fredk

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

Either could be right. Its the stitches per inch you want. Each of those chisels will give you a different stitch-per-inch

Try searching out suppliers of materials for miniature railway makers - not model railways. Miniature railway makers use plenty of different types of rivets

I've read that book in my local library. I'd not recommend it to ANYONE. It assumes the reader knows too much plus all the projects are designed to be completed on an expensive heavy duty sewing machine. Not everyone can afford a sewing machine which costs £2500 plus

Whilst the above book is excellent for 'hard' cases and bags I'd advise you to get 'Handmade Leather Bags & Accessories' by Elean 'Birdy Teacher' Ho It has several styles of tote type bags, patterns and instructions on how to make them https://www.amazon.co.uk/Handmade-Leather-Accessories-Design-Originals/dp/157421716X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=217P9W958CL5S&keywords=handmade+leather+bags&qid=1555806996&s=gateway&sprefix=hand+ma+leather+bags%2Caps%2C150&sr=8-1

I concur . . . . agree; An excellent photo. Nicely focused, well lit with the right amount of skiffing light, well exposed and the rough log[?] background is a great contrast to the smooth leatherwork

N . . . I . . . C . . . E

I'm in Northern Ireland if Harry is not handy to you I have relatives in the very Highlands of Scotland in case you're located up that way

possibly the B202R or B202L beveler https://www.tandyleather.eu/en/product/b202r-craftool-beveler-stamp

A; what diameter are the nail holes and how thick is leather you need to mount to? you can get ready-rivets with a 4mm head - they look smaller than they sound but they are only good for about 2mm thick leather . Mount to thin leather then glue and/or sew that to thicker leather b, use the supplied nails or softer copper nails, put through, put a small round washer on the back and bend the nail over onto that and flatten as best you can in either case use a piece of thick neoprene rubber against the ornament face side; this will prevent damage to it

Looks most excellent Did you do a bit of wet-moulding around the stock/barrel part? Moulding the outer part of the holster after assembly?

A form of dubbin has been around since early medieval times. After removal of edible meat all animals were rendered down for their fats and grease and anything else they could supply, eg glues. Fats and greases from animals were used to make soap, grease cart axles, pack with iron arrow heads to prevent rusting, slicked on long bows to keep the wood supple and many other uses. In medieval times it would be a poor goodwife who could not render down and get the fats and greases for trading for candles, use of grease round the house. Since the first third of the 18th century at least various leather food compounds have been available for buying by those who didn't make their own. My 1907 Sears, Roebuck catalogue lists a 'Leather Preservative' but the relevant page is missing. to answer the OP: I coat with a couple of coats of diluted resolene, then apply beeswax/nfo mixture. I've not found that the resolene has prevented the nfo penetrating the leather

I think you mean the other way round? put the adhesive sheet on the piece of leather to be filigreed, cut out leather filigree and adhesive sheet at the same time 'Heat Bond' is a trade name. Virtually all haberdashery supply shops sell a fabric heat bonding material and its usually thinner and cheaper than 'Heat Bond'. I use a generic fabric one which comes in at 25% of 'Heat Bond' prices

I agree that the back board will shake about too much whilst working on the bench. Get a big board.Tall enough to go right from the floor to above your bench. Make it wide. Slide it between the bench and the wall; lean it on the wall, leave a small gap between the board and the bench. That board aint going nowheres; it'll just stay there not needing any extra support

Look what I found today, in a box of junk photo stuff in my storage unit Do you still require info on this? A thought; if you are will to pay the postage cost I'll send you the camera. The camera is one I kept for spares for another one. This one does not work. After you make the case you can give this camera to your friend and he can keep it for spare parts