Tugadude

Great answer and great tip! Thanks!

Angelus seems to be a brand with a good reputation. Those that have used it can give you their testimony.

$124.93 on Amazon. Still more than I'd pay, but hey, at least it is made in the U.S.A., so there's that. " The Back Bite is an aggressive break from conventional design and functionality - where function meets form! Inspired by the Russian Martial Art system of striking, trapping, attack and defense, the Back Bite is a knife that bites "forward" and "back" inflicting devastating damage and Maximum Effect! Colin Despins designed this knife based on his extensive exposure to and training in the system of Russian martial arts. The Back Bite incorporates a unique combination of a concave strike face edge, a Wharncliffe Back edge, and a flat chisel point. When gripping the Back Bite in the blade down strike face edge forward, the operator is enabled to deliver devastating blows to the adversary's vital targets and to attack or defend!"

Try burnishing an edge. If it slicks up easily, probably vegetable tanned leather.

And...some more verbiage, explaining?, the rationale behind three sizes being identical yet bearing different ID numbers. "Sizes: Size 1 (001) - 55mm length x 1.02mm diameter; Size 2 (002) - 55mm length x 1.02mm diameter; Size 3 (003) - 55mm length x 1.02mm diameter. P.S. L3912 Saddlers Harness Needles size 001, size 002 and size 003 are all identical needles, this means they have the same length and the same diameter. Some customers prefer the needle length and diameter to be called a size 001, others prefer it to be called a size 002 or a size 003 and this is why the product is given 3 sizes but in reality they are all the same. (taken from this page: https://craftntools.com/products/john-james-saddlers-harness-needles-blunt-7373/) Size 4 - 50mm length x 0.86mm diameter; Size (1/0) - 57mm length x 1.09mm diameter; Size (2/0) - 60mm length x 1.42mm diameter; Size (3/0) - 62mm length x 1.63mm diameter."

Rocky Mountain Leather Supply has a handy bit of info: Size Diameter Tiger Thread Match Corded Thread Match (Polybraid, Masterfil, Other Round Thread) Size 4 (004) 0.9mm 0.6mm & under 0.2-0.4mm Size 2 (002) 1.0mm 0.8mm & under 0.4-0.5mm Size 0 (1/0) 1.1mm 1.0mm & under 0.5-0.6mm Size 00 (2/0) 1.3mm 1.2mm & under 0.6-0.8mm Size 000 (3/0) 1.6mm 1.6mm & under 0.8-1.0+mm

Weaver's website has this helpful picture, wish it had the corresponding measurements though. It at least gives some idea of how the various sizes correspond to one another.

Very nice, and there’s that beautiful knife again!

Wetting the leather is unnecessary and could lead to stretching. it won't make it weaker. 4mm leather is not very thick and shouldn't present any issues in workability.

So tired of nitpickers, but where does that say Henry Ford invented the concept of mass production? It doesn't. What it did say was that he developed the production line to make the manufacturing of automobiles faster. As far as who gets credit, I found the following: Ransom Olds created and patented the assembly line in 1901. Switching to this process allowed his car manufacturing company to increase output by 500 percent in one year. But I also found this: Forget the Model T—Ford's real innovation was the moving assembly line. It didn't just usher in the age of the car; it changed work forever. He first fully implemented his innovation on December 1, 1913. I could go on, by why? This will probably be my last post. It's been fun! Mostly.

Chuck make some really good points regarding modern day production and its characteristics. Ever since Henry Ford developed the production line to churn out automobiles faster, manufacturers have been tweaking the process to become more efficient, and yes, to make more profit. And that isn't a bad thing. I'm not against profit, it pays my salary. But with mass production there are the inevitable trade-offs. Remember it was Henry Ford who said... That was a humorous quote, but he also had some inspirational ones as well. “Don’t find fault, find a remedy: anyone can complain.” “If you think you can do a thing or think you can’t do a thing, you’re right.” “Coming together is the beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together a success.” “Anyone who stops learning is old, whether at twenty or eighty. anyone who keeps learning stays young.” “One of the greatest discoveries a person makes, one of their great surprises, is to find they can do what they were afraid they couldn’t do.” “If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself.” “Experience is the thing of supreme value.” “Enthusiasm is the yeast that makes your hopes shine to the stars. Enthusiasm is the sparkle in your eyes, the swing in your gait. The grip of your hand, the irresistible surge of will and energy to execute your ideas.” Getting back to the original post, I have to say I probably watch way too many YouTube videos for my own good. Call it a guilty pleasure I guess. Many YouTubers try to dress their videos up with unique stuff. Sometimes it is an interesting backdrop, or just a cool table surface, littered with interesting stuff. I like videos where they have vintage stuff. Vintage is more attractive to me as compared to sleek, modern stuff. Always been that way. For others, bring on the newfangled stuff in titanium and ceramic. The good news is there's choices for both! And to all the mothers out there, I hope you have an awesome day!

I went and looked at your site and it isn't clear what the thickness of the various leather options is. That information is vital. At least it is to me.

Always good to see different takes on things and the saddle stitch is no exception. Parts of this video are excellent and I particularly like how he showed how to create flat stitches on the backside of your work versus slanted stitches using the "cast" technique. Also, he does a great job of showing exactly how the thread is situated in the holes, where to insert the 2nd needle, etc. Took me a while to really understand how the thread behaves and I hope this will help those who might be struggling.

Found another video that had some helpful tips. Also, the guy has a unique sense of humor that I enjoyed. He takes a lot of the "mystery" out of saddle stitching and shows how with some knowledge and some practice, anyone can learn how to hand stitch leather. And more importantly, get good results.

Resolene is more of a sealer and is not permeable. An acrylic film is formed and it will resist moisture penetration.

What is it about Tan Kote that makes you want to use it? What do you want it to do? Are there better finishes which do what you want? Tan Kote is permeable, so yes, you can apply things over it. They will penetrate into the underlying leather.

There have been a lot of threads where folks ask what to do with small scraps of leather. Well, this is one way to use up small pieces that ordinarily would head to the bin. The size is 1/2" wide x 2 1/4" long. Funny how it worked out that way because I didn't measure anything, just eyeballed it. But it is close to exact. Just some scrap from wallet projects. It is chrome tanned, prefinished leather I sourced from Springfield Leather Co. The thread is some fine 3 cord polyester, not certain what the size is, I bought it from Tandy years ago. It is called Tejas. Anyway, nothing special, but it is easily the smallest project I've made, save for a leather ring I fashioned once. These are the tweezers themselves. They are made of titanium and even with the slip they are light as a feather. They will go inside a wallet that I carry daily. Tweezers come in handy all the time for splinters, wild hairs, etc.

Hello from Missouri. Welcome!

Thanks, and I'm glad you enjoyed it!

Thought folks should know this exists. I'm a fan of Nigel's and have learned a great deal from his YouTube videos.

I suggest, if you haven't checked his channel out, go to YouTube and watch some of Nigel Armitage's videos. He reviews and demonstrates various pricking irons and stitching chisels. Those tools have really taken off in recent years and new and better ones seem to come out daily. They've made a huge difference in the speed at which I can stitch. Here's his thoughts on a popular set. But you can get started with cheaper chisels and decide if they're for you. Also, you might find this helpful:

Personally I urge you to reconsider stopping hand stitching after 2 hours. It is a skill, a skill which takes time to develop, but when you acquire it, you will find that it is manageable. I only hand stitch, mainly because I am a hobbyist and don't feel the need to purchase a machine. I also don't care for some of the product I see which is machine sewn. I said some, not all, so please don't think I'm saying I'm against using a machine. It just isn't for me. With time and effort, I can now stitch pretty fast, fast enough for me anyway. And I enjoy it. Much of the pleasure I derive from the craft is the stitching itself. If you want a machine, by all means go for it, but please give hand stitching more time. I think it will be worth it.

Our Leathers TanneryNYC prides itself in bringing customers high quality leathers, at low minimums in a multitude of colors and finishes. Our leathers are mostly finished in USA (tanned in South America). See our range of Chrome Tanned, Vegetable (Veg) Tanned, and other leathers! See below for Size Guide to Leather Cuts:

I know I'm not going to be useable for 100 years! My father lived to 89, but sadly mom barely made 66. Most companies have no issue taking care of problems when it is clear that they supplied a defective product. It is just good business practice. And many will err on the side of good customer service and even cover things that might be questionable. That happened to me when I wrote a manufacturer concerning their product. I shared my experience with their product and how I loved it and the way it performed but that one part of it was a problem. Without boring everyone, a seal in the product tended to fail unless it was cleaned extremely well and allowed to dry, would begin to break down, support mold growth, etc. They agreed that it could be an issue and mailed me replacement caps. Guess what brand I'll purchase next time? I'm not suggesting that every company should behave similarly in every situation, but I do think there are times when it's the right thing to do.