WanderlustMike

Excellent, thanks for the guidance Luis. Michael

DavidL, I'm buying a few tools like a ceramic knife, permalock needles,adjustable v-gouge, bevelers, a few stamps, etc. Mostly, I am buying oils, stains, edgings, finishes, etc. These are incredibly hard to find here. And while I am acutely aware of the pricing disadvantages item by item through Tandy, the one-stop shopping is most convenient for someone in my part of the world, else I may spend weeks finding my complete list of items through half a dozen suppliers. And while I may be paying more for the equipment, shipping from multiple outlets and the cost of my time far outweigh the potential savings especially in frustration. but thank you very much for the advisory. I appreciate it. Michael

for what its worth to other readers, Tandy responded to me with a revised shipping quote. The price is now about 15% of previously quoted price (from the online store). They are now willing to ship to Thailand from Australia for ~ $73USD.

Thanks again! All the best.

DavidL, Thanks for the referrals to shopgoods and leathercrafttools. Both seem like good options and seem to have most of the things I am looking for. More importantly, there seems to be a market in japan, so that, and a potential shipping situation and/or a flight is very positive. I'll keep looking around, but this is a definite option. Thanks again.

Cem, Thanks for the referral. I bounced through the website blindly (as I read no Japanese) and it seems to be a viable resource. Do you know if there is an English version of the website? I couldn't find a link. Thanks

David, Thanks for the reply and your thoughts. Your thoughts on Japan are interesting, I will do some searching to see if I can find some suppliers that seem to meet my needs and then, perhaps, catch a flight. I also appreciate your thoughts on Tandy and agree in principle with what your say - over-priced, moderate quality, etc. However, the grand benefit they provide is a one-stop shop for 'reasonable' quality...and that is valuable when one could spend days, weeks, or months trying to find what one can buy online in a one-click scenario. Like most things in life, there are trade offs and you've stated some very real ones. Thank you. Regarding my needs, i've got what I'd call a moderate set of tools and supplies. I can find adhesives, for example, in SE Asia that I am completely happy with;even the leather supply here is decent. I can frantly get along with everything I have, but am happier with quality tools and supplies. Some examples: ceramic swivel knife blade - impossible to find here. permalock needles for lacing - yeah, yeah...I know I can do just fine with the dual clamp needles I have here, but once you've used certain tools, everything else feels like a limitation. bevelers - I can find them here, but only in one size and of low quality that won't hold an edge or is easily sharpened stamps - I like to browse (online or in person) a large selection of stamps - not necessarily because I am looking for one in particular, but because I often find things I didn't know I wanted or needed. LIQUIDS - this is a very sore subject for me. none of the stores I've been to in Chiang Mai or Bangkok even know what Neatsfoot is...or tan kite....or any kind of finishing products. I can't even find antique here. The closest thing I can find to work in colors is wood shellac. As much as I'd prefer not to buy from Tandy, I could go online and buy tools, oils, cleaners, resists, stains, antiques, finishes, etc all in now place...and at a reliable (if not perfect) quality. This, my friend, is my challenge. Thanks again for your thoughts.

Further on my challenges in buying high-quality goods: Today I attempted to order a couple thousand dollars of supplies and tools from Tandy. the shipping costs calculated by their online store were approximately 70% of the price of the goods. Unacceptable. I could fly to Australia, buy the products, pay the excess baggage fees, and fly back with them for less. So, my search continues for suppliers not only in Thailand, but am willing to go to KL, Singapore, etc to find them if necessary. Any ideas, folks?? Thanks in advance for any ideas.

I am a relatively new leather worker based in thailand. And while my work is only for personal use and/or gifts and my experience limited, I abhor the quality of materials and supplies that I have found in Thailand. For example, I cannot find an outlet for any Fiebings products or any shops that even remotely compare to Tandy Leather. Does anybody have any suggestions?