pete

I mis-understood your question I guess. I dated a real basket case in college- that would be in the 70's sorry Luke. pete

how about just a blank stamp. tell them you work out of hidden valley. pete

wow!!!!! Is the lettering laser-ed? If not, could you show a REEEEEAL close-up of it and the rest of the seat. please pete

I would be too! please email me!!!! pete

thanks to you both. I LOVE this place!! stay well pete

I asked this awhile ago but got no response. I have edgers in #'s 1,2,3,4. If the intent is to knock the shoulders off the leather before burnishing then wouldn't a 1 or 2 work for anything under say, 10/12 oz? I know this is probably stupid from someone who has been doing this for a number of years but I love to hear from someone else. pete

If you take a piece of round leather(lacing, a narrow strip, etc) and rub in rouge, then take your edger and PULL it along the strip, it will serve you well. I have never filed(sharpened) the inside top of mine as none of my jeweler's files are small enough to do it, but I have kept my edgers sharp for years with an occassional strop. pete

John check with your employees and see if they have a problem with YOUR name representing the company and final product. If THEY don't then....... end of argument. Let the detractors take a hike. pete

after all these years I've NEVER had an order for a black item. That is until my best customer(my wife) handed me a 1 1/4" belt and asked if I would make her a new one and black. I've been reading about vinegaroon here for what seems like years and wanted to let you all know what I found. With NO BLACK experience, I resorted to my old routine of mixing with Bicks #4. and guess what? I mixed Bick's with USMC black, 50-50, put it on with a paper towel, painted on straight USMC black with the same towel, then a coat of straight Bick's with the paper towel. Took about 3 minutes to complete the entire belt, (no waiting between treatments) and I got a great looking belt that stayed black(not purple), didn't rub off, and felt totally smooth . Hope this helps some of you in your quest for BLACK projects. pete

brown/black sharpie pete

really nice! How DID you make the cc slots? That's what's been keeping me from making the interiors. I don't have a machine and would have to haand stitch but would love to see how you did it pete

If only you had shown pictures as you did it. THAT would have been the tutorial I've(we) have been waiting for!!!! Beautiful work- as usual pete

I like your A LOT better! Nice work, as usual> what is the tool around the first one? Does Tandy, Barr, Ellis make it? I like it better than a basketweave. Beautiful... pete

I agree with Kate personally I would rather see the template,pattern section dedicated to just that- patterns and templates/designs and nothing else. I go nuts sometimes trying to remember who put what where when they don't post their neat designs in this section. I think that the kudos have been shown enough in the original postings not requiring another sub chapter. just my opinion pete

Nice job! As always there will be 100000 questions for the beginner but this is a really nice, simple intro. Question for you, though. I have seen others who like to background before beveling. I zoomed in on the tutorial and couldn't see any beveling along the edges of the backgrounded areas. Is this something that you normally do, or on a more refined piece would you bevel the backgrounded edges also? I have to admit that it lends itself to a really clean look but I wonder if it is as good as beveling first from a "depth" perspective. If you beveled after, wouldn't it SMOOSH down the backgrounded edges? pete

Kevin Hopkins- you might want to chime in here! I have touted Bicks here on the forum for so long that I'm sure some think that I work for them, work for you or get a nice commission!!!! pete

I agree with Art in every respect. These are all good vendors, but feel free to call Kevin at Springfield Leather. He is a craftsman himself, has probably made what you are thinking about making, and will personally select the hide for you. Plus he has one of the countries best bootmakers on staff who has "done it all" from shark wallets to embossed toilet seats! (they're comfy!!!) pete

As soon as I can wrap my brain around how to use the 'universal' plastic guide, I'll make up one of those too. Thanks all. rough but here it is. Center it anywhere and you have 3 holes in line. Hope this is what you needed! pete

do you use a filagree blade on that? pete

cut a piece of plastic about 6" long and 2" wide.. Set your dividers for 1" and use a sharpie to mark a line lengthwise at 1". Now you have a centerline. Mark the line at 3/4" or 1" intervals and punch holes in it. Now you have a "universal" centering device for belts, snaps, rivets etc. I've had the same problem in the past and strangely enough, I was thinking about this tip THIS MORNING just before I logged on!!!!! pete

just tell folks that you found a tipsy rawhider and copied his braiding onto leather as perfectly as possible. bravo!!! pete

are you going to post more pictures?!!!!!! Ihhope pete

haven't figured that one out yet. I don't do projects larger than say an album (12X24"). I do mix 1-2 "niquil" size caps full of chocolate to a bottle and it lasts me quite a while. Wish I could help more. Call Kevin Hopkins at Springfield leather(800.668.8518) in MO. Bo Riddel, the in house bootmaker, was the one who turned me onto Bick's years ago. It's all that he uses too. pete

sure is. Bick's #4 won't darken the leather, will protect it, and mixes with dye wonderfully. Almost everything that I make is Bick's and chocolate or walnut dye. I have an 8 oz bottle and pour in the Fiebing's directly until I get the color I want. Sponge it on and rub in until it gets smooth. About 20 seconds. It's like putting on a leather balm- soaks in and leaves it smooth and flexible. I don't even use neats anymore as the Bick's seems to fully restore the moisture after I tool and dry. pete