Randy Cornelius

The Neat Lac will seal it and protect the leather from soil and dirt and keep it looking good for years to come. But if you are concerned about it not breathing etc. I would suggest some other type of finish like Tan Kote. Tan Kote will let it breath some and will protect it some. It is more user friendly as it is a water based finish and will not smell up the house or shop. I use it on saddles and tack as a top coat finish which works well. There are so many different types, kinds, brands of leather finish out there that you will get a lot of different oponions as to which is best. I use Neat Lac as a resist when doing Sheridan syle antique finish, I use Tandy's Supershene for most of my small leather goods as it is easy to use and leaves a high gloss shine. I use Tan Kote on all my horse gear as I do not want a high gloss finish that the Supershene leaves. Some items I just give a good coat of pure neatsfoot oil. Maybe that is what your arrow quiver needs. It will take on that well used look in no time. There are some around here that use other products that I feel work just fine also, I just don't have room for every leather finish that is out there. I am one of those guys that just stick to what works for me. Randy

Neat Lac will do a good job but be sure to use it in a well ventalated area as it is quite strong as it is a lacquor based finish. I use a piece of sheeps wool to apply it but I think a piece of soft cloth would do just as good, it may break down a sponge. It should not darken the leather much at all. It may at first but after it drys it should return to the orginal color. Us it on veg tan as I am not sure what it will do to crome type leather never used it on crome or anything else but veg tan. Randy

You know there is a lot you can do by just reading books and watching video's. Subscribe to the Leathercraft and Saddlers Journal. They have articles in every issue that are geared to beginers as well as those with experiance. Subscribe to Shop Talk Magazine. They too have a wealth of knowledge that you will benifit from. Tandy has several videos by Tony Lair and Jim Linell that will be of use. Also Hidecrafter in Ft. Worth tx has several videos by George Hurst. I love George to death but his videos will put you to sleep so watch them after a good nights sleep ( If George sees this I am sorry!)but they also are a wealth of knowledge. He has several that will help you getting started. I never had videos when I was learning and I have since bought some of them for reference and to show to my students that I teach. They are well worth the money. I will PM you with some other thoughts. Randy

Lace, I feel your pain, when I started this some 30 plus years ago all I had were books by Al Stolhman to learn from. But it really takes seeing someone elses work to really get you inspired to do more. I do not know what part of the county you live in but going to one of the shows and taking some classes is really a big investment in your future as far as leatherwork goes. Wickenburg,Az and Sheridan, Wy are a couple of the big ones that will offer the most. But there is the International Federation of Leathercraft Guilds, IFoLG for short. They have a show and contest every year in a different location, this year it is in Indanapolis Ind. this year and I think it is the last weekend in Sept. But I dont have the dates close at hand. Those would be the best places to learn. Then I would recomend your local Tandy Store for help. Most of the store managers are leatherworkers themselves and have begining classes that you can take. I would also recomend taking a class from on of the masters who travel some to different locations. Or you can go to them. Here is a few just off the top of my head, Chan Geer, Bill Gomer, , Pete Gorell, Bob Beard, Jessy Smith, Jeff Mosby, Jim Linell (Tandy) and Tony Lair (Tandy) If you live around the Kansas City area I would be glad to teach you what I know. I know there are more than enough people here that would be glad to teach if you just let us know what part of the county you live in. Randy

Sorry I could not tell by the photo that the lower part was missing. This is a major repair requiring the saddle to be torn down, the swell cover removed and the horn re-wrapped. Not something I would recomend for a first timer. Randy

This is a fairly easy repair from what I can see from your pictures, they were not too clear. First clean out all the old threads. Use a good glue and glue the piece back down using several needles to carfully line up the old holes. Stick 4-6 needles up through the holes from the bottom and lay over the flap lining up the old sewing holes. You can now sew this back down using 2 needle method or a jerk needle. Randy

I had an old saddlemaker tell me this years ago, unknown how accurate it is. #1 Harness dressing deluted 50% with water is equal to Tan Kote Tan Kote deluted 50% with water is equal to Bag Kote. I have yet to find any supplier that lists #1 harness dressing. Someone let me know if they see it somewhere. Randy

Weaver Leather and Ohio Travel Bag has them but you need a tax ID to order. Also try Hidecrafter. If you cannot find any I have some you can buy off me for just my cost plus shipping. Let me know. Randy

I stayed in the basement all day yesterday, no TV, no radio, just listened to my ipod and made a pair of chaps, so tired of all this.... RC

Just went out to the mailbox and got a double surprise, I got my Shop Talk and the Leathercrafters & Saddlers Journal all the same day. Johanna has a real good article about Leatherworker in there so it's worth reading. I have not gotten through both yet as I have been making some chaps but just thought I would let you all know to start looking in your mailboxes.... Randy

Bree, I know you were at Columbis, did you see the neat little LEDs that they were selling at the Artsen both. They were "L" shaped and magnitic so you could clip them on underneath the machince just above the needle. I bought one and they sure do help a bunch. Randy

Thanks for all the positive comments. I have never done one of these before. I think it turned out good. I am not sure how many more of these I want to do. Lots of work envolved. Thanks again. Randy

No, she has one of those comerical computerised machines.

Thought I would post this case that I just finished up today. It was made for the Grand Master of Colorado. It has Marron Velvet inside and my wife did the square and compass embroidery and the sewing of the velvet so I cannot take total credit for this one. She is a very good semstress. Randy

Now that's cool.

I guess I did not get into much detail as the rest. I started leather in about 1972, I had an art teacher in grade school who taught a section on leathercraft and I caught the bug. Made my first pair of saddle bags that year, I still have them. At that time I knew no one else that done leatherwork so I had no one to teach me but Al Stohlam and his books. Over the years I kept at it making things for myself that I needed, family and friends. Then people started noticing the things I made and wanted them too. So my busines started by wearing what I made. Cell phones really got me going as I made a cell phone holder for my first cell phone and everyone wanted one. I lost count of the cell phone holders I have made. Started going to the IFoLG shows back in 2003 and got hooked even more, Sheridan in 2006 and I had a disese that was incurable. Leather is like and addiction to me, I am always looking for that next new tool! My son Riley got interested in what I was doing when he was 14 and started working leather also, He recieved the Ann Stohlman Youth Award for Achievement in Leathercraft in 2006. So I have a great friend to share my passion with in my son. We are the best of buddies and go everywhere together. He is gone to college now and I miss him sometimes (but the peace and quiet is nice too) but he comes home offen. I am buinding a new shop that I hope to have done in the near future. I retire in 3 years from Law Enforcement and hope to build a few saddles and go to the shows and keep in touch with all my friends in leather. Thanks Johanna for a great way for eveyone to share infomation. Randy

Weaver still has them.

There is no one supplier who carries everything. I buy from Tandy, Weaver, Wickett & Craig, Herman Oak, Siegel of California, Ohio Travel Bag, Springfield Leather, Sheridan Leather Outfitters and the list goes on. It pays to shop around get the best prices. Some do not carry what others does. Some have the same stuff but one will have it cheeper or have it on sale. I like dealing with the same people all the time also but I am not so loyal that if someone has a sale that I will not buy from them. I really like Seigel as they have free shipping over 75.00, that alone will save you 20-30.00 on a side of leather. I would like to find someone that carries all the wallet insides that Tandy used to carry but no long do. Anyone know where to find them? Randy

I am a patol Sergeant for a Sheriff's Office, Have 27 years in. Only 3 to go until retirement

I had Berry King make me a new blade for my old American crank splitter, he told me to sharpen the backside just slightly because if there is a burr from honing the top side it will drag going through the splitter. Seems to work well for mine. RC

I gave up on Barge a couple years ago, seemed like they changed the formula or something. I use Duall 88 now and have been happy so far. Another glue that is over looked is a product called Fabric - Tack. It is sold at fabric stores, craft stores, like Hobby Lobby and at Walmart. It is clear and bonds in seconds, great for holding two pieces together so you can sew them. I use it a lot on cases, zippers seams of all kinds. It comes in a 4 oz squeese bottle and drys clear. Randy

So here I set at my computer early on a Sunday morning drinking coffee and reading LW I know this is way off topic but I trust the advise of people here. I have this house that my mother left me when she died last March. It is a very nice house in a small town. I had an estate sale and have sold everything out of it so it is empty. I have had it on the market now since last June. We all know how the housing market is everywhere! It has been shown by the realator only twice since last June. Here is my question. I have had someone approach me about renting or leasing the house. I know nothing about being a land loard except I don't want to be one. As a deputy I have had my share of bad experances with doing evections ect from landloard / tennet issues. I am sure there are good experiances out there but I never hear of those. I know a good renter can make you money but a bad one can cost you. But I have this house setting vacent and I could use the income to pay the taxes and insurance. Like I said it is a large, (2600 sq ft) very nice house in a small town south of Kansas City. My fear is that I will get someone that will tear it up or leave it a mess. I have to sell it some time to settle the estate. The rest of the hiers understand the situation and I am under no pressure to move it fast so renting seems an option but my luck I will get someone in there and then get an offer to sell. What would you you all do? Rent or keep trying to sell? Thanks in advance. Randy

Anytime you wet leather it will swrink. That is why you will see the clamp marks on a hide of leather. When they put them on the drying racks they will clamp them so they do not swrink up. Next time before you dye a large piece like that, do the following. You can buy plexiglass at your local hardware or home center. Glue it down to the plexiglass with rubber cement. Then do all your tooling and dying while glued down. After it is dry peel it off the plexiglass. Another way that works but just not as good is buy some clear shelf linner, the kind with the sticky back, peel off the back and stick it to the back side of the leather. It will warp some when you dye but it will not swrink up as bad as not using it at all. The shelf paper will peel off and not leave a residue like glueing with rubber cement. I have been know to apply the shelf paper and then glue it down to the plexiglass. This way it will not swrink, stretch or leave a glue residue. In the mean time you could try oiling the piece you dyed to see if some of the size comes back but I doubt it will help much. Hope this helps. Randy

I guess I am not very photogenic as this is the only pictures I can find of me is with son Riley at Sheridan when he recieved the Ann Stolhman Award.

You said he was ouchy when you pulled the shoe? Seems like it may be a foot related problem. I would start there and work my way up. As an old horseshoer I like to start at the foot for any lamness problems. Could be nivicular but I see that mostly in the front feet. But that is not to say that it cannot be in the hind feet. I agree you need to start with a good horse doc, have the foot exrayed and go from there. Randy