billybopp

I'm about to start a new project, and need to make some lines of stitching that are very straight or close to. I don't have a heavy duty sewing machine, so hand stitching is the only option. The effect I'm looking for is like pin-striping. Any thoughts or advice?? Thanks in advance Bill

Just my opinion, of course, but as long as you're honest about how it's done just about anything goes. No objections to a laser etched design on leather as long as you don't pass it off as something else. I this case it's a no brainer - cuts are cuts are cuts no matter what you use .. And the real artwork here is truly by hand. I wouldn't even object to a light laser etching that is then tooled - I don't see a big difference there between using paper or film and tracing a pattern onto the leather and then carving / tooling. BTW ... Love your work that you've posted last few days. It reminds me of a style that isn't much seen anymore! Very nostalgic. Bill

Amen .. short wide mouth bottles such as baby food jars are great. Most hobby shops will have plastic eye droppers that are cheap enough to consider disposable(although I keep 'em with a single color and get a few uses from 'em) and they should have decent brushes as well (worth the money for moderately expensive ones usually). If you're coloring very small areas a paint palette such as this is pretty useful.

There are a few things that you need, a few things that are good to have, and a few to avoid. What you need is a way to mark out your stitch line and spacing, an awl, needles and thread - and those can vary a bit depending on what you're doing. Amongst what your supplier is offering, I'd choose their waxed braided cord as the easiest to work with, and harness needles (probably large, but ask 'em to try with your chosen thread) or if the large won't fit maybe the stitching needles (the eyes are awfully big on these can be tough to get through holes and are easily broken). To mark your stitch line you can go a few different ways - mark/crease the line or groove it at a set distance from the edge. A compass/divider will work well to mark the line, I didn't see it, but if they have the Craftool pro groover that's a fair tool that includes a groover and creaser tip - and I find it easiest of Craftool's three groove tools. Next choice for a groover would be their EZ adjust groover. I'm not at all fond of the cheap one - It doesn't have a way to guide it along the edge easily. Also workable, is a creasing tool, which is nice for decorative creases as well. Once you have a line to work with, you need to set the spacing for stitch holes. In order of expense (and convenience), get a fork from the kitchen and walk it along the line to mark even spaces ... Use your dividers (if you have) set to something between 1/8" and 1/4" and walk 'em along the line making impressions ... An overstitch wheel or pricking wheel will work(and is very traditional). Easiest to use (and most expensive) are diamond chisels (Note NOT lacing or thonging chisels), available in differing stitch lengths and # of prongs. For holsters and sheaths, 3mm or 4mm will be about right, and I'd suggest a 2 prong AND a 4 or 6 prong. Depending on the thickness of leather you are sewing, the diamond chisels may go all the way through and eliminate the need for an awl. I have not personally used the Craftool chisels, but a number of people like them. Now that you have a line and spacing set, you need a diamond shaped hole. That's where an awl comes in... I'd suggest the awl haft and diamond blades ... I'd probably buy both medium and large blades - I don't know how good those blades are, but choices are limited, and with a haft you can buy better blades later. I don't know what blade thickness is on the 1-1/4 awl, but it's a pain in the neck if it's too narrow. The 4-in-1 looks like a bargain, but it's just garbage ... ask me how I know. While there, take a look at a stitching pony which is very handy - and very overpriced. If you have ANY woodworking skill you can make your own cheaply, or find one elsewhere at a more reasonable price. The Stohlman sewing book is a good one, but there are other ways to good stitch work as well. His leathercraft tools book is an excellent guide to tools and how to use and sharpen them. Things that look useful bot are not include the above-mentioned 4-in-1 awl, all purpose needle pack, or the sewing awl. Not at mainelineleather, but you'll probably need to sharpen awls, and other tools. Sharpening stones and a strop are a good investment, if you don't already have 'em. As you already realize, you can do quite a bit better on price elsewhere, but there really is not substitute for putting hands on the things you're looking to buy too. Hope that helps, and have fun! Bill

Yeah. It can be overwhelming and when you include dyes, finishes, antiques and paint from different makers there are certainly more than 1000 combinations! What you use and how you use it will be determined by what end effect you're looking for. One resist finish will work well with one antique but not another, etc. You have the right idea, tho, for getting a good start. Dye, resist/finish, antique/highlight, final finish. Your dye can be a plain over all color, "painted color"(such as green leaves, etc), or even no dye at all before resist/antique. Assuming you're looking to finish your deer & oak leaves (very nice, by the way), I'd suggest maybe no dye natural finish, a couple light coats of resolene/water 50/50 as a resist and then fiebings antique paste - possibly diluted with tan kote, allow to dry at least a day and finally more resolene/water in 3-4 light coats. I'd avoid the eco-flo antique gel for now - it tends to penetrate resist, which can be used to good effect when you figure it out, but a little much for a first try. Particularly if you're interested in using color more fully, I'd suggest stohlman's leather color books. and here. The Tandy book is pretty good too. As is Fiebings Fantastic Finishes. Keep in mind, the Stohlman books are old and they tend to push the Tandy products (he was writing for them) and specific products are out of date but techniques are still solid. Here are a few examples of what I've done with color on some mug wraps that I've made. They are a combination of embossed, stamped and hand carved. Most of the colors are dyed (giving more muted color), and bright colors & white are paint.

Here are a couple of my guitar straps that have carved letters. (sorry Matt's is upside down).

Been there. Done that. Tastes awful.

Waiting for stamps to arrive ... Can't wait to try them.

I haven't tried it, so can't say for certain .. but super sheen and resolene are both acrylics and should be OK together. Bill

The "herd of naugas" joke is an oldie but very much still a goodie! Marketing departments started actually advertising naugahyde as a "feature" in the 70's - before that it was just vinyl. I suspect the change came about to set newer more durable vinyl products apart from earlier products that became brittle after a few years. Vinyl is pretty useful even for leatherworkers. It's a great cheap material that behaves much like leather, and can be used to make mockups for stuff. I'm pretty sure the original is at least partly vinyl. If you look at the piping around the center piece you can see a bit of very light color peeking through. Since garment leather is usually mostly struck through, we wouldn't see that. The inner liner does look like it might be leather, however, since that does look right for chrome tan (a bluish color). I'd also guess that there's some sort of bag stiffener behind the main front piece to help keep that curve. There's also some sort of stuffing material there to give it thickness, particularly around the bottom edge and behind the center piece to give it fullness. The piping around the center piece has either no cord or very thin cord. Outer piece, piping and center piece are probably glued and sewn from the back side. Front and straps appear to be a single piece of leather, so could take some creative design to get the straps folded over as in the picture. (forgive the comments about a codpiece with stiffener and stuffing please - I know it's hard to believe that a bad-ass like Vader might need stuffing and stiffening - but then again he had a lot of medical problems - I guess the force can't do everything). Even if the original is pleather, there's no reason why you can't make yours from real leather! Goat is pretty nice to work with in garment weights, but others are fine too. The surface finishes on garment leathers can vary greatly, so your best bet would be to look at some in person to find the texture that you want. I have some that is so smooth and shiny that it looks like vinyl, and other with various surface textures and amounts of gloss. Oh. And just to make y'all jealous - I got meet James Earl Jones a couple of years ago when he did a play on Broadway. His voice is even more amazing in person, and presence on stage is phenomenal. Bill

Jim Linnell did an OK video series for Tandy on tooling and making a wallet. It covers most of the basics at least in 13 parts that are short enough to be digestible. Nothing too fancy but not bad! Bill

Printed / copied is the way to go provided that it fits on your paper. If you still like to be able to see through, use transparency film - just be sure to use the right type for your printer! The wrong type can cause some expensive problems. Bill

Barry King offers up blades for his own knives, and for Tandy. MOST other mass produced are Tandy size - but no guarantees. Bill

Here's an example on my round knife sheaths. It's a fancier cam with seeds, but same idea. Bill

I've always used cams as in the picture, although much closer together so that the "rays" overlap and little to no gap for the cutout part. Bill

Maybe this will be helpful .... Groz-Beckert_Needles_for_the_processing_of_leather.pdf

It looks really good! Well done.

One o' these days I've gotta come by Keysew when you're actually open. I usually pass by on my way to Standard Tap from the blue line - I love good beer even more than leather.

Welcome from West Philly.

Matt cutters are awesome. I have a so-so Logan five footer that makes nice long straight cuts every time. Love it. My "boss" used to be a pro framer, and we needed to frame some artwork, so bought the cutter and framing materials for about what it would have cost to have somebody do the framing for us. Leather cutting turned out to be an added bonus. Win-win! Love it! Bill

If you ever give up glassworking, they'll make awesome steampunk goggles! Well done. Bill

Just tap the punch lightly - just enough to make an impression - not enough to cut through.

Just stretch over the top of the paint cup as you pour the paint through.

Which brings to mind some additional research topics: Which whiskey is best, really .. And just how much can you bring back duty free? - And how much are "Lourdes Water" labels?

I love the idea of using bolts to pre-assemble and test the design... Why didn't I ever think of that??