bikermutt07

Right. Just for reference, anyone thinking of starting a business should read "the e sqaured revisited". This will give you a great insight into how tough being a business owner can be. Also, keep in mind, no matter what they say on wall street people are still nervous about spending money. I think everyone's idea of money spending changed in '08. No one that got left out in the cold in '08 is going to let that happen to them again. This makes opening a business that much more difficult.

I just use the Aussie. You can add super sheen after. Buffing is only going to remove any excess and make it shine a little. I only buff the flesh side if I have slicked it down. Otherwise it will cause more fluff. Don't be too scared of the neatsfoot oil. You have to put quite a bit on there to overly saturate it. One of the holster makers, Andrews I think, slather on two coats with a dauber to sunbake his holsters. He is, however, sunbaking them for a day or two. Yes, you can overdue it and ruin your project. I haven't yet. How much is too much? I'm not sure yet.

About dyeing, put a light coat of full strength and then walk away for a day. Do not rub on it while it's still wet. The next day buff it like Matt said. Then apply another coat if needed. If you apply neatsfoot oil prior to dying, I suggest a day for that to absorb as well. Slowing everything down makes for better products in leather. Apply Aussie to the grain side (camera strap) and give it a day or two to absorb. Then buff it. Should soften it right up. Any conditioners you use you will want to apply before leather sheen, spray lac, or any other finish.

Some of these items are at my house now. Pretty old thread. You may trying to e-mail Ray. Last time I had contact he still had some stuff to sell, but he wasn't in the best of health.

Here's a pic of us at her birthday party with my father in law photo bombing us.

It was a cage match to say the least..... From now on it will be wider than tall on all bags.

I never want to be a business owner again. I like playing with my leather. I like making what I want as slow as I want. It will stay fun at this pace for decades. I sell a few things now, but I will never try to live off of my hobby again. I once had a motorcycle magazine. I rode my bike all over covering events. Sometimes three a day on weekends. Sure sounds like fun, right? Wrong. Watching everyone else having fun while you are staying sober trying to promote yourself to hundreds of people one at a time over and over just to speed off to the next place and do it again and again. And it didn't matter what the weather was like, you "had" to ride. I put a lot of miles on my bike doing that. It totally ruined riding for me. I haven't put 2000 miles on my bike in the last 5 years. As a matter of fact, I am so over it I have my bike up for sale. Turning what you love into a business is not a good idea, unless you also love business. If you just want to love what you do, keep doing it for someone who loves business. .02

If You just want to make a scabbord.... You can use a small hole punch for your stitching holes. You will need something to make even spacing. Either a stitching wheel or a fork, up to you. They have some good thick cheap thread at hobby lobby you can use in the leather section. A small jar if weld wood (contact cement) can probably be found at hobby lobby as well. If not, home depot will have it. Also if you want to do a snap retention home depot sell a small snap kit next to their hot glue guns. This will get you going on a cheap, just wanting to put something together budget basis. You will probably want to utilize some wax paper during construction. After Your contact cement dries lay the wax paper over the first piece. Set your welts on top of the paper. Line them up and slowly slide the wax paper down as you put the pieces together. The cement won't stick to the paper. Then repeat with the top piece on top of the welts. Make sure and tap it all down lightly with a mallet or something to set the glue after assembly.

Last week Maverick had horween cxl bellies in black for 10 bucks a piece. You would have to do some splitting but that's a heck of a deal.

Welcome aboard, Jim.

Glad to hear it, Gary.

That's what I was thinking. Maybe a badge from a vest that got road rash, or something similarly as cool.

Sharpening and polishing the blades for the strap cutter will help a lot. It sounds crazy to try and sharpen a blade that small, but it is worth the effort. I thought my cutter was junk until someone suggested sharpening the blade. Leather work and blade sharpening kind of go hand in hand. If you're like me it will take you a while to sort thru it and force yourself to learn. But leather is so much easier with sharp tools.

Wow!

Great looking family, and shop. Good Luck.

So this is show brown? I like it. I hadn't picked any up because I have dark, light, and medium. Just got some russet I was going to try, but I also got a lot of horween cxl in. Hmmmm decsions decsions......

I too would be interested in the patterns. I don't want to do zippers.

Very nice.

I have the 45 mm from Tandy and hobby lobby. The Tandy one is complete junk. I should have returned it. But I throw away receipts. My wife bought me the one from hobby lobby for Christmas and it is great. I haven't had to change the blade and it is way more sturdy than the Tandy one. I have the 45 mm from Tandy and hobby lobby. The Tandy one is complete junk. I should have returned it. But I throw away receipts. My wife bought me the one from hobby lobby for Christmas and it is great. I haven't had to change the blade and it is way more sturdy than the Tandy one.

I would contact the shops. I'm sure someone in that area offers some real classes.

I assume jls is right in the middle of his move right now.

Those all look great and I really like your rock. You have a nice rock.

I think the only side effects are sheer bliss. I really don't know, but I assume there aren't any dangers. The guys at the leather shops don't wear masks. Except at tandy, they wear bandanas, but that is for another reason entirely.

It does look good, but I got to ask...... How did you come by a piece of leather with the Willie G. skull? There must be a story behind that.

Impressive piece. I wouldn't even know where to start on that thing.