billybopp

I use the little dot too, northmount. That's the way to go! I just wish it were a little bigger as it's a bit small for my fingers on a tablet ... Bill

As always, Monica ... Wow! Really nice!! Bill

I'd stick with acrylics, since I have yet to find a white dye that actually works, and even muted the colors you see are mostly deeper than dyes will usually do. Blue is also a color that's difficult to get right with dye, although I find that the Tandy Pro dye/stains blue is a bit better than some of the others. I think I'd work over and "distress" the leather a bit, and tool it, put down a background color (probably something like medium brown) and use acrylics (not too thickly) to color (and use muted colors as much as possible), and then use a Fiebings antique paste (I wouldn't use Tandy's antique gel since it colors too much). Probably without putting on a resisting seal coat first (as one would normally do). I might even do some more "strategic distressing" to get what I'm looking for before using antique paste. All that said, I haven't done anything exactly like what you are looking to do, so you may want to experiment around with techniques and materials on scrap. Sometimes that's just the best way to figure out how to do stuff! Bill

I have a cheap (REALLY CHEAP) Chinese knife like you are describing, that I bought to play around with to see if I like it, and I do. It's cheap metal, but part of the goal for it was to have something good to work on my sharpening skills with, and it does that well too. The offset handle does seem to be helpful for me, at least. It keeps your knuckles up a bit from the work when skiving at a steep angle, and also gives a bit more to hold onto when cutting leather. If I were to spend the $ on a good version of this knife, tho, I'd probably look for multiples with bevels and offsets on opposites to suit any situation. Bill

Look for a "crazy legs" stamp.

Not to go off topic ... But LOOK at the prices on those machines in the margin of the catalog that Jimi posted. I'll take one of those for 40 bucks! Bill

I'll take the last group, with the novelty coin purses and color books. Sending PM Bill

I'll take the packing iron / peter main books! Just let me know how to handle payment. Bill

Gomph has been out of business for about 50-60 years, so it has to be used if that's what you want. Bruce Johnson usually has some of their tools, tho. Bill

I like much better without the sidebar. It's not too bad if you're on a PC, but eats a huge amount of screen space on a tablet. Thanks again! Bill

I like it, Johanna! Thank you for the upgrade, and all your hard work ... always! Bill

Really nice! It's a bit of a change from your usual color scheme. I really like the decorative touches in the lettering too ...are they stamped that way and then decoration added? All carved? or a part of the stamps?? Bill

More like way to think outside the toolbox! I like it! Bill

I don't know anything about the sewing machines ... but I LOVE that seat in your picture, CD!! Bill

I start marking / punching my holes from the corners and work toward the center. When there is about enough space left for two or three tool-widths, and then make light impressions with the tool to see how many more / less will be needed to complete the line and then space out the last holes after I have an idea of what's needed. I'd like to tell you that I get really scientific about spacing those last holes, but I really just eyeball it with good success. This way your 'different length stitches' will be spread out over a few stitches and less noticeable. Bill

Both are to help you mark exact spacing for your stitches when hand sewing leather. Diamond punches or chisels are meant to poke holes all the way through the leather so that you don't necessarily need to use an awl to open up the hole to sew. The holes are diamond shaped .. hence the name. "European" pricking irons only make a narrow angled slit in the leather that you then further open with an awl before sewing. something like this ... / / / / Hope that helps Bill

Hmmm. It's not a style that would work for anything, but in certain applications it could look awesome! Picture a Christmas bag or ornament using red and white, for example. Good job! Bill

Please send samples of cooking and leatherwork, along with copies of any trust fund documentation. Optionally, include photos of self.

I have one of the mini pro edgers that I use with a dremel tool, so similar to what you have. It does get a little dye buildup which can transfer back to other pieces. I've used some rubbing alcohol on a paper towel to clear it off ... Works fine! Bill

I had the very good fortune as a high school student to see, and sit in with, some of the great bands. We had an amazing jazz band for a high school. Two band members that I know of went on to become professional musicians, one doing studio work in Nashville, and the other in LA. Two others went on to be music teachers. It's funny, but 30 some years later, when I started getting back in touch with classmates on facebook, they still remembered our performances ... During one of those, the band director arranged to scare the living daylights out of me. I had a tenor sax solo during one of our numbers, so he arranged for the entire band other than the rhythm section to get up, walk out, and take a short rest during my solo. Somehow, I managed to keep going for what has to have been a full five minutes until they came back in and picked it up. Got a standing ovation for that one, but I was coated in nervous sweat afterward! I got to see Maynard Ferguson, Herbie Mann, Buddy Rich, Doc Severinson, Count Basie, Woody Herman, the Glenn Miller Orchestra, the Duke Ellington Orchestra, and the Air Force jazz band .. and I'm sure I'm forgetting one or two. I got to meet many of these and the bands as well. The AF jazz band, and the Glenn Miller Orchestra invited a few local HS students to sit in with them in a jazz clinic, and my band director always sent me. So, I got to play "In The Mood" and "String of Pearls" with the GMO. Talk about an amazing experience! There are some other great stories from those experiences, but we'll leave those for another day. Bill

Shippers do indeed do some amazing things to equipment. I used to fix mainframe computers for a living, when those were still a thing. We had a customer with a failed disk drive, when those were the size of a dishwasher. The individual drives were about 60 pounds or so, but came boxed and well padded in the box. The replacement was shipped with lots of "handle with care", "Fragile", and other such labeling on it. The first replacement failed immediately when we installed it, so a second was shipped, this time with shockwatch and tip labels. This time around, somebody was near the front door when it was delivered ... to find the FedEx driver flipping the box end over end along the sidewalk all the way from his truck to the door. So much for handle with care! Bill

I've already subscribed to your youtube. Love it! Watching the video in this post, you mentioned having a hard time watching what you were doing on the camera's tiny monitor. Many video cameras will allow you to connect a monitor to them while recording, if you use the TV output. A cheap-o flat screen TV, or if the output is the right type, a computer monitor could work great for you! Just make sure to either not connect the sound or turn it all the way down so that you don't get sound feedback! Bill

Yes. Yes. and Yes. The Eco Flo Pro dyes are relatively thick, so will need to be diluted to airbrush well. Water should work fine to dilute the eco-flow, AND the resolene. Thin to about the consistency of whole milk, or thereabouts. Be sure to clean your airbrush often and carefully. With some acrylics (like resolene) you have to clean even during use if you're covering larger areas. With dyes, you'll want to clean between colors. And you'll need to do a very thorough cleaning after every time you use the airbrush VERY soon after use. I'm not familiar with your airbrush, but there should have been directions included on how to disassemble and clean it. I keep a jar of water with a bit of vinegar and a drop or so of dish detergent for quick cleaning such as between colors, and another with plain water to rinse any residue from vinegar and soap. After use, I use the same formula right after spraying, before disassembling the airbrush ... then I follow that with a couple of rounds in an ultrasonic cleaner. The ultrasonic might be overkill, but I had it around, and figured "why not!" Bill

Once again, a fine video! Thank you! Bill

... Maybe "String of Pearls" or "Pennsylvania 6-5000" will get stuck instead. Oh ... And if a "Little Brown Jug" is the culprit .... Wellll!!.....