alfredleatherworks

On the sample card they sent me (image attached) they have a 0.02" (0.5mm), 0.03" (0.8mm), and 0.04" (1mm) thread size with 21 different colors currently. Also attached is a closeup image of the three thread sizes. I feel like the Maine Thread braided threads look and feel like a high-quality alternative option to Tiger Thread. My Tiger Thread is all packed up in my tool bag in the car so I'll try to get a picture of the Maine Thread sample card and some of my Tiger Thread side-by-side tomorrow and upload it for y'all.

I have not tried the Main Thread braided thread yet, though their twisted thread is all I used to use. I currently use the braided thread I get through Maker's Leather Supply here in Texas, and from the reviews I'm seeing here I might just stick with that. It's pretty dang close to Tiger thread from my experience. I had high hopes for Main Thread coming out with a new line of flat braided threads because I love their twisted threads so much...but if they are more round then flat that doesn't help me any. I do recommend MLS braided thread though.

I still draw my patterns out on paper with a pencil (example in the image attached). That being said, once I have my patterns drawn up I usually use the computer scanner and Adobe Illustrator to convert my patterns to printable files for ease of storage and reprinting. Some patterns I use a lot then get transferred to either bag stiffener board or (soon, I hope) acrylic. I grew up with computers, know how to use multiple drafting software programs, and probably could do the whole thing on the laptop...but I actually enjoy drawing things out with an old-school drafting set. For complex designs having a mold/mannequin and a lot of extra paper or fabric helps depending on the project you're attempting to design.

Hello, everyone! My name is Riley and I am the proprietor of Alfred Leatherworks! I've been a member of this forum since 2014, however it seems I have never formally introduced myself here. I am a disabled Air Force veteran, having spent seven years in the USAF as an intelligence analyst. Since leaving the military I have had a somewhat difficult time readjusting to civilian life, however in 2015 I began using my Post 9/11 GI Bill to work towards a business degree. In December 2018 I graduated from Texas A&M University San Antonio with my bachelors of business in business administration with a focus in marketing. My goals regarding my presence on this forum are to network, chat with other people who are as passionate about leather as me, to learn new tips and tricks, and to occasionally offer some advice and answers to other folks. I began working with leather as a small child in my father's taxidermy shop. He often had people bring in a whole deer and only ask for the antlers on a plaque back. The surplus of deerskin led to him learning to work with leather (and me getting an awesome deerskin backpack for school!), and by that I began to learn because if he was in the shop I was out there too..."helping", lol. I got in the way a lot, I'm sure, but I learned to love helping him make wallets, bags, backpacks, and all sorts of other neat things. Years later, while in the military, I found out a mentor of mine was also a saddler and I began spending a lot of time in his shop learning from him. I would never, at this point, call myself a professional saddler, but I can certainly do repair work at this point. After leaving the service I found another leather working mentor, this time specializing in leather garments, accessories, and leather quilting (apparently, a big deal in some parts of the world). I have a rather varied bit of leather crafting training, and more than a few years of "dabbling" and "hobby-crafting". As time has gone on I have chosen to try and start up a full-time leather shop as an enjoyable way to spend my day and earn some supplemental income since my disability stipend only goes so far.

Thanks for those videos! They were really informative!

OK, that has to be one of the coolest things I've watched in a while. Thanks for sharing that! I just might have to try this soon!

Thanks, Thor! The seat I'll be fixing/restoring is a Mustang seat. I'm still researching how best to do it. I love the seat, but the vinyl has cracked in several places, and torn in another (nearly a 4-inch long split). It's also my daily driver, as I don't have a car...so I've got to figure out how to do this as efficiently as possible. Your advice is much appreciated!

Looks good! Nice job!

That is pretty cool! I haven't the foggiest idea how you did that, but it is really slick!

Greetings from San Antonio!

This is a great tutorial! Thanks for sharing!

That is amazing! I'm going to be reupholstering my motorcycle seat soon (a touring seat) and I'm hoping to do something fun with it...though I doubt it will be quite that badass. What weight leather did you use? And the tooling may have looked better before molding, but it looks great as-is! Well done!

I have been CRAZY busy with my college classes, and therefore not as busy with my leather working. Still, I've gotten a few new projects completed. I'm still working on the Glock 19 holster project, but it's for family and they told me to take my time. That project is nearing completion, however, and I have also made a new holster and mag pouch for my personal concealed carry. As always, critiques are welcomed as long as it's constructive :-) I used the gun as a starting point for the pattern, but then drew the rest by hand (with the help of a curve ruler) This particular mag pouch is for my trips to the range, and not daily carry...though it is comfortable enough I could do so.

Yeah, I thought about that after creating the holster. The one I'm working on now is going to be much more rounded. We'll see how it works out.

And now my newest project, a handgun and spare mag holster. Once again, I'm very pleased with how this turned out. My next project is to make a holster like the first one for a GLOCK 19 (for a customer) and then a holster for a .38 Snubnose for a friend.