fredk

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

It would, but its not really necessary for such a simple X. suggestion. Use polymer clay*, aka FIMO or Sculpey, to make the X on a board. Wet a piece of leather for wet-moulding and place over the X on the board. Fix down and use a modelling tool to press the leather around the X *polymer clay needs cooked to harden it.

Picked up a snippet from one of my model forums. Polish Post is suspending foreign shipments. That is, from Poland. Where one country leads in this others may follow so we may see postal items held or delayed for months.

Its just embossing, but from the flesh side. Usually a 'plug' is used to make the embossing keep its shape. In this case that looks likely with a thin leather sewn over the plug to keep it in place, or is that just a pattern along the X edges? Press the shape into cased leather. When its dry fill with a 'plug' - either felted wool, shaped leather or similar, then sew or glue a thin piece of leather, such as kid or pig, over the embossing and plug.

When did Tandy change their website? They've got rid of the Eu. site. Not only that, they deleted my account so I had to sign up again. Also, on my account I was building up an order which was deleted, and my 'wish-list' of things I was interested as well as the list of my previous orders, which were handy to see if I'd bought somat from them. I hadn't been on there for about a week but last week when I went on it had all changed

Sorry, not UK. I get any I need direct from China. Presently its taking up to 4 weeks for delivery, its usually only 10 to 14 days. altho tbh I've not needed to buy any of these for a long while eg; https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/100x-7mm-Crystal-Rhinestone-Metal-Round-Spot-Spikes-Stud-Rivets-Leathercra-IUC/192955116074?hash=item2ced056a2a:g:xfMAAOSwRAZdCNS7

Don't write yourself off too soon. Read this - and be inspired https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-51573285

Thanks for that To the OP, this is another alternative. I do have one of these and I find it handy to do a free-hand sewing groove when the sewing line is tight up next to a shaped bit*. The bit that follows the edge is removable, leaving the groover free, https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DIY-7-In-1-Adjustable-Stitching-Groover-Crease-Leather-Lot-Leather-Tools-Ki-B9B6/233416477077?_trkparms=aid%3D1110002%26algo%3DSPLICE.SOI%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20190711095549%26meid%3Dc3bfd89e5f9a496ab782f87669caa18f%26pid%3D100047%26rk%3D7%26rkt%3D12%26sd%3D233299625232%26itm%3D233416477077%26pmt%3D1%26noa%3D1%26pg%3D2047675%26algv%3DSellersOtherItemsV2%26brand%3DUnbranded&_trksid=p2047675.c100047.m2108 * eg; when a case is wet moulded in two parts around an object and the two sides need sewn together.

I don't think thats the reason Mike. I can access this site at my local library on their computers and they have all dodgy sites blocked, and even some not-dodgy sites

That looks excellent I must get on and finish making mine - different style to yours tho yeah, but hes 'armless

I don't think the Forestry Commission in N.I. really understands what a fire-break is. In our forests the break varies from a ditch 2ft across and 1 ft deep to 10 foot across by 1.5 feet deep. Both may be found full of undergrowth, living and dead, and the forest trees grow right to the edges, interlacing their branches.

yup, they shure can, but I'm terrible at actually managing it thus I just buy and have a quantity of sharp ones handy. They do a lovely edge bevel too, much better than my old 'proper' one. These come in a U shape as well for U shaped sewing grooves. They are small enough, only about 4 inches long, to fit the hand and are easily maneuverable. Use a straight-edge for straight-aways and freehand on curves

No experience of that one. I use these - link below. I buy them by the 5 so I always have a sharp one to hand. Although they say 'edge beveler' they make an excellent V groove, as can been seen in their photo https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/5Pcs-Working-Hand-Leather-Edge-Skiving-DIY-Craft-Keen-Edge-Beveler-Silver-Tools/352887641342?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&var=622143640519&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649