Airth

Stunning workmanship! I'm also amazed at how you can produce all this in a week...it takes me two days just to cuss one item together!

I've seen several posts and referrals for custom stamp-makers, but one question I've not come across in my Google-fu is exactly what should go on it, and how much can one reasonably expect to fit into that approximate square inch and still have it legible and recognizable. The few I've seen here and there have the maker's name and/or company, "maker", and city or state. Is there a secret standard I'm not aware of, or a formula which just seems to work? If you're willing to share, I'd like to see your own maker's marks to get an idea of what works for everyone. Thanks in advance!

Here's the last one I finished, my first "steampunk" project. I learned a lot from this one, such as just how much leather can stretch no matter how you thought you accounted for it. (This is before I learned the tape trick from you kind folks on here!) Consequentially the inside pocket tooling warped the whole thing, and I didn't really realize it until I was sewing it together. Still, I like how it turned out and have been actively wearing and using this one. The next one will be loads better. Thanks for looking, and for everyone's feedback.

Thank you, Rohn! You're always encouraging on virtually every post in this forum

Quite a nice setup! Mine is on the kitchen table...I'm working on moving it to the basement this weekend.

Very nice work! I'm right there with you, and only just recently got a quartz slab...the difference is significant!

Wow!

About 98% of the time, you can add ".com" to the end of what you're looking for and get an acceptable result. The other 2% of the time leads to a site not safe for work, as we found out when a friend was looking for some chrome rims for his vehicle.

Very crisp and professional looking!

Here's the latest...finished in black, antiqued a bit and shined up, with nickel hardware and a belt clip. I'm calling this one "generic biker", since it's been 'skulled' up but is still subtle. I free-handed the design around the concho (if you can't tell). I used 2-piece copper rivets around the clip--it works great but doesn't match. The next one will have matching nickel rivets or Chicago screws. Thanks for looking and for everyone's feedback!

Thank you! I didn't know the slit direction made that much difference, so I reversed it on the latest one. Pics will be forthcoming!

Thank you, Sir!

Great job! I really like your tooling design!

Thanks, folks! That means a lot coming from the experts on here.

Beautiful!

That's very distinctive--I know your customer will love it!

In the movie industry when they want to age leather products, they beat the *&%^$* out of it. Really! Adding scuffs, rub marks, folds, whacking it in a few places with a chain or rough wooden board...pretty much anything to give it that battered and well-worn look. As for changing the color to make it more 'patchy' in appearance, splatter tea, coffee, even diluted blood in key areas and wipe it off. Be sure to reseal any 'damaged' areas before they turn into actual damage.

That's impressive!

Wow, all of those are impressive! What do you use for coloring/painting?

Very nice work!

Here's something I finished a few months ago after I refurbished a Craftsman boy's axe. Once I got it back up to par, of course it needed a proper "pair of pants". I added a rawhide scuff collar to the haft and began work on the mask itself. After drawing up a few designs, I settled on something reversible in that there was no "right" way to put it back on. Because of a limited budget, I have only the most basic tools and cut everything out with a utility knife and an old cutting board, and hand-sew everything. One of these days I'll get something proper to cut with, as the uneven edges get on my nerves. Anyway, here's the start...I cut the welts out of the blade shape since it's already set, and use the swivel knife to cut a stitching groove (I don't have a groover): Here it is post-tooling. I'm rather proud of this one as it's the first thing I've ever done freehand. Then finished and on the axe, front and back: Thanks for looking, and for everyone's feedback!

As my first post here, I wanted to show something I did for a commission just recently. I'm in the process of making several more just like these, and hopefully each will be better than the last. A co-worker has seen some of my past work, and wanted to know if I could make him a holster for his phone. He wanted a secure leather loop he could use while riding. Fast-forward a week or so and I had completed a working prototype to show him. This was made to fit my phone, an iPhone 5, which was a little taller than his. After some discussion, we settled on a design and I got to work. The finished product is more of a wallet that holds a phone, as it has a front pocket to hold several cards. I made it adjustable and dyed it a very dark brown, hard to see since I had just treated it with mink oil. This was my first time setting letters too, so after a few practice runs I *still* managed to get them slightly off. Although it has a few finish issues for my taste, he liked the "rough around the edges" look and is talking about commissioning me for more projects. Here's the finished product: I'm still learning but he seemed happy with it, which is all that matters to me. Thanks for looking and offering your suggestions!

Hello all, and greetings from Colorado! I've been dabbling in leather work off and on for several years, and only within the last year or so have I gotten "serious" about it. I look forward to getting to know all the experts here, bombard you with mundane questions, and perhaps make a few new friends in the process! Thank you for having me.