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bikermutt07

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Everything posted by bikermutt07

  1. bikermutt07
    I'm glad you are liking them. I remember a thread awhile back where there had been problems with a run on heat treatment. Happy to hear that has been resolved. Thanks for sharing.
  2. bikermutt07
    Thanks. He is a really nice man just doing what he can to help folks. I really am pleased with his product and service. Ya just have to understand upfront that it's gonna take a minute. I remember way back when I worked in the food industry...... They told me "a customer will wait an hour for you to help them, as long as you acknowledge them and tell them you will be with them as quickly as you can". I have lived both sides of that story. I am always ready to wait for that person who acknowledges me. And I am always upset when they don't. Terry has been great.
  3. bikermutt07
    Thanks, I'm sure you will. Yeah, I think a large dowel wrapped in leather is in my future. Let's see. Curved knife: 95.00 French model 145.00 Straight knife 95.00 So, 335.00 and I can cut pretty much anything. That was less than a dollar a day investment over the last year. I think they will last me a lifetime. I'm happy with that. While I'll agree with the sentiment in the first sentence, I have always said, you can't get a 300.00 cut from a 30.00 skil saw. Precision tools do allow us to elevate our talents. Yes, one can get by with less, but he can do so much more with the proper tools. I could build a house with a hachet, but I wouldn't want too.
  4. bikermutt07
    A husky is fine to start out with (standard utility knife for Fredk sold by home Depot). Make yourself a leather strop with Jewelers rouge. Then strop your blade. You will see a world of difference in those throw away blades. Then follow Fred's steps outlined above. This will increase your ability a good bit.
  5. bikermutt07
    How good is your retirement money looking? It would take a bit of research of the fairs you plan to attend, how many leather vendors are there, booth and travel costs. I'm sure it could be done. You would really want to work well advertised fairs in big population markets. My research has found end of the year fairs bring the most sales. Especially if you have a lot of impulse buy materials. You know , 5-20 dollars.
  6. bikermutt07
    Probably a wooden mallet. No one said you can't make your own stuff. I had the poly crafttool mallet. I thought it was junk. I gave it away to someone, new comer, scout troop or somebody. Some people in your shoes have made some nice ones with a small lathe, a chunk of wood, and a wheel from a roller skate. There are some nice ones to buy for fifty to 75 bucks. http://www.barrykingtools.com/roundmauls.htm Yeah, it's just a hobby, but some hobbies are expensive. You think leather is bad? Try model trains or airplanes. Or fishing. You don't need a 50,000.00 boat for leather work. Ymmv.
  7. bikermutt07
    200 then. Haha
  8. bikermutt07
    Anything worth doing like that would be at least a hundred, hrmph, "clams". You have to make it worth dealing with the hassle of people, shipping, labor, materials, etc.etc.etc.
  9. bikermutt07
    I would think a cobra 3 or 4 since you're in California. Just a little heads-up: the machine salesmen that advertise here are not known for Tom-foolery or shenanigans. I have seen them frequent this site helping folks they knew would probably never be their customer. I have even seen them answer questions on their competitor's machines. Really great guys. Good luck.
  10. bikermutt07
    It's not a cheap investment, but if you compare prices and steel, Knipknives are a great investment.
  11. bikermutt07
    Yes, we are. Yeah, you can cut anything with a razor knife, but....... There is just something to be said about holding a knife that was made for you. And, it cuts leather like a hot knife through warm butter. Sure you can cut and sand vegtan with the razor knife, but I like using this combination tanned horsebutt. You need a clean cut on this stuff so you don't have to worry about the edges.
  12. bikermutt07
    My collection is now complete (as far as I'm concerned for now). I started with the French style head knife over a year ago. Then a forum member sold me the long knife. Now I finally have the curved detail knife. Man what a cutter. Terry Knipschield, if you didn't know, is a custom knife maker. One of the few that build custom leather knives, period. There just aren't many out there. Terry makes a super sharp quality knife. He does a terrific job on every one I have seen, which are these three. It took about 3 months to get my first knife. It took 6 months to get the curved detail knife. And let me tell you right now, the are worth every minute of the wait. Every minute. Mr. Knipschield is a man who has been making knives for over thirty years. But, he is a one man show. He won't sacrifice quality for quantity. He just won't. And that's why I don't mind waiting for his work. I am a hobbyist and can afford the wait, and his prices are overly reasonable to me. Each order I have placed I politely let him know that I was willing to wait and I promised not to pester him. Things happen in small business that consumers just never consider. One man businesses get sick, have to have a day off at least once a month, and sometimes they just need a minute to get back to their bearings. Having been in business before I can totally relate to this scenario. I am very proud to have been blessed with some of Terry's work. Just wanted to share. Thanks.
  13. bikermutt07
    Yep, there are plenty here. If you look in the for sale section on this site NStarleather has some nice hides for great prices.
  14. bikermutt07
    Yeah, I racked my brain for awhile trying to reinvent the wheel. A splitter is just that, a splitter. They are expensive and even though leather is a niche market, at least they are still available. Save up some money and scour Craigslist and eBay until you find a deal. That's what I did. I still want a crank or motorized splitter. But it just isn't possible any time soon.
  15. bikermutt07
    My experience with the staff has varied. I like the manager we have now. The prices vs. quality have always been slanted though.
  16. bikermutt07
    That looks great. And the game sounds fun too. Great idea.
  17. bikermutt07

    New here

    bikermutt07 replied to Kenl's topic in Member Gallery

    Welcome aboard. Start in small batches of the same small item. This will give you great yield from your leather while you develop all the techniques. It will give you more time to practice each step. Plus if you botch a few you can keep progressing without starting over. Have fun.
  18. bikermutt07
    I don't know anything about saddles, but it looks awesome.
  19. bikermutt07
    I'm just going to guess..... Install the eyelet like normal, then peen the post into the walls like a rivet. Before setting the rivet, place something under the face of Mickey. Like a scrap piece of leather or some hard rubber, treating it like a jeweled rivet.
  20. bikermutt07
    I really don't know anything about those type rivets. I haven't used them yet. But if it's .22" I would guess that it would be for some heavy harness tack.
  21. bikermutt07
    This is true. But you will also gain experience using the hardware as well. I believe batch work to be much less stressful.
  22. bikermutt07
    Didn't know that. I had them a long while before I tried them.
  23. bikermutt07
    Funny, I had the same problem with my super expensive Tandy line 20 dies. I have to use the base from my hand set of setters.
  24. bikermutt07
    Now that is a thought. Lol
  25. bikermutt07
    I just made my first belt. Single layer 8oz. I finished it with Aussie. I will see how it holds up.
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