hivemind

I'm gonna tell you that if it's the same batch we got up here, throw it out. You can't even make straps from it.

Actually, if it's a belly he's bought recently on sale at Tandy, it may be too hard. I'm not sure what kind of cows these bellies are from, but I can barely cut them with a utility knife. Glad I only bought one, I'll stick to their $15 single shoulders when I need cheap leather.

I think I hate you. Every time I look at one of your sheaths, I am bluntly reminded of my own failings and shortcomings. Honestly, eine schöne Arbeit!

Hot shit man. That dagger above is only like the fifth knife I've made, I'm still learning the knifemaking part. I also don't forge my own blades, I buy blanks and cheat.

OK, yeah, I just did some looking at elk antlers, and.. they're effing HUGE. Make whitetail deer look like doormice. EDIT: These guys http://www.bigantlers.com/elk.html have some single shed elk antlers for under $50. Any of them will do what you want to do - just make sure you have a long drill bit.

With longer handles it's harder to find straight antler, at least here in upstate New York where all I have to pick from is whitetail deer antler. Maybe out west they have bigger game. Elkhorn? Moose? I dunno. But if you get longer than about 3" on a whitetail antler, you're going to have to start curving your tang.

Epoxy is the miracle of modern knifemaking. 100% of knifemakers that I know of make heavy use of epoxy, even on knives where all the parts fit together with perfect hairline joins. Also, if you see an antler-handled knife with a buttcap, chances are that there's a full-length threaded rattail tang that the butt cap is threaded onto.

Finished a sheath today for a dagger I made: Sides are 6-7oz, welt is 12oz, dyed with Fiebing's tan, sealed with SuperShene, edges waxed with brown cobbler's wax. Also buffed the button with the Dremel to make it super shiny.

Randy, a repair will not harm anything. It might not fix it, but it definitely will not harm it. If it does, I'll personally remote into your computer and fix it for you.

Randy, have you done a repair on your Microsoft Office installation? May fix this for you. Go to Control Panel>Add or Remove Programs and find the Microsoft Office entry. Click "Change" and follow along until it offers you a "Repair" option, then let it do it.

This, definitely this.

Here's a small sampling form one retailer, most are $20. There's dozens of retailers. http://www.shortyusa.com/cart/index.html?UID=1133105053-69.169.173.79&RID=1&NL=&kiosk= You want to look at spring pistols, not gas or electric, because springers will be cheap. Sizes are pretty damned close, if not exact. I can't tell the difference between my airsoft Glock 17 and a real Glock 17. On the other hand, Botach has blue guns for $36 each, that doesn't seem like a terrible price for a pattern: http://www.botachtactical.com/blueguns.html

Ahh, I see, I had assumed you guys just wet molded the leather by hand, in which case a $20 airsoft pistol should be fine. I now understand the need for the solid nylon guns.

Consider also cutting the dye with rubbing alcohol and applying it in 3-6 coats, until you get it to the color you want. You get much more control that way.

Not for nothing, but have you guys considered using airsoft pistols for your molds?

I use 6-7-8-9 (what ever's handy) on the outsides with 12oz for the welt. Vegetan.

I can get quart bottles of Fiebing's for $11 from my local guy. It's not a disaster if I dribble a little. But use a funnel if you're paying Tandy prices for dye.