some more technical explanations. Not all knives are suited for this.

Just beautiful. A true piece of art.

Beautiful work. If I may ask, what did you use as a resist?

Great job on the leather work and the scales. What I like to do on a knife with a wide finger guard, is to taper the spacer pieces so that they are thick at the top, and thin at the bottom. That way the guard fits in correctly, and the sheath tapers down so there is no spacer (or just a small amount to protect the stitching) on the lower part. Really helps on the stitching.