Kevin

He's just brushing the wax off the surface of the leather. I used to have to do that with pigskin, it also lets you get a really good look at the surface so you can avoid any small scratches that you wouldn't otherwise see. Kevin

#10 brass zipper is pretty hard to beat, but of course it all depends on what you're doing with it. Kevin

I have rubber sole material on my workbench for general cutting, poly on top of granite on top of a 3' stump for punches, and if I'm cutting thin leather and need a good clean cut I use an Exacto blade like a swivel knife on sheet metal. Kevin

I think that is used on horse collars to close them, so any harness materials supplier would have them such as Weaver, Beiler's etc. Kevin

The curved awls in shoemaking would be used to stitch the welt to the midsole (mainly). The others, I would say are pegging awls, some people like a round hole to drive a square peg into so it fits tighter. The pegging awls take a special haft, because you hit it with a hammer. Kevin

They are a fantastic machine, but not for holsters or heavy belts. Kevin

I used to put my marble slab on a stack of phone books in the middle of the bed. (wash. DC phone books, they were big) Kevin

I may be wrong, but the saddle looks Argentine to me. Kevin

Longtooth is right on the price and that is on the low side. You can tell from the shiney leather, it is either a cheap saddle or is very, very dry. Most English seats do, did, have seams in the back, now they sometimes pad the back of the cantle to do away with the wrinkles that would occur otherwise. Rounded (dressage) cantles are easier to do with no seams. Everything does come off but the "groundseat" and the rear 4 billets. It's almost a three day job. Take everything apart, block your new seat leather on, let it dry, take it off, sew it together and put it all back together. Kevin

After using linen only for 20 years, I tried some nylon hand sewing thread that Ohio Travel Bag sells and I have never looked back. It has a nice hard finish and is not curly like machine thread. I don't know what 18/4 is, but I use it instead of 4 cord linen that we get here. When I need a lighter thread, I can just pull one ply out of it and it still looks good. Since it is not lubed, it holds wax pretty well. Kevin

I think I have seen an ad on here for three free issues someplace. Kevin

I would say you did everything you could, he knows you're not just trying to get extra stamps for free and now everyone loses because he has drawn some line about how far he'll go. This is why we almost never use USPS, we use UPS and when someone doesn't get a package, it's because they're too lazy to look on the front porch because they always use the side door. Good luck, Kevin

Knut, They may not be twisted wrong for you. Look at most pricking irons and they are \\\\, all the needles I get are ////, (it looks backward in print) but if you want your machine sewing to mimic your hand stitching, it doesn't. Then if I do need to hand stitch through machined holes for some reason, MY stitching doesn't look right. With a needle and awl machine, you can set your awl however you want. Hope that explains what I'm talking about. I've been using this machine for over ten years now, so I'm not really unhappy with it. Kevin

Campbell Bosworth - Randall needle and awl machines with linen thread and Sellari's wax. Need speed? Union Lockstitch, a lot of people like Landis 16, I own 2 Landis 3's but they don't pull a stitch as tight. Most other machines are just heavy duty versions of Granma's Singer. Of course, what I actually use is an Adler 205-370 (?), it's easy to operate, clean, fast, I can sew nylon when I have to, changing size of thread or color is simple. Drawbacks? Unless you want to buy a hundred needles of the same size, they're twisted the wrong way. If you're not careful and backstitch enough, nylon thread will pull right out. There's lots more to say on the subject, but I've got a 12-K and a patching machine outside callin' my name and I've got to mind before it gets dark. Kevin

You don't need anything on top of Edge-Kote. Kevin

Sounds like a nicely set 1" #12 copper rivet to me. Drill your hole slightly smaller than the rivet, so you have to force the rivet through the hole, this will help keep the rivet from bending. Set the burr, cut off the excess rivet, use your setter to peen the rivet. Remember, you're not driving a nail just tap, tap, tap on that setter. You can tell by the sound if you're doing it right, it should sound solid against whatever you're setting it on, if it thunks or sounds dead, you're not hitting it straight or the rivet has bent. After it is successfully set, give it one tap directly with the hammer and that will get rid of the point and make it look finished. You can dome the bottom of the rivet if you wish or just leave it flat. Kevin

I have rubber fuel line on a couple stamps and the handle on my glue pot. Kevin

There are several types of snaps and different sizes of each type, the easiest thing would be to look at the Ohio Travel Bag catalog. They have the snaps and setters for most types. Good luck, Kevin

That's for setting tubular rivets. Also known as Rex rivets. Kevin

I don't know who makes them, but I know I've seen ads for "drop down" stirrups. Kevin

Since there is no way to tell how thick the leather is you are talking about, I will just say that a quarter is 4 oz. thick. Hope that helps, Kevin

There was a modeling tool with an edge beveller on one end, but I think it was more V shaped. Someone will have an old catalog and chime in. Good luck, Kevin

Sounds like the shaft is too long. A lot of times I have to cut it off to make it the right length I need. I just use the wire cutter part of my pliers to cut the right length, which mashes the shaft flat, then use the pliers to squeeze it back open, then use a scratch awl to round it back out (don't hold it in your hand). Actually, if you hold it in your hand, you will stab yourself and learn the lesson not to hold it in your hand. Hope that helps, Kevin

When I pad something, I usually use neoprene (diving suit) foam and naked finish chap leather. That being said, to me, when you add padding, that just makes three ridges to rub, instead of one flat surface. Pretty much the whole world disagrees with me though. Good luck, Kevin

I have a 6"x6" piece of cloud crepe divided into 9 sections for different size needles. When you finish sewing, just stab them in and they're right there the next time you need them. Any shoe repair place will have some. I used to use sheepskin, but once you get past 5 or 6 different types of needles, it takes too long to find what you're looking for. Kevin