HellcatLeathers

Okay, fess up....where did you manage to find QUALITY BRASS PARTS?????!!!! I've been trying for ages and haven't found crap. A brass buckle here or there, but nothing great in good quantities. I'm looking for solid brass snaps, rivets, and grommets. Thanks! Oh, and so far everything I've seen you do is kick-ass! Keep up the awesome work and keep sharing!

Making a shoe or moc is on my list of "leather items to make".....those look nice and extremely comfortable! Nice job.

I'm going to go buy some transfer plastic sheets this weekend now and try it out. Thanks for that tip....don't know why I never thought of that. Duh. Going to try the wax paper as well....

I LOVE the color of the bag and the tooling.....it's beyond fabulous to me. Love it.

I would use a regular buckle or a rolling bar buckle. Would not recommend using a Conway buckle. I have made several dog collars. Also, if you're a newbie, I would't recommend spending your time handstitching a double layer of leather. Single layer of veg-tanned leather medium thickness (9 or 10 oz is a little heavy in my opinion) would be fine. Don't worry about finishing the inside of the collar...the oil and dirt from the dog's skin/fur will affect it anyway. Good luck! Post your creation to the Show Off thread when you're done! Here's a couple dog collars I've done recently: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=262057810498895&set=a.270507399653936.60421.262007430503933&type=3&theater https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=270507406320602&set=a.270507399653936.60421.262007430503933&type=3&theater http://www.etsy.com/listing/88850832/sunburst-hand-tooled-brown-leather-dog?ref=pr_shop http://www.etsy.com/listing/88808748/handmade-dog-collar-for-large-breed-dog?ref=v1_other_2

I try to package my items in a scrap of leather and tie it with some leather cord or strap. I like the organic/raw look to it and it seems to add to the presentation of my "hand-crafted" items. Example pic attached. (Items were 3 leather coffee koozies all bundled together) I then put it in a nice brown bag with the rope handles and tied a piece of leather to the handles and attached my business card through a hole I punched in it....put some tissue wrapping paper in there as well.

Thanks for your comments and advice! I thought it would motivate me more to get more inventory going by putting the shop on Etsy first, then building the inventory as I go. I don't take Paypal and I never will. I know this will impact sales, but that is okay for now. Eventually I hope to be able to accept credit card payments. (Paypal and Ebay have screwed me out of so much money in the past I will never use either one of them again.) Thanks for the tip on that book. I put it in my Amazon cart already. Can I search for your Etsy shop by name?

Does anyone on here have an Etsy shop? I just signed up and opened one and put a few items in there for starters. Check it out and let me know what you think: http://www.etsy.com/shop/HellcatLeathers Any suggestions on how to promote my Etsy shop? I'm putting it all over my Facebook page and my Hellcat Leathers Facebook page as well. Oh well, time to get back to the tooling bench.....this little elf has some belts to make this weekend! Ciao!

It's nice to be part of a forum where everyone can share their personal opinions and not get bent out of shape....I wish my neighborhood forum was like this! For me, skulls symbolize several things that I like: rock culture, pirates, and general bad-ass-ness. (yes, I think I just made up a word) Skulls, in some religions and religious practices, are used to ward off evil spirits....like a gargoyle. At least this is what I tell my mom when she visits and says "Why all the skull paintings?" LOL

Hey y'all....born and raised in South Louisiana here and have been in Atlanta, GA for the past 11 years. Oh, I just want to point out to my Alabama neighbor that the real LA is Louisiana! Laissez les bon temps rouler!!!!! We're thinking about moving to Colorado....probably outside Denver on some acreage or up to Ft. Collins. I can't wait to get out of this city. Oh, and one more thing...... GEAUX TIGERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (just a little friendly competition....no offense)

Insignia This one should be big enough for you to trace and copy.

I hand-wax DMC embroidery thread and have had excellent results and no complaints. Plus, they are inexpensive; easy to find; and come in a ton of colors! http://www.dmc-usa.com/Products/Needlework-Threads/Embroidery-Threads/Color-Variations.aspx

Is it a Maker's Mark? I have seen a Maker's Mark that is the dueling pistols. It's for Maxx & Unicorn. See link here: http://shop.coolmaterial.com/products/maxx-unicorn-bifold-wallet-camo Is that the one you are talking about?

Did you hand-stitch those items or use a machine? If it's a machine, which one? Your tooling is superb!

Hand stitched? Very clean!

That is the most beautiful piece of art I've seen made out of leather. Excellent job!

Are you needing thread on a spool for a sewing machine or do you handstitch? I use DMC embroidery thread and hand wax it with beeswax and then sew away. They have THOUSANDS of colors available; it's cheap; and I've found it holds up pretty well!

I've ordered several hides and scraps from The Leather Guy before and it was always a smooth transaction and he's very nice. I highly recommend him! www.theleatherguy.org

Beautiful bag! Love it....the aged look and the hardware really made it. Great photos!

Here are a couple of big dog collars I made this past weekend for a client. One is range tan and the other saddle tan...both eco-friendly dyes and stains.

No comments at all? I was kind of hoping to get some advice on how to dye or stain the sparrow wallet......

I've got a craft show coming up next weekend, so I'm trying to get some inventory ready this week. I'm trying to cover every price point I can....key fobs, wallets, belts, purses, etc. Here is a pic of the sparrow wallet I'm tooling. I haven't had any experience with Cova colors or doing any colorwork. I usually just dye or use a stain. Any suggestions? I might just leave it natural and stain it. I'm probably going to use a nice goat for the inside liner instead of pig.

Beautiful and unique! I love how you made a non-typical closure and I dig the cut-outs on the front as well. Are those copper rivets? Where did you get them from?

I haven't attemped a cell phone case for that exact reason...so small to deal with and my stitching stinks. The fox is great! I'm an animal lover, and that fox is damn cute....smiling and all. Good job!

Wow. That bag is amazing. I love it....original and cool. Great job with the medallion and ruby.....awesome.