25b

Because then it would be veg tanned leather and not rawhide. Rawhide is by definition not tanned.

Ok, I've been looking for a good skiving machine for a long time. I finally found one, but now I need to get a table and motor for it. Please do not tell me to contact campbell-randall. That's just not going to happen. I don't feel like getting into a long, drawn out discussion about it, so I will not do so here. I have read on here that people have used two separate motors for these machines...one to run the knife at one speed of their choice.....and the other motor to run the feed mechanism to feed the material. Can anyone recommend any machine dealers (NOT the "consew" fake chinese clone salesmen) that would have a table and motor for this machine? The head is a campbell-randall top and bottom feed 81TB. Thanks for any leads. If I cannot find a source, I guess I will just get a piece of table and route out a hole for the belt and then bolt the motor to the bottom of the table. I'd really prefer one already set up...I just don't want to get ripped off on shipping and so-called "handling" fees.

I use this book for things like that... http://www.amazon.com/Braiding-Fine-Leather-Techniques-Australian/dp/0870335448/ref=sr_1_5?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1441369309&sr=1-5&keywords=braiding+leather Though I was trying to follow his illustrations for making a loop with the round braid and couldn't follow the pictures or the incoherent text... The instructions for back-braiding a flat braid are better, I think.

This...I have the same question.

Paraffin wax works as well as beeswax and is readily available in grocery stores (baking section...stuff I have was made by "gulf"...same as the old gas stations. ) I found it difficult to find beeswax locally. I eventually found some, oddly enough, at the local Renaissance festival.

Pricking irons and stitching irons/chisels are not the same thing and are not shaped the same. Art's description of each is correct. I have both and use both...they are not the same, regardless of whether certain people try (wrongly) to aver they are.

Ok, well that explains the confusion...you're talking about a bound edge...not piping.

Wow, that's a lot of questions. Stand by and I'll try to answer... I wouldn't gunk up mine like that, but it shouldn't hurt them as long as you clean them afterward. I don't really understand what you're asking about piping, but this book covers how to do piping pretty well... http://www.amazon.com/Leatherworking-Handbook-Illustrated-Sourcebook-Techniques/dp/1844034747/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1441291421&sr=8-1&keywords=the+leatherworking+handbook

I stand by what I said. I use one every day and I know what they're capable of. They ARE NOT "just a glorified domestic machine." But you go on ahead and keep trying to convince people otherwise. I've got orders to fill...which will be built on my sailrite.

Yeah, I suggested bridle or harness leather in the first reply to your thread here...I use bridle leather from Wickets (sic) & Craig. I have a black 10oz. bridle leather side from them here now and can't imagine anything like what happened to your suspenders happening to this leather unless it was just blatantly abused. I'm in the process of making myself a ranger belt from it using two layers, flesh to flesh and saddle-stitched all the way around...I don't think it would ever come apart.

I was joking about people getting their feelings hurt after they post on a public forum because they don't care for some of the replies they get. Good way to prevent that is to send emails to yourself......i.e. NOT posting on a public forum.

Instead of that vinegroon stuff, I'd use black bridle or harness leather. And I'd probably make them double-layer too considering the environment they're used in. In fact, I think I might make a couple of sets that way and take them around to the local fire houses and see what they think about them...

Yeah, see this is a public forum so everyone is able to post replies here, whether you agree with them or not. That's how it works. If their feelings get hurt, then instead of posting publicly, maybe they ought to send emails to themselves. You'll also note I was not posting directly about any one particular person, as I stated in that post. It could be about anyone or no one....but mostly it's about people that post ridiculous posts like that. (Not that anyone in this thread has done that......) I didn't say anything rude or anything like that, so I don't get what your problem is. Can't really say I actually care though... Oh, and yes, you can "find" cheap machines. There is a big difference between finding one in the "garbage" and coming onto a public forum and telling a sob story about being a hobbyist and someone here please sell me one cheap, ok? BIG difference.

This is just not true. I own a Sailrite and use it daily for leather and also heavy, thick tactical nylon fabrication and it works great. Not going to get in an argument on here, but I cannot let that statement stand unchallenged because it is incorrect. No, it's not going to sew through an inch of leather, but that does NOT mean it's just a "glorified domestic machine". The Sailrite can handle a LOT more than a puny "domestic" machine can. Oh, and I do not sell machines so I don't have any reason to not tell the truth about them, so...if anyone has any questions about Sailrite machines, send me a PM and I will give you accurate information instead of rhetoric and hyperbole.

Yeah, unfortunately your intended use of it doesn't change the selling price at all. I always laugh when I see people come on here and go, "hey......I 'need' to buy x machine, but I'm only doing this as a hobby and don't have enough money (or don't feel like paying what they're really worth) to buy one. So someone sell me one for $50." ...or some other giveaway price. That always amuses me. Oh, and before you get mad, I'm not saying you are doing that. I'm commenting on all the countless others I see post things like that. I'm sure many "professional" leather people don't have the funds to buy machines like that either. The difference is they don't normally post like that...they'll just save their pennies while laying off the beer and pizza and eat ramen for a while until they can buy it.

Not important. Just forget it.

...that is precisely why I ordered mine from pro edge burnishers. There really isn't any excuse for being put off like that with no communication from them. http://www.proedgeburnishers.com/ I am just a happy customer of pro edge burnishers.

Oh!!! I can't wait!!! Let me get right over there to Aliexpress store and....and....AND!!!!...Nah, nevermind.

I bought my leather cover back in 2008, but it's held up well. I used "baseball" stitching to do mine. The leather appears to be chrome tanned with the edges turned unerring and glued there...then pierced holes on both sides, all the way around at the same stitch length. Where there's a "spoke" on your wheel, you run the lace (mine came with artificial sinew) under the edge of the leather until you can run it out of the next holes at the next opening in the wheel, if that makes sense.

I have no intention of paying them $25 to "verify my credit card" and then another $5 per month on top of that...makes ebay's fees look like a good deal and they're not!!

Ahh, I see...gotcha. I understand now...

Also, kevlar thread cannot be "singed" on the ends to keep it from unraveling...just something to keep in mind. And...it will very definitely tear through any leather (or pretty much any other fabric) instead of breaking. I know that should be obvious to everyone, but it may not occur to some folks. I have a length I keep on a small metal spool to use to tie things up, if necessary (tarps, tie-downs on covers on trucks, etc...)

The rotating hole punch is ok, but very, very, very weak. Mine broke clean through after only a few uses on very thin leather. Also, you're only going to get round holes with it...so you won't get nice, slanted stitches. That's fine if that's what you want, but it will not look like fine stitching found on English bridle work. I prefer the latter, so I only use pricking irons and stitching chisels instead of round holes.

I would recommend linen thread for that...and quite a bit smaller than .6 also... Something that will make your cut out areas look better is to use a small, round punch in the corners to give them a small radius, then use a very sharp knife to connect the outer edges of each radiused corner to complete the cut out.

Well, they look to be the same size as many challenge coins. If you google leather challenge coin holders and click on "images", you'll see plenty of designs that will work for those.