fredk

Where are you getting your leather from? I rarely clean or prep veg tan leather before working on it. I've never had any problem of any area refusing dye. I do have some upholstery leather which is pre-dyed and has a sealant on it. To cut thru that I wash down with cellulose thinners aka lacquer thinners [?] I wash down the leather with cellulose thinners once or twice. I mean wash it, not just wipe it over. I use a rag well soaked in the thinners. This does remove oils from the leather but I put some back later with a nfo mix

A lot of soldering irons take a 4mm diameter bit. I'd not touch this with the proverbial barge pole. They've altered it from original spec. You can buy low powered soldering irons for as low as £5 [ $6.50-ish?] When I kept bees I altered a 40w soldering iron to operating at a low temperature by simply wiring in a resistor

This is the message I got in answer to my queries about taxes et cetera; quote Hi Fred, Orders will be shipped by DHL Express. Customs and duties will be prepaid. We will be charging UK customers a flat fee of 10 British pounds per order, regardless of weight. DHL is telling us to 2-3 shipping days once it leaves our warehouse. end quote As for DHL delivery time to me; as I've said elsewhere it can take DHL anything up to 2 months to deliver 'Express 48' items to me. So their quote of 2 to 3 days to Tandy is already false. By Tandy's timing I should receive the parcel today, not next Tuesday.

I'd not use WD40 on this as WD40 leaves a residue which lint just loves to stick to. Nor would I use any of the motor oils. You can get superthin sewing machine oil, but I use good ole 3-in-1 oil To clean this I would wash and rinse it down using paraffin oil. That will wash off the old oil and take away the stuck on lint. use a 1" stiff paint brush to help. Then re-oil using s/m oil or 3-in-1

I'll throw my $2 worth in; Last week when I heard Tandy Manchester is to close I finalised an order I'd been sitting on. I thought the order would be filled by Manchester, but it went thru to Texas When I got the dispatch advice I noticed it was for far less money than it had been, so I checked off the items to see what had been left out. Everything I ordered was still there but each item was about 15 to 20% cheaper. A tax was added on the sub-total. Even that the final tally is some 11% less ~ £440 opposed to £494 Tandy Texas says DHL delivery will be 2 to 3 days to me. DHL says 7 days [maybe]

I regularly wear a similar hat, but of more flexible leather. Mine has 'patina' now. With it and with any leather which has acquired water stain marks I soak it totally in warm water then block it out with scrunched up newspaper and periodically wipe it over with a cloth to help dry it out. It usually takes a few days to a week to dry out in my climate. When its dry I apply a fresh coating of a water resistant waxing, which works for showers until the next big rain

linky; https://www.rustins.ltd/rustins/our-products/renovators-for-metal/ metal-laquer Rustins is designed for lacquering brass door furniture so it does last. I used to use it as a barrier between metals and metals-materials

Rustins makes a metal lacquer which is robust and long lasting and is inexpensive.

May I have a bit of your time please? I want to tell you of something and from that you may draw some ideas, or not. Yonks ago I was a member of a polymer clay forum. Like this forum we had members all over the world but the HQ was in the US. I was the only male member btw. About 3 or 4 times year we had a 'Swap' We proposed, discussed and then voted for a subject for the Swap. Not all the members took part every time, those that did went away and made something in polymer clay to meet the subject. We then posted our creations to one member in the US along with some postage money. This member then sort of mixed up the creations and posted them out to the members who participated. Thus each of us got something made by someone else. Only after receiving our Swap did we post up photos of what we received and what we made The basis of the Swap was just make 1 for 1 back, many of us made 1 for each participant - so if 12 of the group were playing I made 11 items and received 11 back Subjects chosen were simple eg; food, dragons, sea creatures, and other things on which new techniques could be tried. Thus it was matter of each of interpreted the subject and how we created something but we were all working on the same subject

There are still a few places which will only deal with trade. Near Belfast is an outlet called Makro. It only sells to business people and you need to register - and they check. They sell business / office goods and food and more. I used to be registered but let it lapse as I could buy everything they sold at prices far less in Tesco or ASDA

aye, the 'rules' and why-fors are different here for 'trade counters'. Usually the business will give better discount and allow credit to registered trades, others have to pay immediately and get the basic cheaper price. If I want some car supplies from the trade outlet my son deals with I cannot pay cash if I want a low price; I have to put it on #1's account, then pay him for the item. The cash price is about 10% dearer than the account price, but even that higher price is lower than retail outlets

I got an email from Tandy this morning. quote Dear Valued Customer, There's no easy way to say this but, Tandy is closing its beloved Manchester store Friday 7th June 2019. We greatly appreciate your business over the years and will miss helping customers face-to-face. Even without a local Tandy store, we hope you continue to cultivate your passion for crafting leather. We have all of the materials and tools you need online at www.tandyleather.eu. To persuade our valued customers across the pond to stick with us, we revamped our shipping program. Now, 2-day shipping is standard for only £10 and Tandy is paying all import taxes and duties. To sweeten the deal, even more, we’re offering FREE shipping on orders over £150. Your business is important to us here at Tandy Leather. We appreciate your understanding and welcome any questions. Please feel free to contact tlfhelp@tandyleather.com with questions. Even though the store is closing, we hope to continue servicing you as though we were still neighbors. Sincerely, Tandy Leather Team end quote

Thank you for the compliment friend, but not really so. I just comment on things I have experience of

I've never come across anything. You may have stumbled on a new idea range. Perhaps if a cover was made in the way of an axe head cover?

That can work a bit but then you need to pull out the remains through a small hole, usually damaging the hole and enlarging it. Thus needing a bigger head rivet to replace it. I prefer electric-wire side-cutters. End cutters will work as well. With single sided rivets I use needle nose pliers to get two sides of the base up a bit then wriggle the side-cutters under until I can cut the post with them, then the front/top just drops away. On double headed rivets, its the same procedure, but its always on the reverse of the item, if there is one and it can be got to. Sometimes the cap on the rivet base will pop off as well, leaving the base as per a single headed rivet. I prefer about 3mm of the post above the leather. Its a fine judgement, too little and the head won't hold, too long and the post will bend and the head will drift to one side. Another thing to remember is the hole in the leather thru which the post has to go. It should be exact, or a tiny wee bit too small. It will hold the rivet just where you want it and help give a tight joint. Too large a hole and it allows the post to drift and widen before the post mushrooms out in the head, leading to a joint just not as tight - still tight but just not as good . eg a rivet with a post diameter 3mm should go thru a hole 3mm or 2.5mm, or even 3.18 mm [1/8 inch] at most but not 3.5mm or even 4mm I sometimes cut the post down by sliding it on a scratch awl then lightly cutting around it with the side-cutters, if it doesn't cut off the bit it at least weakens it so a few wiggles and it breaks off. But I just keep a very large range and large quantity of my commonly used rivets. They can be bought in bulk cheaper than Tandy sell just a few for. edited for shpelings

On shoes I've re-heeled I've nailed from the inside into the heel block then the interior in-sole covers the nail heads, even tho they are slightly countersunk into the sole material

Perhaps it hard to tell in the photo but mine have diamond shaped teeth

A: Welcome to the dark arts of leather crafting b: I got them from China via ebay. I bought 4-teeth and 2-teeth but found that on the 2-teeth one the teeth weren't hardened and bent easily, so I bought a second 4-teeth and ground off the outer teeth to reduce it to a 2. I've found the investment in these worthwhile. I can hold a project in my hand and punch sewing holes very quickly - and noiselessly, as I live in a flat and neighbours don't like me hammering late at night/early in the morning. Also I can easily do hole punching away from base. Search thru the ebay sellers of these as they vary in price, also some of the sellers will post to the UK but not to N.I. so I don't look them ones out example, a UK [China] seller: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4mm-Leather-Spacing-Stitching-Chisel-Hole-Punch-Piercing-Nipper-Plier-Craft-Tool-/163583212636?hash=item261651bc5c Looks like about £14 is the price now. When Tandy sold these they were about £40 for one. Also a larger tooth version is available for lacing work

latest info I have is that Tandy USA will send out orders via DHL Express. Customs will be pre-paid. DHL will deliver in 2 to 3 days after the order leaves the warehouse. Last Spring DHL couldn't even deliver boxes of chicken to KFC outlets in the UK, causing 2/3 of them to close and the other 1/3 to limit what they sold. What you didn't hear was that only improved a bit over the year. KFC have dropped DHL and went back to their previous deliverer in March this year. No matter how quick the order gets to Britain I've found that DHL can take 30 to 60 days to deliver that order to my area. example; I bought a Caddy part out of Alaska. It arrived at DHL in England in 48 hours but took 6 weeks to get from there to me. I've also found that DHL seem to ignore any prepaid customs and puts the consignment thru HMRC, eg the Caddy part. [and many, many other examples] I am not confident oops, a PS. Tandy says they'll be charging UK customers a flat rate of £10 per order for delivery. Currently I pay [paid] £8.50

I received this from Tandy, Manchester a short time ago quote Hi Fred,Unfortunately, we do not have any control over the online orders. However if any unforeseen charges are incurred, we will do our utmost on behalf of our customers in the UK to rectify these immediately.All orders are being shipped from our main warehouse in the US. Orders were originally to be shipped from Spain, but would incur a 6 day transit time. We have been doing our best to negotiate as little impact as possible and put forward the opinions that this wait would be unacceptable to our UK customers. Tandy Leather have made the decision to transfer all online orders to the USA whilst doing their best to retain the online service and standard set up by us here in the UK. Regards,Pipa. end quote A; if the orders are shipped out of the US I cannot see how that is quicker than from Spain B: if an order comes from the US, how will into-UK customs charges be dealt with C: Thinking an order would come from Spain I placed and order, [before getting the above message] value just shy of £500. It better not attract customs charges!

I sent an email to Tandy, Manchester and just got a reply saying the store closes at the beginning of June. I'm waiting now for a confirmation answer of where items will come from as I was just about to place a very big order. I don't want to end up paying customs charges.

ach, bummer. I do get regular emails from them, I've not received an email about it yet tho.

Eeeee, lad, that be luxury, we had to walk bare foot and bare legged through miles of brambles and bog marsh, fighting off rampant man-eating hedgehogs, just to find cow, arm wrestle it into submission, skin it wi' blunt flint blade, tan it in pee and poo, and soften the leather by chewing on it for 3 months. You try telling youngsters today all that and they wouldn't believe you No Tandy in my country either - sort of. One in UK but none in N.I.

If its this style of cutter; https://www.amazon.com/C-S-Osborne-Gauge-Leather-Cutting/dp/B07BZTBHTZ The cutting edge of the blade should be closer to the body than the rear edge, or at least parallel. You do not want the back edge closer than the cutting edge as the leather strip will bind. Try either inverting the blade, or fitting a new one. The blade you have may have a bias to one side

I have to import everything I need for leatherworking. I've bought stitching chisels directly from China, via ebay. Most of these sellers give the width of the prong and the width of the gap between them. I have 3mm and 4mm sets. On each of these the prong is about 1.5mm wide and the gap is 3 or 4mm. Generally I use the 3mm for fine sewing, eg up to 0.65mm thread, and the 4mm for 1 to 1.2 mm thread. I've found the quality of the tool steel ok, a wee bit of sharpening helps them but they are sharp enough to use as they come. Sets are available in 3, 4, 5, & 6mm prong Example; [if you browse around on ebay you can find the same tools at various prices, as they generally come from one factory its the same tool you buy] Scroll down thru the description and it tells the width of the prong and the gap https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/4-Pieces-Leather-Craft-Pricking-Diamond-Stitching-Chisel-Hole-Punch-Tool-Set-/382637271805?var=&hash=item5916f56afd PS. My nearest Tandy is about 160miles direct. But I have a sea voyage to do to get there