fredk

A co-in-side-ance: I was thinking upon this sort of think just the last few days. Today I had to spend some time shopping in Belfast and on these occasions I take time to observe peoples' bags and how they use them. The info sometimes translates into my bags. Anyhows, I observed that the vast majority of shoppers, mainly women, hold their bag / purse in their left hand and draw the zipper from left to right. Very many of the purses were 'reversible' ; i.e. they could be turned round so the zipper went right to left but left to right was by far the more used way

No snakes here at all - we ain't got none at all. Well, except a few in the zoo but I reckon they'd not take it too nicely if I tried to convert them into leather

Yeah, Wot he says, I too was wondering about that stitching on the bottom, but I think I can see another layer inside the bottom (?) I'd agree that a snap isn't right, a magnet lock or a tuc

I used to attach things to my motorcycle in the way you want. I'd suggest that you do not fully tighten the bolts onto the grommets. I found the vibration could and did rip the material from around the grommet. I would now slip a bit of rubber between the bolt and the inside of the grommet and use a rubber washer on each side and tighten up almost tight but just a wee touch not

1. you could glue two layers of the thinner leather together for the back and flap and just use a single leather for the 'pouches' part 2. I think you need more stitching room on the right of the single prong 3. the wide spaces for the 6 and 4 are going to let those tools move about too much. I would put an extra line of stitches close to the handle bar, or wet mould the thin leather over the tools and then sew in place

It looks like the Kingsley are made of metal. As long as the letter blocks are thick enough or a backing pressure plate is used I see no reason they cannot be used just to impress the letter

interesting

On joints of low stress the glue is sufficient. On joints of high stress the glue only acts as location grip, the sewing is the main joiner Glue, to be very basic, only soaks into the first few layers of leather fibres and under stress the leather joint can pull apart, ripping out those fibres. On the other hand, sewing goes right through the thickness of each leather and pull them tight allowing the joint to with stand more stress. I make game boards. Sometimes I cover a board in thin leather, then apply a square of thin leather on top of that to be marked out in the gaming squares. This is a low stress joint so I only glue that top piece of leather to the main one. However, the joint of a gusset in the side of a bag is a high stress joint. The joint needs to resist the pull of the front/back panels in a bag stuffed full, so glue (or double sided tape) to hold the gusset in place then it is saddle stitched. The sewn joint in this case is stronger and more reliable for the job. A good strong glued joint helps to re-enforce the sewing but cannot replace it Another low stress joint, a fold over key-ring, where a piece of shaped leather is folded over on itself, capturing a split-ring for keys. Glue only will do this Gluing a two or three layer leather joint allows the join line to be cleaned up and burnished. I go right to the edge of my leather with the glue. I trim the edge after sticking together and also maybe sewing. The trimming cuts away any glue ooze. I'm always careful that the ooze is very minimal and has no chance to get on the face of the leather. With more experience one can gauge just either how close to the edge to go or how wet to have the glue so as it squeezes down it squishes towards the edge. I put contact glue on wet on the inner of the joint spreading it towards the edge so it gets a bare minimum of almost dry-ish glue. When its clamped up very, very little is squeezed out. If a section doesn't glue down the way I like it, or I've left a section un-glued for a reason, I use a thin blade on a modelling tool to apply a thin smear of glue later. I think in your case, I would take the glue right to the edge. Having allowed a few extra millimetres on the sides, trim the edges to size. hth edited to correct spelling errors

I can't access those photos to see the item

I used to use the groover which has the groover on the arm. A couple of years ago I bought one which has the groover in the removable and adjustable centre post and the arm just as a guide. I think its more versatile as the arm can be removed for grooves to be made in-land and free-hand https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Portable-Pro-Stitching-Groover-Leathercraft-Skiving-Edger-Beveler-Tool-Kit-Set/264247939883?_trkparms=aid%3D555018%26algo%3DPL.SIM%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D57477%26meid%3Dd7fedaa902ab478893c0e90cda396ee8%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D4%26rkt%3D12%26sd%3D264343212144%26itm%3D264247939883%26pg%3D2047675&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851

As final dye sealant I mainly use Feibings Resolene, C54 & C55 in the Le Prevo 'Finishes' list and sometimes Tandy Super Sheene https://www.tandyleather.eu/en/product/eco-flo-super-shene which was easier to get when there was a Tandy branch in the UK Lately I've also been giving a coat or three of 'Astonish' wood floor 'polish' which is actually a water thin acrylic varnish. Available at many branches, but not all, Home Bargains for £1 for 750ml Resolene and dye can be diluted with water. I usually go about 2 water to 1 dye, 1 water to 1 resolene. Sometimes I add in some meths for a speedier drying time, but that adds some smell so you might not want to do that. My method is to dampen the leather and apply several coats of dye thinned with water until I get a colour density I like. Let that dry almost completely then apply several coats of thinned resolene. After that is dry I sponge on up to 3 coats of Astonish varnish. No more than that as if it gets too thick it gets hard.

What defect? I can't see one. It is most stupendous. I'm jealous of your artistry and carving and stamping on this Your niece will love it, almost as much as she'll love you for having made it for her You are now her very favourite uncle. . . . . . . like forever

I use standard Fiebing Acrylic dye, bought out of Le Prevo, Newcastle. C30 and C17 on their list: http://www.leprevo.co.uk/dyes.htm I've been using it for 20 years, the last 14/15 years in my spare-bedroom leather working room. No problem with any vapours at all, even when I spray it.

You could use a wing-divider to mark a grove https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1X-Leather-Craft-Making-Rotating-Tool-Wing-Divider-Spacing-Compasses-Edge-C-9A7/303183339744?epid=3027848963&hash=item469722a0e0:g:6Y8AAOSwu95c~ZXN https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1PC-Carbon-steel-Scriber-Divider-Wheel-Compass-Leather-Stitch-Hole-Distance/352721836889?hash=item521fdc1b59:g:BXoAAOSwuMxdHwL~ and then use a groover/edger like this; https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-5Pcs-Working-Hand-leather-Edge-Skiving-DIY-Tools-Keen-Edge-Beveler-Silver/273261100050 These are so cheap I have about 15 of them! instead of trying to sharpen them I just use a new one. I'm totally rotten at the sharpening On the dividers, I have shortened the point end of one arm so I can run it along the edge of leather easier with the longer arm running on the outside edge and the shorter arm marking the line hth

When I do what I call a single needle saddle stitch I start about 3 holes in, from one end, sew to the other end then come back on those stitches, past the start to the other end, double back to the start and do two stitches past the start. The holes 3, 4 and 5 have three threads through them. I bring the first and last of the thread through the two thickness of leather. When a bit of glue is added to stick the edges together and then the edge burnished the thread is secure. When I do a full two-needle saddle stitch. I start at the first hole, sew to the end then double back both threads two stitches. Lets say there are 30 holes for stitching; hole 30 has two threads through it, 29 has 4 threads and 28 has 4 threads. I find usually two stitches back is enough, some times I'll do up to 5 stitches back if the item is going to be rough handled, and occasionally I'll put a drop of glue, rubbed in, on the very last stitches threads after they've been trimmed flush. hth

Might I add that I use a flat profile thread in, 0.5, 0.65, 0.8 and 1mm. When the stitch is pulled up tight the thread lies flat so I've never seen the need to further hammer it flat

interesting input CD But even waaaaaaaaay back 'Crafts' man meant somat different. In his memoirs a soldier of the 95th Rifles said he was called a 'Craft' as he knew how to repair boots. He was a 'Crafts Man' even though he was not trained as a cobbler, he had been a clerk before. me; barefoot, thats how I find dropped rivets, sewing needles, stitching punches.... Usually no shirt on either, keeps the sleevies out of the dye. Splashes of dye on skin can be covered up later, on a shirt it means a ruined shirt

imnsho, personal preference. I never hammer and only very occasionally run a stitch marker down them, just to tidy any that look askew

What you have to bear in mind is the affect certain glues will have on your leather. When I use PVA glue on chrome tan nothing much happens except it sticks. When I use in on veg tan on my game boards the water in the glue soaks into the leather and when it dries out it shrinks the leather a bit, not much, but enough that I need to let a covered game board dry out for far longer than I would using contact adhesive before I carve in the lines or press in the fancy design stamps. If I don't the drying and shrinking can pull the lines askew When I use contact adhesive, a bit too much can seep through to the front, or near the front of the leather acting as a dye or finish inhibitor, which PVA seems not to do Also available for sticking are two other adhesive products; 1. double sided tape, good for holding gussets in place 2. iron/heat activated sheets. you need to test on scrap leather first. its too easy to get too high a heat and totally ruin a nice bit of leather (yeah, ask how I know, )

$1.99 from Tandy Library https://www.leathercraftlibrary.com/product/1959/belt-pouch-with-phone-pocket https://www.leathercraftlibrary.com/product/1749/steampunk-style-round-leather-belt-bag

unfortunately here in N.I. it has been watered down so much more that no-one really knows the meaning and its just attached to anything and everything as a modern catch-all phrase

waste cardboard: old brown card boxes opened out. Lay out flat to dye on. When used put into recycling old newspapers can sometimes be used too, but check that their ink doesn't come off on your wet leather

Most of my bags are made; two layers thin leather on front or back panel with compressed cardboard in between the layers. If its a one piece front panel/base/back panel/flap it gets 4 individual pieces of card, each cut to allow for glued and sewn edges and allowance for the corner to become the next piece. The gussets are sometimes made the same way, or done as a single layer if its your #2 3 pc, as in the belt bag above, which is now about 20 years old. I like bags to compress or expand to the limit of the gusset. As for keeping the bag on square its up to how thick the leather is and if you add re-enforcement

a. make it a feature; if the client is any ways a bit overweight a curved belt will be more comfortable on (him). If (he) is doubtful, let him wear it for a while. He'll not return it b. I think ~ if you wet/dampen the leather and let it dry slowly and naturally a couple of times that will ease the tension in it and the next belt straps will cut straight

You are releasing the tension in the stretched leather. The hide has been stretched during tanning and drying. The whole hide is in tension, a different amount in different directions. Without the pull of the rest of the hide the cut strip is returning to where it wants be naturally A belt with a curve in it is actually good. I cut belt straps straight, but after some time of wearing they take on a curve, especially on the bit on the back. You could wet the leather and hang it up to dry with a weight on the end to pull in downwards