eastwes

Just found the receipt. I paid $2700 for it, well, $3000 after shipping. I'm in Brooklyn NY. I'll take $2500/obo.

I have a 7441 from Neels Saddlery. It's turned out to be too much of a heavyweight for the direction my work has taken me. I haven't used it much at all, kept it oiled. Looking to replace it with the 867Adler. Ryan Neel was always very helpful. Not sure what it's worth right now, but it is pretty much a new machine. -Wes Carnes

okay, once the oxalic acid bleaches the leather, is there any way to get it to take dye again? I'm using a homemade gaucho recipe: water, steel wool, and yerba mate(argentine tea) and when you leave the leather in for about an hour, it becomes a nice grey...except where i spot bleached the blood stains. this dye is best for turning rawhide black. wes

I was hand sewing a bag, and stabbed my finger with my awl. I got a little blood on my work. How can I remove it? The leather is 6oz. veg tanned, with no finish yet. Any tips would be greatly appreciated! Thanks.

Thanks, Brent. And WOW! Gorgeous saddles!

I over-oiled a piece I made recently. It's made from 6 oz. veg-tanned, but I wanted it darker. I liked the color to which the neatsfoot brought this small case, but I got carried away and now it's too oily. I've wrapped it in a brown paper bag, but is there a faster way to get most of the oil out?

$$hobby, although i am not in search of the same piece of hardware, i certainly share your frustration regarding these little bits of hardware. for example, why does weaver leather sell 4.5, 5, and 6mm eyelets and no tool with which to set them? am i supposed to make this tool? is there some obvious alternative? i'll be using grommets to solve my current problem, but i wish there was some way to incorporate all these different little bits(i.e. pyramid-shaped spots, instead of the usual round ones) into future projects that will ultimately be 'really special' rather than maybe 'just a little different.' i guess "hobbyists" aren't supposed to concern themselves with things like this. we have to make do with what's available unless we want to have china pump out a billion pieces for us. does anybody have any hardware suggestions besides weaver and ohiotravelbag and tandy? thanks.

the Thanks. I was thinking about doing that. Nice to hear that it's good service. But, my guide cut has a curve to it. Chicks dig it. Sits on their hips better.

It was Siegel 11 oz. I went to work on it the day I received it.

I have to fill a 50 belt order by next week and my supplier(Siegel) failed to mention they were out of the 8-9 oz veg tanned I normally use, so I've been forced to use my tabletop mounted leather skiver to shave 2 ounces off all these straps. Although the blade is sharp, some areas of the are so rigid that the hide will not pull through the skiver. It looks like it occurs in areas where the hide has been industrially split and/or compressed. Does anyone have any advice on salvaging this leather? Also, I've been forced to redo several finished belts because of cracking. My working process is the same, so I'm wondering if the leather is to blame, or perhaps the weather. There's nothing more frustrating than a beautiful, finished product of hard work cracking in your hands when you begin to soften it. Sincerely, Blistery-Handed Fellow Leatherworker Going Mad I've since ordered the desired weight leather from Weaver in case I am unable to skive the hides I have to the desired thickness.

thank you all.

Does anyone have any advice as to dyeing rawhide?

thanks for reponding, Bob. the samples that the orders were placed from were dyed on the inside, and they must match the samples. plus, i think it looks unfinished.

i'm producing my first order of belts, hand dyed and tooled, and i want to be sure the dye on the inside doesn't bleed into the customers' clothing. i don't want to use an acrylic sealant because it's messy and destroys the feel of the leather. any suggestions? i've been using Ray Holes Saddle Butter, but it's a little inconsistent.