Tina

I'm with you Rick. If the toolmaker did not get them as the delivery confirmation suggest HE takes it up with USPS and he should for future business' sake keep you out of this problem. As I see it the problem is between him and his local USPS personal.

Aha...Might I think that you are using the hi-liter directly on the untreaded leather without any resist inbetween (some sheene or similar)? I use the Fiebings Hi-Liter liquid a lot and I don't get any color at all on the leather it self, just black in the cracks. I do use an acryllic resist in 2 layers before applying the Hi-liter (and I let the 2 layers dry at least 24 hours to prevent strickes and such). I hope this will help you some :-)

I have bought and sold manny patterns and in my experience - sell them one by one, you will get the best price this way. One place to sell them is here or Ebay. Some patterns can get very expensive, some is way more affordable, it all has to do with how rare or desired they are...Good Luck :-)

I have totally missed this thread before...Beautiful work as always

There is deglazers around but how well they'll work for this type of job (and leather?) I'm not sure

Exceptional work as always, the mask is fab

First I would make sure the tack is not treated in any way shape or form (not likley if they're used=greese/fat and moore?). In other words, don't paint it unless it's new and made out of veg. tan leather, otherwise you might set yourself up (and the customer) for a huge disappointment and the paint will crack and peel off. I have Angelus brand paint at home and Plaids paint bought in a Joanns store, they both work on clean veg.tan leathers...My best choise would always be dye, trickier but in my oppinion way better result at the end. I use Angelus spirit dyes...Good Luck//Tina

Another tip, if the beveling looks OK as you make it but "separates" in the drying period then the leather is to wet when you start the beveling. After damping the leather with water it has to get back looking like dry leather again befor you start cut/bevel...Otherwise you will get those broad crack you refer to.

Ok, so here's mine, made in metal from http://www.phillipse...her_Stamps.html Translated text says: WildRavens LeatherDen

Have Jeff started to make stamps i metal now?

http://stleather.com/ If you get more than 10 tools they cost 4.09 each (Craft Japan). I use to buy from them when I lived in the US and I had no problems with them (there is one thread in the forum with some complaints about them). I always called them on the phone directly.

http://www.phillipsengraving.com/Leather_Stamps.html I'm very happy with the service and my stamp :-)

I use/used it with excellent results. Me to is applying 2 coats before using an antiquing medium and for me it works out perfectly. The only thing is that I let it dry at least 24 hours before trying to do something ontop of it, maybe that's your problem?

Thanks a load for the clever tip, Americans wanting things from home goes to bases the way Swedes' looking for IKEA to get the lingonberry jam ...I think Germany will be the closest and that's just to far out of my way I have to figure out a good way of placing some in my packing the next time coming back.

Just a small (...) Pinesol...One of the things I'm really going to miss (not living in the US anymore) and I only have a quarter bottle left...

"but the pattern it leaves is coarser than the A104" ...Could it be that these tools of yours is from different time periods of Crafttools or different makers even? The one I use the most in big areas is A105. This one is the easiest to get even and at the same time fastest to cover big surfaces...Just tapping along and go over the same/edge areas again (and again *S*)

One of the series with background tools (including yours) in different sizes and shapes is: Going from smallest to the biggest... A104-2, A104, A105, A114 the next series with a bit bigger pattern than the last is: A888-2, A888, A889, A118... Hang on I post a picturechart I've made for them :-) Ther PA tools is from Hidecrafters...

As an artist (before starting with leather) I have all these wonderful oilpaints at home...I did a trialround with the oil paints on leather and now around 4-5 years ago the pieces is just as beautiful as the day I painted it :-)

I have to desagree... The vegans take the liberty of bashing down on leather/fur lovers (sometimes with violence/destruction) as soon as they get the opportunity, why would we stand on the side when they try to mimic/copy anything leather/fur? Talk about double standard!!!

As far as I know there is no other choice than leather. (On the side: If someone have been taking the stand of being a vegan, that someone should not try to copy the "meatworld", be consistent.) //Just my 2 cents

Beautiful work as always Spinner, my favvo has to be the eagle

Lovley sunny spring at the southern parts of Sweden...Not that warm (+10-12C = 50-54F) but warm enough for hubby to go out golfing and me sitting on the stairs at back with a nice cup of tea :-)

I Love my Angelus spirit dyes (http://turtlefeathers.net/text/angelus/dye.html) My guess is that the second alternative here will be people that uses Fiebings prof. oil dye.

I use a pepple tool around the objects and just let it fade out...It works too and in my eyes it looks cool :-)

Or...Get the hang of how to shorten the quote and just leave the essential maybe? :-)