UKRay

This was my booth at a Christmas fair. I pretty well sold out during the Christmas period hence the panic to make more stuff now...

Okay, it is the end of January already and I'm starting to panic that I'll never have enough stuff made in time for the shows. My first event is at Easter. Have you any idea how few weeks away that is? Sheesh! So, I have invested in a new tent this year. Real canvas and weighs a ton but solid as a rock. I used an EZEEUP style tent all last year and was terrified it was going to blow away on several occasions. I have made new display stands and a demo table that are savagely robust and even acquired a shiny van to put it all in. The only thing I don't have is enough finished bits of leather. In fact I'm not even sure what I need to make! What items will you be selling at shows this summer? What display kit will you be using? What really works for you? C'mon guys - time to share. I've posted some pics of my last year's layout but I'd love to know what everyone else is doing, especially you folks in the US, Australia and NZ. Ray

You are far too generous, Cheryl! E294 series Craftools work well for me but there are plenty of others that can help to cover choppy bevelling, etc etc - believe me, I use all kind of tricks to rescue potential disasters. All's fair in love and leatherworking... LOL Ray

I believe that the real value of FaceBook, Twitter and the other social networking sites is to provide links to an existing website. This helps to raise the site's profile to a wider audience and gives the search engines another kick to raise the main site's position in their listings. I have sold a few things to my FaceBook visitors but I can't see it making me rich! Ray

Cheryl, I get some good effects with a pebble type backgrounder. The joy is that this is such a 'forgiving' way to cover mistakes and I make quite a few! Okay, you won't get a picture, as such, but you can use the pebble background to highlight a large subject very easily. Hope this helps, if not then I guess you didn't pay much for my thoughts! lol Ray

I'm totally with Spence on the swivel. It would make a much better and more functional product. It would also reduce the 'twist strain' on your stitching. If it were my job, I'd leave the Barge alone and just stitch the edges, but gluing will certainly hold the work together whilst you stitch. I'd also avoid X pattern stitching, but it is your job to do the best you can. Like Spence, I'm also a fan of riveting working dog gear. The force a big dog can put on a leash can cause all kinds of problems. Better safe than sorry! Try to avoid cheap rivets though. Solid brass, stainless or copper for me every time too. BTW - it is 'technically' possible to get around fifteen foot (180") of strap out of a 90" long hide. I admit, it doesn't work on every bit of leather but I promise it is possible to cut a U shaped strap (up one side round and down the other) and pull it straight. Good luck, Ray

Do you have enough length in your leather to cut the strap on a curve? this will give you a lot of extra length and the leather will pull into shape if you wet it before stretching.. If not then skive both ends to be joined making a long (2-3") tapered overlap then stitch down each side of the join using saddle stitch (two needles). Tandy make a useful skiving tool that makes this easier if you have problems using a flat knife. Try to avoid stitching across the strap as this weakens the leather considerably - think perforations in a sheet of postage stamps. Hope this helps. Ray

I dye about 90% of my projects with a rag. I start out by making a 'point' in the wadded rag - in other words I fold the rag so I have a pointed end/corner. This is used to reach the fine detail. Using the thickest part of the point start 'ragging' with circular movements, laying down coat after coat of dye and picking out and highlighting the grain of the leather. Try it! The pointy end is used when I have specific detail to dye often around tooling or carving - or for the edges of projects (I don't mean edge staining here) where I want to achieve a 'starburst effect'. Experimentation with these basic techniques will lead you to a lot of discoveries. Try different ways of folding the rag - I like old Tee shirts. Hope this helps. Ray

http://www.karaginther.com Outstanding work. check it out! Ray

We're on it guys. Just find us another 12-14 hours a day and everything will get tidied up just the way you like it. LOL Hope to have things back in shape soon. Ray

5pm - Just had a telephone conversation. Ring ring Me: Barefoot Leather, how can I help you? Caller: I want to speak to your boss immediately! Me: I'm the boss, how can I help? Caller: No you're not. Me: I'm sorry? Caller: You just answer the phone. Put me through to the boss immediately. Me: No, really, I am the boss. How can I help you. Caller: NO YOU'RE NOT. Put me through to your boss immediately. Me: Who is this speaking, please? Caller (in a very pompous, self-important voice): I'm a customer! Me: No you're not! CLICK In my defense, it had been a very long hard day! Ray

If you want to try a maul before you buy one, Paul, just drop in. I have a few you can play with. Ray

I've experimented extensively with the neatsfoot oil bath and have finally found a way to use it. You are quite right the leather soaks it up like a sponge. However, one good thing is that leather soaked in neatsfoot is almost entirely waterproof. I have dipped some straps that are needed for cycle baskets and similar outdoor tasks (also for strapping luggage onto classic cars) and they throw off water beautifully. A solid brass buckle and brass rivets mean no rust. Useful if you need to make something that is going to get wet quite often. The big drawback is that the straps feel very oily and slippery at first, This can be eased by wrapping the straps in butcher's paper to absorb the surplus oil and then hanging he straps up somewhere warm until they dry out. I generally make about 200 straps at a time and it takes about three weeks for them to become usable/saleable, Hope this helps someone. Ray

I missed this first time around... Fascinating story. ...and Mike, my lacing has definitely improved but my machine sewing is still better! As for you, cousin... we all know you are plenty old enough to have made the originals, but those ole' packrat Mocs (isn't that what you call 'em) you make these days look a lot more comfortable than your early ones LMAO Ray.

Very useful information. Many thanks! Hope the indigestion has improved, Mike... Biscuits at 11pm eh? Ray

Thanks for all your contributions and help. I'll post some pics next time I fire (hopefully not literally!) up the fryer and dip some goodies. Hopefully the fire precautions will suffice... Particular thanks to Winterbear for the biscuit recipes... nom nom nom lol Al, the oven idea is a good 'un and i'll definitely make sure to get the moisture out. I'm swamped with work right now but will do the pics asap. Thanks again folks! Ray

That would be most kind, Winterbear. What sort of consistency are these biscuits of yours? Are they like a bread? Are they hard like a cookie? We do have muffins over here that are rather like a soft bread roll - is that the sort of thing you mean? McDonalds sell 'em with bacon and egg in 'em. check out: MUFFIN Ray

I don't think we have them over here, Art. I'm already feeling the need to try 'em! Ray

Those would be Rich Tea Biscuits, Art. see: RICH TEA BISCUITS Biskits? You lost me there... BTW - I was surprised to discover how long wax holds its heat. That stuff I melted yesterday was still pretty warm this morning. Impressive! Anyone else using molten beeswax to waterproof leather bottles? Ray

Hey, Bruce, what is a 'muffing paper' - my mind is boggling... lol Is this a transatlantic translation thing? Ray

I'm feeling pretty pleased with myself today having purchased a monster deep fat fryer and used it to melt 10 kilos (somewhere near 2 gallons) of pure beeswax ready to dip my next batch of leather bottles. Tempering enthusiasm with caution is always a good idea, however, and I'm slightly concerned about the hazards associated with molten beeswax and wondered if anyone had any experience of using it and what the dangers might be. Anyone know the flash point of beeswax please? If it catches fire what is the best way to extinguish the blaze? I have two new fire extinguishers (dry powder and CO2) to hand. I also have a fire blanket. Is this adequate. Obviously there are no naked flames as the fryer unit is electric and has a thermostat and safety cut out if it overheats. Fire Officers, are you able to help here? What is the best working temperature for molten beeswax and leather bottles? I kinda suspect it is right up there near the flash point... oops! Thoughts, suggestions and questions welcome as always. Thanks guys, Ray

This may sound odd, but I actually like having four distinct seasons. Each has its own delights (and drawbacks!) and I enjoy them all. I'm not sure I'd cope well with an 'endless summer' - although my arthritis would probably disagree. I guess it is just what I'm used to. Steve, California is one of my favorite places on earth and I could cheerfully sit all day listening to good music and drinking micro-brewery beer or California's famous white Zinfandel in San Francisco but I suspect I'd miss my workshop too much to make a habit of it. Same goes for Las Vegas, many happy memories and good times. But I'm still an Englishman and i'd miss the eccentric ways of my country folk. Now, I'm not saying some of you guys aren't wacky - especially those in San Francisco - but we do seem to have an extraordinary number of 'unique' individuals over here! Right now, I can't imagine living in a place where the WI (Women's Institute) doesn't have a jam stall. I actually enjoy living where the class system flourishes and provides endless entertainment for oiks like me. Where bonkers inventors have been quietly doing their stuff for a thousand or more years. Where the 'architectural heritage' is so prolific you don't actually notice it unless a chunk falls on you.... Where else could you find a road system that grinds to a halt every time it snows, railways that stop running when 'the wrong kind of leaves' fall on the rails, a police force that (in the main) still issues its officers with sticks instead of guns, beer that is served 'warm' and an hereditary administration staffed by oddballs and weirdos responsible for passing laws (think House of Lords). Like I said, eccentricities are what makes the UK such an interesting place. I can't say I haven't seriously considered moving to the US, but I'm not sure great weather would be a good enough reason to leave all that behind. It's tempting though! lol Ray