UKRay

I am sitting surrounded by a mass of open text books (Bruce Grant, etc etc) 'cos I've spent the afternoon wrestling with the lacing on a belt. Sadly, it doesn't matter how many times I refer to the books, start from a different point, lick my fingers, scratch my head or re-thread the lacing needle (I have done that a lot!) it still looks a horrible, horrible mess. I guess it serves me right for getting over-confident. "Of course I can learn this in an afternoon..." Yeah, right, if it was that easy everyone would be doing it... Could someone please explain to me - preferably in big pictures and words of one syllable - how I get the holes in the right place; how should I start the lacing so it looks neat and just as importantly - how the heck do I stop? I would ideally like to end up with something similar to Freak's glorious basket weave lacing: http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?a...st&id=14139 but I accept that this may be a tad ambitious. Should I have started with something easier? Could you please be generous and contribute your tricks, tips and suggestions before I make any more mess?

Those really are a lovely job, Holly, especially that lacing. I liked the way you bevelled those Celtic designs too, a very cool piece of work!

This guy may be able to help out here: Steve Millingham Pewter Replicas Church Tower Mint Hopton Cangeford Ludlow Shropshire SY8 2EE UK International telephone / fax number +44 1584-823304 email: sm@pewterreplicas.co.uk web: www.pewterreplicas.co.uk

That all sounds about right to me too Crystal. I also use a creased line to set the border away from the edge when I am stamping leather and to give me a guideline when I am using a freehand groover. You might find the attached link useful as it outlines a number of processes in pictures. http://www.journeyman-leather.co.uk/aboutleatherworking.html

Many years ago I was taught to use a hot creaser - we actually used a gas ring to heat up the 'business end' of the tool - because it speeded up the process when working with hard harness leather. The heat from the hot iron seemed to melt the fat in the leather and leave a nice sharp crease without too much pressure, although there were plenty of occasions when the creasing iron was used cold to finish off a harness job and you would be hard pushed to tell the two apart. It rather depends what leather you are working with too. A cold crease in a leather with a high fat content looks a lot different to a crease in a piece of undyed vegtan. I don't have a problem creasing wet vegtan with a cold tool - but try the same trick on a bit of bridle leather and you won't be happy with the results. In the main, I work almost exactly the same way as CelticLeather, I crease most of my work and have a very similar set of creasers - although I do use a collection of single edge creasers to lay down ornamental creases on some of my fancy strapwork. The main difference would seem to be that if I have a fair number of straps to crease I tend to use a cold roller creasing machine - mine were both made by the British United Shoe Machinery Company sometime around 1950 as far as I can tell. They make a lovely job and speed up the process no end.

Welcome and enjoy the Leatherworker.net experience. We are fortunate to have some of the finest leatherworkers in the world on this forum.

Before you spend on new tools keep an eye on eBay for a couple of weeks. I have picked up some lovely Dixon tools over the past few years. Re-fettling these tools is not difficult. Just take a bit of time to restore the edge and live with the surface pitting. The old knives work just as well and the satisfaction of using a tool that is a hundred years old is priceless. R.

This is a clever idea and looks like a nice design - and we all carry far too much stuff in our pockets but sadly, I don't think this has a future in the UK, RDB. With our firearms laws being the way they are, IMHO, wearing that thing would be like asking for a police bullet in the ear, especially in London. I'd be interested to know what CelticLeather thinks about this...

Karl, If you see tools made by Joseph Dixon just buy them - any you don't want I will gladly buy from you! I have a very old Dixon round knife that sharpens like a dream and holds its edge for ages. My edgers are a bit of a mixture but my all time favourite is a Dixon number 3 simply because it works nicely. I also have some Dixon punches and a gorgeous wooden handled circle/washer cutter. IMHO, they are the best old leatherworking tools you can buy. I just wish I could find a plough gauge at the right price. R.

Easily the best answer to date - Windy is definitely in the lead! Any advance on the king of Persia?

It is as clean as a whistle inside, Mike - no trace of anything dirty ever having been in there. I touched a file to the metalwork and my best guess is soft iron - not steel. It is fairly rough on the inside so Hidemechanic may have a good point about it not being suitable for powder - and looking down the hole, I'd say there are no traces of anything ever having been inside at all - so what the heck is it? Johanna? Nah, I've seen her handbag and this really isn't her style at all. LOL As for the laddish grubbiness from Timbo and Jordan... Well I'm just shocked and surprised at the pair of you!

Hi Russ, the material is approx 1/16" thick, translucent, hard as heck and feels just like a dog chew which is why I thought it had to be rawhide - I couldn't argue about the vaguely Moorish look. It could just as easily be Spanish I suppose. I did wonder if it was a shot flask - but surely you wouldn't want a hard flask (and this thing is really hard - I reckon I could stand on it without damaging the thing) to carry soft lead shot - they would rattle around and make a fearful noise - and could easily get damaged or misshapen. What do I know? I don't do easy questions, Luke!

I'd not argue with you, Luke, but how would a rawhide bottle react to a liquid like mare's milk? It is my understanding that it would go very limp and soggy... but I don't know for sure. I just managed to get what I thought was the stopper out from inside the bottle - it was a just a crumbling piece of leather - I guess it could have been a stopper at one time. The leather was so old it literally fell to pieces as I shook the bottle - I guess this thing may be a lot older than I first thought.

Many thanks for your ideas, Drac, but the operative words for me here are "his are metal" just like all the others I have ever seen from that part of the world. Has anyone seen any rawhide work from India? In addition, when I look closely (closer than those pictures and using a magnifying glass) the workmanship doesn't look overwhelmingly Indian to me -but the more I look at it the more I see how beautifully it was made. This was obviously made by someone with a lot of time on their hands and considerable skill. It would have been an expensive thing to buy. The central pattern on either side is tiny leaves whilst the body of the thing has a 'vine and bunches of grapes' design tooled onto it. Each section is separated by a geometric design made up of tiny diamonds. Every inch of the thing is tooled. The hand stitching is around 18 to the inch and looks like a linen thread. The only bit of metalwork is the shackle which doesn't really match the rest of the item - it looks poorly made and could easily be a later addition or replacement.

You are most kind, sir, now has anyone else got any ideas? To be honest, I am not completely convinced by the idea it is a powder flask as I have never seen another one like it but I confess I haven't had much experience with items made from rawhide either - has anyone ever tried tooling rawhide? Have any of you black powder shooters ever seen a rawhide flask before?

That is a very nice looking belt, Clay. How long did it take to carve?

I can barely type for laughing! Sadly, I don't think you are right as a camel's scrotum is much bigger than that - and don't bother to ask me how I know! In addition, the tooling goes right to the end of the 'nozzle' and there are no marks that would suggest something is missing. Any more amusing suggestions? Could you post a picture please, Todd?Edit due to ROFL...

That must be one of the fastest 'WTF is this' resolutions in the history of leatherworker.net - Thanks Terry!

here you go Luke - It could be a seam ripper but I've never seen one like this before. The edge is razor sharp but the point is quite blunt- very strange!

I have been looking at this thing for almost a year at my local antiques (junk) market but as I felt it was very highly priced (£30) and the dealer wasn't moving on it I was unable to take a really close look. Today was cold and wet and I must have hit the right psychological moment as I finally picked this thing up for my offer of £5 - about $7.50 US I really don't know what it is although I have a few ideas, i'm hoping one of you guys may have seen something like it before. It is very nicely and very neatly hand tooled and hand stitched and seems to have a wooden or cork 'stopper' pushed down inside - I am loathe to poke about too much in case I damage it. The important thing to note is that this is EXTREMELY well made. I reckon it would hold water - although how that would go down with rawhide I simply don't know - can anyone tell me? You can get an idea of size from my hand. It measures almost exactly 9" from end to end and the 'hole' is between 1/2" and 3/4" diameter. But what is it? Some of the ideas I have already been offered include: powder flask a 'drench' bottle for administering medicine to animals a scribe's sand container Does anyone know?

Just picked this up at my local antiques (junk!) market and don't really know what it is for - any thoughts?

He certainly looks familiar!

Barra, I have just read about a Tim Tam Slam - where you Aussies apparently suck a beverage through a biscuit... is this for real? Yes, we have Snickers over here Aaron but I have never heard of a Mr Clean Magic Eraser... until now! I'm not sure even I could go for a deep fried Oreo, Johanna... and I ought to tell you Aaron, we have barely scratched the surface of our Oreo mountain. Just one packet and we both felt very slightly queasy... Oreos are great but obviously need to be enjoyed in moderation! Sorry, Tashabear, but Poutine simply doesn't... no not even a little... no no no! You must have the constitution of a mule to eat that stuff. I've seen pictures now and I'm afraid for you. Very afraid!

I forgot to add a real British delicacy to the list: you just have to try Spotted Dick: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spotted_Dick This is one of my all time favorite puddings. Just the thing for a cold winter day. These days you can even get them ready made and ready to eat (remember: Spotted Dick should always be served with piping hot custard!). Aaron and Crystal, yours are already on their way! Those of you who are not on my foodie mailing list can take a look at: http://www.hub-uk.com/family03/family0117.htm for a recipe.

Sadly not on the Welsh border, Merrik - we are just grateful if Tesco doesn't run out of basic stuff by 4pm on a Friday... Biltong is a different matter. Check out www.biltong.co.uk - I have been buying from Larry Susman down in Newhaven for the past 20 odd years. You can definitely trust his mail order service even if his taste in rugby teams is a bit odd. Too much information, Aaron... I'm hooked on Oreos, lard or not. Denise - think maple syrup... Have you ever had it with snow? Wassa Tim Tam? Do we need them in the UK? Poutine? recipe please! Fudge covered Oreos - nah, you're kidding... drool...