slipangle

Did you order a moisture trap too? I hope so.

Javier, It may be reacting negatively with the Eco Flo, being wiped on with a sponge. ...if you could, I would try applying it in two or more very thin coats, with an airbrush or similar. First coat a light mist. Dried thoroughly to seal. Second coat can be a little more, but still very light. Third if needed.

I tell you what, I miss the days when I could go down to Salt Lake Leather. Maybe before your time there in the valley, don't know. That was a great place. I don't live in the valley anymore. Is Tandy's still on south State Street in SL? They never had the best leather. But pretty good sometimes.

Really nice work. Beautiful.

There's not much difference between them. I've used both. And the fumes from both are noxious.

For what it's worth, you can't go wrong with an Iwata. I like high quality tools. They're a better investment in the long run. And they just work better. Iwata air brushes are high quality. I have an older Iwata BC that I found at an estate sale, un-used. It's a precision tool. For those wanting to spray both water thin media, like dyes, and thicker pigmented media, like paint, keep in mind that good quality air brushes usually have different tip options. In general, you need a wider tip orifice for media with a thicker viscosity. Smaller tip for dyes, etc.

Say, Black Dogg, I really appreciate this glowing review. I'm very happy you like the awl haft, and that it fits so well in your hand. It's always a challenge to know just what shape to make these handles...so I'm glad it's comfortable. My thanks again. It was great working with you, and I very much appreciate your business, and your review here. Scott

Hello folks, I have here for sale #17 in my series of hand made leather awl hafts. This awl haft is 4 1/2 inches long from the butt end to the tip of the chuck. Is is made from a piece of old growth genuine lignum vitae that I have had for over 30 years. For those who may not know, lignum vitae is considered to be the hardest and heaviest of hardwoods. It is very dense, full of natural oils, takes a beautiful polish, and no addition finish is needed. This piece surprised me somewhat when I cut into it, showing a beautiful yet darker color than the piece I worked with previously. It is extremely dense, with very tight grain pattern in a lovely combination of dark olives and browns, with a hint of yellow. This awl has a satisfying heft in the hand, is quite heavy and substantial, certainly when compared with most commercially available awls, and yet allows very good control when using it with conventional saddle stitching technique using two needles. The raised finger and/or thumb rest I turn on these allows not only a firm support with which to help the blade through the leather but also makes for a functional shape to hold between the fingers when the needle is being held in the finger tips during stitching. I cut the traditional three concentric rings around the larger end of the butt, and one groove near the thumb rest for added grip. It has a nickel silver collar which I use at the junction between the wood and the Starrett pin vise, which I adapt for use with diamond blades in these handles. I only use the Starrett pin vise as my chuck as they are the highest quality available, even though they cost five times the price of the cheap imported chucks I could use in these tools. This size awl is suitable for people with medium to large hands, I feel. Though the human hand is highly adaptable. For scale, I have somewhat small hands for a man, size 8 in a tight fitting glove. and yet I find this size and shape very comfortable in the hand. I include one diamond shaped awl blade, which is given a preliminary sharpening. Price for this awl is $90. which includes free shipping in the U.S. Payable through Pay Pal friends & family option as I would prefer not to incur fees. Inquiries welcome from overseas. But I will only ship this to certain countries. Please inquire. Thank you. Please send me a private message if you are interested or have any questions. more pics

As you've already mentioned, the belly area stretches most. Theoretically, the area of the hide with the least amount of stretch is the leather closest to the spine, and cut parrellel to it. These backs are the most desireable sections for many applications so they are often bought up by the high end commercial users and often aren't even included on a "standard" hide. But for something that has to sustain the weight of the typical human being, I would try to source the straps from that area of the animal, if you can find them. Second choice would be as high up the hide as possible, and only cut parrallel to the spine. Pre-stretching the straps might not be a bad idea. But I would think that if the straps were of a high quality, and thick enough, that step shouldn't be neccesary.

Hi, Thanks! Sorry but...I've been away from this for quite a while. I do not have any finished currently. But do have 4 in the half way stage. I just need to get busy on the metal lathe and make the nickel silver collars, etc. I've been totally engrossed in an unrelated project of late but will try to get back on this and will post some pictures when I get these done. Thanks for your inquiry and, again, sorry for the delays. Scott

Nice looking, Bigfoote. New awl, you say? I make them. Will send you a PM, if interested.

Superb. Both the work and the video production.

I always wondered why they still call these a "bone" folder. I suppose plastic folder doesn't have that ring to it.

A couple of members had tried to contact me at the beginning of the month. My apologies for not getting back to you. I was out of the country for a couple of weeks and not in range of a connection most of the time so I'm just now seeing some messages. Sorry for the delay. And thanks again to those of you who have showed an interest in the awls. Scott

#17 is SOLD. Thank you.

Thank you, R Stevenson. Glad you like it! I appreciate your business. By the way, RS's pictures here show the color of the wood much better than my photos. Not sure why my pics came out so reddish. Maybe I can fix that. Thanks, R.

Thanks! I would think you would have no choice but to obey her, now that you've convinced her Scott

#16 is SOLD. Thank you.

Thanks for the input Electrathon. I've considered the flat spot. Several times. Thing is, after I do all the work on these, shaping, sanding and then polishing, I just can't bring myself to take the wood to a belt sander and sanding a flat spot on the handle. Not sure how I'd do a flat spot for the thumb when I'm turning these in the old pattern, as in Gomph or Osborne tools. But good food for thought. By the way, I should mention, I have a heckuva time taking good photos of these, trying to show the detail, and the grain of the wood. I purposely over-exposed these shots a bit. Otherwise it's hard to see the wood. Also, these pics show the wood as more reddish than it actually is. True color has more browns to it. And, as with all rosewoods, this wood darkens slightly over time.

Hi folks, I've been making some new awl hafts. Here are a few pics. If interested in one, please go to the Marketplace section and my for sale thread posted there for more pictures and details. Thanks for looking. http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=65596 #15 #16 #17

Hi everyone, I've been working on some more awl hafts over the last couple of months. At the moment, I have 3 available. And a couple more in the works. These all have old growth rosewood handles, nickel silver collars and a collet/chuck that I get from L.S. Starrett tools. A very high quality chuck. All include a Vergez-Blanchard 43 mm diamond shaped blade with a preliminary sharpening on it. Some of these awls are slightly longer than others. I've tried to make a couple of them with shorter handles based on requests from some folks who like the butt end of the handle to sit in the middle of the palm. Some have grooves adorning the wood, some are plain with no grooves. I've decided to dispense with the little nickel silver alignment "spot" I put in some earlier handles as I question its practical usefulness, but will add one to any awl for an additional $10. They involve a lot of extra work. If interested in an awl, please send me a personal message. And please refer to the number attached to each awl haft so I know which one you want. All are priced at $90, which includes free shipping in the continental US. I'm trying to keep the price of these the same. I know it's a lot for a tool. But then, I look at what Leather Wranglers is charging for one of their awls, made with domestic hardwoods and think maybe I'm not charging enough. But I'm trying to keep them somewhat affordable for folks who are interested in a one-of-a-kind, hand made tool. Thanks This is #15. Length from butt end to tip of chuck is 4 1/4 inches. Width of handle is 1 1/8. Smooth, un-adorned handle. This is #16. Length is 4 inches. Width is 1 1/8. Three grooves in butt of handle with one groove cut in finger rest. This slightly shorter haft is meant to be held in the center of the palm with fingers on the forward end of the finger rest bulge. A comfortable position, I've found. Number 17. Length is 4 1/8 overall. Width is 1 1/8. Smooth, un-adormed handle.

Hi CRD, No worries on the name. I didn't even notice it. I think I'll send you a PM. Scott

Thanks CRD. It occurs to me, I wasn't actually able to answer your question. Not enough testing. But you know, although I use my Lignum vitae burnisher, I think I'll make a Cocobolo one and suspect it may work as well, or even better. Just a theory but I'm suspecting the oiliness of lignum vitae might work against the idea of burnishing over the edge of veg tanned leather. Just a bit. Since I add lube anyway, such as Fiebing's saddle soap, the lack of waxiness in cocobolo may be an advantage. Not sure.

I have a bit of experience with it, Scorpionrider. Here are two burnishers I made a few months ago and subsequently sold here on the forums. I have since decided not to make burnishers out of it, for now, as this old growth, genuine Lignum Vitae is very rare now. I have had this piece since about 1989 or so. I made two awl hafts out of it too. Pictures below. It does indeed make a very good burnisher. But I'm not sure any better than other very hard woods, such as Cocobolo rosewood or other rosewoods. The naturally high oil content of Lignum Vitae, along with its very tight grain pattern and dense nature, tend to make it burnish well. The old circular "donut" hand burnishers were made of LV. But I haven't done enough side by side comparisons to know if it works any better as a burnishing wood than others. It is amazing stuff. A pleasure with work with on the lathe and takes a very high natural polish. Emits a very pleasant, floral scent when worked on the lathe as well. If you can find some of the genuine old stuff, true Guaiacum officinale, I recommend buying it. It is very rare now. I have one blank of it left. But after I made these two burnishers, I sort of felt it may not have been a suitably respectful use for it, considering its rarity, when Cocobolo (Dalbergia retusa) probably works just as well. I have lots of Cocobolo. I may make more awl hafts out of it, however. (p.s. In case anyone is interested, I sold the one LV awl haft shown in the first pic, but intend to put the second one, with the deeper grooves cut into the handle, on the for sale section at some point) regards, Scott