YinTx

This is Figure Carving Finesse, packed with info on how to perfect your figure carving skills. I think it normally retails for around $30, I'll sell this one for $20 plus shipping. YinTx

Not sure if I can show this off here in this section since it isn't leather work, but I was soo excited to find this in the collection of books and tools I recently acquired. These are two sequentially signed and numbered books from Paul Burnett in fantastic condition! Had to share it here with those of you that appreciate this kind of thing. I am selling some of the books that I have duplicates of, but I think I'll be keeping these little treasures. Anyone have any idea of value? YinTx

This book is Coloring Leather by Al Stohlman. A great book that shows how to mix and dilute dyes, including the Pro dyes. It also has color wheels, how to highlight your leather carvings, how to understand light sources, etc. Awesome book if you do any leather carving or dye work. This book seems to retail for around $20, I will sell it for $12 plus shipping. YinTx

This one is How to Make Holsters. It came rolled up, and I will probably ship it rolled as well, so there is a slight curl overall, but it will probably flatten out. This retails all over the place, I'll sell it for $10 plus shipping. It has a lot of details as well, including templates for various holsters, belts and carving patterns. A great resource if you are looking to make holsters. YinTx

I have just come into a rather significant collection of tools and books and patterns, some of which are duplicates of others that I have, so I am going to share the treasure. I have the three book set of The Art of Making Leather Cases, which is a must for anyone doing leather work. This is a detailed instruction set showing all kinds of leather goods, not just cases, and how to make them, how to assemble them, etc. including many patterns. Details on handles, attachments, knife sheaths, wet forming, stitching, skiving, you name it. The books progress from simple to quite complex. These books retail for about $18-$20 each on Amazon, around $55. I will sell the set of 3 for $40 plus shipping, (like buy 2 get one free). I can probably put them in a flat rate envelope. The hand sewing leather book generally retails for $11, I would sell it for $5 plus shipping. This is also a very detailed book not just on how to sew, but methods of construction etc. I reference these books a lot when I am doing my work still. I have other books that I will be listing as well, I am open to a package offer if someone is interested in all of them. YinTx

I hope you get some oil in that thing - it looks great, and the oil/nourishing will help it last a long time. Try it on a sample piece that you have dyed, tooled, finished just like this one so you can see how it will come out first. YinTx

They did come out nice! YinTx

Agreed. Mine are looking low rent after seeing the others, lol. At least I made up for it with quantity? YinTx

Okay, finally getting my eyes above the water here, so I can finally put this together. I received my coaster! Awesome!!! I really like this coaster. Cool color combinations, challenging knot pattern, and braided with a liner to boot. Here it is in it's glory: and here it is hard at work protecting my morning cup-of-joe: Thank you so much, and sorry it took me so long to get the photos posted! YinTx

I had tried in the past to mix oil/dye in 10/90, 25/75, 50/50 and gave up because I didn't like the results. When I did the 94/6 oil/dye ratio, magic. Even tried 90/10 and it was not too bad either - just darker. And for sure you don't need to oil again when you are done! Let us know how it works for you - would like to see how it comes out for others besides me. YinTx

Works awesome. Give it a try sometime. Fiebengs actually describes it in their tips page on their website. https://www.fiebing.com/tips/mixing-fiebings-leather-dye-and-prime-neatsfoot-oil-compound/ I don't use the compound, just the nfo. 6% and 94% for the ratios, I am corrected. This has a little bit of antique on it, but you can still see the even results. YinTx

Yes to above. I tried to experiment with both ways, my results are that the resolene does not adhere as well if I have a lot of beeswax nfo mixture applied first, and if I do the resolene first, I can't get much beeswax nfo mixture to soak in. Resolene will adhere if you only use NFO. So I have adjusted, and either put the beeswax nfo mixture, or nfo then resolene. I have recently tried a new method I am really happy with, and that is mixing the regular Fiebing's dyes (not the Pro dye) with neatsfoot oil per Fiebengs instructions - I think 4% dye to 96% oil - shake well and apply. Results in very even coverage, and no drying and cracking on your leather. YinTx

@dfrensdorff, what @fredk says is likely true. I usually put some oil on my leather after dye, and buff after it has had a few minutes to soak in. Wait a day, then apply finishes. If you don't oil, you can end up with cracking later, particularly around buckles and such. The oil also seems to even out the dye work some. Try a different brand of leather like Wickett and Craig, or Hermann Oak, and see if you get different results. Your belts are nicely done, and deserve great leather. YinTx

Have you oiled the leather or put any treatment on? What kind of leather are you using? YinTx

I think I saw or heard it mentioned that they would refund said butterflies... might be worth asking. YinTx

@RockyAussie those are awesome. Quick question: are they welted also? YinTx

Additionally, you will have leather that would otherwise become scrap, but if thinned can be used in other parts of a project. You will increase yields on a side or shoulder. If the price is right, worth having. YinTx

I've had a piece of their import leather behave in similar manners to the Tandy leathers. Also, I've never had Tan-Kote alter the colors of my leather project...ymmv of course, but it does seem unusual. YinTx

Heheheheh great story, great bag. What did you use as the liner? YinTx

Not necessarily the size of the forks in the pricking iron. Here is a 2.7mm stitch, using a very affordable Ebay stitching iron and Fil Au Chinois 532 thread. Very small teeth, small holes. You'll note you can't hit them too hard, or you'll open up the hole too much. These just mark the leather. You can also see on the top of the photo a 3.38mm stitch, same thread, different style iron. Both on 2 layers of 1-2 oz Hermann Oak leather. YinTx

Hah, lets see it! Both your original and the new! YinTx

Nice! Blue on black is a favorite combo of mine... YinTx

I'm no holster expert, but I think you gotta move those stitch lines in closer to the gun so that it does not get loose over time and allow the gun to wobble around in the holster. As far as dye and finish are concerned, you really need to experiment. A lot. On different leathers, with different combinations, different strengths (yes, you can and should experiment with diluted finishes: tankote, resolene, etc can be thinned with water, other finishes require different thinners). Cheap leathers sometimes have coatings and fillers that inhibit penetration and adhesion of dyes and finishes. Adding leather conditioners before or after finishes affects things. You kind of have to find the one combination that you like, and you may find you like different ones for different things: you may want to do something different on a wallet than you would on a holster or a belt or a notebook cover. YinTx

I have seen his video on "Art, Craft and Farmer Market Basics." Pretty good info there. YinTx

Indeed! Quite certainly overpriced for this particular show. I think your assessment is pretty accurate. I will probably put some on Ebay also, just to test the waters there. This is some of what I got schooled on by my neighbor vendor. This is a really small show, so I'm trying to hone my bit some before trying a large show. The table is cheap, the lessons valuable. Bikermutt, there appear to be hundreds of videos there to scroll through, any one in particular I should be viewing? YinTx