Timbo

Thanks for all the info guys!!! It will be a great start for me to have some names to make contact with. Jordan, I wasn't a driver, I've done the breakdown desk for a trucking company and then for the last 9.5 years was a service writer for a Freightliner dealership. Didn't just have to take care of the customers, had to take care of the mechanics needs too. Randy, I will definitely have to go to that fall gathering. Regis, we got lucky as our house was only on the market for 50 days and we got our asking price. He loves my shop and she loves the house. They moved up here to be closer to their kids and grand kids, and it didn't hurt that the kids only live 300 feet away!! Clay, thank you so much for the names. I will for sure get to know Curt. (hopefully sometime this year I'll send you a pic of a completed 3 legged stool!!) Thanks to all for the great info!!! Timbo

Well, it's a done deal. We have our house here in SW Missouri sold and leave Sunday to find a house in Colorado. After last weekends tornado's that only missed me by 3/4's of a mile........it's none too soon. Lived here all of my 44 years and can't get used to them. This one took a friend and lots of other friends homes. I guess it was just a positive affirmation that we are doing the right thing. I've already got a Tandy store spotted in Colorado Springs, does anybody know of any others in the area?? How about saddle makers?? We are all looking forward to the move and I am just trying to get the lay of the land for leatherworkers. Bummer is that I already have my leather shop packed so all projects have ceased for the time being with no idea of when I'll get my shop set up. Or where for that matter. Seems to be a lot of equestrian activities in the area, so hopefully I can establish myself and get some customers. I still have no idea of what I'll be doing for a living........if anything. I do have a line on a really sweet dream job, but don't want to jinx it at this point. It's one of those jobs that I have always dreamed about. The one thing I can guarantee is that I will never go back into the trucking field in any capacity...........15 years was enough. So in closing I guess I'll be absent for awhile, especially after we have the internet service shut off, move and find a new provider. (I'm really hoping for cable!!!) But, I'll probably be on here for another week to see who can give me some local tips. Thanks all!! Timbo

I've gotta know more about this "BK shell stamp". Is it just one tool or do you use multiple tools to do one shell?? ...........and mostly, where do I get one??? Timbo

.......cause if you do I need to buy a set for a new hat that is on its way. and rather than buy the commercially available everywhere horse hair shoo fly ones, I thought it would be great to have a set made by one of our members. Keep it local if you know what I mean. Horse hair would be fine but I was thinking more along the lines of leather or rawhide. So if anybody can make me a set, please let me know!!! thanks Tim

What did you use to cut the strap channels??? Tim

Thanks for this Bruce. For some reason I've never thought of going around a curve with a basket stamp. Can't wait to try it!!! Tim

Sign me up too!!! Great offer and we all really appreciate it. I'd like a maker stamp and a logo. I have one piece of artwork to incoporate into both. The name of my business is Drunk Horse Leather..........and before PETA gets involved its a long story and does not involve alcohol or any member of the equine family........although it sounds like it does. Let me know what you need. Tim

I agree with alot of what has been said. A head knife is good, and I have yet to master mine. The rubber backing is definitely going to cause problems. When you say razor knife are you talking about one that has the break off to get a new point type of blade?? Or are you talking about what most people refer to as a box cutter with a retractable double ended blade?? The latter is what I have used more than anything. One trick to keeping it up and down is not to hold it the same as if you were opening boxes with it, with it clenched in your fist with the blade up. That hold makes it hard to follow your lines and you have to be over and above what you are cutting, which makes it impossible to get a consistent straight up and down cut. I hold mine like a pencil, but with 2 fingers on top and two below with the thumb on the side. This way I can get closer to what I am cutting and follow the lines better. It is also easier to hold it straight up and down this way. And obviously you'll be pulling it toward you. Never lift it out of the cut either, if you can help it. But also like everyone else has said, I too use a belt sander to even it all up. I allow for this on most of my patterns. Be careful with the sander as it is a whole nother accident waiting to happen. (scrapped a really nice holster with the belt sander) Tim

I think the toe loop will be okay. It will conform over time and ultimately give more control ove the end of the sandal. Be sure and post up the finished product. Tim

I've also followed Will Ghormley in the use of EVOO and I love it. Plus if you run out it's very easy to get more. Be sure and don't over apply it or it will lubricate the fibers too well.....and too much can turn rancid. When I say too much, you would really have to saturate the piece with it. It takes a little while to even out, just like neetsfoot but gives a nice finish. And don't worry that it looks green when you start to use it. It won't leave a green finish. Constant use and sunlight will also let the piece turn dark over time........like a well used saddle. But that is not unique to EVOO. Another thing I do with it, is to add some Feibings oil dye to it to tint it. I'll take one of the small dye bottles that is probably a quarter or less full and fill it with EVOO. It is very subtle but looks really good. If you apply with a wool dauber, the dauber will soak up the dye first then the oil, so as you go along you'll get more tint than when you started. Let the dauber sit in the mix for awhile and that will help it go on more even from start to finish. I usually use a piece of terry cloth to apply. It does the same thing but is quicker to even out. Give it a try........bet you'll like it. Tim

Looks great Beez!!! You've really got the airbrush down and the edge braid is really cool. Sometimes there is no accounting for a clients taste. At least the "botanical" element is subtle. Bikers make me laugh sometimes with what they want and what they think is cool. If he only knew what the 8 ball means in some biker gangs, er sorry its a club not a gang, he wouldn't want it sported on his seat. The tooling is fantastic too. Tim

That is very sweet Marlon!!!! GOOD JOB!!! I've always wanted to do a pair of stirrups for some reason, but never knew what I would do with them when I got them done. Now I know. Also check out Jeremiah Watts sight as he has some really nice decorative stirrup bolts. They have a concho on one end and are not very expensive either. It would give more options for dressing them up. Thanks for posting this. Tim

Springfield leather has the ceramic ones for 19.95 Tim

You'll have to get them tooled and finished then give them to him to sew the vamps and heel counters on. Then he'll need to do the linings as well. Once he has them this far, he can give them back to you to lace the 2 halves together. Then when you're done he can turn them into a pair of boots. Make sure and check with him to allow enough or not too much room in the boot tops as too narrow and you'll never get them on and too big and they just won't look right. Allow for your lacing too. Tim Edit: He might want to sew the vamp and heel together first, before you lace the tops. That way you'll know where you have to lace them too.

Don, all your stuff looks great, you just can't do bad work. One question though, where did you get the tooling pattern for the rifle scabbard?? Is that a Will Ghormley pattern?? I really like the floral tooling on it alot!! Tim

Will is a great guy. I have made a bunch of stuff from his patterns. He is very dedicated to "authenticity". These buckles are the real deal if authenticity is your goal. Granted they are a bit pricey, but, Will chose to have them made in the USA instead of farming them out to the cheapest bidder overseas. BRAVO, WILL!!!!!! Really the price isn't that steep when you consider how much we spend on other things for our craft. Just as a side note, I was having a problem stitching in the toe plug of a holster so I sent Will an email. Not only did he respond, but he was in the process of making a 3:10 to Yuma holster and sent me a series of 8 pictures and instructions on EXACTLY how to do it. What a great guy. By the way he did make all the gun leather in 3:10 to Yuma. Just thought I'd pass along this info. Tim

This link will show you lots of Sheridan styles as well as some stuff from the folks mentioned above. You can compare styles and by the time you've looked at all of them, you'll be able to identify Sheridan from across the room!!! http://www.westernfolklife.org/site1/batr/...eak_contest.php Hope it helps. Timbo

Don't they also sell those in the Victoria's Secret catalog??? Tim

Hey Hilly, here's a thought, I was just on Brettuns Village website and saw this, but they have a pack of multi-purpose household needles for 4.00. There are alot of different needles in the pack and you could order a couple and then if you really like them order more. But one of the types of needles included are the curved mattress needles. Here's my thought: If you can get most of the curve thru the hole it might be easier for you to pull thru as you won't have to have so much grip on the needle. You might even be able to grasp it with the crook of your thumb and pull it on thru. One other though would be if grasping it with your thumb and pulling thru works, you could cut the thumb off of a leather glove and wear it for a little more grip on the needle. (or don't waste a good glove and make your own, it's kinda what we do ain't it??) It's just a thought and I thought of your thread when I saw them. By the way, if it works, I'm pretty sure Osborne makes them too and they would be a better quality. They also make 'S' curved needles that could work for you as well. Tim

Just do what I do when somebody wants .22 cartridge loops............just sew them up a case to hang on the belt that they can dump a box of shells in!! I've refused to do .22 cartidge loops. Way too tedious for me. Your belt looks really good. Tim

I got mine from Grizzly. They sell them as machinist and woodworker tru flat surfaces or machinist surface plates. They are pretty cheap on them as well. But then again, I don't have to pay shipping as I can drive to the Grizzly store in Springfield, MO. Mine is on the smaller side though, it is 9"x12" and 3" thick and it was only 20.00. I had a hard time with thinner marble slabs. I would get in a hurry and use it to set a rivet or something and break it into a million pieces. I try to be more careful with this one. But the granite it is made of seems to be lot more dense than the marble I was getting. Tim

I've seen alot of buckskins with patches on them for the holes. A lot of them done like Luke says. It seems to me that patched holes in deerskin garments is pretty much accepted. Especially in buckskinner circles. I have also seem them done like the picture I have attached. The red circle is the hole in the buckskin. The black circle is the patch and the blue lines represent the stitches. But this is not to scale by any means. Try to keep the stitches as small (nowhere near as big as I represent, but you get the idea) as possible and don't pull too tight or they will pucker. You can also put the patch on the inside as well and it makes for a smaller looking repair as the hole is always smaller than the patch. Most I've seen were also done with artificial sinew split down really thin. And it will blend in well with buckskin the color you used on this one.Which by the way is OUTSTANDING!!!!Very nice job. How many hides did it take?? Tim ........by the way......how did you put it together?? patch_2.bmp patch_2.bmp

HOLY COW!!!!!!!!!! (pun intended) That has got to be some of the most beautiful work I have ever seen..........but to know that you built the tree and made all the silver.............I'm blown away. This has got to be the leatherworkers holy grail. I can't decide whether it inspires me to keep at it and hopefully get better or to jump over to the for sale forum and sell all my tools....... Welcome on board and keep posting. (as long as your daughter is around to help) Tim

So if you went to TLF to make a purchase and got to the register to cash out and they told you that you had to pay for the employees time to stock the merchandise, help you with your buying decision, ring you up and then bag your merchandise on top of the price of merchandise itself........what would you do??? Oh and the plastic bag and receipt cost you another dollar, cause they aren't free either. What would anybody do????? You know good and well what you would do and that is tell them to keep there stuff and walk out and never come back. It is called the price of being in business and the merchant pays for it. You make it back by selling merchandise. It's built in to the cost, you don't charge extra for it. Why is doing business online different???? When I buy on ebay or an ebay store and the merchant wants 9.00 for shipping me a pack of sewing needles.........guess what?? I don't buy them. When I see an auction and the item is buy it now for 15.00 and shipping is 25.00........guess what?? I don't buy it. If you can't make your money for the selling price of the item, why is it okay to make it up with shipping and "handling"??? It's not. I realize a lot of legitimate store front businesses will charge a handling fee for mail order and they always have. But usually it was a pretty nominal fee. Nowadays it seems like everyones time is valuable and they want paid for everything they do for you to complete the transaction. Well folks, you ain't gonna make it from me..........cause that is the price of being in business. This attitude is very prevalent on ebay and I don't condone or support it in any fashion. If you can't sell on ebay and charge straight "cost of shipping only" fees, then get off ebay and pay for a website and sell your goods as an online retailer. As for the time and gas it takes to box an item and drive it to the post office.........this is just another part of the cost of being in business. You don't charge for it. I'm not trying to anger anyone.........I've just worked retail my whole life. Tim

Cool way to recycle Luke!! but..........where did you get those conchos??? I used to have a supplier but they quit carrying them and I have not been able to find them anywhere...........hopefully you still have a supplier. Tim