ChuckBurrows

1) As fishguy noted - the various books by John Waterer has some of the best info on the history of leather 2) Indians did not just use hides (exactly what is your perceived difference between hides and leather?) - they made leather using the so called brain tan method, but the actual tanning is done by smoking where in the hides are infused with tannins via the smoke rather than being dunked in a tannic acid bath. The Europeans had used the same method for centuries and also used oil tanning, alum tawing, as well as bark/vegetable tanning - these are all methods of tanning which is the generic term commonly for any method that turns a raw hide into finished leather although technically one can make the argument that only methods using tannins is properly tanning. But Indians also used veg/bark tan leather - there are records of them stealing hide from the tanning vats near Boonesborough, KY and other frontier settlements. During the 19th Century, especially in the west, they scavanged and/ or traded for bark tan leather - harness, boots, belts, were all fodder for .making their own gear from. www.bbhc.org www.splendidheritage.com both site have Indian made pieces from bark tan leather......Colin Taylor has written severl books on Indians and thear gear... 3) I'd suggest not leaving out rawhide either - it was the first commonly used material for many types of gear, including armour, shoes, saddles, and harness and has a rich background of being tooled - mostly incised carved, but modeling was also widely used, not only Indians, but by Europeans and those of the Middle East........... What we here in the west consider tooled leather is mostly descended from the Spanish who were in turn heavily influenced by the Moors during their occupation of Spain. Other influences such as Oak and Maple leaf carving began in the early 20th century, and got intermixed with the Spanish style to produce the various schools we see today which is also being influenced today by leather carving and metal engraving appterns.

I use hemp and it works like linen in so far as waxing and stitching - mine is in fact Barbour's single cord so I make up threads in whatever cord I need to get the job done - I use it mostly for around inlays at 10-12 SPI or for period gear where I need a fine thread......

With respect, but despite Barbour's naming their product Flax Sinew (a double aberration since sinew is technically an animal by product and not a plant one), technically speaking flax is the plant from which linen fiber is made and not the fiber itself. The processed fiber is then spun into linen yarn and/or linen thread. Linen cloth is woven from linen thread, the same way that cotton thread is woven into cotton cloth. The technically correct term is in fact linen thread, which has been used for centuries. In fact The Linen Thread Company was founded in 1898 by the Barbour family (who had been in ths business since 1784). The Barbour's current company name is: Barbour Threads Ltd (a division of Coats). FWIW - While the initial price of the smaller spools is less than the Barbour's or the Hungarian brand sold by C-B, the "cost" per yard is much higher when figured out - about 8-10 times higher. I've gotten good reviews From those who have used the Hungarian thread, although it is a harder lay thread. Besides the resources you mentioned there are many others who sell many types if linen thread and there are even sources for hand spun linen thread such as Susan Wallace - Susan makes VERY nice thread in several weights which is used by those looking for historically correct hand spun threads for those special projects and/or restorations. Just do an Internet search for linen thread - hemp is another great natural thread.... Here's a PDF on the history of Barbour's Linen thread and how it's made dated 1886.... http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/...9679C94679FD7CF

Ray - I just got a whole box full of craftaids and pullouts. I'll go through them ASAP, pullout what I may want to keep, scan them, and then for the cost of postage mail them to you - it's about an 8-9" thick stack of the things....

Howdy David - Anything in particular you're looking for? Reason I ask is I haven't updated things in a while and have many more pics...... Give me a call sometime...... Chuck

Holsters - mid-to-late 1870's but they don;t look much like todays - just a plain under over weave - sort of like a bunch of squares

Thanks tasha - that's the link...........

I use a mix of about 60% wax and 40% rosin ( I collect my own osin or use http://jas-townsend.com/product_info.php?products_id=373 ) and like Jim a bit of olive oil if needed to make it a bit less stiff. Melt in a double boiler or an old crock pot (CAUTION: both wax and rosin fumes are flammable so take care) - when melted I don't do the water and taffy pull anymore - I get those self-supporting muffin "tins" and pour it into them - let cool, tear away the tin and voila you;ve got the best handsewing wax around FWIW - pitch not only makes it stickier but also adds, anti-bacterial/anti-fungal properties, which are good things - plus it smells good!........

Read this http://www.personal.utulsa.edu/~marc...eather/hl.html It's the heat that makes good cuir bouilli (in the the paraffin wax it's the heat nt the wax) - all the rest is window dressing - Using vinegar/ammonia just drives the oils from the hide - it DOES NOT make true cuir bouilli....water and heat - it's all you need........

3" wide square brass Crazy Crow item#5542-0116-711

more likely zinc - the same thing they cast their cuckles from - I doubt if therr is a pewter alloy that would hold up to the pounding we give the tools....

Here's the pic cleaned up a bit - IMO the "bumps" are not leather, but are either 1/8" brass spots (Standard Rivet sells them) or small brass or copper beads sewn around the edge - by the way the shadows look I'm inclined to think beads - www.crazycrow.com sells them I used the beads on this holster along the top edge at a wider spacing, but you can compare...

RE: W/C too mushy, too soft, etc. 1) Which type of W/C did you use: The tooling/holster or the skirting: their tooling and holster is normally drier and firmer than the skirting 2) If you used either one and it was still too soft, etc. just have them re-plate it - they will do this at no extra charge and it firms up the leather considerably - I know a major sheath maker who has this done even with HO FWIW - I've used both HO and W-C for over 30 years and like them both - I use W-C pretty much excusively due to the fact that I can buy direct with no minimums and the will split their Tooling and Holster at no charge to whatever thickness I choose or you can pay a minimum charge for other types to be split. For the cleanest of all leather I buy the backs at $1.00 more a sq ft, but there is less waste so the price upcharge is negligible in the long run. For belts IMO backs are best as they have the least stretch.

You can soak in muriatic acid (aka hydrochloric) for a while and it will dissolve the chrome (when first doing this keep a close eye - check every 15 minutes - too long and the tool can be damaged). Do this in a VERY WELL ventilated area and DO NOT breath the fumes. I do this outside with a fan blowing the fumes away along with a good painters mask - get the proper filters.....with proper precautions it is safe and sane.......

Others will tell you that you need iron for the mordant 1) but the high tannins in the nutshells act as their own mordant 2) adding or using iron to cook the mix in "deadens" the color to the gray end of the scale so for brown shades don't use iron.. For more of a brown than you can get with walnut on leather, try pecan shells and/or STRONG brewed dark rosst coffee......I've used and continue to use both coffee and walnut a lot...much less toxic than commercail dyes although you really don't want to drink the walnut

Nope not necessarily = it's one of those notations about vinegar blacking (aka VB - technically ferric acetate) that has been passed around as a fact and it's not true. If anything, using rusty iron or steel (either will work) will cause the leather to be less black and more brownish - when using VB on wood (especially nice on curly maple) rusty iron in the mix gives you more red/brown tones. Here's an original recipe from the 1800's: VINEGAR BLACK (aka Vinegaroon) For giving color to the grain of leather there is no blacking that will at all compare with the well known vinegar black. This may be made in various ways. The simplest, and, without doubt, the best, is to procure shavings from an iron turner and cover them with pure cider vinegar; heat up and set aside for a week or two, then heat again and set in a cool place for two weeks; pour off the vinegar, allow it to stand for a few days, and draw off and cork up in bottles. This will keep for a long time, and, while producing a deep black on leather, will not stain the hands. Notice there is no mention of rusty iron, but he does mention heating the mixture and that helps speed things along. I've also found that cider vinegar works faster. Time wise it can take a two to three weeks to get a good batch - once done I start another one immediately that way it's always on hand. If things slow down and there is still a fair amount of iron left add some more vinegar to give it a kick. If just a little iron strain off and use. To get the darkest black, do a quick soak of the leather first in a strong black tea mix and while still damp dunk in the VB. The extra tannins will help the color change since this is a chemical reagent not a dye/stain per se and it's the reaction of the VB with the tannic acid that causes the change. Follow up with a quick soak in baking soda (which neutralizes any residual acid, but also helps set the color to black and kills the smell) and then let the excess moisture evaporate, while still damp apply the oil of your choice...............

Very nice take and a nice write up but one thing in error - at least one of Tom's original holsters is still in existence along with his mother of pearl handled Colt SAA - yes pearl handled - despite Gen'l Patton's infamous comment, pearl handled guns were very popular in the 1920-30's amongst Texas lawmen, including Tom and Frank Hamer. Anyway here's a pic of one of Tom's original holsters - S. D. Myres made....it's scanned from the book Peacemakers by R. L Wilson

To keep critters away add a bit of Castor Oil - old time packers taught me that trick years - if even keeps porcupines away - they are more attracted by the salt than by the oil. And I like EVOO too and in fact find that it's cheaper at least when buying retail.....

I generally stay away from politics on boards, but as a an unrepentant beleiver in personal responsibility and choice this one is scary.......

IMO - get backs from Wickett & Craig - less stretch, no belly scrap, just the all around best leather for belts - a bit pricier to begin with but with less scrap, the price winds up close......plus you're buying American made goods......

Up to a point yes, but not match - keeping natural or bleached linen thread unstained, even when dying the leather first is a bit problematic - voice of experience To match the color as close as possible pre-dye your thread with the same dye or often better a shade darker - cut off a length, soak in the dye for a few minutes, wipe off the excess, let dry, then wax........but this works only when using unwaxed thread, which IMO is preferable.....

Not sure if it's the "best" source .......Linen Thread - 5 cord left or right hand twist is a good all purpose handsewing thread for pieces smaller than a saddle: Campbell- Bosworth: http://campbell-bosworth.com/catalog/advan...?keywords=linen - I have not used the less expensive Hungarian thread myself, but reports that I have received from others who have who's opinions on such matters I resepct, state that it just fine - a harder lay though - and costs half as much as the Barbour's. 5 cord left or right hand twist is a good all purpose handsewing thread for pieces smaller than a saddle or harness That brings back memories - I've "picked" a lot of old thread and have to agree that properly treated linen seldom rots and when either it or the leather does it's due to factors such as salt from sweat, acids such as urine, or mis-care such as over oiling - all are due to improper long term care

With respect to you and your friend, but Ferric/Ferrous sulfate is NOT a good substitute - sulfates of any kind (as well as any other sulfur based chemical) are known major causes of leather deterioration.

1) Leave it in longer - this is a chemical reaction not a dye amd it sound like your not letting it soak long enough for the reaction to occur. Let dry and re-dip if need be 2) Dip in a brew of strong black tea first to increase your tannins....... As noted heat helps.........

Some simple embroidery I did on a pouch when I was a SCAdian many, many years ago..... The Mexicans do real fancy leather embroidery using a type of bromelaid thread - IIRC it's called pitiado..... On most commercail leather you shouldn't get your stitches too close = on alum tawed or brain tanned they can get very close....