TomSwede

Yeah, I thought of dropping her a mail to alert our presence on the web but was at work and didn't get around to it (eventually I had to get out and actually do some work also, it was not a nice experience but good for me said the boss;-) Tom

The book leather braiding from Bruce Grant would be of good help to you but here goes from the introduction of braiding, "for the beginner, who might have to tear his work apart and start over again it is best to work with dry thongs so that they won't be spoiled for possible re-braiding. However, all thongs should be thoroughly saddlesoaped and the lather rubbed in well. Then, even when dry, they will work easily and the braid can be closed up snugly" Like you I have most of this stuff ahead of me to learn but not working with stuff for horses though and I think reading this book is the way to go if no tutor is at hand. Good luck! Tom

Love it! Nice cap and the keeper is nice and handy. The thistle design works great especially with it clinging on to the border and backgrounding looks smooth and nice. Now that you know how fun tubes are maybe your hubby needs a tube for his fishingrod, hint hint! Tom

Wow, wish I was your son now!! Excellent cuff! My regular work takes up alot of time right now but I have a follow up to Leathercats design in the makings. Just gotta find time to finish it! BTW, found a website you might find interesting: http://www.erotaleather.com/ Maskmaker in Toronto. Tom

The old words of vikingage scandinavia has fallen out or transformed into new words. I often find the words that give the vikings language it's unique characteristics is somewhat better preserved in the English language but best in Icelandic. I don't speak this langauge at all but have done some research some years ago so pardon me if my memory is not up to date anymore. The H is silent, I'm quite sure bout that but not 100% but then again, with this culture it's hard to be sure of anything. So little material left to research and often written as sagas in Iceland a couple of hundred years later. I'm not sure about the f's in this words. F is often V but sometimes not. I don't remember how the grammar behind this works (if I ever knew it really) but it could read: nevatafl or nefatavl or nevatavl but but my gut feeling is leaning me towards nefatavl. The modern swedish word tavla is probably a remain from old norse and a tavla today is often a pictorial wall hanging but can also be signs on walls, roads etc. so one can assume it could also be applied to this boardgame only that it lays flat on a table. It seems uncommon to me with old norse words that use the f that is v twice in a word. This type of logical conclusion is how the the knowledge of the culture has been built up by the historians and archaeologists. A example: Raven is a scandinavian word. From the beginning Ramn, M was even earlier used as V, doh. Then spelling changed to F instead of M as V, follow? Ramn is now rafn and pronounced ravn, normans go to England, settle, languages merge and voila' (french) you have raven in your language. In Sweden today raven or ravn is not a word. It's called korp. Why? Raven is soo important in the viking myth that it got a new word and was pointed out a bad luck by latter influences. Vikings held them for good luck. Tom, a qualified guesser;-)

Excellent idea and a very beautyful Hnefatafl board! Off course I would always endorse a work of the old culture;-) Never gotten around to play Hnefatafl, that's strange, well well Grettings and hails! Tom in Svithiod

Thanks Windy! Thought of making a leather picture someday from one of my elkphotos and when I got my elkhorns the idea just lent itself. They have that perfect shape to function like that. Tom

Very nice little pieces! It can be lots of fun working small stuff since the final result comes up faster and aint that just the moment we all long for, esecially the boardposting part;-) Love the colouring especially the blue/purple-ish one. Nice work! Tom

Heres some good ideas from Clay that might be useful for theese dragons: http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?s...0&hl=scales Tom

..or you can just leave 'em laying around like that until you need them, I mean they are natural works of art and makes a rather nice display by themselves. One thing I thought about doing with elks horns is to make one of those lamps that you put on bookshelfs or paintings to illuminate the objects. Those small LED lamp kits would be perfect for this. All you need is a antler with a good bend so the lamp can illuminate the picture or whatever properly. Tom

let 'em talk, lol! Looking forward to see that reindeer bag! Tom

That's awsome Darryl! That ribcage looks great, I never really used the pearshader but I think you got the hang of it. Gotta get a grip on that pearshader, awsome tool. Looking forward to see more! Storm:: you can email me at korpham(funnylittle a)gmail.com

We'll my only problem with alcohol is to get time for it;-) Promised Luke I'd take a dram for us both but got caught working. Gonna take em now, also, the scotch wisky I drink is kinda expensive and BTW so is the beer. I don't really drink the regular ones so often anymore and seldom to get drunk. I got two favourite American brews 1. Sierra Nevada - Golden pale ale 2. Anchor - Steam. Well, got my whisky now - slàinte mva (scottish=cheers) Tom

Hey Hilly, you've been in my head lately?? I had forgot about these pics but you made the bell in my head ring so after some digging, tada: my first sewing experince. Not proud but dude loves it. Nowadays the sewing is replaced with doublelooped lacing. Not a very good pic to illustrate leather on hair on hide but thats what it is. Reindeer hide. Tom

These are so nice to watch side to side, you sure have got some design abilities. First one really sparks my imagination ...from the ruins of a burnt down victorian castle someone picks up a fire eaten shield with the family crest... It looks awesome and then I see the other seat. So totaly different but it is so darn nice. Strong comeback! Tom

Good use of the stamping tools making a nice border! Very good looking belt and one more guy that thinks letters are slavework (?). I'm not very fond of making letters and I seen others feeling the same way, anyhow they are quite essential. Is that the symbol of half-life the computer game. Sure is a man-belt Tom

Very good looking pouch and good use of the stamping tools. Cunning use of the ropestamp close to the stitching grove, when viewed with the normal eye it looks like the stitching continues up over the flap wich gives a better overall look (I think). I agree with Alex and Luke on the enclosure and like to add for myself that often I get hung up over how hard it is to find the right hardware for these things and forget the obvious. Think I'll just print this post and hang it up over my workingtable. Tom

That looks like some serious craftmanship! Awsome work! Tom

Perhaps I'd use a table wich a placed out shaped foampieces and put a nice cover over it and placing the delicate work on those foampieces. The farther back at the table the higher the foampieces would be to get a good overview of the goodies. I was thinking about a deepblue satin type of cover but that would require good lighting if there was alot of dark/black work on the table. Just a thought! Tom

I better add in that I haven't tried a seat ...yet. The competition is just to darn high with chaps like David here at the board;-) Nah, it's just that the fishing rod tubes took most my time this spring and they are just one looooong basketweave lace/seam and 15:th hole is okay for that. Tom

He he I like it in your head! It's warm and cozy, think I actually take a nap here, right now, lol. Tom

One thing that is to be considered more of an aid is to tie a piece of string to every 15th hole or so and be sure to keep em matched. Before lacing. I'm sure you get better hands on tips from more experienced. Tom

Thanks Doug! I'm thinking if carved and dyed one would like to add something to seal in the colour. Tom

You're right as usual...man bags to the people..........

Odour is no prob for me except those darn perfumes and flowers that alerts my allergies, that's not very nice. Thanks for the warning anyway, got some people here at home to think about too that may not like it. They jumped out the windows when i dremel'ed some deer horn material;-) Tom