TwinOaks

What's 35mm film?

Really nice job for a first attempt! For your next one, I suggest a thumb break strap on OWB styles- especially for large frame pistols. Depending on the thickness of the leather, you might also consider a support band around the mouth. I've found it works well to make the thumb break and support as one piece, or to attach the strap at the band. The reason for this is that it limits the amount of stitching exposed to wear as the gun is holstered/drawn.

Relace the edge and call it a post-modern Kippah? (Jewish head covering signifying reverence)

Twinoaks Luke Hatley Wildrose Timd1159 CitizenKate jbird pabloz rdb Crystal GregGuab Colman westtxcowboy1979 Kani scissormedic UKRay Rayban dbusarow ferret DaveD Elegant ta2r Dynamik1 tashabear Pip Becca4u leatheroo rawhide1 MADMAX22 For the randomization of names, I think the easiest way to do it is once everyone is signed up, I'll plug the names into Excel and let it shuffle them. Then I'll post the name list back here. If there's any problem with shipping to a location, let me know by the 15th of Jan, and I'll see if anyone can swap. Funny, I don't see Johanna signed up yet....

Hi and welcome to Leatherworker.net! You've found one of the friendliest sites on the entire net, and you're sure to meet some fine people here.

I wonder if this is the same issue I'm having with my Viking 6440?

Yeah, I posted, re-read it and bopped myself in the head. Then I editted it to remove that part.

Mission is "GO!". Shipping deadline will be mid February instead of early Feb. to allow plenty of time for folks to make their items. Sign up is no later than 1-15, and I'll get names matched up and sent out by about the 18th, maybe 19th. I like the idea of drawing a name, but that does leave the possibility of getting an overseas member. For those who can't or prefer not to ship internationally, how about just letting me know? When the names are drawn, if you can't/prefer not to ship internationally, I can just redraw. I can do the old fashioned 'name in a box' method, or if anyone has a program for random number generation and pairing I can do that, too. (edit: nevermind- I can do that in Excel) So far: Twinoaks Luke Hatley Wildrose Timd1159 CitizenKate jbird pabloz rdb Crystal GregGuab Colman westtxcowboy1979 Kani scissormedic UKRay Rayban

It sounds like you're wanting to split the belt leather, not skive it. If there's a way to make a jig for the head knife I guess that might work, but you really need a splitter for this - how's your wood working skills? I think you should just smooth the flesh, and stitch up a single thickness.

We apparently have a lot of interested folks here, but before this gets too far gone, I'm checking with Wildrose as to whether she want's to coordinate this one. I've gotten a little ahead of myself in starting the list already. The Moderating Team usually has a lot of things planned out well in advance, including events like this. I should have waited until one of them chimed in before starting the list. Why? Because the Mods get hammered with questions about this, and it does take time to answer. The Mod Team does A LOT behind the scenes here, and blowing up the PM mailboxes with questions about PIF is likely to get a "what PIF?" response if nobody's driving. Gimme a day or two to hear back from Wildrose . Sorry for the anticipitory confusion.....

You're holding your tongue wrong?.....

Absolute minimum for starting to tool leather: Swivel knife, beveler, a pear shader, and a mallet of some type. If you research some of the reeeealy old masters, you'll see that a few started out with a sharpened screwdriver, and some tools from the shed. You might just consider a "basic 7" set, as it's designed as a 'minimum' set, and will include tools vital for floral carving and figure carving. Don't be afraid to experiment on how tools can be used differently than their obvious design. Perfect example: Take a camoflauge tool, tip it towards the wide part and drag it- it's a hair blade! Drag a beveler and it's a modeling spoon! Wetting the leather is called "casing". The idea is to restore enough moisture to the leather to reactivate the fibers, and allow the leather to take impressions. My personal choice is a spray bottle (24 oz) with a drop or two of dish soap in it, but I've used a sponge, paper towels, and a runnning tap before, too. Dampen the leather, then allow it to dry until the surface looks dry, but is still cool to the touch. There's probably as many methods as there are members, and can include bagging the dampened leather and parking in the fridge overnight to equalize the moisture content through the leather and adding Lexol, or EasyCarve solutions to the mix. There's several threads on just this topic, and through experimentation, you'll find what works best for you.

Wonderful! I liked Wildrose's idea of a deadline for entry, and I propose Jan 15, 2009. That gives all interested a good bit of time to sign up. I also propose shipping dates to be the end of January through the first week or so in February. That allows a little over a month for everything. Is that okay with everyone? Additional note for all who aren't familiar with this: You can PM the person ahead (below) you on the list for a shipping address. At the end of our sign up period, the name at the bottom of the list sends to the name at the top. This is not a competition, but a way to increase our skills and knowlege, maybe see an aspect of leather we aren't familiar with, and spread a little happiness in the process. There's no minimum skill level (no maximum either ), nor any dollar amount requirement attached to this, but what you send should be leather related. As an example: Last time around, I received a box with a leather celtic art inlay, and to my recipient, I sent a handmade slicker/creaser with sheath. Feel free to ask any questions, Mike Current list is: Twinoaks Luke Hatley Wildrose Timd1159 CitizenKate jbird pabloz rdb Crystal

Well, it's been about 6 months or so since the last one, and we're getting a lot of new members to the site. I think it's just about time to organize another Pay It Forward event. This was one of the best ideas to roll off a forum in a long time, and I'm interested in doing it again. Anyone else?

Also, some "neatsfoot oil" is actually a blend of several different things, some of which are NOT good for leather. If you're in a humid climate, and store the jacket where moisture could effect it, mold can set it. With a lot of neatsfoot(too much), the mold can travel through the core of the leather and pop up on the surface even after you think you've gotten rid of it. (right about now is where the saddle folks will jump in decry my blasphemy.....)

Good topic, Ray! I've also learned an incredible amount (sometime in December was my 1 year anniversery in leather) and I continue to learn from all the wonderful folks here. I've got a *large* shop behind the house that will one day be suitable as a leather workshop. However, I just don't know if it'll be me working in it. I've had some indicators that an interview for a much better job will be scheduled soon after the 1st of the year. In the short term, I'll still be here, but will be looking at relocating within two years, provided the job works out. At that point I'll probably disappear from the forum for a while as I sort out the new responsibilities. Unfortunately, I'll also have to set the leather down completely. For my leatherworking aspirations, I'd like to work more on my art pieces, tack, and holster making. That, of course, means getting more good quality leather, and perhaps a stitching machine if I want to do anything that remotely resembles a large volume of holsters, or any saddle work. Ideally, I'll win a few hundred million in a lottery, purchase a large enough piece of land for my wife's Arabian (horse) stable/business, have a nice little hobby business on the property, be a stay at home dad, and retire comfortably at the age of 35. Frequent trips to leather shows would more than likely be part of the plan too. (They do have helicoptor pads, right?) Yessireebob, I've got it all planned out.....

Ack! I totally forgot about adding in welts! My profuse appologies- this was the result of TBC (typing before coffee)

Dr. Jackson's hide rejuvenator, Dr. Jackson's legendary leather care, or Aussie Leather conditioner. Here's a link to the Tandy page with full descriptions click me. You may also consider Lexol, as it contains a fungal inhibitor, if the shirt will be stored for long periods. The page also has some cleaners listed, if you're interested in cleaning the leather before treating it.

Hi Ben, Every holster maker will have his or her own way of doing it, but most of the holsters I've seen don't have an extra piece sewn in. The stitched in sight channel is a more permanent way to keep the clearance made by molding. You can tape a wooden dowel to the top of the pistol and get the channel by molding the leather to the dowel. Stitching it in effectively forces the leather to make a turn and hold it. It's more or less tying the leather into a braced 90 degree turn to allow room for the front sight. Good molding will also produce the clearance, but without the stitching, the leather could collapse/ lose shape after time (especially for IWB holsters).

Two other options besides scrapping it- give it a vinegaroon treatment, which will wash out the Eco- color (search vinegaroon and setlle in for a lot of reading, and there are at least two colors), or go for a more traditional sheath with a waxed treatment described here under 'traditional deep sheath'

I haven't tried the goucho knot yet, but I found out something interesting ( and related) when I made some 'spanish ring' bracelets for Christmas gifts. For the spanish ring, the primary knot (turks head) must be based on sets of 4 bights (forgive me if I have my terms wrong- I'm calling a bight the criss crossing of one of the two original loops). When I tried to make it with 6 bights, the o/u passes ended up on the wrong side of the standing end to finish the knot. 8 bights, or 2 sets, brought the running end back to the same side as the standing end, like the 4 bight. I mention this because it sounds like you've either added a or missed a bight in the base knot, and it's thrown off the o/u pattern by one string/lace.

Spirit dyes are dyes with an alchohol base instead of water. Fiebing's is one of the better known mfgrs., and they also have 'oil dye', which is a dye with a base of oil and alchohol. Where the Eco- dyes have a tendency to be very allergic to water (they run easily), the spirit dyes are more permanent. As Kate and some others posted in your other thread, all of them will leave a little residue. That residue is the unabsorbed pigments, and should be buffed before sealing.

It might be a good excuse to switch to spirit dyes........

So you're saying that Harvey carved that for you? Great. I feel lots better now knowing that I'll be in competition with hundreds (or thousands) of other leatherworkers, but now you throw in mythylogical creatures? Sheesh, how does one compete?