Tugadude

To me they are clearly tube rivets. You can see on the underside that the rivet is hollow. If they are installed properly they are quite strong and there's two of them on each side, so I suspect they will be adequate. It looks like they already are.

For what it is worth, which arguably isn't much, I looked up the word cowboy on the interwebs and here is the Wiki page. You'll notice there are some negative uses of the term, but in limited contexts. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cowboy

Does this help? https://rainbowsendtack.com/hardwaresilver.htm

This reminds me of the old adage that sometimes the cure is worse than the ailment. I know if I tried to do anything to "fix" the problem it would probably end up worse. It would be easy to tell you to just accept it as normal and a patina that comes through use but that would fail to satisfy you probably. I'm sure there is some miracle worker out there who would size it up and know exactly how to proceed, ending up with a good result. The trick is in finding them I imagine. Good luck whatever you do!

The bottom line is where there's a will, there's a way. Beautiful leatherwork is obviously possible without all of the fancy gizmos we covet today. This video has inspired me to make the most out of what I have.

Cost of materials is one factor, but there are others which contribute to profitability. Your time is one, so making sure you are efficient and productive is also important. And then you need to assess the market to ensure you are pricing your products properly. As far as vendors, Springfield Leather Co. is pretty competitive and they offer a discount for wholesale customers. There are many others that are mentioned here frequently. Companies like Weaver and Rocky Mountain are two that I read quite a bit but have no experience with. Then there's Buckle Guy for hardware and other accessories. Some tanneries will sell direct but might have minimums that are beyond what you want to invest. No harm in asking them what their requirements are. Most will require that you prove you have a legitimate business by presenting your license. I'm sure others will chime in with their personal experiences. Good luck.

Very nice indeed. Personally, I'd stay with the stitching, but that's just me, the rivets make a lot of sense.

I wasn't referring to him. I was referring to a normal leatherworker who is given better tools and then they are taken away. I'm suggesting that much of the benefit goes away with the tools.

Good question. I imagine going backwards to lesser tools would result in a steep drop in quality.

That's exactly what I was thinking, a manual sewing machine. Regarding our craft, leatherwork, I think most of us can appreciate the level of craftsmanship attainable with rudimentary tools. But not many of us would want to trade our high end equipment for a piece of broken glass. As far as whether better tools have any correlation with our own skills improving, I'd say they definitely can. One example that jumps out at me is skiving. Better knives equal better skiving and a bell skiver even better results. Sure, you still need to understand how to use the tools properly and there are learning curves to anything new.

It is always fun to watch a master at work. The lack of "nice tools" didn't hold him back whatsoever. Not even a stitching wheel, he just eye-balled the spacing and it is great. It is a good reminder that your ability isn't necessarily limited by the quality of your tools. But if you're not blessed with his abilities, then good tools will help. Thanks for sharing that, it made me smile!

Smart idea and nicely done! Well, your craftsmanship is impressive. Good luck with the maul.

That wallet is one chunky monkey. Everyone has their own idea of what thickness a wallet should be, but by the time you load that thing up with the full capacity of cards and notes, it is going to be really, really thick. If you do want to make it thinner, many, myself included, use a 4 oz. or so on the exterior and thinner leather on the inside. And then in addition to that, the edges can be skived to bring the edges down to size. I do that particularly on the card pockets and also use the "T" cut to eliminate bulk. You can find a bunch of tutorials on how to do that here and on youtube. But if the thickness is something you don't mind, just carry on! Not everybody agrees.

The first thing to do is determine what grade you are buying. If it is full grain, then you're going to get all of the scars, bites, etc. that the animal endured during its lifetime. But if you are buying top grain, then most of the imperfections will be removed by resurfacing. Notice too in the description below (from Galen's site I think) that top Grain isn't going to dye the same as full grain. Both full- and top-grain leathers are made from the best quality part of the hide. Full-grain leather is less processed and leaves the entire — or full — grain of the hide intact, including natural scarring and blemishes. Full grain leather absorbs moisture and oil and, over time, will develop a wonderful patina that looks better the longer the item ages. Top-grain leather, on the other hand, is buffed, sanded, and pigmented to provide a more uniform and smoother look to the end product. Water and oils do not absorb into top-grain leather and can be wiped away since the leather’s natural pores have been sealed during the coloring process.

You probably know already, but most of them are not cambered. But there's no reason you can't have both and maybe that would offer flexibility. Use the two sides for their strengths.

Then Tyvek can be disregarded because it doesn't stretch easily if at all.

Tyvek is a spunbonded polyolefin fabric. It is extremely tear resistant and resists stretching. If you have seen the tear-resistant envelopes, you’ve seen Tyvek. I sell a version used in construction as a water-resistant sheeting. I can imagine it giving straps reinforcement and resistance to stretching.

I always wonder when people say they break needles. I'm still working with some I've had for 5 years and use regularly.

Did you try wiping the stitching with a clean, white cloth? Sometimes that helps. But over time, just from wearing, the thread is going to soil. Everybody is going to have different suggestions, but personally, you can seldom go wrong with black thread. Sure, it doesn't "pop" like some other thread colors, but for belts and such I think it is fine. Otherwise, off white thread, cream, ivory, etc. are probably less prone to having an issue, especially if you wipe them down after. I've heard some say to limit the length of your thread. They argue that if the thread doesn't pass through as many holes, then it won't get as dirty. I see pros and cons with that. Personally I like longer thread to prevent having to start/stop too much. The other thing is to determine whether it is just from rubbing against the leather or if it is pulling glue out as it passes through. I like to use double-sided tape for certain things, but I think it is more prone to discoloring the thread. Probably true of contact adhesive too, being rubbery. Maybe folks who use other glues can give their opinion if those seem to be less prone to discoloring the thread.

Yes, something very wrong there. Hope it gets worked out.

Did you order these? They have a range of sizes. https://tandyleather.ca/products/harness-needles-10-pack?_pos=4&_sid=94dadc173&_ss=r

Regarding shipping, personally I never trust what websites say. I call or email the company. You will sometimes find out the actual charges are going to be less than the advertised rates. Yes, you should find a Canadian source. And reach out to them to ask their advice on product selection and what needles to buy. If they are experienced they will steer you in a good direction. And then you have the beginning of a relationship to boot.

Good points. When I do use a groover, I just barely scribe the surface, so it isn't really taking any thickness away. I also use wing dividers on some leather. One point though, when it comes to stitching within a recessed groove, just know that it causes the thread to lose its angle. I like the zig-zag appearance of stitching and so I tend to not recess it. Different strokes for different folks.

Here: https://www.rmleathersupply.com/products/john-james-saddlers-harness-needles-sz-4-2-0-00-000-25-pack?variant=711082135 They even do us a huge favor and match us the needle with the thread type and size.

No, those are not correct. The eye is too wide and too long. These are more like the John James needles, which are the standard. https://tandyleather.ca/products/harness-needles-10-pack?pr_prod_strat=description&pr_rec_pid=4527288942723&pr_ref_pid=452729 Try to find the John James online. Also, they come in different sizes. Small holes and thinner thread demand smaller needles.