rustyriggin

I love it, great idea!!! Unforunatly the wife loves it too. I'm too busy to figure out how you did it.

I always use shoe strings, but I might have to give that a try.

The Stohlman books are worth it, and it depends on what you want to do, as to how far you break it down. The best advice I could give you is be careful not to tear the leather, if it's really dry clean it and work it over with 100% pure neatsfoot oil first. You'll get better advice than that on here, but it should keep you busy until the pros answer you back. Rus

I agree with everyone else, it will be a good learning experiance, but as far as building a saddle, your better off just to get a NEW tree. I'd go with ralide or something less expensive than a rawhide covered one for your first. Even if your first one isn't pretty atleast it'll be sound. I have an older tree in the shop for my first saddle, but I couldn't bring myself to use it so I bought and equi-fit from American saddlery. My next tree will probably be from Oxbow trees.

Ed, you should only show losses on your leather work on your schedule C. Rusty

My wife is a manager for H & R Block, and she said you don't want to do a home/office because of a bunch of tax stuff I don't understand, that has something to do with paying alot of money back if you sell your home. Be sure to depreciate your larger expence's and if you show a big loss carry over the loss to future years so if you show a big profit later you wont be paying as much in taxes. Hope this makes more sense to you that it did me. Rus

For what it's worth, if it was me I would make your archer and letters as large as proportion would allow, and reduce the amount of background.

Beautiful work! That reminds me I have to finish the one for my wedding, but I still have 2 months, and I work better under pressure.

Nice tooling, I like the floral with B/W, and I agree with Luke on the antique.

Congrats Bob!! Ever since your first post, I always look forward to seeing what you put out next. Keep it up.

WOW only your second one?!?! As much as I'd like to find something to pick on, I just can't. I like it, your tooling is great, and it has a nice flow to it. Great work keep it up.

Your off to a good start, & I don't know a whole lot about holsters, but if it was me, I would leave the bottom open. You want to let any debris that might get in the holster to fall out. Thats how they wanted it when I made holsters for Wilson Combat.

I have some things from a guy that went through that school. They are very nice, he went there after losing a foot, looking for a hobby. He made a gun belt for my dad with a custom holster to fit a .44 with a scope. He made a real nice boot for himself (I know thats bad, but it's true). Anyway they seem to know what they are teaching there. FWIW

If I'm not wrong the actual name for the "jerk needle", is a number 6 straight needle, you can find them at almost any shoe repair supply, or just go to your local shoe repair shop. They should have them for around $6.00. FWIW

Great work, and love the tooling, the flowers really pop!!

Freddo, that looks more like a matting tool to me, I have the pebbler stamps and they are pretty distinct. I don't know if they still have any, but I got mine at Springfield Leather for $5.00 each, they are the Hidecrafter ones, they also had the Hidecrafter barbed wire for $5.00 that was a month ago though.

I don't know exactly what you are looking for, but the belt books from Tandy have some good patterns in them, and lots of them. Hope it helps, Rus

Got a Stohlman head knife, 20 oz rawhide mallet, Hidecrafter pebbler stamp set, and barbed wire stamp. Dusty Johnson Saddle making DVD, and Holster DVD, and Chap DVD. Last but not least a 2 yr subscription to the Leather Crafter and Saddlers Journal!!!! I'm gonna have to marry this girl!!

Welcome to Leatherworker Emma! That is some great work, keep it up! Glad to have you here, Rusty

I need dimensions or a pattern for a breast collar for a miniature horse, the only information I have on it is, it is 33 inches tall. I have a few patterns for regular horses, but I have no idea how much to adjust the pattern. Please help!!! Thank you in advance, Rusty

I really like it, Jordan. I love anything western, it's a nice twist on a modern firearm, keep it up!!!!

Thanks everyone for the info, and Bruce you told me exactly what I was wanting to know as usual. I wouldn't mess with it normally, but the wife wants some, so it shall be done.

I'm looking for the best way to mold tooled leather to light switch covers, and plug-ins. It looks easy enough, but it's hard to sew with a "BOSS", for me anyway. I hope someone can give me an easy way to do it. All suggestions appreciated. Rus

Ray, I use the Tandy version for the ones I make, and just put the pattern on a scanner or copier, and reduce or enlarge the image to fit my needs for the different size phones. It works quite well. Rusty

I called them a couple months ago, and the story I got was they were out of catalogs, and were waiting on some more, and would get them out ASAP. Still waiting along with everyone else, but Tandy and Weaver are making some good money while I wait. I'm not gonna spend $100 on ink to print out a catalog to have in front of me when I compare prices, so Hidecrafters aren't even an option when I look for something right now. If I can't trust them to get me a catalog, I'm sure not going to give them a credit card number and hope they send my order.