5shot

Maul is sold. Bar grounder is still available.

Thanks...I just didn't know what to expect.

It's dark leather...as mentioned in my last post, it was left to dry back to it's natural color. I don't use any of that really light leather...mine is all a russet color. You can also see that the thumbprints burnished the leather, which won't happen when it is wet. I am new to Sheridan Style carving, but have been doing leather work for 10+ years.

Here's the pic. You can see how the swivel knife cut, adjacent to the thumbprint, is wider than the lobe without the thumbprint. The leather around the thumbprint is also below the surface of the rest of the piece, having been pulled down into the depression. Maybe that's just how it is, but I have not really seen this on the videos I have watched (did I mention that I am just learning this stuff?). I cased this piece overnight in a plastic bag, and did not cut or stamp it until the surface color had returned to its original shade.

I would have to disagree...because I have never seen two manufacturers who size their pants the same. I have 34" pants that are tight and 34" pants that are quite loose. Kinda like shoes...gotta try them on to make sure that Brand X size 10's are the same as Brand Y's. As I stated above, I wear a 34" pant and a 40" belt, so +4" from my pant size would put me on the last hole of a 5 hole belt.

I will get one up today if I can get the lighting and angle correct to show what I am talking about.

Leather quality isn't the issue, but it isn't skirting leather either (so maybe it just isn't ideal for tooling). I use W&C, and I actually prefer it to Hermann Oak for my holsters. I order direct from the tannery, not purchased from a distributor. Swivel knife is a Chuck Smith with a Cobalt Blade and it cuts. I would guess my cut is about 1/3-1/2 of the leather thickness - I don't give a ton of pressure on the knife, but I am definitely not just scratching the surface. When you mentioned that you have seen them push out instead of pull in, it got me thinking...On the first strike of the thumb print I tilt the tool back, so that only the heel is used and strike towards the center of the flower, flat on the end of the tool. Maybe this is my issue.

I have noticed when using the thumb print, that it pulls the edge of the flower petal down into the depression formed by the thumb print. This causes the Swivel Knife cut to get distorted and looks very poor, and I don't see this happening on the Youtube videos I have watched. I am new to this, so I am 99% sure it is something that I am doing. I am using 8oz Holster Leather (what I use for most everything in the shop), which has been plated, so it is quite firm. Could this be a casing issue? Leather Type? Or? Thanks

Maul is SPF

Barry King 14oz Round Maul and a 35-03 Bar Grounder. Maul has been lightly used, but in excellent condition. Bar Grounder is virtually new. Maul - $45 Bar Grounder - $25 Shipping additional.

Fantastic work.

Some makers size them from the fold, where it wraps over the buckle, to the center hole...which leaves out the length of the buckle. Still doesn't come close to reality though. I wear a 34 jean and a 40" belt (end of buckle to the hole I use).

Not that I know of. Pants size is TOTALLY irrelevant in my opinion...every brand is different. I measure from end of buckle to center hole - anything without a measurement is a guess.

I use a little contact cement to get one end to stick on the wheel and then just a bit at the other end of the strip to get it to stick to itself.

+1 Just cut the inner piece off just short of the fold and have at it. No need to have it a 1/4" where it wraps over the buckle anyway.

What did you use for backing on the pockets?

Beautiful stitching...

When I had a ferdco 440 I used to put electricians tape on the bottom of the leather and then pull it off after stitching (I dyed first). You pull from both sides of the thread, splitting the tape like perforated notebook page. Once in a while a piece would get stuck under the thread, but you could grab it with a pair of needle nose pliers. I still prefer the other option...a better machine. I wouldn't trade my Union Lockstitch for anything.

Really old thread, but great info. Bob is THE man! My edges have never been better after following the process laid out in the OP.

Thanks for the replies. That one isn't mine, but mine is just like it. After doing some more research, I wet the jaws in a tub of hot water, then blocked the lower half and clamped the jaws shut for a week. I sanded it all down, lined the jaws with leather and oiled it up. Looks and works great now.

Where did you get the buckle? It is very sharp looking.

It is a plough gage...and I emailed Bruce about it. He looked into it a while back and thought it was made in house at Jeffrie's, but they wouldn't share any details about it. I will probably purchase one from Bruce, but I don't have the $$$$ for such a nice one right now.

Does anyone now where I can find this style of strap cutter (at about 1:48 in the video)? I assume it comes from England.

Singer 211 will do it...and you might be able to find one used for about that, but lately the ones I have seen were more. Mine was a 211W155 and it is a compound feed (Dog/Needle/Walking Foot). I just bought an extra set of feet and ground the tips off smooth, since it had other methods of feeding the material. It is plenty heavy duty enough and changing the stitch length was amazingly simple.

How is this style of Stiching Pony supposed to function? Are the jaws supposed to provide sufficient tension for stitching and then the cam is used to release the work? I have one that my dad gave me, and I expected it to have a way to tension the jaws, not release them. Also, is it supposed to have a base of some kind? Thanks, John