TwinOaks

Welcome to Leatherworker.net! The issue of having the flesh side (the rough side) out is as simple as starting the braid that way. Just flip the strands over so the flesh side is 'up', and as you braid, keep them oriented that way, being careful to not twist them. Here's a website that shows three ways to do the 6 strand round braid click me. If you'll notice the author starts with a 3 strand braid in the center to make the loop. I've started doing it that way because it makes an attractive loop end. You should have plenty of lace left (just don't cut anymore until you read the tutorial), to do a 12-18 inch braid. In case you don't want to tackle a 6 strand just yet, here's one for doing a 4 strand round braid no, click ME. Once you get the first few plaits done, the rest is repetition. At the end of the plaiting, you'll need to do a crown knot to secure it, possibly followed by a wall knot.....or other decorative knot. You could just tie the end in an overhand knot, but it won't look as good. Here's a link to the wall and crown knots Last click, I promise... I'm sure some of the braiders will chime in with some additional (and probably better) advice, as they are the experts in this field. Let us know how it turns out. ETA: It appears to me that the completed one in the picture is a 4 strand braid.

Here's a thread you might enjoy, freshly dug from the archives.....making stamps

Something pretty dense with a close grain, and not "oily". I've done a very little bit with Cocobola, (made a slicker/folder) and it seems that it would hold up well; it definitely sands to a smooth finish, and isn't oily feeling. There are definitely some harder woods available, but that may be a detriment if you're doing some really detailed carving. You might want to go to a wood working site for options, or maybe Spinner will chime in with a suggestion. I think common wood like white pine would be a little too soft for much stamping, but if it was a low number of impressions, it might work. Another thing I didn't think of earlier would be to carve what you want as a mold and cast your own stamps using a hard setting epoxy resin, and just add a small bolt for a handle.

Welcome to the best site on the internet! Don't forget, we LOVE pics, so when you get some time, post a few. If you have any questions, just ask and we'll be happy to answer them for you.

There are several options you can choose from - Brenda at lasergiftcreations.com can put pretty much whatever you want on a delrin stamp, as long as it can be converted to vector art. Same thing with Jeff Mosby at grey ghost graphics. These are two of the most recommended people for getting custom maker's stamps made.....but they're not limited to just maker's stamps. Another option is to contact some of the tool makers and commission a stamp, which could get pretty expensive. The cheapest, though most time consuming way is to make your own. If it's going to be a limited use item, you can make one out of wood. Print the image to scale, but in reverse, and transfer it to a block of wood. Then, remove the wood that isn't part of the image with something like a dremel tool. You can do the same thing in metal, but it's a bit more involved and may require special tools or chemicals (etching). Probably the most expensive way to go is also the way that will give you a tool that'll last forever- draw (or have drawn) a 3-d model of what you want and have a machinist with a CNC lathe make it for you.

The process is called 'hot stamping', and usually involves a press, the lettering material, and some heat. I'm not all that familiar with it, but having the name of the process should help you find more info on it.

As Michael said, it's a good start. It looks like your leather was a little too wet when you were stamping. If you do a search for "casing leather", you'll find a couple of topics that explain the process in detail. Again, you've got a good start on this hobby, and we'll be happy to help you improve.

As a guest, I don't think you are able to post images directly to the forum. However, you should be able to use the tags from a photo hosting site like PhotoBucket. The accounts (last I looked) were free, and there are some built in utilities to resize images. Once you've uploaded your photos, there will be several lines of code under them, and you click on the one with IMG in front of and behind it. That tells the computer to go to the photobucket site, get the image, and display it here. Other options would be to email the photo to a member here, and have one of us post it, OR Sign up as a member, and get access to everything we offer, including photos posted directly to the forum.

That is NOT enough machine for sewing leather. Instead of re-posting those reasons (and several pages worth of text), I'll just direct you to this thread: click me. That should give you an idea of what type of machine is required. We can further give you some recommendations, but we need to know what type of leather you'll be using, how thick you need to sew, and what type of projects you're planning ( whether you'd need a flat bed or would be better off with a cylinder arm).

You're upper thread tension is set too high, or the bobbin tension is set too low. With the thread in position to sew - bottom thread is pulled up through the slot - gently pull only the bottom thread for a few inches. It should have a little tension, but not require REALLY pulling. As long as it isn't just 'free wheeling' off the bobbin that should be 'okay'. If it has almost no tension, first check that the bobbin is installed correctly and that the thread is in the right position - under the tensioner. For your top tension, go to the primary tensioner and reduce the tension by half a turn at a time to get the thread below the top of the leather. Sew about 10-15 at a time, on the same thickness as your project. When you get the lock to stop pulling out of the top, check the back side. If you've got the lock on the bottom, increase tension by 1/4 turn to pull it back into the leather. If it's a little high, decrease by 1/8th turn. Check it by sewing after each check or adjustment you make. Try that first, and if you have additional problems, let us know, we'll do what we can to help you. You may need to call one of the dealers on here (Bob or Steve) to phone-diagnose it with you if the tension settings don't straighten things out. Also, it's perfectly acceptable to use a Sharpie to put a mark on the tensioner knob to keep track of their position.

It'll depend on what they are. If they are chrome plated Craftools (the good ones made 15-20 years ago), then you should be fine in the $2-3 or maybe $5-6 range. If they are the 'new' ones that suffer from lack of quality control, then I wouldn't even bother getting them. If they are either stainless or blued steel, and look to be hand made or at least hand finished....they could be worth a good bit more as those conditions show better quality. Get a little info on them and post it here, that way we can give you a better idea of what they're worth.

Here's an oldie but a goodie - http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=14759&hl=%20indiana%20%20jones&st=15 That should give you a starting point, if you want a simple style bag. You can also use the search function with the terms 'MESSENGER BAG' for some other options. Yes, chrome tanned leather is a good choice, as it will be a little more resistant to the environment (rain, scuffs, etc.) and won't need as much finishing work to the leather. A note on using chrome tanned leather- the edges should probably be turned to hide the edge, as it doesn't burnish well.

Welcome to Leatherworker.net!

Since all the things about the leather have been covered, I'll offer a recommendation about the photography: Don't display .38spl ammunition with a semi-auto (unless it's a S&W model 52, or a Coonan 1911); put the correct ammo in the picture. As a gun owner, I'm pretty sure you can see the reasons for this.

The Cobra is in California, the Cowboy is in Ohio, that may play a role in shipping charges.

The nice thing about vinegaroon is that you can soak it through from the back side in most cases.

Oil from hands, or possibly residue from glue can cause that. Remember to clean the leather first and keep your hands clean while working. Then, there's just some leather that doesn't react well to it. You can increase the amount of tannins available for reaction by giving the leather a quick bath in plain black tea (lipton, luzianne, etc) before introducing the vinegaroon.

I don't carry daily....just most days. I can't carry while at work, so I have to wait until I get home and if we don't go anywhere, I don't bother putting on a holster. Since I picked up an officer's model, I've been carrying it in a belt slide with few concerns about it being seen past the hem of an untucked shirt. However, if I carry my full size '91A1 I DO carry IWB. As I've told all my customers, the key to comfortably carrying an IWB is the wardrobe. If you carry IWB, you need to either lose weight or buy a size larger to accommodate the bulk of the pistol. Combine that with a GOOD GUN BELT, and it's not at all uncomfortable. For the length of time I wear one...well, I get to the gun shop (weekend job and meet customers) around 09:00, and typically don't leave until after 20:00. IWB concealed the whole time (unless it gets drawn ) and it's not uncomfortable to do so. During these summer months, I've stayed with the officer's model in the belt slide because I slightly increased my girth to the 'one size larger' I advocate for IWB. I'm currently developing a twist on a popular holster style, and have had several LEOs give their input on it while at the gun range/store. It's a tuckable IWB, and when wearing a somewhat loose fitting t-shirt tucked in the LEOs (police and deputies) have said that it is for all purposes "invisible"........with a revolver. The only thing noticeable to them was the belt clips, which were black against a brown belt. I guess what it boils down to is what each person is comfortable with. Like Reaper, I've never really had a problem carrying IWB, even full size weapons, for extended periods. Maybe we've just learned to deal with it. I've got a friend that carries a revolver IWB full time, and he seems okay with it too. Can we agree with "To each his/her own" ?

Honestly, I think I just picked up the term "clam shell" in a discussion about the various holster types.....long while back, on here (pre-crash). Folded pouch certainly describes it better. Perhaps I'll start using that..... Your pic is quite unique- I've never seen the likes before!

As a general rule, material costs x2 (minimum) + labor (at $X per hour). Other times, if there is a similar item already on the market and that exceeds T&M, then I'll use the existing product's pricing schedule as a basis for mine. Still other times, I let my business partner price things out (staying above my minimum) since he has a better feel for the customers. That last part is a critical step to pricing your merchandise - a customer that needs utility won't want to pay premium prices. And the 'prestige' customers will just as readily turn away from merchandise that doesn't cost enough. Those are my favorite customers to have.

Don't worry Nick, the smell WILL go away. As the batch ages, the vinegar (acetic acid) reduces....or gets all used up. That's a lot of what you're smelling. You can also help get rid of it with the baking soda neutralizer, though every time I've tried it, it seems to just bead up on the surface. My first batch eventually got the point that the brew itself had an odor, but once it hit the leather there was almost none. The second batch is getting there, and even with just a cold water rinse, the smell is gone by the time it dries. While it's drying, I can still smell it a little bit, but that's only if I get close and really snort the leather. Give your brew a couple of weeks to mature and I think you'll see/smell a difference in it. New batches are typically very strong, but they do mellow.

Depending on the top coat, you might be able to strip it with acetone or denatured alcohol......maybe. One way to go would be to sand the inside of the belt (providing it isn't lined) to expose the flesh side then apply vinegaroon. You can do a search for "vinegaroon" and see how to make it. I recommend removing any and all hardware from the belt before using the 'roon, as it could corrode it. If the belt is lined, and there's no flesh side to work with, you could just make a large batch of vinegaroon, drop the belt in it and wait 'til it turns black. Probably the best route is to use the belt for a pattern and make another one.

It's probably sewn, but we don't have a pic yet, so it's hard to say. Did you buy the sandals retail or are these hand made? If you bought them retail somewhere, I don't think you'll be able to lighten them by bleaching. You might could put an opaque finish like acrylic on them, but that would be likely to wear off. In short, I don't think you'll be able to lighten them any.

3 year old thread. Please remember to check the dates in a topic.

I slick down the flesh side with gum trag, water, and elbow grease. Then I seal it with Resolene or the homemade version of it.