TomSwede

Hi and welcome Phil!! Nice work, never tried my hand at floral but for two years practice I think it looks great. Seems like you enjoy making different kinds of things just like me. The forum is loaded with valuable information and people is allwyas very willing to help with anything so don't hesitate to ask when you stumble upon questions!! Keep carving!! Tom

Awsome seat!! Love the skulls and the double stitch looks very nice, also love the texture of that bullshoulder. Tom

At the moment I'd rather die happy and smoking than give up on the smokes but I do smoke outside my home. Looking good that halter, I'm no expert on horsestuff but you're on your way with the tooling and colouring part. No one is a pro from start with this but looks like you got it down well for your first. The basketweave stamping impressions suggests that your leather might have been a bit to dry ot too moist when stamping. Too dry and it is hard to make the impression and too moist you may get the impression down ok but when it dryes up the leather will loose some detail of that impression. Casing the leather can be tricky even with lots of experience. Glad to see your work, keep it up!! Tom

Yeah, I have thousand other things on my mind so definetly not easy to figure out how to do it. Gunna clear my head with some good ol boozing tomorrow night and maybe things get moving after that...or not he he. Cheers!! Tom

Yeah black is what it is to them but I do have the option to make it multiple colours if I want to. Maybe I use orange to go with the bikes orange reptilescales paint theme. The padding will be minimal but I don't have a weight limit because the bike is to light now. I do have a few ideas for it and working on patterns and padding right now. Worst part is to figure out how to fasten the leather to the pan since I can't go around the edges. I have three project now before this one laying unfinished because they were interrupted by next work so hope I can just get this one done before next thing pops up;-) Actually this is a sponsor thing so I will have my own name and logotype somwhere on it and I can also use the bus he has to put stickers on. The bike is rideable without the seat so if I miss deadline it can still run but he has problems with sliding backwards to much without it. It's a fun challenge but I could do without this kinda tight deadline because I have lots of non leatherwork related stuff to deal with. Less sleep ha ha well in the planning and designing stage it is a good idea to sleep well so your head is ok but once everythings is planned and I got the details in my head I can cut back on sleep. Tom

The kitchen is my favourite for drawing/making patterns. I always use round objects wich is best found there for patterns and off course straight rulers. I use a piece of cartonboard paper that has a folded center line when I need symmetric lines so after the first side is drawn and cut out I fold the paper and trace it over to the other side and cut it out and sometimes I use one of those semitransparent owenpapers with a drawn centerline to draw half the pattern onto it and then I use the owen paper to transfer it over to the cartonpaperboard wich also has a drawn centerline so that I get it symmetrical if needed. I love to work with this even tough it does take longer time than with the computer. Drawing patterns in my computer feel like it takes 1 hour when it only takes ten minutes. Drawing it with my hands feels like ten minutes alltough it takes one hour;-) Tom

I'm actually free from ordinary job next week so I should be able to get it done, depends on how many steps I have to repeat... Dropping the toilet theme...the coloured too...black is requested but the owner is crazy about grey. Normal sleep is about 7hrs per night (day;-) wich is 98 hours in 2 weeks, cutting it down to 5 is 70 hrs in 2 weeks wich is 28 hours saved for work. Tom

I just received the seatpan for my first bikeseat. It's for a dragracingbike. I'm so glad it is not very complex and doesn't have a deadline in two weeks....NOT!!! Hm, with more experience on theese things I wouldn't be frustrated perhaps but this one gets to my nerves with that 2 week deadline, besides all this I have very little time to deal with it to start with. It is formshaped to match the bike exactly so I cant put any leather to the underside but will probably glue a thin strip around the edge. I've been looking at western style saddles for ideas around construction and have a plan. Just needed to vent a bit and show you this beast before I'll start with it for real. Isn't it funny that it looks like a toilet hmmm maybe a theme to work with for decorations... Tom

Cool seat!! Well done indeed and always nice with a skull;-) Tom

Nice and neat little holster Art!! Tom

Hey Diana!! Looking very good!! My second bracer was not even close to this level of work and it took me some bracers before I dared two colours!! When I take a pic of my first as promised I'm gonna post it here but for now I throw up for all to the original bracer that you were inspired. I sent the pattern to Diana to work from. Diana, Forgot to tell you one thing. After I'm done with tooling I wet the leather from behind just enóugh for it soften up so that I can tie it onto my arm and then I let it sit until it has dried to shape, then I do my dyeing (most times). Tom

Thank you Johan!! Somewhat like what I did with my black/reddish rod tube. Tom

I second that!!! And you have a leathercrafter show to run too;-) Tom

Good looking hats Johan!! Love the bluish tone, how did you obtain it? Tom

Heyya Luke and Andy, I was just checking in to welcome a new member and didn't expect this, lol!! Anyways, welcome to the board Dreadpirate..! I definetly love black/red combos and use as kinda signature thing. Your work looks good and you seem to be picking up quite easily on tooling and got some braiding going on aswell wich I also love. I really look forward to see you version of the Motörhead skull, I love the band and that skull and I allways have my fully 3D beltbuckle skull hanging right on top of my work area. I hope you'll like it here. We got a whole bunch of knowledge gathered here and artisans ranging fron beginner to expert and everybody seem to be very nice and helpful so never be afraid to ask questions or pick peoples brains about their work!! Greetings from Sweden Tom

AWSUM AWSUM AWSUM!!!! BRUDDA Kate is right, I'm really proud to take part in this thread and see your work on this one (as well as your other work). I really love this bracer and the backgrounding texture is sooo cool, reminds me a bit of water on top of glass. The colours are great too, not to bright not to dark and a great burst effect. I need to work with bursting. It is really great to see it lined and padded, something I never do and probably won't (not for customers anyways, it's just not in demand). Beeing out of your comfy slacker shoes and all makes you really worthy to go and catch some of those bi 'ol springtime pikes, basking in the sun in the shallow waters. Best season for pike. Thanks for all nice things said and remember I'm still around, just have lots of stuff needed to deal with. Tom

They look great for your first ones !! What really strikes me is that they look really comfy to wear wich is the most important thing. Tom

Looking very good Razz!!! I really like the celtic borders and the small celtic knots who leaves the back clean and elegant!! Good job!!! About 109 views and no comments I think the number of posts per day have increased very much lately wich makes it harder to follow up on all posts or maybe this is just an illusion to me because I have so little time to engage in the board activity. Hope your experience of LW will improve because it is really a great place with lots of resources!! Tom

Great looking seat Roger!! I love the skulls and the lettering is good as usual!!! Tom

Congratulations David!!! I'm a big fan of your work and I really love that fingercarving!!! Tom

Looking very promising Shirley!! Tom

Good looking holster!! Can't wait to see the one you make from scratch! Tom

Hi and welcome Honda! I haven't made a seat..yet but I think you'll find that leather is a fun material to work but it can also be quite challenging. How is your finished seat going to look, are you gonna try with carving and tooling patterns to it. Classic solo seat or a 2 seater, softer chrome tanned leather or vegetable tanned leather, stitched or braided with lace?? There are some really nice experts on the seat field here so you should be able to get some help and guidance throughout your project. Tom

Very good looking, with the round braid it will be top notch!!! Tom