hivemind

I did my first on-site vending in a while on Saturday, and grossed about $1500. I could have done more except that I ran out of stock. I need a damned sewing machine. I have to use my limited time more wisely. I'm pretty well set on a Tippmann Boss as my first machine. What I don't know is what I should be buying with it. The heaviest thing I'm sewing is knife sheaths that are three layers totaling 24-28 ounce (8-12-8). I like thick thread, because that's what I hand sew with now, but not married to it. Are there particular accessories or spare parts I should be getting with it? Should I be buying from somewhere else besides direct from the factory? Any help is appreciated.

As an IT guy, I'll be honest: unless your desk has a glass top, no one needs a mouse pad now.

Can't say you're not giving the customer exactly what they asked for! It looks good man, and I bet it went together a lot faster than your usual seats. Have you tried doing vinegaroon black seats?

So, anyone tried one of these? Anyone have a price?

I do the edges on a belt sander now. Cheap-o Harbor Freight $50 one with an 80 grit belt. Works like a charm, and fast.

So I make these helmets as part of my "product line". Usually I get $125 for them (more with tooled face plates), but I thought maybe I could bring the price down if I made some from latigo, sort of an "economy model". No dyeing or slicking of edges or sealing or any of that, just cut it out, assemble and go, right? They normally take me about four hours to make, and come out like this: So I bang one out of some heavy latigo I have on-hand tonight: That took 3.5 hours, and it's definitely more than 12.5% uglier. I certainly can't justify selling those for the same price as the vegetable tanned leather ones, and they only take a half-hour less. Yes, there's no cost for chemicals either (dye, sealer, etc.) but those costs are pretty negligible (I get Fiebing's quarts for $11 each and spray shene for $4 a can here). All the damned time is taken up in assembly. I really wanted to be able to offer these for like $60 each, but only if I can get the production time down to two hours or so. So, lesson learned. I'll sell this one for what I can get for it, and stick to making the pretty ones.

I do this as well, except that I punch the holes with a single-hole thonging chisel.

Annette, if you've got any elk antler I'd be interested, but I don't think you get elk in Kansas. I've got a huge pile of whitetail antlers here. As soon as my dad and his friends found out I wanted a couple antlers to make buttons from, they all gave me boxes of them. Since I took up knifemaking last month, I'm finally finding a use for all of them, because I don't think I'd sawed up one entire antler in ten years up to now. Also, Dave, excellent tutorial on edge lacing on your site. That's just what I've been looking for man, thanks! Nice work on your knives and sheaths, too, makes me want to do something with an inlay.

Very nice! Good clean work.

Here's where I'm at with the one I'm working on right now. It needs more cleaning up, but the general idea is there. I'm not offended if you're not interested Ray, I'm still in my first month of this knifemaking thing and have a long way to go to not suck.

D&L Leather is a guy named Rocco Carzo. They're a distributor of leather and supplies to the shoemaking industry, but he also carries a ton of tools, leather and hardware for general leatherwork stuff. He's only open 8-4 on weekdays, and his prices on leather are average (but good quality) but his prices on Osborne tools, solid brass hardware and Fiebing's chemicals ($11 for a quart of dye) are amazingly low. He's on Seneca street, across from Hotel Utica. Tell him Dave sent you if you make it out there.

What's wrong with nickel?

I've only ever seen latigo in burgundy or black. Sorry man...

I too had a terrible experience with them recently. I ordered a side of white chap leather from them on 9-18, paid my ~$90 via PayPal, got an order confirmation, and then waited for leather to arrive. No leather showed up. I emailed them on 9-30 with no response, and again on 10-11. I finally get a response on 10-12 from Tim, who told me that item was out of stock, and that I shouldn't worry about it because they never charge anyone until items ship. I replied that PayPal certainly took my money when I placed the order, and that I'd like a refund from them. I got no further apology or communication from them, but did get a refund at least. Not ordering from there again. http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=26600

No issues with the snap pressing on the screen?

Late to the party here, but all the masks I make are in 12oz leather. This is so that they can count as "helmets" in Dagorhir, a combat LARP we play. It's hard to get a lot of definition in them, on the other hand, you can carve and tool them a lot more than a mask in 2oz.

Well, hi, Tim. I'm Dave, right in your neck of the woods, over in Utica. I hit up the Tandy leather on Salina street about once a month, but do a lot of my shopping at D&L Leather in Utica. Welcome!

I'm sorry Johnny, but they have brush, bogs and marshes in Europe too, and they've been carrying knives through it for thousands of years, and they don't feel the need for these straps. They're an unnecessary American affectation.

A targe is a traditional small Scottish shield. If it was held in the hand, you'd call it a buckler, but it's kind of a weird thing, historically, because it's so small yet is strapped on the arm. That's probably got a plywood core. Historically they had wooden cores.

Jana, that's a masterpiece. Well done.

I do too, and I utterly do not understand this American hangup on them. People carried knives in pouch sheaths for thousands of years - why the sudden issue with them? Drives me even more nuts now that I'm making knives. I have to built everything with some kind of guard so it'll catch a retention strap. Every damned thing...

Ray, I'm new to knifemaking, but a rondel isn't a hard project - in fact I'm making two of them now. Let me get them done, and you can take a look and see if it's up to par for what you need. Couple weeks I'll have one done.