zuludog

Just had another idea There are heaters for aquariums (aquaria?). Most are submersible, some are pads so you place the aquarium on it 'fraid you'll have to do some more Surfing!

The light bulb suggestions are good, but check first. The new eco lightbulbs do not give out as much heat as the traditional tungsten filament ones

Those sentiments are shared by myself, and I'm sure, all decent minded people. You might also wish to put 'Remembrance Day' into Google

It is common to use a low output, and therefore low energy consumption, heater to protect plants from frost in greenhouses, and also prevent water pipes from freezing in outside workshops & garages. They are not intended to make the rooms warm enough for working in, just enough to keep the temperature above freezing and so protect susceptible items Can get them powered by electricity, gas ( I'm British - when I say gas I mean propane etc, not gasoline!) and paraffin/kerosene. Put 'greenhouse heater' into Google and start Surfing I live in northern Britain where such things are common; a bit quaint and old - fashioned, but they do the job.

I have made my own strop from odds 'n' ends I had lying around, based on the illustration & dimensions in Tandy's catalogue. There is also a pinned thread under 'How do I do that? on this forum I used some 2mm? leather from an old chair, and for the polishing compound I used Autosol car chrome polishing paste; don't know if it's available in USA, but there must be something similar It looks homemade, but it does the job, got my craft knife and home - made skiving knife razor sharp Gradually building up your experience and collection of tools is one of the interesting and satisfying parts of leatherwork. Have a look at as many threads & posts here that you can manage. there are lots of tips, suggestions & ideas It would help if you put a some more information on your profile, like your main interests, both in leatherwork and other things; and at least which country you live in!

this is a message for krappstein you might like this website & forum http://www.britishblades.com

Wyoming Slick's suggestions seem like a good idea. That's what forums are for,, swapping information

I started as a lab technician, and worked my way up to be a pilot plant manager for a large food company, making small samples for tasting, testing, and other trials,before going on to make large batches. I quite enjoyed the work but eventually I was made redundant and took a while to find another job. In my fifties I got a job as a chef/cook at a nursing care home for old people, but at a drop in pay from that of a manager. I suspect this cycle of redundancy followed by long term unemployment and low paid work will be familiar to a lot of people in UK and USA. In Britain, when you reach 60 you are entitled to free travel on buses, though they have since increased the age threshold. I was already claiming a moderate private pension, and I worked out that if I gave up my car and used my bus pass, I could afford to retire early. Given the choice of living cheaply and not working, or working and not enjoying it, there was no argument. I will be 65 next year and able to claim my State Pension, so that will be a welcome addition to the coffers. Somewhere along the way I fancied knife - making, and when I retired I had the time to do it. I always knew that I would need to make sheaths, but I hadn't realised how involved that would be if you wanted to do it properly. I had already made a few sheaths when, by Surfing The Net, I found this forum fairly recently. So far I am restricting myself just to sheaths, and fighting against any more leatherwork, but perhaps....

Not specifically about leatherwork though it could be, as well as a lot of other things. I picked it up during my time in British Industry THE STAGES OF A PROJECT 1) Initial enthusiasm 2) Doubt 3) Panic 4) Disillusionment 5) Search for the guilty 6) Punishment of the innocent 7) Promotion for those not involved

I'm sure there are lots of Americans who can tell you how to rennovate and sharpen an axe, but you could also try this website & forum http://www.britishblades.com

Olive oil would not work, and it would also gum up the lamp what sort of paraffin (kerosene) lamp are you using? The hurricane lamp or any other lamp that uses a wick (like those you see in cowboy films!) will produce a smell. Those that burn paraffin vapour will produce less of a smell, but it's still there. In the UK there was a well known paraffin vapour lamp, the Tilley, but they are long out of production, and are now collectors items There is the Coleman lamp, but in the UK Coleman fuel is expensive The best choice would be a gas lantern. I don't know what's on the market now, but I'm sure Camping Gaz or Calor will have something, or Surf The Net. The small lamps using disposable cartridges are fairly cheap to buy, but expensive to run in the long term. Those using a re-fillable cylinder are cheaper to run, and give a better performance, but you have to buy into the cylinder in the first place. You could use a gas lamp for general lighting, with an LED headtorch for close up. not ideal, but do-able. Try this website & forum; They are the experts with old & new camping stoves & lamps http://www.spiritburner.com

This thought has just occurred to me. I'm now fairly certain that your Grandfather didn't plan on dyeing the cover......or he wouldn't have signed it, would he?

If it was mine I wouldn't try to remove the stains or dye over them, Id leave it as it was. The stains are part of it's history, or patina. I'm fairly sure that if your Grandfather had wanted it dyed, he would have done so Wipe it in a cloth dampened in plain water to remove any surface dirt, then treat it in whatever leather treatment you have. I would use leather oil, but you could use any kind of leather grease, cream, hide food, etc. Put plenty on, massage it in with your hands, and 'work' the leather. The warmth from your hands will help the grease to penetrate, and the massaging will soften it The treatment will probably darken the leather slightly, but will also tone down the contrast between the stains and the leather, and make them less obvious. The cover on its own isn't much use, have you had a good look for the axe? If not you could keep a look out and buy one that fits, then you'll have something of yours, and something of his

I've just re-read your post. I must have been half asleep the first time because I've only now seen the link and realised what you've bought You've got a Thor nylon faced hammer! They're pretty damn good, you can't really get much better I used them in my job as a dairy plant manager, and at home working on cars. They stand up to serious use and last for ages. For leatherwork they should last for ever The faces might be interchangeable, you'll have to check with Thor; so although leatherwork shouldn't cause much damage or wear, you could change one of the faces for hide, or copper or something if you wish. Have a look at their website http://www.thorhammer.com Just carry on and use it!

25b Thanks for the info. I've only had a glance at them so far, looks interesting so perhaps in the future

You say you have a nylon soft - faced hammer. Thor is a good make; work with what you have, and learn to use it well. Meanwhile build up your collection of other tools, and your experience You can't really make much of a judgement if all you've done so far is one belt A dead blow hammer is designed to have no bounce or rebound whatsoever, hence the name - dead blow. It is usually made from a hard plastic or rubber outer containing lead shot. It requires a definite effort to lift it after each strike, and is not intended for regular or frequent use. It was originally designed (and is still used) for the installation of heavy engineering components. A hide or nylon hammer will do just about all you want at the moment, and is a bit easier to handle. Do not be tempted to get a rubber mallet even if it is heavier than your nylon one, it will bounce too much. It is the lead shot in a deadblow hammer that gives it the desired effect

if you haven't done so already, have a look at http://www.equusleather.co.uk/belts/bridle-leather-belts/the-lined-and-raised-bridle-leather-belt.html Only$480, and not a trace of tooling or carving to be seen Still, they do supply the Royal Household.

That looks good; I'd be happy enough with that

Ah well....at the moment I have a cold, and I'm trying to frighten it away with Scotch. Problem is, when I've been drinking I tend to get a bit philosophical or rambling..... I've just searched Google for leatherwork courses (I think!) and have come up with several references. Keep searching diamond awl.co.uk theidentity store tannerbates.co.uk craftcourses.com cherrywoodproject leprevo.co.uk there are others, just work your way around; sort out these references yourself! Where abouts in the UK do you live, JAZZMAN? I think you would benefit very much from going on a course. Be warned, they vary from expensive to very expensive and then you have the travel & accommodation as well On the other hand, you can read & read, and surf & surf, but there's nothing like being taught by an experienced instructor. If you want to do this, do it properly Surf the Net, there are lots to choose from I learned so much more in one day at the Identity Store than I had in months of reading What I hear I forget What I see I remember What I do I understand When I said I was going to drink a bottle of whisky down to the label, I meant the top of the label, not the bottom!

I haven't bought anything from goodsjapan myself, but I read a review somewhere, possibly on britishblades. Apparently they're reliable, well packed, good quality, and delivery is 2 - 3 weeks. But there was a warning, though not a problem with goodsjapan themselves. If you order anything, order one item at a time, with a gap of 3 weeks to a month or so inbetween; that way it's classed as personal use If you order several items together , HM Customs will hit you with import duty When I started to make things I hadn't realised how involved leatherwork would be if you wanted to do the job properly You will make mistakes; it's called gaining experience, and is all part of the fun. Think of that pencil case you're going to make! What is an expert? Someone who's made more mistakes than you!

So you've made a start? CONGRATULATIONS! The burnisher is obviously made to a price. You could improve it by getting it as smooth as possible with fine sandpaper, especially in the grooves. Then treat & polish it with linseed oil, or furniture polish, or leather treatment grease like Nikwax. Fondle it in your hands! It's not unpleasant and the warmth will help the polish etc to soak in. Do not use vegetable oil as this tends to dry sticky Do not use mineral oil, eg engine oil, as this can damage wood and leather It will get better the more you use it Here is a method for edge finishing; I'm sure other people will have different techniques Go round the belt with a sharp knife to trim any bumps or ragged edges. If it's pre - cut you should be OK, but it's worth checking Bevel the edges, ie the corners of the cut edge. I suggest a size 2 or 3 edge beveller Round off and smooth the edges as much as possible with medium abrasive paper. Cutting exposes the inside of the leather, which is porous, so you need to seal it, usually with gum tragacanth. Some suppliers have their own concoctions, but gum tragacanth is the most common, and is good enough. It takes a few minutes to dry Burnish the edge. Apply edge dye. Ordinary leather dye is too thin for that, you must use a special edge dye. Get black; it will suit your belt and be OK for most of your projects in the future Finish off the whole belt with polish or leather grease; you'll soon find out what you like You can get special applicators called daubers, but I manage well enough with cotton buds. Yes, the dye & gum are more things to buy, but once you have them, they'll last you for many projects Warning! Be careful with the jars of gum & dye; they'll make a helluva mess if you spill them! I very much recommend that you practice on scrap leather. I've looked up your source, and at 50" you should be able to cut off 2 or 3" and practice on that For your interest, visit http://www.goodsjapan.com Towards the top left corner of the homepage under Categories you'll see ' Leather Craft Items' Have a browse, you'll see the range of things available, and some are a bit different to Tandy et al.

I read somewhere that good quality belts should have their edges/perimeters sewn as leather stretches, and the stitching prevents this

stu925 I make knife sheaths. By the time you've got front + back + welt in 3 to 4 mm leather that adds up to quite a thickness. I use a drill with the following technique Make the stitching line with an edge groover, Tack all the pieces into position with a few dabs of general purpose glue Mark the position of the stitching holes with a stitch pricker Transfer the sheath to a bench vice fitted with padded jaws, Clean the vice up first so you don't get the sheath dirty. Even with soft jaws only close the jaws just enough to hold the sheath Drill the stitching holes. I use a small hand drill that's something of a family heirloom. You could get a small modern hand drill, but may as well get a miniature drill like a Dremel. I use a 1.5 mm drill. Transfer the sheath to a sewing pony and sew in the usual way, using an awl to open up the drill holes It sounds a bit cumbersome, but once you've got a bit of practice you can go fairly well. Obviously it's slower than using just an awl on thinner leather, but keep telling yourself it's a hobby, you don't have to earn your living from it. In fact, once you accept that it's going to be slow, you can concentrate on neatness.

Similarly in Britain I have seen books and tools marked 'wartime standard' or 'wartime finish'.

If you're going to get an instruction book there's no need to get the Tandy starter sewing kit, especially as I was quite surprised to see that it is now £121! Besides, the kit has a couple of disadvantages - The 4-in-1 awl isn't very good, and you have to sharpen it yourself. Bowstock offer a sharpened, mounted awl for about £8, and Osborne for £6 You can manage quite well without the rotary stitch groover/pounce wheel on small projects. An edge groover will give you the line of the stitching; then mark the stitching holes with a stitching pricker/chisel. This will give you deeper, more definite marks and so it will be easier to use the awl. It will be slower, but that's not so important on small projects; the two prong-er will be easier to use on curved projects That's the technique I use on my sheaths You can use a piece of board from an old kitchen cupboard, but it's easier to use a proper cutting mat as they're non - slip, and they're not expensive. most art & craft shops sell them. Might as well get the proper job from the start Bowstock sell various needles, cheapest is 4 for £1.25p, and other packs at about £2.40 There are all kinds of thread available, Surf The Net and see! You're on your own with that! However many people prefer linen to synthetic, and to wax their own thread. You could sew key fobs and small wallets in your hands to start with Here's my suggested starter kit, with some approximate prices. If you find something secondhand so much the better. Large cutting mat £7 Snap blade knife 1 Bowstock awl 8 Bowstock needles 2 Adjustable stitching groover 16 Size 2 edge beveller 13 2-prong, 3mm, diamond pattern stitching chisel 11 Beeswax 1 Thread, say 5 Total £64 Exchange rate is about £1 = $1.6 $102.40