Timothy

I'm interested. How do I contact you?

I am completing a tooled leather cover intended to mount on a Yeti cooler lid. I was planning to attach it with short course thread screws and finish washers. Anyone done this? Am I on the right track?

That's a cool buckle, and a nice clean looking belt. I like it alot. Tim

Bullrope Braider, Thanks for that explanation. Most of my experience with bull ropes was trying to hang on to them. Tim

Howdy. I don't feel qualified to offer much critique, but I wanted to say I enjoyed looking at your work. I really like the diamond pattern on the wrist straps (sorry, I don't know what to call them) Tim

Thanks I've been considering lining. I'd like to work my way up to making some gunbelts. Another thing to learn. Tim

I recently tested the darkening effects of several leather conditioners and wanted to share my results with you. In the photo below the top and bottom rows are natural colored leather. The second row from the top (box stamped) is five coats of(left to right): Bick 4, Lexol, Lexol NF, and Wesson (vegetable) oil. The third row (basketweave) is ten coats each of Bick 4, Lexol, and Lexol Nf. I couldn't see the point in continuing with Wesson oil. These were all very heavy coats to speed the darkening process. Probably 2-3 times as heavy as most people would use for routine conditioning. All the leather is from the same double shoulder. The box stamped are from within a few inches of each other. The basketweave are from within a few inches of each other, but a different part from the box stamped peices. Bick 4 claims to be non darkening and it really is. However it leaves some buildup on the surface. It buffs out well. It also makes a set of reins feel real good. Lexol and Lexol Nf darkened about the same. Lexol Nf claims to be formulated for light colored leather. It also claims to be non greasy. Compared to Neatsfoot oil this is probably true, but compared to regular Lexol iIt darkens slightly more and is greasier. I really wanted to like it and ordered a liter just so I could try it. Wesson Oil is the plain old vegetable oil from the Kitchen. I didn't have any Olive oil or neatsfoot oil handy or I would have tested them instead. I can't tell much difference in feel between the Lexols and Wesson oil. All seem to work fine as conditioners. The reason for the test is a new saddle I bought last fall. It isn't real light, but is has that nice reddish brown color and I want it to stay that way for a long time. I used some Lexol on it at first because it was pretty dry but wanted something better long term. My usual method of soaping and oiling with olive oil will darken one up over several years. As a result of the test I bought a Gallon of Bick 4 at one of the local saddle shops. It is the clear winner. I hope ya'll get some useable information from this. Tim

I just finished a new belt and thought I would post pictures. The top Belt is my first one. I made it last August from a blank and never posted it because I wasn't happy with the finish. My second belt was for someone else and I didn't get pictures. The bottom belt is the new one. It is cut frome a double shoulder. I dyed it with Feibings Medium Brown thinned with Lexol and finished with leather balm. I also put plugs behind the conchos. I did lots of practice peices testing dyes and finishes and it paid off in the end. Thanks for looking. Any critique is welcome. Tim

You are more than welcome. I've learned so much here that I'll give back what little I can. Tim

Amazing work. I really like the forged guard. Beautiful hamon. Did you clay harden it? Thanks for posting. Tim

Here you go. I tried to keep it fairly simple and use lots of pictures. I wanted something that (hopefully) those with very little braiding experience could follow. I apologise for the file size for those on dial up. If you have any questions let me know. Ya'll enjoy, Tim Wrist Lanyard tutorial.pdf Wrist Lanyard tutorial.pdf

I sincerely hope I didn't confuse anyone too much. I personally use the round the back, under 1 over 2. But I thought I might could explain where the under 4 over 2 came from, so I gave it a shot. Like I said, it was the first way a round braid was explained to me before I knew any better. LBbyJ, thanks for the link. Great website. I usually try to keep my mouth shut unless I have something usefull to add. Maybe I should have this time. Once again, sorry for any confusion. Tim

Brokestrand, Let me see if I can explain it a couple of different ways. One of them might make more sense to you. First, just to be clear, let's assume that you have six strands numbered 1-6 left to right. First way: Step 1 :Take strand #1 and go to the right under the next 4 strands: #2, #3, #4, and #5. Now go back to the left over two strands: #5 and #4. The numbers l-r are now 2,3,1,4,5,6. Step 2: Take strand six and go to the left under four strands: #5, #4, #1, and #3. Now go back to the right over two strands: #3 and #1. The order should now be 2,3,1,6,4,5. Step 3: Strand #2 right under four, back to the left over two. Step 4: Strand #5 left under four, Back to the right over two. Step 5: Strand #3 right under four, left over two Step 6: Strand #4 left under four, right over two. Start over with step one. Second way. Divide the strands so there are three in each hand. Take the outside strand in your left hand around the back and come up between the two outermost strands in your right hand(#5 and #6.) Add it back to the group in your left hand so that it is the inside strand. Now take the outside strand in your right hand around the back and bring it up between the two outermost strands in your left hand (#2 and #3). Add it back to the right hand group so that it is the inside strand. Repeat indefinately. All That changes are the numbers in parentheses, and they shouldn't matter after you get started. Both of these should make the braid shown above with a herringbone front and a basketweave back. With a core it will be round. Coreless, the front will be flat and the back round. I usually find that when I can't figure something out its because I get locked into a certain way of thinking, so I try to figure out different ways to look at things. Of course, it might just be that I'm stupid. To me u4o2 does work, you just have to add some directions to it.(No offense meant, Horsehairbraider) When I was a kid Dad told me a four strand round braid was over 2 under 1. I never figured it out, and finally got him to show me how. Thats what I thought of when I saw the problem. I hope this helps. Tim

Rayban, Sorry I haven't got it done. I promise I'll get to it. I have a couple of things to finish first. Tim