zuludog

I use an old George Barnsley cobbler's hammer that I got from the secondhand tool stall at my local market. I cleaned & polished the head with a Dremel type tool & abrasive paper, and fitted a new handle, also from the tool stall. Total cost was about £7 = $10? Before that I used the hide mallet that I use for punches & stitching chisels. I've heard that many people use a ball peen hammer, but polish the face if necessary, and round off the edges of the face so it doesn't leave circular marks on the leather

No doubt Chrisash will respond in due course, but for me, it means that instead of only having 2 or 3 inches of thread passed through the eye, I pull a lot more, so that the thread is almost completely folded back on itself, with only a few inches of single thread forming the actual saddle stitch. Then as you work and use up the thread, just keep moving the needles along, constantly shortening the tail This method only works if the thread is free and unlocked

I've been watching this Thread (no pun intended) for a while, and you seem to have answered it well enough; nevertheless, here are my comments I tried the standard traditional method of piercing the thread with the needles and locking it on when I started doing leatherwork, but very soon I didn't bother as my stitching was about the same whichever I did I've settled on a method which is a sort of combination of those by Chrisash and Toxo -- depending on the thickness of the leather I use JJ L3912 /002 or JJ L3912 /004 , or Tandy Big Eye needles ; and linen or synthetic 0,45mm or 0,6mm or 0,8 to 1,0mm thread; either ready waxed or DIY waxed 0,6mm and 0,8 to 1,0mm thread is usually a tight enough fit in the appropriate needle that I don't need to lock it on. I use 0,45mm thread in JJ L3912/ 004 needles, and that's usually OK if I give it an extra waxing. Waxing usually means there is enough friction that the needle doesn't fall off by itself; I start with a long tail but it's still easy enough to move the needle along as the thread is used up, which, as mentioned, prevents a wear point on the thread I've never used Vinymo #8 MBT thread, but I see that it's 0,43mm diameter. Why not try waxing it yourself, and see how you go on without piercing/locking on? I've just re-read the replies, especially by MattS. I realise that without thinking about it I have always pulled the thread by the needle at first, just enough to reveal enough thread so that you can let go of the needle and do all the rest of the pulling on the thread itself - it just seems logical, to reduce the wear point where the thread passes through the eye; I also think it gives me more control over the tension, and how tight I can pull the tread.

I don't make holsters, but I do make belts, knife sheaths, and axe covers from 3mm to 4mm leather, and I use waxed thread, either bought ready waxed or I do it myself, or give ready waxed an extra rub if I feel like it. I think that as a general rule you should always use waxed thread for sewing leather, both linen and synthetic, unless there is a specific reason why not.

For belts, belt pouches, and knife sheaths I cut out the pieces.....then dye...... then sew up the pieces.......then do the edges.....then treat with leather grease/treatment I don't use a stitching groover, I use dividers to mark the line of the stitching, so they just make a slight mark or depression in the leather, they don't cut into it For wallets I usually buy ready dyed/coloured leather in the first place I don't use water soluble/eco dye, I only use Fiebings spirit/oil/professional dye, or whatever they're calling it this week, which means that I can wet form an item without the dye bleeding out.

I make mostly belts, wallets, and knife sheaths, using a range of leather thickness from just over 1mm to about 3,5mm, and I've never needed to measure the exact thickness, you just get a feel for it. If you buy from a decent supplier the figures they give you are consistent But if you're keen you could just get a cheap micrometer, or something like this https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/802904466/leathercraft-thickness-gauge?ref=shop_home_active_9&frs=1 This might be useful; there are several similar charts on t'Net Leather Thickness and Leather Ounces Guide (weaverleathersupply.com) Search YouTube for Measuring Leather Thickness; Choosing Leather Thickness, and so on; there are several videos

We're in danger of going OT here, but yes, he is; also watch videos by JH Leather. She uses pricking iron + awl for most of her sewing, and she's excellent. IMO her video on doing the saddle stitch is one of the best

Besides all the previous comments, your clamps are too strong and have too narrow a surface area. Have a look at this video. You can see that Ian has used less powerful clamps, and also wrapped them in thinner leather to cushion them Or you could try clothes pegs/clothes pins But there's something I do -- the plastic clothes hangers for ladies' skirts often have clips or clamps on them to hold the skirt, and those clamps have a larger surface area; I just saw them off with a junior hacksaw, and use those Making a Leather Knife Sheath - YouTube

For knife sheaths I use 2,5 to about 3,2mm, depending on the size & weight of the knife

OK, as far as I can tell, Lollipop = British and Popsicle = American for the same thing, but I'm willing to be corrected

I have sharpened the prongs of stitching chisels. I used #2 cut Vallorbe needle files, but only for a brief and first go, as I thought that even those might be too coarse or rough, and I didn't want to risk damaging the prongs by doing more harm than good So I made up some files or wands by gluing wet & dry paper to lollipop sticks - 400, 600, and 1,000 grit, and work through the grades. You could use slivers of aluminium sheet or stiff plastic instead of lollipop sticks I expect you could make a similar, miniature strop; I used green chromium dioxide compound just on the wood, with no leather, but I found the 1,000 grit paper was fine enough It's a bit of a tedious job, but as with sharpening a head knife, you only need to do it once, then occasionally on the fine grade or strop as required There are a few YouTube videos about polishing stitching chisels

Search YT for 'how to disable childproof caps'; there are a few methods Many bottles have the same standard thread, so if you have a bottle with a child proof cap, try using a cap from a fizzy drinks bottle, or just pour the liquid from a childproof cap bottle into a plain cap bottle, but make sure you remove or thoroughly obscure the label

Hah! Fear Not! After a quick Search on YouTube I've found an answer -- 1) Remove the cap by the intended press & twist method 2) Insert a slim screwdriver into the upturned cap, between the inner & outer parts, and prise out the inner cap 3) Just carry on using the inner cap on its own, as an ordinary cap

One of my pet hates is the childproof caps where you have to press down as well as turn to open, such as those on Fiebings dye Sometimes I pour the dye into old jam or pickle jars, but I don't have any for my latest delivery So, please, does anyone know how to glue, jam, or otherwise fix those lids so that they can be opened simply, just by turning? I have a similar problem with bottles of model plane glue, but I solved that by buying Japanese glue, which have ordinary caps

Well, I've been in touch with a couple of military charities and neither of them are interested Help For Heroes say they no longer take goods, and Forces Support say they only take goods in good condition so they can sell them, they don't do any practical or therapeutic sessions. And of course mine won't be as they are what I've accumulated and have been using........perhaps I should rephrase that.......it is in good condition, but has obviously been used, and so less easy to sell I'll see if there is a community craft workshop somewhere; failing that I'm on a UK Facebook page for leatherwork, and it can go on that. There are often beginners asking for tools & advice, so they should appreciate it

Besides leatherwork my other hobbies include knife making and model making ( the plastic kits) so perhaps I'll just hand things over to Help for Heroes., unless I hear different Thanks for your replies Let me rephrase that -- My wife and family can hand things over to HfH when the time comes!

But not just yet! This Thread has been prompted, sadly, by the deaths in recent months of a few family members and friends; plus there are always news reports of people of about my age dying I am 71, and though I don't intend popping off any time soon, it is something that must be considered. And there's always the possibility that my hands & sight will start to fail me I have left my estate, such as it is, to my wife. I remember that when my parents died, sorting their house & finances was hard work, so I'm trying to make things easier for her & our children by planning ahead The everyday & domestic items will be straightforward enough to deal with, but what about my leatherworking stuff? - no-one else in the family are interested in leatherwork We've talked about this, and we're not bothered about money, rather it would be a shame if it was just chucked in a skip (dumpster to you !) I would like it to go to a military charity or someone who is unemployed if possible, but I don't know how to go about that, or who to contact So if you have any comments or suggestions I'd be pleased to hear from you, but remember that I am in the UK, so although I would very much appreciate general advice from USA & other places, any charities & suitable organisations should be British

Well, Pastor Bob, you've beaten me to it........Search YouTube for 'sharpening an edge beveler', or 'how to sharpen an edge beveler' and there are loads of videos. Even if you can't find the make you're looking for, there is enough advice & information to work something out for yourself I made a stropping board by beveling the edge of a piece of natural veg tan leather; cutting it off about 5 mm wide; gluing that onto a board so the rounded edge is uppermost; loading it with stropping compound, and using that. It shapes & conforms to your edger after a few goes. Use a couple of different thicknesses to suit your edgers I've also left space on the board for steel or bamboo rods onto which I lay fine wet & dry paper; and glued on a 1 1/2" strip of leather to make a small strop, which saves getting out the big one. This is similar to the one shown by LB Custom Knives, but there are others I also have a couple of lengths of cord & thread loaded with compound for a pull - through. Tie a loop in the end to put over a nail knocked into a convenient place in the workshop - but not so convenient that you catch yourself on it seventeen times a day.

Etsy gives a wider choice or range of items, and you see the amount you must pay including any shipping cost; the delivery time, and the convenience of ordering in your own currency I did some calculations and found that when you add up the ex factory cost plus currency conversion and exchange rate variations, shipping, import duty, VAT, international postal handling surcharge, the cost from Etsy was hardly any different to ordering/importing an item yourself Plus the shipping companies and customs will be used to dealing with the suppliers so the delivery time from Etsy may well be quicker No, I don't understand how international trade & finance works, but then, that's not my job. It's not just trade with China or other Far East companies either You can see that one of my hobbies is making model planes, the plastic kits. There is a specialist American made paint brush cleaner called Masters Brush Cleaning Soap. A 3 ounce (approx 75g) pot from USA was slightly cheaper than a 1 ounce (approx 25g) pot from a UK supplier, both including shipping. Delivery time was quoted as 2 to 3 weeks, but I got it - the 3 oz from USA - in 10 days

I ordered that cheap Japanese leather knife, from Amazon I think, and it did take a few weeks to arrive but was OK when it did. I've also made my own from an old plane blade Recently I've been using Etsy to buy leatherworking tools and other items. You see the price in £, which includes any import duty, delivery time & shipping cost; I expect you would get the same thing for your country and currency. I've never had any problems with delivery, and the quality of the items is what you might expect for the price; and there is usually quite a range of makes & choices Search Google for 'Etsy - Japanese leather knife' 'Etsy - leather edge bevelers' 'Etsy - leather stitching chisels' 'Etsy - round knives' and so on. There are some well known makes like Palosanto and Seiwa, and some less well known. To a certain extent you have to make an intelligent guess about the quality. I usually buy one item, and if that's OK, go ahead and buy others of the same make. Although I haven't bought anything from them, I've heard good reports of Kemovan products, especially their bevel edgers. Etsy also offer 'Since' leather tools, which are Tandy's new up market range. I've also seen Vergez Blanchard tools and Fil au Chinois thread, which are surprisingly difficult to obtain outside France Yes, I've seen the Osborne head knife sold as a lead knife, for making stained glass windows.

You'll be tired of hearing from me! I was trying to make a properly composed answer to your questions, but really, if you watch videos on sharpening & using a round knife and the sheaths, and making & using strops you'll see enough to pick things up and see how its done

Yes, I know the 'hole in my bucket' song; it was a regular campfire song when I was in the Scouts, years ago. As I mentioned, there are several videos on sharpening a round or head knife. For a new knife firstly I used a couple of oilstones with oil, then fine wet & dry paper, 2,500 - 5,000 - 7,000 grit with slightly soapy water, then a strop. I maintain the edge with a strop or sometimes the wet & dry followed by a strop. Just one thing; for most knives you push the cutting edge along the stone in a straight line, but if you do that on a round knife you are liable to make a series of short straight sections or facets, when what you want is a smooth curve. So sharpen your head knife with a sort of constant elliptical motion, the videos will show this - and don't forget to do both sides! If not the blade will be prone to veering of the desired line Use the round knife to make a sheath for the round knife! Or a utility knife will do the job. Use the knife itself, or stiff card for a template/pattern There are several videos for sharpening, & making the sheath - those by JH Leather and Ian Atkinson are good, but there are others You can buy a strop, but it's easy & cheap enough to make your own, again there are several videos; but get a proper stropping compound, green chromium dioxide is as good as any. When the strop turns black you know it's working, because that's the steel that has been removed from the blade

Well I, and no doubt yourself, am pleasantly surprised that you are able to order from George Barnsley directly at a reasonable cost; I have their head knife and it's very good There's just one thing though. It's fairly straightforward to make a basic knife for leatherwork, but getting it very sharp, sharp enough to cut through leather easily, brings you into The Law of Diminishing Returns as it requires more and more careful sharpening, usually by hand, and so becomes expensive So to keep the costs down, traditional makers such as Barnsley only provide a basic cutting edge; you are expected to do the final sharpening and polishing yourself, and you buy the knife on that understanding. There are several videos about sharpening a round or a head knife, and once you've done that, usually all you need for regular use is a strop, or occasionally a light sharpen You'll probably want to make a sheath for a round or head knife, again there are a few videos, as well as for using the knives themselves

I have one of those knives, and it's surprisingly good for the price, but I have improved it by scraping & sanding the paint off the handle, back to the wood, which is more comfortable and, I think, more attractive. Also sharpening the blade on a couple of oilstones then a strop to give a longer bevel, about 5mm .

Search Google and YouTube for 'Japanese leather knife' and 'Japanese skiving knife'; --two names for the same thing; there are several videos Note that there are left - & right - handed versions. For cutting you hold them more or less vertically in your fist, sometimes with your thumb on the top of the handle, so that the bevel faces away from your palm, and the trailing edge of the asymmetric blade faces away from your body. This might seem odd, but it is actually a bit of a strain to hold the knife perfectly vertically, if you hold your hand & wrist in a normal relaxed manner the top of the knife will slope outwards, which makes the bevel vertical - just watch a few videos of one in use I'm sure other forum members can suggest a supplier in the USA or Canada; or you could try Etsy