TinkerTailor

Have you looked into vacuum forming? There are fairly cheap diy methods out there, and you only have to do one side of the mold. It also eliminates the leather marring problem of a 2 sided mold. I have been looking into the options myself, however currently I do it the same way you do. here is a pic or two;

Calf leather seems to be more common in the bookbinding world. Try inquiring at book binding suppliers

I could also be saline. Where i grew up in the prairies, we had really soft water but it had salt in it. The marks on that sheath remind me of the marks you get on leather shoes when you walk around in salty slush in the winter. Try to form some leather with distilled water and see what happens. Also, leather is stored in salt before it is tanned. Perhaps the salt content of your leather is abnormally high, as in it wasnt all removed during tanning.

Location would help alot. We are a global community after all. Aside from that there are a couple apparently fine companies advertised at the top of the page. I am on the fence about tandy recently, as many others are. Quality, consistancy and pricing could all be better there and have been in the past it seems. Most of the other bigger American suppliers are on here somewhere. I am in canada and have a wonderful shop nearby with almost no web presence, so i have no first hand knowledge of the US market. Happy hunting.

It was such a good mental image though..

You ride your roof on a saddle???

Edger i made from a slot screwdriver. About like #4 ish It has other uses however. The pics tell.

The right machine for the job. That is the one to learn on. Learning on an inadequate machine, or an unsuited one is a recipe for mistakes and frustration. It will cost you more in the long run in material waste, time waste, and hair loss. In the end you then will need to get the right machine anyways. Look at the sticky tutorial on this site about sewing machines, do alot of research. Spending a little more to get the right one is a decision you will not regret later. Keep in mind you pay alot more for new than used (especially juki, pfaff etc.), so a new unsuited machine will cost you more after resale than a used unsuited machine would. At least if you bought a used machine, it should hold most of its value. Wizcrafts gives good advice, both here and in bunches of other threads. Read his posts, he has graciously provided an encyclopaedia of information. Don't overlook the cowboy/cobra/artisan/....clone market. They are cheaper new, have cheaper accessories, and have been known to be very well supported, including stories of the company owner delivering and setting the machine up in your home to ensure you are happy. (i think the customer lived near the owners moms house or something..)

Try asking at upholstery shops or ask at wholesale leather supply houses. They would both have closer contact with repairmen who work on leather machines than the fabric and fashion crowd do. It may seem weird, but a company that works on old bookmaking equipment may also be able to service it. Books use machines with big sharp knives and stuff and the spines are stitched. The leather covers are often skived to be thin on the sides.

do it. subscribed.

The rumples are probably not from the rivetting, it is from the inflexibility of the leather disagreeing with the compound curve you are bending it into. This is one of the things that can be corrected by using wet-forming. Btw, on the top cap rivets that don't go through the straps if you insert a washer of leather where the strap would be, it will help the top cap stay flatter, if that makes sense.

This weeks How Its Made has a section on making running shoes and shows everything you are asking. Don't know where to find it online. Just saw it on the pvr.

I like it. The other thing that would work is a section of sonotube, those cardboard tubes they use for forming foundations for posts. They come in a bunch of diameters, and will take a nail or a tack. You could just make it, get it wet (case the leather where you want it to stretch), put it on, stuff the pocket full and then wear it for a day...........or 12 minutes if you do it at blackrock.

I know, I would have paid 40 for the empty box (its pretty cool.). Any 2 new, arguably inferior versions of the tools would have been more than 40 bux.

I just used a brass grommet the same type you use on leather. the goal was to give the wick a tight hole but still let it slide. I used a 125ml (2oz) mason jar like the one on the picture because they are good with heat, low, stable, and hard to break. Plus easy to fill without spill. I just hold the tools in my hand to heat. If i were to need a stand for heating a tool, i would bend one up from a coat hanger. Look at pictures of diy solder iron stands for ideas. There you go. Worked for me a long time, no fires yet.

I forgot to mention i use a thimble as a snuffer/wick cover...

That's really good to hear that everyone is being neighbourly......Its rare these days. The tipman is "portable". Set it up on a sunny afternoon in a park somewhere and get that arm pump on....lol

I think his information is top notch. I can't say the same for the sense of style however.....lol Each to their own.

So i go into this thrift/antique shop and ask the guy if he has any leather working tools. He points to a wooden box on the bottom of a pile of boxes. He says 40 bux. I dig it out and this is what i find: Opened: Needless to say i payed the man. He tells me lots of people have bought leather tools from him but i am the first one to ask if there is more i can't see..... Here it is all layed out: List: all craftool stuff is around 1970 and earlier. The 548 geometric stamp is old. There are also: j816 craftool co s638 craftool co. usa f119 craftool co. usa #7craftool stitch wheel Rampart Tools 3/32 stitch groover, Rampart 3/4 bag punch, Rampart #1 edger several different awls Geo Barnsley shoe knife. Made in sheffield and says damascas steel on it. Couple spools of barbour thread a dozen lacing needles a 12 spi clover stitch wheel, 2 lacing chisels, 3 prong and an old craftool 4 prong. a bunch of old and usefull hardware from tandy, including the proper setting tools for them. 2 home made ball modellers, really well done with 4 different ball sizes and an unmarked wooden handle modeller. wooden roller for glue seams The box itself also has a few more secrets and mysterys which i will reveal tomorrow-ish...

I would mold it on a curved form. Try to make the shape in blue/pink household styrofoam and then enamel the surface to harden it. Go easy on the first coat to keep from melting the foam. This works for a one time gentle use mold

Alcohol is best as it does not leave soot on the tools. I made mine with a mason jar. I drilled a hole and set a grommet into the lid. For a wick I use braided garden string. About 18 strands in a 3 part braid. Get rubbing alcohol at any drug store. My burner cost me the cost of the grommet. I salvaged the jar and string

I'll see if I can explain with the pictures I have at home. On a bus right now.

Baseball stitch 7 oz chrome tan stretched around a titanium bike lock. .6mm tiger thread.

To be honest, looking at that picture, I can't tell if it is rubber, vinyl, or leather. In order to get the information you are asking, a few pics of the backside of the leather, an unfinished edge, a thickness measurement and a closer look at the grain side would help. Even then the tannery would be a mystery without the brand name and model of the original bag. Perhaps what you are asking is what type of leather YOU should use to get a bag like this? In a lot of cases the materials used by people here far surpass the quality of the mass produced ones.

1. Only listen to commercial free preferably mostly instrumental music. Electronic, world, classical, jazz, whatever is well produced and intelligent. Elevator music is for elevators. The goal is to eliminate distractions, and commercials are designed to distract. Radio Paradise is a great streaming station. (not affiliated) If in doubt, play bluegrass an full volume. "turn it up to eleven" as they say in spinal tap. 2. When creative blocks occur, sharpen and clean tools. Just touching your tools will move you past the block and create inspiration. 3. Invest in some great freshly roasted coffee, and make use of it. If you have 12 cups, take a break from stitching. Stitchin' and twitchin' don't mix.... (This may be number one actually...)