RunningRoan

I have an idea and need some input. I currently carry some nice 100% wool saddle pads and the manufacturer offers a few options for hair on wear leathers, but they don't do anything too crazy...just natural colors. In the past, I've sent them pieces of some of the wild printed hair on hides that I have in my shop and had them sew them onto the pads for me. I have a Cobra Class 3 machine...I'm thinking I should be able to sew them on myself if I just order the pads without wear leathers. The pads range from 3/4" up to 1-1/8" in thickness. Would I have to use a different needle, etc to be able to sew through them? They're 100% wool felt and soft, just thick. I'd also like to doll up my own saddle pad, which is the same brand I carry. I've seen pads with fancy filigree cut out wear leathers before and I'm thinking I might want to add that to mine. So then I'd be sewing through a piece of leather, the filigree backing and the pad. Too much for my Cobra?

Steve, I purchased a Cobra Class 3 machine from you this past summer. I know I haven't called, I haven't needed to. This machine has been an absolute dream! Very happy with my purchase!

I think providing some leather care tips is a wonderful service. And definitely carry some of the products you suggest! Add-on sales are a great way to make a little extra money. I haven't found my sales of leather care products to be very swift as of yet, but I do think there is a lack of knowledge about proper leather care. If I strive to educate, the sales will come. I need to add some information to my website...it's been on my list for a while. I'd like to add leather care tips, information about leather (scars, blemishes, etc) and some disclaimers (horses are strong and can break even the best leather, inspect leather regularly and check/tighten chicago screws regularly). Disclaimers won't eliminate all customer complaints due to misuse/abuse of the products I sell, but it's a nice reminder.

I'm primarily a retailer (online and mobile) and I have some ideas to share for merchandising booths! This is the stuff I use to "build" a booth: =4"]http://www.grandandbenedicts.com/estylezCS/products.aspx?Category=30GWBLPANELS&SqlWhere=[i_ClassType]=4 It's called gridwall and it comes in a few colors and different sizes. You can buy clamps for them, but I just stand them up and zip tie them together. With this stuff, you can make an infinite number of configurations! Very versatile! If I'm on a level surface, I can line 3 sides of my booth with this stuff, leaving the front open for customers to enter/exit. If I'm on uneven ground, I'll zip tie two together at a right angle, three together in a triangle, or four together in a square and customer can mill around the displays and shop from all sides. There is a whole mess of accessories for the gridwall...shelves, pegs, displays, baskets, racks... http://www.grandandbenedicts.com/estylezCS/product_categories.aspx?PageNumber=1&PageSize=50&Sort=ProductID&Catalog=estylezCatalog&SQLWhere=i_ClassType=1&CategoriesOrProducts=Categorie&Category=20GRIDWALL&CategoryLevel=1 And you can stick the accessories anywhere on the gridwall, it just hooks on. Makes it easy to merchandise the booth with whatever you have available and restock/rearrange as things sell. You can certainly still use tables with your gridwall...place a table in front of the gridwall, then display pieces above the table on the gridwall. Gets stuff out in front of people where they can easily see it, even if they're walking by a distance away. You can hang fabric (or maybe a hair on hide?) up behind the gridwall to dress things up (just make sure it's balanced so it doesn't tip). The gridwall is easy enough to paint a different color to tie your whole booth together. I use mostly 6' tall gridwall and it fits just perfect underneath my EZ Up tent. I mostly sell out of a cargo trailer, but I still use this stuff to build displays outside the trailer. Works great and is easy to haul!

I'd like to know more about twisting fringe too. Can anyone share their process from start to finish?

I like the look of this scalloped border: and want to try it on some of my projects. I'm thinking the best way to achieve the tiny scallop is to modify some round punches...cut off half of the punch so it only cuts a half circle instead of a full circle? Correct? So how do I modify the punches? I have zero experience working with metal, but I have access to a drill press. Or does the proper tool already exist and I can just buy some?

What are some good places to find stingray skins? I'm looking for different colors (besides black) and different patterns (camo, zebra, etc). Also interested in looking at faux stingray. I have seen faux stingray being used on boots, etc but not sure were to find it. Again, looking for different colors and patterns. I'm thinking faux stingray is cheaper than the real stuff and might have more than one "eye" per hide? Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

I didn't even think of neoprene! That probably won't pack down like foam would. Thanks for the suggestion!

I have decided to make myself a fancy leather strap for my laptop case. It'll be tooling leather on top and lined on the bottom. I would like to flare out the strap and pad it underneath where it will rest my shoulder. Wondering what material I should use for the padding and where to find it? I was thinking foam of some kind? I suppose I could live without the padding, but It would be more comfortable!

I am looking for other colors of spots besides the usual silver, brass and antique brass. I have a Timco catalog and saw they carry lots of spots...does anyone know if I can get the plain and/or engraved spots in any of the colors on the color chart in the front of the catalog? If so, does anyone know how the different colors hold up? Do they tend to flake off after several years like nickel spots can do? Thanks all!

Weaver has two different catalogs...a supply catalog for leatherworkers and a catalog containing all their finished goods (tack, pet products, etc). You can purchase from their supply catalog without needing a storefront, but they do require a real brick and mortar store to purchase their finished stuff. Have fun!!

Thanks for the heads up! I was hoping they'd do that!

Interested in getting a push beveler. I think my work would benefit from a nice "frame" around it and from what little I know about push bevelers, it sounds like just the ticket. I've never used a push beveler or seen one being used, so I have a few questions (some of them stupid ones) before I jump in and buy one. I do mostly strap goods, so a majority of the beveling would be in long straight lines, but do they handle corners and curves all right? What's the best way to use one...case the leather, draw my line and start beveling? Or is it best to make a cut to lay the tool into and bevel? I see Barry King has a couple, it that the best place to get one? Thanks all!

Couldn't agree more Mike! I also think the stitching is another decorative aspect of your project. I'm also glad I'm not the only one who thinks contrasting thread can look cheap! Thread color should blend with and compliment the leather color. I think stitch length plays a part also...too long of a stitch looks untidy, especially when negotiating curves and corners.

I'm currently spraying Leather Sheen on my projects to finish the top. It gets the job done, but seems I read a lot about Tan Kote on this board...what's the difference between that and Leather Sheen? I know one is resin and one is wax...but does that make one more glossy or durable than the other? What about Bag Kote? Any other input?

Timco might have what you're looking for too: www.timcocorporation.com

I agree! This kind of attitude is also one of my biggest pet peeves. Experience or time spent does not automatically equate to expertise.

You guys are right, it is a no brainer...backs it is! No more sides and no more wasted bellies!

I make mostly strap goods (tack) and am currently buying whole sides. Can't beat the price per square foot, right? Well I find myself left with bellies that I really have no use for. I've utilized some of them to test out dyes, run through the sewing machine to check tension, etc...but I realistically only need so much scrap hide laying around! So I am toying with the idea of buying backs instead. Any input on cost/savings? I know they're more expensive, but I'd have less waste. Is the added cost worth it?

I've been experimenting with EcoFlo stain to enhance my tooling. It's doing the job, however, I'd like more contrast! I'm using light leather and I want to color the depressions only, not darken the leather. So, is the EcoFlo stain the correct thing to use? I have some Leather Sheen and I also have a bottle of EcoFlo Satin Sheen...would one of these work for a resist? Apply the resist, then tool/stamp, then apply the stain?

I used to use rim sets too. Where have you found rim sets with legs that are long enough to go through 10oz leather? I switched from rim sets to mounted crystals because they had long enough legs to go through the thickness of leather I'm using. But there's only a handful of colors available in the mounted ones.

Please let us know what you think! I met to Steve at the WESA show in Denver earlier this year and had my heart set on an Artisan. I got his Cobra packet in the mail this week and I'm definitely interested.

Good to know! I would definitely be buying smaller quantities at first. How are they for uniformity? Do you find the quality is pretty consistent from hide to hide?

Right now, I'm working on putting YouTube to work for me. I've got a commerical that I put together and some footage of my mobile tack trailer posted on there. YouTube is wonderful because I can easily insert the YouTube videos on my own website so my customers can watch them right there. A nice compliment to my website and it adds to my customers' shopping experience! I don't have any fancy software, just Windows Movie Maker which came with my computer. Movie Maker was fairly simple to learn. You can make a slideshow of your still images, add some text and some music and you've got an impressive marketing tool. You can even mix in some video footage if you have it. I store all my images on an external hard drive (a small one that plugs into the USB port, sometimes call a jump drive or picture stick). I strongly suggest storing your pictures on something like this and not relying on a website (like Flickr) or your computer's hard drive (in case it crashes). I've found that my items photograph better outside in natural light than they do indoors, but maybe that's just the crappy lighting I have in my house. I can see where a PDF catalog would be useful. You don't necessarily have to print it either. You can easily post PDF files online or email them to prospective customers.

I'm currently learning on Tandy's leather, but will be looking to use better quality leather when I can produce something that's nice enough to put my name on and sell. I'm debating between Wickett & Craig or Hermann Oak. One of my suppliers (I buy and resell tack) has recently switched from Hermann Oak to Wickett & Craig and I saw no noticeable difference in the quality of strap goods I get from them. They're just as nice as they've always been. But I feel there's more "brand equity" in the Hermann Oak name...my customers recognize the name and equate it with quality leather. I don't know that Wickett & Craig would get the same recognition from my customers. I know...quality is quality...but my customers have proven to be pretty brand loyal. So...what are the likes/dislikes about each brand? Are they comparable in quality (I honestly haven't put my hands on much Wickett & Craig) with the same types of leather offerings (I really like HO's tallow stuffed harness leather, does W&C have offer the same thing)? I know there's a few places I can get HO, how available is W&C? How about price?