TwinOaks

There are a couple of options- First, dye a border around the outside which will help hide the stitching boo boo. That's the easiest (though care must still be used), fastest, and least expensive. Next up is to bind the edge which will completely cover/hide the stitching. You'd take a strip of leather and sew onto the edge all the way around. You can see the method for doing this in Kevin Kings wallet tutorial here, http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=9940 , starting towards the bottom with the notation "...30 inch long piece of lambskin". My suggestion is to use really thin leather for this as it gets bulky quickly, and thinner leather will wrap around the edge more neatly. Obviously, you'll need to measure the perimeter of your journal/binder for the correct length, and then add a few inches (easier to cut off the excess than stretch the remainder). **You can also just wrap the edge, which will have the same effect as binding it, but you'd have a less 'finished' look to it. Last solution is to lace the edge, which would take quite a bit of lace and time. You'd also need to check to see if there's enough 'room' on the inside of the folder so you don't have the lacing shortening any openings like pockets, etc. If you have the leather available, or can get it, I think binding the edge would look best.

The holes will somewhat close up after a while, but they'll always be there. The hide is already dead, so no healing will take place!

I'm sorry to burst your bubble and report this, but the Pro-Waterstain will bleed/rub off under certain conditions. I agree that it's a fantastic product, and under most circumstances it's a very good choice. I used it on a holster prototype and put it through the wringer. As you said, it will not come off...even in running water. But if the leather gets truly soaked, it's game over. I had a job that required full PPE, including tyvek coveralls, so I removed my EDC pistol but kept the holster on. An hour and a half of hard work in 90 degree weather while wearing the tyvek meant that everything I was wearing was soaked with sweat. Even the holster was soaked...and bleeding black on my pants, belt, and inside of the tyvek suit. I let the holster dry and the result is that there are areas where what used to be black is now kaleidoscope of red, plum, blue, and black. This certainly qualifies for "abusing" the holster but once a piece of gear leaves my hands I have no idea what it'll go through, so products need to be as 'everything proof' as possible. I still use the waterstains, but only on items that most people wouldn't subject to hard use. Holsters and sheaths will get the time tested methods. I currently use pro- oil dyes for as much as possible, applied after oiling. Then it's buffed, buffed again, and sealed with Resolene or a lacquer finish.

Very nice sheath....but I think the rivets detract from the overall appearance, particularly on the back where the hollow tube is visible. A double cap rivet would improve that by having a solid 'head' on each side. For greater longevity, some of the #104 tubular rivets from Weaver would be a better choice...with the #104 caps.

If I may offer: There are several threads here addressing the topic of sharpening punches. Your punch may just need edge dressing.

tip: If you don't know of an adhesive that will work with damp things, you haven't researched enough adhesives.

The bag pictured in the OP uses the same thickness for the sides as the front and back. A close look at the edges reveals that. To make that type bag, be sure that your corners have the same radii, then glue the gusset in. You'll sew through the glue. To keep the gusset in place while the glued gusset dries, use binder clips (you might need some scrap pieces to keep from marring the leather). To do the actual sewing, do one side first, all the way around, and then shift the sewn piece a little to the side as you sew the other side in. Or use a curved needle.

The Juki has the advantage of being a current production machine (or at least fairly recent) which means that you should have no problems with finding parts OR service. As to how long it should run? If you perform the BASIC maintenance such as oiling, tensioning the belt when needed, etc., it should last for years and years and years. Although it isn't being used, I have a early 1900's Champion shoe stitcher...it was in poor condition, but a little TLC and needs ONLY some needles, awls, and thread and it would be ready to sew. When you buy a machine, buy quality under the guise of "buy once, cry once". It's very rare to see anyone post on this forum and say "I am soooo ticked off...I bought a machine and the dang thing NEVER breaks down". If you haven't done so, check out Nick-o-sew in the ad banners at the top of the page.

I printed the paper pattern, confirmed that the inner and outer pieces are the same, then made a my reusable pattern from a notebook.

The only major issue I see is that you have corners. Try to round them at least a little (I go for 1/8" radius). This is because at a corner, you'll have a little bit of leather that is further away from any stitch -the point of the corner- and it is less supported by the stitches. Corners will more easily catch on clothing, or anything else, and can become 'dog eared'...which looks horrible. They also interfere with the 'flow' of the piece....everything else is done with radii or sweeping lines. Another thing I see --which may just be camera angle-- is that it appears that there is a little slack at the bottom of the trigger guard. Eliminate that as much as you can so that the pistol is held securely.

From what I can see, it's an excellent job. The only thing I have any reservations about is the molding at the accessory rail. That needs to be 'decorative only', and NOT closely molded to the rail. A good while back, one of the members made a holster for a similar pistol and molded it so closely that the leather "locked" the pistol in place where the molding more or less meshed (like a zipper) with the rail.

My recommendation is this: http://myriam.dakotabraiding.com/%C2'> Myriam graciously posted some tutorials on her page - just click the link for them. Braiding in an 'eye' is covered in the Dog Leash tutorial.

IF the machine is still available, I will happily go to the seller's address (with their permission, of course) and disassemble, label, box and ship the machine. My fee for this will be $950 + actual shipping charges + travel expenses.

I think the problem here is that 'mink oil' is not a sealer, it's just a conditioner with hydrophobic properties. You can condition the leather, but you still need to seal it afterwards with one of the -sheen products, resolene, or a lacquer finish.

great way to innovate!

I would have to say that improper belt sharpening dulls the knife, not belt sharpening in general. A 1x30 isn't much belt sander (I have one) and there isn't much room to work with, or on. If you take a look at some knifemaker's vids you'll likely see that many use a jig to maintain a specific angle. They also have a wider assortment of belt grits than most hardware stores carry in 1x30 . For example: the finest grit I have found locally is 120 for a 1x30 sander. That in itself will produce coarser results than most stones. Also consider that with only 30" of belt, you're loading up the belt or wearing it down pretty quickly. Either case means that your blade is creating more heat than it should. When I've use mine for sharpening, I work bare handed and anytime the blade feels warm, I cool it. I reprofiled two kitchen knives after my son clanged them together edge to edge (too much LOTR) and when I got done they needed only a few passes on a ceramic rod to be back in working order. I also used it to change the bevel angle on my head knife with similar results. Maybe the key to using the diminutive sander for sharpening is to work slowly and in small steps.

Welcome to the best site on the 'net! We have more than a few shoe and boot makers, so pull up a chair, and stay a while. Coffee's fresh in the break room, restrooms are down the hall on the left.

yes, the always possible bell-knife skiver!!! great addition to your tool collection!

I've been using "utility' buckles from Springfield...but not the fancy ones. These are solid brass or nickel over brass and have held up to several years of hard use.

Welcome to the best site on the 'net! It looks like you'll fit in just fine here.

search for them using the name "Midas" - IIRC, Midas had several models like that. You might also contact Bruce Johnson @ brucejohnsonleather.com as he is a collector/restorer/reseller of many older leather tools.

I certainly didn't mean "retire 3 days from now" treasure....it's an idiom of speech. It's something pretty cool, completely unexpected, and you didn't pay anything extra for them. But, what the heck, might as well see if they're worth more to someone else?

With any stitching, I hand sew the lock. With nylon I pull the stitch tight, snip close and melt the thread end then press it into the other thread. With linen, I make sure that final two passes of the lock go through the other threads in the hole, not beside them. Then, just pull snug...pull a little more snug...and cut close. The tension on the stitch pulls the cut end back inside the hole and the wax keeps it in place. Ideally, there's no real pressure being exerted on the lock stitches, as the regular stitches should be taking all of it.

http://currency.ha.com/worth/currency-value.s scroll down to the "confederate money" section. There are, of course, more sources than that link, and you may have a higher value on your side of the pond than over here. Just as a curiosity, did you obtain the manual locally or was it online?

If you found them in a WWI manual, I'd think the chances are good that they're authentic. It's not likely that a counterfeiter would go to the trouble of 'hiding' fake bills in a manual for you to find. If they weren't purchased as antiques/collectibles, I think you may have stumbled onto a real treasure.