UKRay

Well done guys - all gone! Ray.

I have a handful of used English hand tools - a couple of edge shaves, an adjustable creaser, a collar maker's palm, and a few more useful bits that I would gladly give, free of charge, to someone who could make good use of them and maybe doesn't have the money to buy 'em new. You are welcome to collect or pay the shipping. I also have a number of small marble slabs suitable for tooling that could go the same way in return for a small donation to my Smokey Mountain fund. Given that I'm in the UK, I guess this ought to be a 'collect only' local offer but please feel free to let me know if you really want to pay the shipping!

How do you guys actually case your leather? Over the years I have read all kinds of stuff about soaking leather in cold water/warm water/baby shampoo/leather conditioner and a raft of other less savoury stuff and then putting it in the fridge overnight, leaving it outside in the porch (and even digging a hole and burying it) but it seemed like a whole lot of fiddling about for little return - I'm now doubting my decision to ignore this stuff. Can anyone shed any light on the best way to case leather or even why their way works for them? Is it all nonsense and hype? Do you really do any of those things or do you just wet it with plain water and sponge? I have to know the honest truth! Who is brave enough to reveal all?

Marketing depends largely on knowing who your customers are - or who you think your customers might be - and precisely what they want to buy. IMHO you would be best to do some market research and find out what people want to buy first. When you know what they want it is much easier to sell it to them than to try to sell 'em stuff they don't need. I don't know what you make, figthnbullrider, but you might want to start out by getting some great photographs done of your products - a friend with a decent camera, a set of lights and a burning desire to create is an asset. You can use these pictures to develop all kinds of marketing collateral such as postcards for putting in store windows and to be handed out everytime somebody asks why your hands are that funny color... You could also put cards onto noticeboards at colleges and big office complexes. Find friends who work in these places and persuade them to pin cards up for you. The simple approach is best. I used to have cards with the words HANDTOOLED LEATHER in big letters at the top and a couple of nice pictures underneath that brought me in loads of work. Best still they got people to call me to talk about stuff they wanted. I couldn't always help but after a chat they often came back with other ideas. If you are a computer nerd get a copy of MS Publisher (or any other desk top publishing package) and create yourself a three fold flyer with pictures. You can get a load of items on one of these and best of all you only need print what you need. They look good on noticeboards too. Re-enactors have always been a great source of business for me. I love 'em all but I don't expect them to have big bucks. If they are your target market then you might want to think about the sort of stuff they might need and produce yourself a mini catalog of good leathery things for distribution at Ren Fairs and the like. You will be surprised how these catalogs are kept safe until the cash is found to make a purchase. I really enjoy the marketing side of leatherwork and can't wait to try out new ways of reaching out to potential customers. The trick is to stay focused on the client. Always try to make what they want (which is not necessarily what you want to make) and make your marketing materials look as good as your leatherwork!

Happy Birthday Pip - Are you a 'genuine' scouser or an immigrant?

Many thanks Keith & Barra - it all makes a lot more sense now.

Susan, these are beautiful. How are they fastened?

Great video Barra - thanks for that. I can see the need for one of these stands now but I still don't know what a draw down strap does. Is it just another way of fixing the saddle to the stand or does it (as I suspect) do something different?

Please excuse an enquiry from someone who has never made a western saddle in their life, but enjoys the craftsmanship you guys exhibit. Following a lead from another post, I have just looked at a very fine looking draw down stand made by Ron's Tool Company www.ronstools.com . I am frustrated because I can't work out how it is used other than as a place to sit a saddle whilst you are working on it. Why is is called a 'draw down' stand? Does it pull the saddle down in some way? What makes it special? What makes it better than a conventional saddle rack? Can anyone show me a picture of one of these things being used? Sorry to ask what is patently a bunch of silly questions but I have been looking at these things for a while and I just can't work out why anyone would want to spend so much money on one! Could one of you fine people enlighten me please? Ray

Hi Rhome, Bob at Kamloops Saddlery has a lot of good things to say about Landis machines - take a look at: http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?s...pic=3928&hl= He wants to fill his workshop with them! Ray

Leathercat, you inspired me to try making one of these bracelets this afternoon. I watched the video - thanks Leatheroo - but still managed to tie my fingers together and run out of lace at all the wrong moments. Keep up the great work, you put me to shame! Ray

Thanks for all the advice and suggestions guys. The finished result can be seen below:

That really is a big brute Bob, I'm suitably impressed! - what do you actually use it for - got any examples of the stitching? I believe Landis made all kinds of leather working machinery - Does anyone know what else they made? Anyone got any pictures? I think Luke has a nice looking Landis 5"N"1 leather cutter somewhere... Maybe he can post a picture of that? I know you are also interested in old Pearson machines from the UK and actually worked with them for a while - what makes them good to use and why would anyone want one? Those old Pearsons (and one or two of the other old machines) make quite a lot of money nowadays - more than you might think an old machine is worth. Why do you think this might be? Nostalgia or do they actually do the job better?

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Welcome Heather, there are lots of great folk here who will help you in any way they can - all you have to do is ask! Best wishes, Ray

As an old leatherwork machinery enthusiast, I would be very keen to see machines other people use. Living and working in the UK means I rarely get to see any of the amazing machines made in the US, South Africa or Australia/NZ - and I certainly haven't seen all the machines that have been made in the UK; even if a good few are to be found in my workroom! If you have an old machine (or two) perhaps you could post a new topic in this section that includes a description of how (and how well) it works plus a few pictures so we can all share in the experience. This might then help to show newcomers what machinery may be available to them. Remembering that many of the smaller leatherwork machines can be picked up at junk stores or on ebay for very little money it would also be useful to get some idea of each machine's current value as a sort of buyer's guide. To save duplication of very popular machines, It might be best if we don't post if somebody else has got there first - unless we have something different to 'show and tell'. How does the forum feel about this idea? Anyone want to start the ball rolling?

It will take 10 times longer to do, but is will also be 10 times nicer than mine when it is done. Johanna At the end of the day Johanna, as long as your little lass is happy it doesn't really matter who makes the best/worst box. Personally, I like to see a little artistic license in things like that so don't go thinking yours will be the worse for it. For what it is worth, I hope she will love both of them... Ray.

My wife is chasing me to make her a flat, round, leather silversmith's sandbag but before I started work I thought I'd ask if anyone had made one before and could give me any tips? The bag will be used to form silver into jewellery, conchos etc. Any thoughts about type of leather to use, construction, filling and finishing would be gratefully received! Thanks, Ray

That's no way to talk about 'cousin' Luke, Mike. (only kidding Luke - honest!). I can't help it if I see beauty in things others just pass by... Anyway, as I said, it fits all my criteria. Better still it was VERY cheap and I just love it! Thanks for the kind words Bob - unlike some people I could name... I have posted a sample of the stitching below - just my first effort but it looks fine and doesn't damage the leather in any way.

Just wanted to thank everyone for the help you all gave me in choosing a sewing machine. You were most kind to give so freely of your time. I took it all on board and distilled the following: Whatever machine you buy somebody else won't like it... Whatever machine you buy somebody will have used something better... Whatever machine you buy, only you need get on well with it... Whatever you pay for a machine is entirely down to your budget... Given those points, I checked my wallet, rapidly decided against importing a Tippmann Boss or an Artisan machine from the US and went looking closer to home. Twenty miles down the road I found a monster. The biggest ugliest sewing machine I have ever seen and it weighs more than a small car (okay, that was a slight exageration - but only slight). It was made a very long time ago by the British United Shoe Machinery Company and is still in great working order - although, like me, it is now showing a few signs of age. I can't help it but I felt an affinity with the thing and when I tried it and it worked perfectly and did exactly what I wanted for a fraction of the cost of a new machine my decision was made for me. It has just been delivered and I thought I would share this momentus moment with you all - plus a few pics of my new leather workroom that is slowly coming together. It is worth noting that the floorboards you can see were cut and laid in the early 15th century. The weird looking seating is my collection of Singer sewing machinists stools and chairs from the 1950s - they are getting pretty rare now but you can still find the odd one here and there. My leatherwork machines date from around 1890 and include a rotary hole punch, creasing machine and a strap cutter which all ought to be in a museum! My wife says I ought to be in one too... that or an asylum! Thanks again guys. Ray

If you visit your local camping store you can almost certainly pick up an inexpensive sleeping mat that will yield more watch strap padding material that you will ever need. I believe the foam is closed cell and, as Jordan says, water resistant. A cheaper alternative is the same sort of mat but smaller - made for sitting rather than lying full length. In the UK they are just a few pounds - I make that a fair bit less than $10. I have used this mat foam for a number of different jobs and it seems to work very well - depending on the make and thickness you may want to try sanding rather than cutting to skive an edge. Hope this helps. Good luck. Ray

I was in South Wales this afternoon and found a little old shoemaker's shop. I dropped in for a chat and came out with this monster. I have no idea how old it is but it works like a dream and would sever a finger in a second... I am tempted to hang on to it but wondered if anyone knew where I might get a new cutting wheel for it? I'll apologise for the dirt and dust but it was buried deep under a bench which looked like it might have been built by Noah. Does anyone know anything about this beast? Who made it or how old it might be? It is incredibly heavy and solidly built.

Hi 'Cousin' Luke!!!!

Just want to thank you all for your kind advice. i'm still a tad confused but you all helped enormously. Thanks again, Ray

My personal experience of quality 4mm thick vegtan is that it gets nice and supple quite quickly without any extras or additives - especially guitar straps that see a fair bit of use. I made myself a single thickness tooled strap for my acoustic about three months ago, stained it with oil based stain and finished it with multiple coats of resolene. It didn't sit well for almost a month but is developing a bit more shape and fitting itself to my shoulder a lot better now. Another vegtan strap I made about two years ago for my bass went into shape very quickly - after a stiff and uncomfortable start the thing now ripples like a python... It may be as well to remember that a bass (or almost any electric guitar) is a lot heavier and obviously makes the leather 'work' more. Just get on and make it- you'll learn more from that than you ever will from me! Ray