Sheilajeanne

Fred, you'd use 6 oz. leather to LINE a belt? That's pretty thick!

Hoping this is a better place for my question - no one was paying any attention to it in Leatherwork Conversation! I had a wonderful gift given to me yesterday - a very large half hide, measuring 45" at its widest point, and more than 8 ft. long along the spine! But I'm stumped as to what sort of leather it is! The color is very close to veg tan, and I don't see evidence it's been dyed, though it's a bit darker than the veg tan I'm used to seeing. The grain side is smooth and soft, and feels almost like suede, but doesn't have a nap. It also won't stamp or tool, so I KNOW it's not veg-tan. The piece I cut off to play around with is about 6 oz. and it seems to have a pretty uniform thickness throughout the hide Lots of things I'm going to be able to do with this!! The only markings on the flesh side are a number, 215, with what looks to be a W stamped in front of it. The arms of the W are very thick, and it looks almost like 2 inverted pyramids side by side. Anyone know what tannery that might represent? If it would be helpful, I can post a picture.

I had a wonderful gift given to me yesterday - a very large half hide, measuring 45" at its widest point, and more than 8 ft. long along the spine! But I'm stumped as to what sort of leather it is! The color is very close to veg tan, and I don't see evidence it's been dyed, though it's a bit darker than the veg tan I'm used to seeing. The grain side is smooth and soft, and feels almost like suede, but doesn't have a nap. It also won't stamp or tool, so I KNOW it's not veg-tan. The piece I cut off to play around with is about 6 oz. and it seems to have a pretty uniform thickness throughout the hide Lots of things I'm going to be able to do with this!! The only markings on the flesh side are a number, 215, with what looks to be a W stamped in front of it. The arms of the W are very thick, and it looks almost like 2 inverted pyramids side by side. Anyone know what tannery that might represent? If it would be helpful, I can post a picture.

The detail in that second piece is astounding! What are the overall dimensions? What tools did you use to do such fine, delicate work?

If your string hits your bracer, you're technique is all wrong. I haven't had a string hit my arm since I was a beginner archer, though I still wear a bracer just in case! In other words, no need to worry about the string damaging the bracer.

Thank you, Tom!

May I suggest this thread be moved to Leatherwork Conversation? The Off Topic forum is for just that - discussions other than leatherwork, and posts here don't show up in the 'recent posts' column. I think this is a discussion that needs a broader audience. Tandy has its faults, but I got my start with them, and had an awesome teacher. Their free lessons that go with the purchase of a beginner's kit are a very valuable resource for people starting out in this craft. And I have found I can get decent leather there, but I live close enough to a store to be able to shop in person. I like that they have expanded their line to include Angelus paints, which previously were hard to find in Canada. Getting stuff shipped from the States if you live north of the border is often prohibitively expensive. I will keep supporting Tandy until they give me enough reasons not to. Some of the staff members aren't very knowledgeable, but there always seems to be at least on person in the store who can answer any questions I have. If they can't I come here instead...

I'd call it a tool holder or tool rack with drawers. It's beautiful!

Hm, yeah, that's a thought...

Handstitched, no, I REALLY need to keep the feet elevated to prevent the swelling. Massage just isn't enough to do the trick, though walking would definitely help, and I'm doing more of that now that my breathing is slowly improving and I don't have to lug an oxygen tank along! (I do have a vibrating foot bath for foot massage and maybe should use it more often, but it's more for sore feet than swollen feet.) No one ever told me chemo would do that to my breathing! After many many tests, my lungs look fine, my heart is fine (after a procedure to plug a small hole I've had since birth) but the breathing ain't! Hmm...not sure the surface area would be big enough. And a rectangular stool would provide better support than a round one. Might be worth having a look at them, though!

Yes, I really need to have my feet at about the same level as my hips for it to do any good.

Okay, have spent the last hour doing research, and there's an unbelievable variety of solutions out there, with prices ranging from $10 for a bamboo footstool for playing the classical guitar, to a $600 gaming chair footstool! The first solution I looked at, a regular office chair with an attached foot rest that folded underneath didn't work, because the height of the foot rest can't be adjusted, and I really need to be able to do that. I now think the best solutions will be something like this: https://www.amazon.com/WalterDrake-Miles-Kimball-Adjustable-Footstool/dp/B004H0F3SI or this (which I maybe even could build myself!) https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/477733472958203178/ I also like this animal footstool, which has the advantage that you could easily turn it to make it easier to get your feet out from under the desk! Besides, it's CUTE!! https://www.wayfair.ca/furniture/pdp/isabelle-max-baird-animal-shape-ottoman-c002850636.html?piid=960273670 But no, not $94 bucks worth of cute...I'd build my own. Some cloth, or maybe leather, some plywood and foam, and 4 small screw-in legs, or maybe casters, and a set of stick on googly eyes!

Due to ongoing health issues, I am getting a lot of swelling in my feet and ankles, which puts me at the risk of a blood clot. I know there's a lot of older leatherworkers out there who probably have similar issues. Is there any sort of a task chair I can buy that has an elevated footrest? My Lazyboy recliner is fine for watching T.V., but just doesn't do the trick for leather work!

Mike, no doubt you're right. I used to have a Husqvarna lawnmower that converted into a snowblower for winter! I called it 'the orange beast', and let it go when I sold the kennel. The new owners have put it through all sorts of abuse, even using it to tow a toolshed from one side of the property to the other, and it's still going strong!

Ensitmike, in Canada, Viking was the brand name for Eaton's electrical appliances! I have an old Viking radio my parents bought from Eaton's during the 1950's. Like Sear's they'd buy from the manufacturer, then rebrand the appliance with their name.

Yes, it's a wonderful historic treasure! And we ALL make misteaks!

It glows in the dark?? Wow! Very unique work!

Very nice!!

Fred, what the HECK is a 'brayer'?? Other than this: We obviously don't use that term on this side of the pond!

I finally bought some Resolene to give it a try. I diluted it MORE than 50/50 with water, and it ruined the dog collar I put it on! It made the finish very streaky. I applied it over top of Fiebing's antique, which had been allowed to dry for 48 hours. I didn't get very good results with another project I tried it on, either! But I noticed it seemed to be very thick, and dried very quickly. I'm wondering if it was maybe old stock that was a bit dried up to start with? If I use it again, I'll dilute the heck out of it, and see if that helps!

Chris, I'm afraid you don't quite understand how Tandy works. They are constantly introducing new products and retiring old, to keep people buying, buying buying! My understanding is that Craftaid, like Crafttool is a Tandy brand and once a Craftaid is retired, it will never be produced again. Unless, of course, it proves to be so popular that Tandy thinks it's worth bringing back! I believe retired Craftaid patterns are available in bundles in the Tandy library. Of course, they don't include the actual Craftaid template, just the design which you will have to print up, piece together and trace onto your leather.

Thank you for this! I am a retired nurse, and many of my friends are still nursing. Here's what's currently happening in Ontario: https://www.yorkregion.com/opinion-story/9919234--i-didn-t-sign-up-to-die-on-my-job-fear-and-anger-among-ontario-nurses-battling-coronavirus-pandemic/?fbclid=iwar2hb-x4lxiowtyjzndmtqykyf1xqqa2zxdiwdfy_8ag2juphbdvv1jkfqs#.XoIyWzylfhN.facebook I am still not sure if local hospitals are willing to accept masks made by the general public, but it can't hurt to try. As supplies of regular hospital approved masks dwindle, I am fairly certain they will be accepted. Before the days of disposable masks, masks were made of fabric, and sterilized for re-use.

Wait - Baker's? Are they Mennonites? When I lived in Richmond Hill, there was a Baker's Harness Shop just a short distance from our house at Bathurst and Hwy. 7. They did heavy horse harness, but also catered to local English riders, and their needs: light tack and saddles, tack repair, etc. When the Bakers decided to give up their farm and sugar bush, and move to the States to join other Mennonites, a non-Mennonite named Carmen had already been apprenticed with Mr. Baker, and taken over the business. Since then, the shop has moved several times, and is now devoted to the needs of the local English riding fraternity only. They no longer make heavy horse harness. https://www.bakerssaddlery.com/articles.asp?ID=83 Of course, I'm wondering if there's a connection between the Baker you mentioned, and the family I knew in Richmond Hill, Ontario. Maybe the harness making branch of the business followed Mr. Baker to the States, though I know you are in the U.K. Perhaps another branch of the same family? Edit: not Mennonites, but Pennsylvania Dutch, which also includes Mennonites and Amish. I remember going into the shop where they sold maple syrup, and the women who were behind the counter had on long cotton print dresses, and lace bonnets. And the Bakers always used horsepower on the farm and in the sugar bush. https://www.yorkregion.com/news-story/1455409-family-comes-to-grips-with-thornhill-development/

Read this, please: https://leatherworker.net/forum/topic/25239-the-type-of-sewing-machine-you-need-to-sew-leather/

Very true, Sonydaze!