Tugadude

That belt reminded me that hair stylists sometimes use similar belts for scissors and other things they need close-by. That's another possibility.

Not only beautiful work, but a beautiful gesture. I saw a video just today that was done by Colonel Littleton about "always doing more" as a way to set yourself apart. I'll be you'll have a great future customer as a result of your generosity. Not to mention the word of mouth referrals. Always go the extra mile, it's never crowded.

Another approach is to simply use the leather to replace some of the canvas in your project. As you know, many makers use a combination of the two. So just use the leather to accent some of your projects.

If you are looking for some that are similar and have polished edges all-around, the ones that Springfield Leather Co. now sells are just great. I've been having a good time with them. They come our of the leather much easier than some other irons I have that feature the grind marks. I know they can be polished, or filed, but I haven't found the time. I bought the 3mm, by the way and they are perfect for wallets and such. https://www.springfieldleather.com/Craftmaster-3mm-Diamond-Point-Stitching-Chisel?page=1

Yes, there are a number of threads on here about stitching chisels. Those aren't too bad for beginners and/or those who don't need to stitch very often, which is what you indicated. You can get a really nice stitch with those irons at the appropriate spacing and with the correct-sized thread. You didn't mention thread, I don't think, but it is a vital part of the equation in good stitching results. As stated, the closer stitch holes will be more appropriate for finer stuff. Weaver can also probably give you some feedback from their experience with the irons and what thread works well, etc.

Could you solder a metal sleeve over the existing metal sleeve? Just something to cover and beef it up? I was concerned about JB Weld withstanding heat, so I looked it up. The info I saw says it can withstand 500 degrees Fahrenheit for sustained periods and a maximum of 600 degrees F. So it would be a great option so long as you don't exceed those numbers.

Sorry, I thought my answer was clear and it apparently wasn't. Yes, the edge paints are suitable for use on chrome-tanned leather.

First, I assume you mean Saffiano leather. It is a chrome-tanned leather with a distinctive texture to it. I is commonly used on high-end bags. Most chrome-tanned leathers don't burnish as well or as easily as vegetable-tanned leather, so edge paint is typically used. Everyone is going to have their favorite. On the lower price end is Fiebing's , then Giardini and then Vernis and some others. Some are heat-able and some are not. The best I've seen used a heat-able edge paint along with a Fileteuse. There have been some posts here at the forum on technique, tools and various paints. Keep searching. And I'm sure others will chime in with their experience.

Rhino thread from SLC is very cheap. I think I paid $9.99 for a spool. Not a big deal to test it out. Personally, it wasn't what I was hoping for. It seems to have a very "loose" weave, something I don't particularly care for, but YMMV.

Thanks for sharing. Beautiful work going on there.

That is a very attractive journal cover! As far as "upscale", you might try a textured leather. Springfield Leather Co. has a Saffiano leather they are selling in bundles. You can't choose the colors I suppose, but it is some really nice stuff. You can find it in other places too, or at least very similar leathers. I bought some small remnants of a textured leather and made some small items with it. I found that the textured leather, while beautiful, requires a great deal of precision in your stitching, otherwise it looks bad. I don't know if it amplifies deviations or what, but once I learned that and acted accordingly it was great.

One of the nice things about Springfield Leather Co. is they sell many leathers by the square foot. That way you can try various leathers without breaking the bank and investing in a shoulder or side only to find you don't like it. You need to tell us what sorts of projects you want to make. Thickness comes into play too. Regarding Horween, they are top notch as is Wickett & Craig and Hermann Oak. There are others that might be appropriate, but it depends on the project. There are also some European tanneries that provide amazing product.

Nice! I love that you were able to repurpose something that might not have been useful for its original job but will be just fine for this use. I'm sure she'll love it.

I don't doubt you've had success this way. I use the Tanners Bond double-sided tape from Tandy on projects and it sticks great. I always stitch the connections, the tape is temporary in my case. Part of me doesn't "feel right" though, about attaching something solely with the tape. That's probably my issue, not the tape's.

To my eyes that thread looks bigger than .8, maybe because of the small holes. It is easy to miss a stitch here and there and end up with a wonky area. Even if you maintain right hand and left hand priority there is the chance that you might enter the hole below the existing thread, throwing things off. Also, I don't think that a project like that requires a cast. You might try it without and see if there is any difference.

At least Tandy is making no attempt to hide the country of origin based upon their product descriptions. TandyPro® Tools are premium leather craft tools designed and crafted in China by experienced and professional leather crafters. These beautifully designed tools are manufactured using steel, brass, and engineered wood, and are crafted for precision, balance, ease of use, comfort, ergonomics, and long wear. Created to be used on high end leather for premium and professional leather projects.

There's at least one other thread about the tools. I agree they look great.

I really like it. Very classy and well executed. I'm a fan of the contrasting colors and the brogue detail.

For long, straight cuts, especially on stretchy leather, I like to use a rotary knife. I find that you can eliminate almost all of the "pull" that can cause leather to deform as you are cutting it. If you haven't tried it, I recommend you give it a shot.

If you are handy at all you can make your own frame, not much to them.

I like it. "Fun" interiors are interesting and I'll guarantee it will get comments when the owner opens it. Nice execution too.

The ones I have experience with are Fiskars and Olfa brands. They both work very well. Keep in mind that you can purchase them in a number of sizes, so decide how big you'd like to go. Some here have huge mats, covering a large working surface. I think the biggest I've used is 24" x 36" or thereabouts. Size preference might hinge on what sort of projects you do. If you focus on small stuff, then a smaller mat might be sufficient for your purposes.

I think it is an interesting design. I seen a lot of minimalist wallets and even made several of my own but I have yet to see one that has coins on one side and card slots on the other. So at least to me it is novel. I do agree with the comment about the termination at the bottom of the coin pouch, it just seems out of place. But maybe you could modify the design slightly and make it a third card slot, similar to the way they do it on this wallet. Or perhaps folded cash goes into that pocket?

Very nice and it will look even better a few years from now!

I'd say they work exceptionally well based on those results. Would like to see a 0.6 mm Tiger Thread in those holes.