fredk

current information is that all of these companies have stopped deliveries into NI and may not resume due the extra paperwork required. Where else in the world does a sender need to fill in multiple customs form for a letter / package / parcel going to an address within their own country?

I'd say yes there is. Hats are culture influenced though. A hat that sells well in one place may not sell in another

yeah, just because NI stays in the EU trading union, but also in the UK trading I didn't vote

My methods and hardware 1. I use an old Fujipix S5600 camera, permanently set up for close-up pictures 1a. The camera takes at 5 mp. ISO/ASA is adjusted according to available lighting but its generally at 100 or 200 2. I use an old photo processing program, Paint Shop Pro. I got it free on a give-away disc back in about 1994 3. I put the photos through the PSP and initially save the original photo to my computer using the suffix 01 eg, Dice Cup, 01. This is backed up on a DVD disc 3a then I edit the photo, cropping it, adjusting contrast etc. This is saved as 01a (eg; Dice Cup, 01a) 3b. If I want the photo for this forum I resize the photo to about 360 pixies width and save that as 01LWs (eg; Dice Cup, 01LWs) 4. When I want to put the photo on this form I just use the 'choose files' option, and search out that 01LWs photo. I preview my posting and if the photo is too large or too small I go back to PSP, bring in the 01LWs, resize it and rename it 01LWss or 01LWsl. That way I have multiple copies of the same photo, in case any get corrupted or something 5. hit 'submit reply' when ready and jobs done I've been doing it this way for over 20 years (tho not on LW, but other forums) and I ain't gonna change now no how

I've heard back from Le Prevo in England (they were on Christmas holidays until today) A parcel which previously cost me £13.50 plus VAT ( = £16.20 ) is now going to cost, at best, £75 plus duties. Mainly due to the extra paperwork the courier will have to do as well as anticipated taxes to be paid It may be cheaper for me to collect the leather myself! (a joke, as the ferry would cost me £300, plus fuel costs of £32) I don't want to change from Le Prevo as a supplier. I've been buying from them for over 20 years and they've served me well. I have an old-fashioned sense of loyalty

No, its the dye. I recently, only 10 days ago, used an oil dye I'd bought from a maker in England. I used it on my game board. It took several coats to get the dyed areas looking even. Then after an hour or so I started to buff it and guess what ? Nothing, absolutely no dye came off on my cloth, and I'm so used to getting a dirty cloth using Fiebings dyes. When I brushed on a sealer over the dyed areas nothing changed, no dye came off. As for it 'might have been the leather?' no, I've used other dyes on those two leathers before and got dye off thru buffing.

Deviation off topic: My father had an old friend who had a car servicing garage. Near the back was an old battered 50 gallon drum of motor-oil ' yup, I've been using that same barrel of oil for over 30 years now' 'You've never run out?' ' nope, when it gets a bit low I get the prentice to put some more in it. Same barrel of oil for over 30 years' No1 and I call that a 'Trigger's Broom'. Some UK readers might understand that

T'is either a very big jug or you don't use it very much

If its a ring with a hole thru the centre, very small 'sail eyelets' will do the job

Hot coffee hot no, but at least 1/2 up. Shake well as it heats up. Mix the oils and fats.

I used to get my pure nfo from Le Prevo and their bottles always carried a warning. One year one bottle got to 2* and semi frozen. It was never the same. The oils and fats had separated. I just checked my other bottles of Fiebings and none have any warning.

'Oiled Leather' has had oils forced into the leather at the tannery. I don't think we can do the same job at our craft nooks

Oiled Leather and oiling leather are two different things Best to use pure Neats Foot Oil, aka NFO. Apply just a small amount to dry leather. Allow it to soak in for a few hours. Its easy to apply too much and impossible to get it out so apply only small amounts. I use a beeswax/carnauba wax/nfo mix which I rub on. That way just a small amount of nfo is applied

I think, like a lot of other supplies, workers are not at the factories turning out the goods and the supply chain is getting used up

yes it can. It usually says on the container 'do not allow to freeze' or 'do not store below x* temperature' for this reason Defreeze slowly, mixing the oils together constantly and it may be saved

A Happy, Healthy, Peace-filled, Prosperous New Year to all leather workers May you cut your patterns right-sided, and not your fingers. May all your leather hides be perfect and your own hide be thick enough to ignore jibes and complaints May your leather dyes soak in evenly and buff up well and die may not come to those you love May your wanted edges be as slick as an ice rink but may you never be on the edge of want May your sewing stitches be as straight as the road to Heaven and the road to the Devil be as crooked as one of my 'mystery braid' straps F

well, there ya go. who would have thunk you'd find one in amongst leather working tools. In the UK the survey people use a rather plain slightly raised head brass pin/nail thingy

I only use a beeswax/carnauba wax/nfo mix for edges. It seals the edges well, slicks the edges nicely, easy to apply and easy to buff smooth. I make sure the edge is well dyed before slicking but the odd time I've not and dye has been able to get to the leather despite the wax. What you are looking for sounds like a 'tucktite' lock. Usually used on lightweight brief cases and such. Example below. There are variations of this http://www.leprevo.co.uk/photos/tucktite.html You can use it without the main lock section and just a bar A makers mark is always good to have and use. You don't say where you are located - please add this to your 'profile' so we can help you better. This is an international forum with members all over the world I get brass stamps made by guys in China. I currently use two different makers. Both are quick and cheap. I alternate as they take long holidays! My makers stamp, in brass, cost about £15. It 3cm across by 2 cm high. The maker took about 10 days total, from me sending the image until it dropped thru my letterbox. Post is a bit slower now, latest stamp took 18 days total I believe we have a dedicated thread about makers stamps, where to get them made, prices et cetera You can pay a lot or not for a stamp. Search out carefully.

On some patterns I write a bit more; like, 'this side up, other side to flesh' If the item is 'handed' then I add '. . . for Right Hand, turn over for Left Hand'

1. do not wet form around the watch. carve up a wood or mdf block to mould around and attach that to a bigger piece of wood. 2. use the stretchiest belly leather you can get 3. use a frame over and around the block former covered in wet leather and clamp it down real tight

Depends on what you're gonna be making. As I often make board games and the boards are between 30 and 42 cm square anything less than 45 to 50 cm is no good. But when I'm making valet trays and such 30 cm x 40 cm is good enough

you think thats confusing. . . . many courier companies are refusing to take packages from GB destined for N.I. ! All within the UK but they think that the VAT & customs will be different after 1/1/21

I'm not sure #2 is for a shoe sole, I think its a book binders edger

I use various strengths of reading glasses for close-up work. I have strengths from 1 to 3.5. One pair costs £1 at the.. . . err, £-shop. I have several pairs of glasses, which I can leave in my thread sewing kit, lacing kit, a few kicking around the general work bench and some on my plastic modelling bench

quick look #1 is a counter sink maker, for woodworking, turn it to cut a countersink hole for screw head #9 is an upholstery tack lifter, push the v under the tack head to lever the tack off #6 looks like a tapered hole-reamer, for enlarging holes slightly #4 looks like a parallel hole reamer, for cleaning holes already made #8 looks like a nail setter - for the final whacking of a broad-head nail to set it flush with woodwork