Simeon54

Thank you Chrisash

Many thanks to you all for your responses! I hope of course that others can use these links as well. Many thanks Bill, i think I'll drop them a line and see what they can help me with.

Yup, I am. :-) But thank you for your response, it's greatly appreciated. When I know more about specifics, then that will help but I literally have a time and a region and that is it: no character, or even trade/social standing, etc. I'll drop you a PM in a day or two when I have a bit more info from my supervisor.

That would be great, thank you. And thanks again for this info

Many thanks for your response and that map is fantastic. I am starting work in a TV show - Outlander - as the leatherworker, and the new season is set in 1776, North Carolina. Sadly, I currently have no other info from the design team and am awaiting that. But I'm going to go with Scottish, seeing as the show orginates in Scotland. Again, thank you.

Hello all, I am currently engaged as a leatherworker on a TV show set in North Carolina during the late 18th Century, specifically 1774 76. I am looking for images of leatherwork from that period, mainly belts at the moment, but perhaps pouches of various kinds: powder, water, etc as well. I'm having trouble on google as I tend to turn up reenactment sites, and whilst I'm sure they've had done good research I really can't use second hand work as a starting point. Does anyone have any pointers for me? It doesn't have to necessarily be military based, but that would be of interest as well. Thanks in advance.

Hi all, I've just seen a new post from Terry Knipschield the knife maker. I thought I'd post it here, for anyone who is currently waiting on, or hoping for, one of his knives. Sadly, his business has suffered a fire. Here is the post: For those still unaware, I had a devastating fire in my garage and workshop. Though most of my machinery and blades may have been spared, the entire structure must be demolished. I don't know when or if I'll be in business again, but If I continue, things must change. I simply cannot keep up with demand and wait times are way longer than I want. I may just cancel all orders, make knives as I'm able and put them up for sale somewhere, first come, first served. When those sell, make some more. The backlog of orders has become too stressful and I need to enjoy what time I have left. In any case, it will be a LONG time before I even have a place to work. There is no instruction manual for the aftermath of a fire, and I'm winging it the best I can. Thanks to all for your understanding.

Thanks for your response and for confirming my fears: I don't want to shell out €30 for another pen, if it does the same thing. If I understand that pen you link to doesn't roll. I'm a little afraid of it, tbh but guess I'll have to just check it out and try. Thanks for the tip!

Hello all, I recently bought some Gardini edge paint, but I balked at paying €29 for the roller pen, and instead paid about €6 for one from China, thinking they were all probably the same. However, in my tests, the pen would stick and not roll, therefore dragging through the paint and messing it all up. Does anyone have experience of this? Should I have got a more expensive version of the pen? I was trying to apply the paint to a bevelled and burnished edge, so perhaps that was an issue as the point of contact of the pen was very small, and also on smooth leather, so less traction. I'm going to keep experimenting with this, not bevelling and burnishing for example but I'd welcome some input before I fork out more money on another pen. :-) Good looking work OP, by the way.

Haha, I didn't remember writing that. :-)

Many thanks. Can I ask how you know I'm from Norfolk? My location is set to Arnhem. Curious.

If you do use gum trag, it should be after you have dyed the edge. But to be honest, I now only use water to burnish an edge. I'm about to experiment with a professional edge paint from Italy, a brand called Giardini. This will look much more like the edges you see on top end hand bags I think and I'm aiming for that as I'm selling pieces in the range of €800 to €1200 each, so got to look super finished.

Many thanks! Sorry for such late reply and yes, it is from them. I have to say, in the end, this hide was a bit too 'wet' for my liking and it marked incredibly easily, so I have looked elsewhere for other products. I really wanted to use their leather, but can't afford to order a hide and send it back if it's not good quality.

Hi SheilaJeanne, thanks for the comment. I have had some comments about using a little Sam Browne stud for the closure. It may well have to change, but I love the simplicity of it. But yes, perhaps not super practical. And these edges were bevelled, then dyed with oil dye, then burnished with gum trag and finished with an edge coat I got in NL. It's like an ink of sorts and I must say, I'm stopping using it now, as it flakes off over time. I think the trick with edges is to experiment. I have a hand slicker that I've mounted into a drill and then in a vice, but I also use a cloth now and then. And if it's not smooth enough, sand back the first burnish with a high grit sand paper and give it a second round. I have also stopped using gum trag and just use water. However, I think the burnished edge is often dependant on the quality of leather one uses: better leather, better edge. Hope that helps and sorry for the delay guys!

As an addition, Cuirschadefaux in Paris sell 50g bobbins for only €12 excl. VAT. So, a lot cheaper than most other shops. They have a limited selection of colours, but most thicknesses. They don't have prices listed, so just email them, and put in an order. Only issues, not sure they speak English, and Dominique, the guy there is, how can I put this politely, very French, if you know what I mean. :-)

Thanks Bogwot, apologies in the very late response to your kind critique. :-)

Thanks to the last two posts, I haven't been here for a week or so and didn't realise you had posted. :-)

Thanks for the critique. To be honest, I spent quite some time trying to figure out what to do about those little tabs. Normally, I would do them the same as the other similar details, so in this case they should have been teardrop shaped to match the side tabs. However, to do that, I would have had to move them away from the edge, which would have forced me to make the handle much shorter, to get it to fit and keep the silhouette of the bag looking good. In the end, the tabs had to go right to the edge, hence them being straight. I had thought about a single piece that folded over the lip of the bag flap and ran underneath and up the other side for the other tab, but that would have over complicated the design. I'm all about minimal details. So, yes, perhaps not the best design feature, but the best solution I had at that moment. Thanks!

Thanks everyone for your encouragement!

Thanks garypl, very kind of you.

Thanks Wedgetail, feel free to pass my details over to them. You can see more on my Instagram account: Simeon Morris Design. I see you're in Ipswich. Although I live in Arnhem now, I hail from Norwich. :-) And thanks JD62. This leather came pre-dyed. I'm trying to move away from hand dying as it takes up so much time!

I thought I'd share with you all my latest piece. It's named the CHRISTINA bag after my mother. I'm currently naming each design I make after the people who get them as a gift, which so far is only the women in my life, two sisters and my mum. It's constructed from Organic Swedish leather, using Lin Cablé Fil au Chinois thread. Edges are dyed with Fiebings Dark Brown Oil Dye, then burnished with Gum Trag (I've inserted a wooden hand slicker into my power drill and stuck that in a vice, I'm done hand burnishing! That is the only machine I use in the process). All hard ware is solid brass from Le Prevo, UK. Lining inside is a French beige sheep lining skin.

Quick update, to answer my own post, Terry just assured me he had indeed lost my order and will ship the knives shortly, so I'm very happy! :-)

I must say, I'm a little sad reading this thread. I ordered 2 knives from him in mid Feb and still nothing. He assured me 3 months ago I was on the list and he was snowed under, but seeing that you got yours in around 3 months makes me wonder if I slipped of the list somehow. It's been 5 1/2 months since I ordered. :-( I have just emailed him again today, so fingers crossed they are nearly ready.