gary

Never had a reported problem with veg tan collars or harnesses. I assume that bridle leather, being waxier than some, reduces any potential risk of contact allergies. But I may be completely wrong - you know what they say about assume (it can make an 'ass' of 'u' and 'me'). Gary

Can't help you on the tooling, tried it myself but just don't have the time to get any good. However, you'll find people will fall over themselves trying to help you here. You can't find a better place for anything, leather-related or not. May see you some time - I'm over in Mallaig. You're probably colder than me, but a lot drier. Gary

Ray, When I started doing dog collars I had a look round at various suppliers to see what their standard size ranges were, both width and length. When I had decided the range of widths I wanted to make (based this on two things, ease of obtaining buckles and dees in certain sizes and dog vertebrae length) I can now make them in either a stated size range (e.g. 20 - 24 inches) or a guide size (Small, Medium Large, etc, and you decide what ranges Small, Med, etc will cover). You need to decide, from an artistic point of view, when the width and length do not compliment each other. And there's always the bespoke length, width, attachment, etc. My sizings are: S = 10 - 14" M = 14 - 18" L = 18 - 22" XL = 22 - 26" These sizes work for standard, hound and half-check collars. As to width, balance the 'look' with the length and the dog type. Usually, the heavier the dog the wider the collar (but not always). Breed also counts for someting - draft dogs pull harder, hounds often jerk when they think they're going after something. There will always be those outside that range; I made a collar for a mastiff about a month ago (before my workshop and tools were packed into boxes) that was 32" long and 1 1/4" wide. I most frequently use bridle leather (so about 4mm thick) for collars and harnesses and sometimes I'll use a double thickness of something thinner (like a shoulder) or line it with whatever the customer wants (padded or unpadded as well). I have a couple of leather commercial collars from pet shops around so prospective customers can do their own comparison when they think a handmade collar is too much. I don't rivet and I don't stitch across the width of the collar. I use solid brass fittings in the main but also have nickel and steel (plain and stainless). Get cast dees and buckles - pressed and welded can give way at inappropriate moments. I make half-check collars with either chain circle or leather (rounded) circles. For interest, my other standard measurements are, for leads: Police style training leads 72 and 78" with 3/4" width. Slip leads - 40, 48, 60 & 72" (rounded leather and hawser-laid rope). Flat leads - 18, 24, 30, 36, 40, 48, 60 & 72". Hound couples - lead - 18" with 12" leather braces. GSD show lead 72" (widths vary from 3/8" to 3/4") with braided loop and clip. There also needs to be a selection of collars with 'add-ons' like name plates, some decorations, dees in different places, etc. Hope this is of some use. Gary

Ray, I've been away for a bit, looking after sick sheep in the middle of Scotland. There are some alarms available in the UK and sold as 'Personal Attack Alarms'. They're usually about the size of a large key-ring and are set off when a plug is pulled. They're usually quite cheap (£3 to £5 or so). They could be wired-up as part of an alarm system. Gary

Wow! Beautiful and functional. Nice work.

Ray, I find it depends on the reason for casing the leather in the first place. If it's for tooling/stamping (and I've done so little of each I won't even venture my opinion here) or if it's for shaping round an object. I make Police duty equipment and case leather for shaping round batons, torches and handcuffs. I use bridle leather and sometimes bag (girth) hide. For both of them I find the 'bung it in a bowl of tepid water until the bubbles stop rising' technique works quite well. I can tell by feel when it's about right for the task ahead. If it's still a bit stiff I just bung it in a plastic bag for ten minutes and then see if it's okay, etc. Gary

Sorry Indy, I thought I'd got it 50% right, but maybe I read it wrong. Hope my help didn't produce more heat than light. Where a wire loop was needed, I did make some from brass wire that I also used on for Sam Browne belts. Fortunately, while in the Army I always had a workshop handy to do the odd bit of wire bending and polishing. I have a friendly mechanic about 200 yards down the road who is a useful supplier of various metal bits and pieces who is willing to do the odd bit of welding and braising for me and is very good at bending metal - not that this helps you but is one way of getting the things made if you're doing one-offs. Depending on the finish, I also have a contact who can silver or nickel plate small items if needed (his company makes bathroom taps). 12stones, I have one belt and one sporran that I wear when the occasion arises, the rest adorn various waists and kilts around the world. Sorry I have no photos available for you at present. As I'm living in England at the moment there is little call for sporrans and kilt belts (as I live next to the Scottish border the English here are not very keen on Scottish things as there is a 2000+ year history of minor disagreements between them (Hadrian's Wall is about half a mile North of me and the Roman Road passes through my back garden). Those I have made were for Scottish officers when I was serving in the Army and weren't photographed at the time because I had no idea I would have a brain-storm and try being self-employed. As I produce any to order in the future, I shall photograph them and post them here. The belts are just belts using whatever length formula suits you best. In the great tradition of British leatherwork, all of those I have made are fairly bland and not carved. Fortunately, most Army officers are conservative in dress so they were happy. I have one template I used for most of the sporrans (these are not fancy or furry dress sporrans, just common-or-garden day sporrans) - I adjust the length and width to suit each customer and alter the gusset to suit (as well as the leather type and colour plus any rolled edges). The greatest adornment I added to any of them was a Regimental or Clan badge and, once, an embossed celtic design (which was what the customer wanted but I would not have given it house room). Closure was, variously, by magnetic clasp, Sam Browne stud, buckle or durable dot. A couple of people provided old sporrans they wanted replaced so I just used the original as the pattern and made custom changes as the customer asked. Brass or chrome-plated chain on the strap with clips, if required, was the customer's choice as was the strap buckle but I usually used a suitable half buckle (heel bar I believe you call them over there). I never made a pair of straps with clips on for the sporran to be worn from the belt that appear to be quite common now. Fancy sporrans of the furry type usually use seal or otter skins and some, and a lot of the military, use horse-hair. Some use badger (and the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders used to have a badger's head incorporated in the officer's parade sporran which was rather macabre). The laws on the use of some skins over here are quite tight as some small furry things are protected species. I can't afford to carry a large stock of ready-made items so pricey sporrans don't sit on a shelf. As I say, I'll post appropriate pictures here when they become available. When I find my camera, which is currently AWOL, I'll photograph the template and post it, if that would be of any help. Gary

Kevin, Traditionally, English stirrup leathers were made with the flesh side out. The grain side was deemed to be harder-wearing and so was put on the inside where it would last longer when rubbed by the stirrup irons and stirrup leather loops on the saddle. However, it became the fashion to have them made with the grain side out so they look better. Nowadays, with so many multi-layer stirrup leathers (nylon webbing sandwiched between two layers of leather, for example) it doesn't really matter. I've taken a few high quality, expensive, saddles from well-known makers apart for repairs and, under the nice shiny and prettily stitched exterior, they aren't that impressive. Some have had some really shocking construction techniques. You might want to try Abbey Saddlery in the UK for pre-cut billets. Gary

Apologies for the delay in replying but I've been away from the computer (and TV, and phone, and work, and the mail, etc) in Scotland for a couple of weeks. No, I'm a Police Officer who is trying really hard to be a self-employed leather worker. I have made a few kilt belts and sporrans and the suppliers above were those which cropped-up as I was searching. Gary

John, Fill your boots. http://www.highland-wear.co.uk/kilt_belts_...lt_buckles.aspx http://www.morrison-sporrans.co.uk/kilts/k...lt_buckles.aspx http://www.morrison-sporrans.co.uk/sporran...an_cantles.aspx http://www.highlandsporrans.co.uk/cantles/...an_cantles.html http://www.highlandsporrans.co.uk/kilt_bel...lt_buckles.html http://www.centaurdesign.co.uk/products/th...&searchid=/ http://www.quality-gifts.co.uk/highlanddre...logue/index.cfm http://www.tartankilts.co.uk/list/circular_buckles.html http://www.tartanweb.com/shop/highlandwear...s/clan_buckles/ http://www.scotlandshopdirect.com/Kilt-Bel...90206,index.php http://www.highlandbrigade.com/products/index.asp http://www.cuillinn.com/hda.html Gary

Can't beat what Barra has said. I use a 1.4mm waxed & braided nylon thread. I reattach before I reflock as I find I get a better reflocking finish than if it's reflocked off the tree. Also, putting the panels back on is easier when they're not stuffed with flock. Gary

Tiffany, In the UK it's a braided polyester or nylon thread. It's carried by Abbey Saddlery so a lot of saddlers use it. Comes pre-waxed in 1.4mm through to 0.8 mm. Gary

I use bag or crew punches for run-of-the-mill belt slots but if someone needs a wider or longer slot I use a hole punch twice (I have a set of hole punches up to 1/2" diameter) and then join them using a woodworker's chisel to cut out the slot. It gives a lot more flexibility in slot width and length and, once you've practised a bit, gives a quicker result than using a knife. If I was doing a whol;e lot of one size, however, I'd invest in a specific punch. Gary

Banwell, I recently made replacement scabbards for an infantry (Victorian) and a cavalry (1830s) sword. The basis material was wood, covered in leather. Making the wood parts was a swine - they were hard to do as I don't have many woodworking tools and they took one heck of a time to make. It took me about three attempts at each to get it right. The sabre was the worst as it had a difficult curve and I had no original to copy. The straight infantry sword was easier as I copied the original (eventually). It took me a while to find the appropriate sort of wood. It needs to be light but strong as it is quite thin in parts. I ended-up using a long-grain hardwood and spent a long time with sanders. I have seen scabbards made entirely of leather but most bend and snap too easily. Just my tuppence-worth. Gary

Kathy Those are nails/tacks. They're like 1" long blue tacks with silver heads added. You'll need to pull them out. I usually take the whole underside off (the forepiece and flaps and panels bit) by unstitching it (cutting and pulling the stitches out) - because I usually need to reflock a saddle that needs billet straps replacing and it's a good time to do a general overhaul and clean. It's easier then because the underside is exposed and the tacks can be pulled out as you're taking it apart. It's so much fun putting it all back together and seeing how many parts are left over on the workbench once you've finished! Gary

I was going to make a Stohlman gauge but then saw Dusty Johnson uses a clear plastic tool that does the same job in a different way. Much easier to use and to make. Gary

Reminds me of an old Army joke. 'Tastes like dirt? It was only ground this morning.' Gary

As I've never posted a picture of anything I've made, I thought I'd break my duck. Not the best photo I've taken. It's a wrist support for someone with degenerative arthritis who finds the Health Service supports too flimsy and, basically, unsupportive. The first three attempts were not quite right but this one fits the customer. The body of the support is made of two layers of panel hide, the straps are of bag hide and the closures are rein hooks. Some thin closed-cell foam padding was placed under the closures and over the knuckles. Gary

Done them by hand and by machine. By hand at 8 stitches per inch takes about 2 1/2 hours per skirt. I used braided polyester thread on the last one and it took less time than using waxed linen thread - less catching. Faster by machine but I prefer the handstitched look and result. Gary

This should be linked to the leather flooring and wall covering thread. Most of us must already have leather flooring (in a way) and it's free! Gary

Rubber stable matting. Easier on the feet than the concrete that was there and a hell of a lot easier on knives and awls when I get clumsy. It also has a protective layer of thread, leather scraps, paper, coffee stains, cardboard offcuts, horsehair, rags, etc. Gary

I think ONE GO was marketed here as 'Klear'. Also went white when wet. The RSM used to go round at inspection/parade with a water pistol to catch the users. And clear nail varnish on brass too - except the one guy who used pink 'cos he couldn't get clear. But I've digressed. Mars Oil was great for really old, dry, flaky leather. It was resuscitation in a bottle for a lot of leather that would normally be in the trash category. It was made by a German company but seems to have disappeared. Gary

Threepets, Making - To Handmake a Saddle by J H L Shields (£5.95 about 3 years ago) ISBN 0-85131-222-5 Repairing - Repair Your Own Saddlery and Tack (£14.95 about 5 years ago) ISBN 0-85131-597-0 Background - Saddlery and Harness-Making (about £10.00 a while ago) ISBN 0-85131-148-2. Reprint of two 1904 manuals. Quite a lot of historical tack and accoutrements and an interesting read. All available from J A Allen (who do a load of horse-related books and you'll probably find better ones there). Hope this helps. Gary

Tiffany, When I left the Army I did some training with David May. Excellent tutor, very knowledgeable and an interesting chap all round. I did general leatherwork, tack repair, saddle reflocking (which I'm quite good at but hate), formed leatherwork and a few other things I can't remember. Since I trained there I occasionally pop in to see him as he lives only 25 miles away and he is a constant source of (free!) help and advice. I think he has some pictures of my work on his site - at least one of a dog harness if I recall correctly. As he's a working saddler as well as a teacher I got to see quite a bit of interesting work that was brought in such as broken saddles, heavy horse collars and so on. I would say that attendance on any of his courses is well worth while, particularly as he's close to the Lake District and Scotland for holiday trips. I have noticed that a couple of other leatherworking schools have appeared in the UK fairly recently and they seem to be attempting to emulate David, so he must have something worth replicating. Gary

The wettest January since 1926 here in the North-West of England/South-West of Scotland. We're on sand here that usually remains pretty dry but the fields with our horses in are saturated and look like a swamp. But on the plus side ... only one small patch of mud fever on one leg of one horse - good going, considering. Gary