Ian

My opinion would be that if you're going to be making solid color collars - skip all the dyeing and finishing and used pre-dyed and finished bridle leather. When you're doing things in quantity to sell, you need to skip as many steps as you can (while maintaining your quality, of course) if you want to make a profit. The few cents more per collar that the bridle leather will cost will easily be made up by the time and materials you'll save.

I use them mostly if I'm putting eyelets in chrome tanned or garment leather - keeps the eyelets from pulling through the leather.

Or, what do you get when you cross a .........?

In Taxachusetts they're getting ready to raise the gas tax to the highest in the nation. The governor tells us that it will amount to one large coffee a week per person. Does this goof realize that that amounts to the equililent of 6 1/2 million cups of coffee that some small business will not be selling? Every dime they drain from the local economy puts small businesses out of business. I am so sick of these mealy mouthed idiots justifying the plunder of our incomes. Oh no, there goes my serenity for the day. I have to realize that our sole purpose on earth is to serve the government and that they are the true owners of the fruits of our labor. Until I am beaten into line with the rest of the sheep, I'll never have a minute of mental peace, so I'm going to stop reading this thread.

Jake, that's really sharp. I'd be interested in hearing from chap makers: Apart from the Tandy patterns, is there another source for western chap patterns? Do the leg part of the chaps go all the way up to the top of the yoke, or does the yoke have just an overlap (if you know what I mean). I have lots of questions, but that's a starter. Thanks Ian

Sorry Tony, I'd have to draw the line at black pudding. <shudder>

The flowers look awesome, but what I REALLY like is that lush green stuff in the background. Is that what you call grass? Been so long since we've seen any, I almost forgot what it is.

Then, of course, when you eat jerky, you're eating dried blood.

Yes, it will sew Veg Tan if you're edgestitching a single thickness 10oz belt (for instance). But, I wouldn't use it for assembling a heavy construction.

Good stuff TwinOaks. We might not think we could survive catastrophy, because we've never been there, but we'll find out how strong we are when we have to. In a way I've had a taste of that all my life, so, as sick as it sounds, I'd like to find out how I would deal with the worst case senario. Katrina was an example of people who have never developed a concept of self sufficiency - and that's where the real danger will come from when the government can no longer support it's non-contributing citizens. To veer back into the spiritual/religious. The people who jumped out of wall street windows in the first depression were people who had made money their God and put all their faith in their portfolios. I can understand not having a reason to live once you've lost your God. And an even more extreme thought: There would not have been a single surviving Jew in Europe if Hitler had had today's technology. Everyone in the Western world is on file today, and no matter how under-the-radar you try to live, your information is stored in hundreds of computers. It would just take the right set of circumstances to give the government reason to access it all. There is no place to hide anymore - just ask Randy Weaver. And speaking of computers, I was watching a show about Chinese citizens who consider it their patriotic duty to learn how to shut down the world's internet systems. How about THAT for armegedon?

Thanks everyone. It was an interesting project, but stretched making the bag out for 3 days. Tiny, that is only 7oz, because I lined it with 3 oz. If I was doing it without lining I'd go heavier. There is no stiffener except for the double thickness of the gussets. Yeah, I was bummed when I deleted a whole section, but there's no way to do a retake with cutting it out again, so...

That's the machine I have - love it!

Actually, there's TWO reasons. The other is to pay back all the unions, media, and organizations who helped get the president elected. Do we think that people give to politicians out of altruism? I've always said - there is nothing that has happened in world history that won't happen again, and that includes revolution, world war, depression, famine, dictatorships, slavery. American democracy is a very new concept. Did we think we could live in paradise forever regardless of who we put in power? Already the great democracy of Britain is caving to socialism and the wonderful Australian democracy is giving in to it as well. I hear the drumbeat from every faction for civil unrest. It's only a matter of time.

There was a question from a member a week ago asking how to make a tool bag. So, I made this little video as I was making one. You have to excuse the poor quality - I have new respect for all those kids making YouTube videos. I think it took longer to edit the video than make the bag, but anyway, here it is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7R-FwpGxXFY...re=channel_page

Ed, I have all of the products Weaver sells - Tuff Kote has a super high gloss

Dyed this minutes ago and look at the flaws that popped up - I swear I couldn't find a single one on the dry leather, now it's full of them - agggghhhh!!

Thanks Maxx - that makes a lot of sense

Does anyone have experience with getting a flat finish - I mean flat as the rubber on a tire, flat as a BBQ grill - really flat black. I've heard that continueing to rub over the piece as the finish dries will give a flat finish, but that wouldn't neccessarily get into the tooling. I always buff the wet dye to burnish the leather, but I'd like to put a flat finish over that. Any thoughts? Ian

Sorry to hear about your loss. I lost my Max last year, he was with me for 14 years, came to work with me every day, rode with me through 30 states and slept under the covers every night of his life. He was the bravest dog I've ever owned - no one ever told him he was only 18 lbs. When he died, I was in a daze for 6 months and could barely sleep. Honestly, I thought I was going nuts. Some people may scoff, but animals can be as close as any family member. Don't fight your grief, your friend deserves it. Here's Max in his last days - probably chasing Shmoo as we speak

A horrible tradgedy - those firefighters working in their heavy gear in 115 degree teperatures are real heroes.

I'd say a head knife too, even though I've never owned or used one, although, I doubt whether one in a thousand people outside of leather craft would know what it is.

If you can wait til tomorrow, I'll post some pics of making a pattern, and construction for any size/shape tool bag. I have to make one for someone, so I'll take some pics when I cut it out.

Face it folks, we're sitting ducks. If they cut taxes or, God Forbid, sent checks to citizens, they find other ways of taking it back (the new $1.25 Federal tobacco tax is an example). In our lovely state of Massachusetts, our govenor and close friend of the president has raised 70 fees and penalties since coming to office and he's talking about raising them all again. Also in Massachusetts, I am bracing for a thousand dollar fine for not having health insurance because I make the obscene amount of 36 grand a year. So, we need to shut up, remember our places and come to grips with the fact that the money we earn belongs to them, minus what they think we need to survive. Oh, man, do we ever need a second American Revolution!!!!

Nice stuff, Mike. Dang, there's alligators in the Peace River - I used to go canoeing on there. You should be panning for baby gators for future leather projects.

with the top edge, you will seee the suede, but with the sewn edge, you can cut the lining back 1/8 - 1/4 inch all the way along the edges to be stitched, then finish as you always do