YinTx

Or, could maybe use some chrome tan for the neck section, then tool veg tan for the front? Would look pretty cool. Nifty idea, good luck with getting the oil out. I experimented with a piece of leather, added more than enough oil about 3 years ago... still has more than enough oil. I don't think it will ever be back to normal - will always be too oily. YinTx

I think I got it. Nice design then! YinTx

This looks really sharp. How did you attach the badge? Just trying to imagine how it would be removed later, and if it would interfere at all with the cash pocket... YinTx

you might not want to put your phone number on a public forum.... I think there was a post from one of the admins talking about why you wouldn't want to... YinTx

I love the thick thread since you were going for a decorative stitch. Definitely lets the red and blue be bold! I don't think it would have looked as good with any other thickness of thread. It just looks right. Nicely made! YinTx

I donno about that. seems to make it even more vague. The farmer that drives his plow and reaper all day and all night... he put his heart into it. Handmade wheat? YinTx

This is my question exactly. Also, would a heavily oiled/waxed leather like Sedgwicks be better for tools and knives? YinTx

Looks like the stamped and dyed piece on the left has additional finish on it. Perhaps neatsfoot oil, maybe some Aussie, and a top coat finish like an acrylic finish or a neat lac type finish. I suspect you will be able to get them to come out the same if you finish them the same. YinTx

This is true for more reasons than one. And one of the reasons why I will be machine stitching more in the future. YinTx

BTW, I failed to mention, but that "Artisanal Firewood" made my day! I want his customers.. willing to pay over $400 for kindling. sellin the sizzle, sellin the sizzle! YinTx

I am sensing a red herring. Question is, should someone who machine stitches call something handmade? When we discuss whether or not the customer will pay for the hand stitching, and then substituting the machine stitching for the hand stitch because the customer will not, does not answer the question. If you study and apply the continuous process of improvement (kaizen), you work to eliminate waste (muda). One of those wastes you may recall is incorrect processing. One way to identify that is to see what a customer will pay for. If a customer won't pay for hand stitching or skiving by round knife, you should not be doing it. Hence no eyeglasses sleeve or dopp kit needs to be saddle stitched for indestructible qualities. No disagreement from me. Even to some extent, you will not get disagreement from me if you machine stitch and call it hand crafted. Where you will get disagreement from me is when one markets to one's customers an item as hand stitched or saddle stitched when it is clearly machine stitched. A deceiving tactic I have seen more than once, where the individual selling the item is banking on the buyer not knowing the difference. Not cool to the customer, not cool to the other craftsmen who are doing the saddle stitching, and able to market it to a customer base that is willing to pay for the difference due to aesthetics, strength, or sheer desire to say they had something hand stitched for them. This is like saying an item is hand tooled leather when it has been embossed. Whether or not machine stitching requires skill is also a red herring. Yes machine stitching does require skill. Does that mean you can call it a hand stitched or saddle stitched item? I would say no. "Handmade" is difficult to quantify. Thus the ability to answer the question "should someone who machine stitches call something handmade?" is equally difficult if not impossible to answer. Thus, those willing to market machine stitched as handmade will meet little resistance, at least from me, even if I feel it to be misleading. Market machine stitched items as hand stitched or saddle stitched though, and I'll call you out. If you want to say you fed an item into a machine by hand, I'd still argue the point. https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/hand-stitched states "stitched by hand rather than machine." If you want to be strict about it, "handmade" is defined as made with tools and not machines. I'd say a sewing machine is a... well, a machine! https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/handmade My .02 input to the conversation, worth as they say, the price paid, and only intended for conversation. YinTx

Your tooling is looking incredible. really small details in there and came out perfectly. I'd say you could be selling these any time. YinTx

Nicely done then! YinTx

Priced right, those pieces are big enough to garner some interest. YinTx

Interesting detail work on the banjo and case. Is it tooled and antiqued only, or did you use dye or paint to bring out the details? YinTx

@gmace99 put out a tutorial/video on using a piece of felt tied around the end of a stick, left in the jar after you use it. I tried this method, and it works well and is cost effective. However, I used a soft piece of felt, and I think it would be much more effective with a hard piece of felt. Less is more here if you don't want bleeding to the front side. I have found that burnishing a lightly dyed edge will result in a dark edge, which I like as well. I just bought a dye pen that you fill on your own, and look forward to giving it a try as well. YinTx

No, it doesn't. All my friends and family have crappy versions of leather creations that I have pawned off on them in the guise of "please wear this out and let me know what I should do different" simply because I had a hard time throwing something away that I spent time and $$ on. And because the rubbish bin was full of the previous efforts and I didn't feel like taking it out to the curb just yet. I like your designs, they are clean and look very functional! Craftsmanship looks nice too! YinTx

As to the casing, many will say, "Water works!" And it does just fine. If you want to experiment some, I listed some of the recipes I've gotten off of this site in this thread: and perhaps other threads as well. I'm no expert, but your Tooling looks pretty good for a first go! YinTx

If I recall, it is just loaded with pigments. I wonder if diluting it like 5 to 1 (alcohol to dye) would reduce the tendency to bleed? YinTx

That is a great looking piece of art! Nice! YinTx

I put a layer of 1 oz on the back of the tooled section after I was done dyeing, antiquing, etc. It still has come out a lot thicker than I wanted, so a bit much to carry around in the front pocket for my tastes. "T" pocket design might help here for the future, but wanted to try one with a full pocket design. Here is the inside: YinTx

Awesome find! YinTx

Hermes does use machines. Even on things you see. Look at their watch strap making process youtube video: machine stitched. Clicked out. I was looking at one of their "L" shaped wallets online on their website the other day. Clearly machine stitched, and not well I might add. But still $600 for a flappy piece of leather. Many other high end fashion houses have their products made in Asia/China - think Burberry, LV, Dooney and Burke, etc. I have to point out my value added when I am talking to clients. This means letting them know leather qualities/sourcing, thread, stitching quality, edge work, tooling qualities, customization available, etc. If I don't then I'll be asked to compete with a WalMart product. Or a high end fashion brand made on an assembly line. YinTx

Is this also from the Tarnsjo Gaveri tannery? YinTx

I had one of these, didn't work for a hoot. Promptly turned into a block of Barge with a brush protruding from it. Waste of $ for me sadly. Which is frustrating when I see others using them with glee! YinTx