Sheilajeanne

This is why I always shop for leather at Tandy's in person...

(Checking out the photo on Etsy...) Wow, that is AWESOME, and very unique!

Rahere, the powder has to be dissolved in water, and the quills have to be simmered over low heat for about 15 minutes to help them absorb it.

Chuck, Kool Aide would certainly be the cheapest, but have been in touch with two people who work with quills, and they say Rit is the way to go! One uses the powder, one the liquid, so may buy some of each, and see which works best. This is going to be a learning experience for sure!

Does anyone on the forum have experience with Rit fabric dye? I am planning to dye some porcupine quills to use on moccasins, and there are 2 types of Rit - the traditional powdered dye, plus a liquid dye. The liquid is much cheaper and comes in a wider range of colours. Not sure which one would be best for bulk dyeing some quills. https://canada.michaels.com/en/rit-all-purpose-liquid-dye/M20001556.html https://canada.michaels.com/en/rit-all-purpose-powder-dye/M20001557.html

Yeah, I thought of that, but my supply of corks is extremely low, as most wines are now screw cap!

Thanks, Paloma! And now I see where one of the reviewers says "Wish I'd bought more than five"!

Oh, look at this! What a GREAT idea! Sure beats tacking the pieces together with stitches! Will have to get some of these, if I can find a source in Canada. By the time you tack shipping on to $25 bucks, that's too rich for my blood, and I don't really need 10 of them for the type of work I do. https://kevinlee.global/products/attachment-pins

Young boy plays the bodhran: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lpZAhMEjrxw&ab_channel=TheMaguires

Tsunka, that's HILARIOUS!! Thanks for posting! The late Fred Graham, the percussionist for the Irish Rovers, used to make bodhrans: http://www.ardglen-bodhrans.com/?fbclid=IwAR3l89poUtN2YZZMe4osn9vXtjBuWzfrnNEIjMqq8oKHtMdFhwyv5WF7Mbs

Yes, test first! I've often been very disappointed with the results of antiquing, even when I used two coats of resist!

Hendreforgan, there's a reason engineers take an oath before graduation - people have DIED because engineers made mistakes! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quebec_Bridge https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ritual_of_the_Calling_of_an_Engineer My husband carried this card in his wallet. The oath was written by Rudyard Kipling, at the request of Professor Haultain (University of Toronto.)

Someone recently posted a video of how they made leather bowls. They had the wet leather stretched over a form and were using a deer canon bone (shin bone) to stretch it and press the water out of it! So, not all bone folders are the same!

On a damp day, bodhran players will hold the drum near a fire or other heat source to tighten up the skin and bring it to the desired pitch before playing it. I forget where I picked up this tidbit of information - I think I briefly dated someone who owned a bodhran. Also have friends who are into folk music, plus I was a big fan of the Irish Rovers.

Hendreforgan, love the quote in your profile! My late hubby was an engineer, so I realize what an important profession it is. Schlaumeier, great find! Hope you can get it working for you - they are great machines!

Yes, indeed! I've been to Iona, Scotland, so I found that piece of special interest!

Dwight makes gun belts - I don't - so I'd listen to him!

That certainly would work, too, and would be easier on the hands!

Al Stohlman made many of his first leather working tools out of nails. So, you are following a time-honoured tradition here, and there is absolutely NO reason this shouldn't work! Maybe you can figure out some way to attach the nail to a handle, to save your fingers from having to manipulate something so small. For the future though, awls are cheap, and a great way to punch holes in small spaces.

Wow, what a lot of detailing and hard work went into that - that's awesome, very unusual! I guess the key question is: how big is it? Big enough to hold a largish laptop? Some of the ones I've seen are real bricks! You could try marketing it either as handbag or a laptop carrier, whichever you think it's best suited for. But I think with all the fancy detailing on it, probably only a woman is going to want it. I've tried making belts for the men in my family, and none of them want anything but the most basic design - just absolutely plain leather, thank you, black or brown...well, maybe a line along the edge, thanks, but no fancy schmantzy carving!

Yes, nice work, though I'm afraid skulls just aren't my thing...give me the creeps, they do!

LOL - had to look that up, jcuk! That's cockney slang for whiskey - Gold Watch = Scotch. And, if what it says on the glass is accurate, it's not Scotch, but Canadian Club rye whiskey, which is quite a popular tipple in my part of the world!!

Yeah, like I said upstream, it would make a great geography lesson!

Yeah, who'd want a saddle that weighed 30 lbs?? Especially for a sport like barrel racing! I'm not that familiar with Western tack, as I rode English, except for trips to the local dude ranch when I was in my teens. Do they still make saddles that heavy, and what would they be used for? My guess is the number is likely the maker's serial number.

Wow, that's GREAT news! Happy for you and the customer!