fredk

No, I have not made one. On my to-do list. For a pattern with a youtube video to show you how - https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/628831400/leather-hat-pattern-diy-pattern-indiana?ref=shop_home_active_15&pro=1 or https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/654458523/leather-hat-pattern-diy-pattern-cosplay?ref=related-1&pro=1

If you're referring to me: I was in the process of complaining, trying to return said waste and get money back when Manchester closed. Texas brushed it off saying it was a branch matter, take it up with them. . . . ! To describe what I got was; you know when you get a hide and cut off an edge so you have a nice straight edge to work on? I got that bit that was cut off. I was assured that what I was going to get was usable even though it was an odd shape, supposed to be one piece as well. afair about £2.50 sqft. = £20. I've never been done badly by Le Prevo.

Not just in starting out. Last year, just before Tandy Manchester closed, to top up an order, they offered me about 8sq ft of belly leather cheap-ish. I got it, and got taken. It was bits about 6 ft long varying from 1/2 inch wide to 2 inches wide. Covered in clamp marks and scars. 10 strips of useless is what I got. PS: where ya bin LD2?

Tandy keeps retracting. This time last year they had several branches in Europe. Then they dropped to one branch, in Spain. No sooner had they done that then the that one closed and orders had to come from Texas. They've cut back on what they're selling. Last April/May I received a big order. I placed it with Tandy, Manchester but by the time they sorted themselves out it came from Texas. They re-did their website which wiped out my account with them. I had to 'rejoin'. I had been building up an order to place about 8 weeks ago, that was wiped out and now when I try to place anything in the 'basket' I'm being told 'This cannot be shipped to your country' even though I'd bought the item(s) previously by mail-order. Everything looks like a business thats winding down to close-up.

The ones I linked to are all the same size. They take off about 1/2 mm from the edge. You can get larger sizes which take off about 1mm and there are sets with ones which make a U groove. Superior steel and construction. Fiat or Camaro ? both will get you to the shops, the Fiat will do the job, but its nicer to drive a Camaro and it'll get you there with less fuss or fettling

I'm sure all the tools you've linked too are fine and I have a few of those styles of bevelers, and I've even used my French skiver sometimes, I do now have a preference for these; https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/5pcs-V-Shaped-Hand-Working-Leather-Stitching-Working-Hand-Leather-Edge-Skiv-M3Y6/303229244553 , with a finger on the finger-divot they fit neatly along the forefinger betwixt finger and thumb.

NB. Le Prevo is currently closed due to the virus & business restrictions. They say their enquiry email address is still being checked and answered, though that may take a bit longer than usual

That one and its sisters are for sewing. As the OP is in the UK then he/she is using the correct name as far as they know it. Still waiting on the OP to come back and explain their requirement more clearly.

Here: http://www.leprevo.co.uk/photos/pricking iron T134.htm

I searched the number on ebay and it brought up this; https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3-D-Stamp-Live-to-Ride-8540-00-WBL/273608362518?hash=item3fb4544a16:g:P1kAAOSwe~lcEcRC ~~ winged 'Live to Ride'

Le Prevo, in Newcastle, just up the road from you.; http://www.leprevo.co.uk/ Abbey is often recommended as well; https://www.abbeyengland.com/

When, after I've sewn up the two pieces, they are locked together so cannot get out of alignment. After the first basic shape moulding I'd have trimmed the leather close up to allow for the bulldog clamps, the larger clips can go to out 20mm, the small ones only about 10mm or 12mm, so I've probably got 14 to 15mm from my sewing to the edge. After sewing I then use a wing divider to mark the cutting line. Very carefully running a (blunted) point of one divider arm along the thread and the other arm out where I want to cut, say, 6mm from the sewing. Done slowly and carefully this marks where I'll cut. If necessary I can go over the marked cutting line to deepen it, to fill in missed gaps, to make it more prominent. As the sewing goes through both pieces I do the above on both the front and back When cutting I try (sometimes I fail) to do the cutting as Al Stohlman advises. Cut at an angle. I do the front first, cutting along the marked line but at an angle so the cut is on the outside of the line on the rear. Then I turn the item over and using a new, or newly sharpened, blade I cut straight down along the marked line. This should take only a sliver of leather off. I finish off by taking some grit/sand paper to areas that look a bit askew Then its onto the slicking and burnishing

1. I do a basic wet moulding to get the basic shape, then 2. re-wet the leather and clamp together using shaped bit of sticks and bulldog clips as clamps 3. let dry and sew up with the clamps still in place, but moved as the sewing progresses

1. I find the Eco-flow dies to be mostly water and little pigment 2. did you wet your leather before dyeing? a dry leather will certainly soak up the dye and usually unevenly too. A wettish leather, as wet as needed for tooling/stamping will allow and even help the dye to spread more evenly through the leather 3. I get (got) that colour-lifting with resolene as well. Years ago It didn't do that so I wonder if the formula has changed. In the meantime I now use an acrylic floor 'polish' for a first and second sealing coat. The floor 'polish' used to be called 'Pledge with Future shine'; it keeps changing its name. 4. some thoughts on how to fix. 4a. prepare a stock of your colour. Pour mix into a basin type container. Give the strap a good soaking with an alcohol, IPA or similar. Whilst still wet from this dip it into the basin of dye. Make sure the strap is covered and allow it to soak, for a long time. Check it from time to time but I reckon it'll take a half to one hour for the dye to get really into the strap. Take freshly died strap out of basin of dye, pull though rubber/latex gloved fingers as a squeegee, hang up to drip dry, run gloved fingers over the strap as it does to prevent colour build up at the lower end. Option 1.When nearly dry, damp and cool to the touch, apply a thinned coat of the acrylic varnish, dipping is best. Some colour will come off. Option 2. Wait till the strap is dry, buff it and buff it some more. Some colour will come off on the buffing cloth. Then seal with a thinned coat of the acrylic varnish. Both: when dry add a coat of bees'wax/nfo mix and buff in.

1. @cruxx. It would be a good idea if you would add into your profile your general location. This is a very international forum group and if we knew whereabouts you are we can better help you 2. I find there is always a bit of soften of embossed details after dyeing and finishing. How much depends on how 'sharp' the embossing or the stamp was in the first place 3. Northmount's (Tom's) advice is excellent. I still do something similar, using an off-cut of the main piece to check when its ready for stamping/embossing/tooling

1. are you casing your leather properly? 1a. leather that is too dry will not take a good impression 1b. leather that is too wet will not take a good impression 1a and 1b, when both dry out the impression will soften greatly even though they may look ok. Re-wetting by dyeing will soften the impressions yet more 2. Are you hitting that tool or stamp really hard?

simple and effective

I have a couple of those 'tarp anchors' as well. Would you believe I've actually used one for its intended purpose! Not much change to my situation really. Just as I'm made to stay in I don't have those sudden impulses to go out elsewhere and waste time. I'm actually getting on with things 1. A board game in the designing for 15 years or so is at last coming together, literally. I've made rubber moulds and I've been casting the playing pieces. I've been asked for at least 5 copies of the game. I've got the wood for the boards and I got some leather for them just before the 'lockdown' started. I just need to start covering the boards with the leather and carving/stamping and dyeing the leather 2. allied to #1, I have to make about 10 other covered game boards. Game pieces for 5 of these are sitting almost ready. The other 5 are standard chess boards so I don't make the game pieces. 3. I can get on making the other items I'm supposed to be making. A range of small goods for a client. But brass stamps I ordered from China for these haven't arrived yet. They are three weeks overdue. I guess they'll arrive when they arrive. N.I. gov is looking at us being in isolation for about 12 weeks - thats now thru to end of June! Then another 12 to 14 weeks of limited contact, that takes us to mid October. I have plenty of leather and moulding supplies to keep me going. I got an order in for moulding supplies just before the N.I. gov said they were places that had to close up. and I have over 6 (Imperial) gallons (about 29 L, or about 38 standard wine bottles) of meade to keep me going.* *Please drink responsibly. Do not drink and drive. Pull over to finish the bottle!

If you have young uns to keep amused, or just for your selves, Hornby Hobbies, who own Airfix, Hornby Trains and Corgi as well as other toy lines, launched about a week ago some Children's Activity pages on their websites Link to the Airfix one: https://www.airfix.com/uk-en/airfix_kids_zone Hornby: https://www.hornby.com/uk-en/hornby-kids-zone Corgi: https://www.corgi.co.uk/corgi_kids_zone Now excuse me for a while, I have some colouring in to do

Some suggestions; 1 reduce foot pressure to the minimum needed 2. use a teflon roller foot at light pressure 3. cut off one side of the foot so only the foot part which will go along the outside of the stitching remains

Make up a dilute solution of onion juice and wash the leather down with it. Rub it well into the affected areas.

That is good of you

None of the belly I have bought from Le Prevo ever had any noticeable 'stretch' marks.

I've got it a few times. I just hit the 'reload' and everything was back to normal. Maybe mike can tell us more if he sees this

I have a set of these; https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Prettyia-5pcs-Belt-Billet-Buckle-Head-End-Template-Leathercraft-Accessories/283420506040?hash=item41fd2db7b8:g:f0IAAOSwQXdcjkr~ sometimes I just set a wing divider to the spacing and walk it along the centre of the strap