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barra posted this great pdf link awhile back. it'll explain the different needle types: http://www.visla.net/upload/acsses//SMN15_English.pdf

Nice job. I like the color of the letter. Beats making wallets...lol

You'll be fine, just take your time. I've been sewing a few on with my Adler 30-1. Makes doing sleeve patches a breeze, and you can go as slow as you like. A patcher is a must if you get into this stuff. You can repair sleeve zippers, go through small holes in the lining to get somewhere, etc. Try and find an old Adler, or Singer. It will put you in better position to take on more jobs. Full backs, and rockers, though need a flatbed, or you'll be there all day.

Here's their website, and how to contact them: http://www.rmwilliams.com.au/home.asp?page...4C0B1BA49339AE4

Looks like a nice stamp. I like the style too. Out of curiosity, how much?

Quick answer: For tooling, it's got to be natural vegetable tan. The others don't hold the impressions well.

Yikes!!!That would get me mad ,too. Getting off grid, unfortunately, is a very expensive operation. With the amount of usage you have, you aren't going to get away with anything cheap. My builder/spidey sense tells me you'll need some $25,000 US to get near that kind of wattage. Hopefully in Canada they have some sort of writeoffs/incentive for you. In the meantime, read all you can about DIY alternative energy projects, and start with something small like your hot water, which is one of the bigger culprits in power consumption. The newest thing I just read was that the new LCD TVs are big power users. Living in Canada, I'm sure you've done, or have all the basics like good windows and insulation, and a computer thermostat. Before I had my shop, it was about 150-200 US for us, here in NC, but now it hovers at 300 US, so I started tacking that extra cost onto my products. This country/state hasn't shown a willingness to make a major conversion to alternatives. Hopefully those things will change.

I also found this from sheffield supply. They have them..see page 72 in this pdf.... http://www.sheffieldsupply.com/catalog/SupplyCat.pdf

Sorry, didn't realize it was the same place. They are hard to find, that's sure. How about this one? http://www.texasknife.com/vcom/product_inf...roducts_id=2100

try this site http://www.knifekits.com/vcom/index.php?cPath=41_56

Dyeing leather is an art in itself. You must practice, experiment, and learn. Using a spray brush maybe the most accurate way to obtain the true color from your dye. By spraying light at first, you can control it better, and spray again to darken. Out of the bottle colors may not match your perception of the look you want. You will have to learn to thin the colors to your liking with the appropriate thinners. Lately, my favorite way is to use oil dyes mixed with neatsfoot. I mix them together until I get what color I think I want, stir well, then test on scrap. It's not perfect, but it brings out some cool effects. The actual application can be tricky too. Using a dauber gets one sort of penetration. Using a cloth, whether soaked or dry, to rub in gets another. There are deglazers, and dye preps that change things up to. Ask a thousand leatherworkers, and you'll get a thousand different answers, and every one will have a tip that you incorporate into your processes, that eventually determines your own styles and colors. Read all you can here on the forum by doing searches for color and dyeing. Get books from Stohlman, Feibings, and Tandy. Read them all, and test out the theories you learn. Guess what, even after 40 yrs, you'll still be learning.

Welcome to the Forum ziggycash. You'll fit right in, there's a pretty good group of skull fans here.Use the search function in the top right hand menu, but if that keeps you too busy, just pick up some more leather and start toolin'...

A good first attempt. You got to pattern design, pattern cut, mold, and handstitch...all good things. Kip is probably the wrong weight leather, though. Handstitching can bunch up such thin leather, and not look as good as all the effort put in. Although molding is easy, case strength is minimal. Maybe try a 3/4 oz next time.

Nicely thought out. At first I wasn't sure a good draw grip could be achieved, but then I see your finger can slide down between the back pieces near the trigger. Interesting.

I'll be here on the NC side of those mountains, if you want better barbecue...lol. In the US, if you have money, there's some good doctoring going on here. "If you ain't got the money, Honey", it can be devastating. That's the US, Ray, from one extreme to the other, and everything in between... We want pictures! of you sitting on top of a Smokey's Mountain, on one of them thar three legged things...lol

Jordan, The only thing better than that bike would be that bike with baseball cards with clothespins...coolest evah!

I keep reading and listening, but I'm still confused by the semantics. I still believe it's the personal responsibility that is the key, not the tools (hands or machine). So, I design a wallet. I have a metalworker make dies. I have the parts clicked out. Bring them home, and design a graphic on my computer for the wallet carving. I have a laser etch the design onto the leather, then use my compressor and airbrush to stain and color. Then I hand glue and assemble. Using my Toro 300, I sew it together. I sell it at the Festival. There is the dilemna!!!! Is it hand made, hand crafted, or just simply made by Me? In the medieval days, the best smithy used all the tools at his disposal, be it the new forge designed, or some specially crafted tool. In this modern age, we do the same thing. Is our product some mutant beast, or still a product made by a creative individual as opposed to a conglomerate output? Using semantics, the only true craftsman would hunt and kill with his hands, butcher, and tan with his teeth, and thong together with strips of torn bark. I refuse to be classified. If anyone asks.."I made it."

First off, the word Craft has been so watered down it is inconsequential. Check the internet and you will see millions of pages under "Arts and Craft",all claiming hand made, or handcrafted, most of them containing instructions on how to stitch a felt wallet together with yarn, or painting a baloon with nail polish (pardon my hyperbole). It has become meaningless. I prefer to ignore the word. I prefer to consider what I do full time as a trade. Oh sure, I attempt to make what some might consider art at times, but for the most part, my trade is making or repairing useful items for those that need, in exchange for something of equal value, be it money, or chickens... Creating the Sistine Chapel every time I sat at my bench would drive me mad in just a brief time. Sometimes you just have to make a simple belt. I understand what Seth was attempting to say, but I believe he is also wrong in his distinctions. Traditionally handmade and handcrafted are synonymous. A sewing machine is a machine, but it was invented in 1790. If I sew by hand, I just make that distinction..."handsewn". Many clients may prefer it, for different reasons, and some can even afford it...lol. My friend made a small hammer for me on his metal lathe, but it was him doing the turning. As far as I'm concerned, it was hand made. Hand made, Hand crafted can mean many things to many people. Ask 10,000 people, and you'll get 10,001 different definitions. But I think everyone can make the distinction between a mass produced mechanized product, and something that comes out of some guys shop. So. whether you call what you do as being a leathercrafter, leathersmith, leatherworker, or whatever, it all comes down to the fact that you made it. I don't think we should make such big distinctions between hand made, handcrafted, etc. A museum commission to make a replica holster might require a "purist" approach but whether you hand build the machines you use, or buy them, they are still machines, but nobody would claim the products weren't hand made. And that mostly means that you as an individual are reponsible for the creation of the product. -quick rant #37890882 but if you disagree, go ahead.

I use Zack's horse butt for holsters. I can get 2 out of most of them. Ed, They are small width wise, maybe 12" on the big ones, 8" to 10" on most, and maybe 36-40" long, tapered at both ends. If you want to make bags, it won't do.

It sounds more like the mouse driver than your browsers. Reinstall that software, if you are using like a logitech mouse which comes with software. Under advanced options in either browser, there is usually a check box for autoscroll, and smooth scroll, look at those... Whenever you upgrade, any browser will have some glitch. Firefox is starting to get bloated, and when you use all the extension add ons, like me, it can get pretty flukey. My list of favorite browsers in order: Firefox Opera Safari Google Chrome (this one may surpass them all soon, but Google's privacy issues bug me. IE

Ahhh...BTS! Their sense of form appealed to me way back... Back in the 70s, there were quite a few buckle mfgs producing fine quality. Among them were BTS, Indiana MetalCraft, Wyoming Art Studio, Waterbury Buckles, and many others. I'm not sure BTS is around. Some of them were Brass Foundries to begin with, and when the buckle rage dissipated so did their multitudes of choice. I think some of them still make custom runs, but those are more expensive, (and have minimum orders) than just a regular wholesale production buckle. I still have about 100 of those vintage type buckles around. They sell on ebay for 15-20 each. I used to buy them for under 2.50.

very interesting wallet design! the bear looks like a bear, you sure are doing great. too bad you don't have a nice strop board for your swivel...lol

Yep, your on your way. Props to anyone who handsews an entire belt! That's a nice buckle, too. Where did you get it. I'm looking for a new supply of brass buckles, and I'm bored with the ones I see,

Frank, Hidepounder..Nice stuff. That's why I like it here. Everyone shares. The last time I was even near a horse was years ago, so I don't know about the curve for shoulders. If I ever get the chance to do this again, I'll ask if I can fit it to the animal myself. If you were to put a straight edge across the bottom of the main body pieces, how many inches is the rise in the curve? The one I copied had about 18" wings. Is that about standard, if there is a standard?

Everyone misses their dogs, but at least your friends have nice remembrance.