fredk

The rig is called a Buscadero rig. The Buscadero is identified by the dropped loop(s) on the belt for the holster(s). The holsters are full-skirt Mexican loop style. It looks like the loop on the hloster is either sewn or riveted to the skirt so that makes it a Montana style Mexican loop

I get my oval punches from various Chinese sellers on ebay. The punches need a bit of sharpening when they arrive. Search thru the sellers as the prices can vary quite a bit for the same tool An example; https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1-25mm-Rectangle-Leather-Craft-Belt-Hole-Lacing-Stitching-Hollow-Punch-Tool/173266496279?_trkparms=aid%3D555018%26algo%3DPL.SIM%26ao%3D2%26asc%3D49129%26meid%3Dd881b6471c6046bd8d73f025f03e0802%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D4%26sd%3D382330467556%26itm%3D173266496279&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851 The order takes between 10 and 25 days to arrive with me, average is now about 14 days.

Dry the tools. Get as much of the rust off as you can. Apply your leather work beeswax mix. Do not put it on until the tools are dry otherwise you will trap the moisture on the metal and they will continue to rust. I used to put beeswax mixture on my woodworking hand tools to keep the rust off them

Those ones have only just recently come on to the market. At first their prices were high but they've steadily dropped There are also templates for key cases, wallets, card-wallets, small to medium sized shoulder bags and more

Normally I do rounded corners. I put a stitching hole in the centre of the curve the use a two prong tool to work away from that, then a 4 or 6 pronger up the sides to about 1/3 from the bottom. Then I do the holes from the top. As I get close to the holes coming up I check to see how many holes are needed and adjust the spacing slightly if needed A template idea is good. I do not have one yet but I'm going to buy one of these; https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Leather-Craft-Precision-Stitching-Corner-Zipper-Slot-Hole-Guide-Template-K6/292493934951?_trkparms=aid%3D444000%26algo%3DSOI.DEFAULT%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D49129%26meid%3Dfb9c97fb84f245c887accbf245d58aee%26pid%3D100752%26rk%3D1%26rkt%3D6%26sd%3D292493927666%26itm%3D292493934951&_trksid=p2047675.c100752.m1982 I recently got one of these; https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Leather-Craft-Acrylic-Perspex-Cutting-Circle-Corner-Stitching-Template-4mm-K6/292493927666?hash=item4419ff24f2:g:58IAAOSwhsVas2Mb Both are available in 3mm and 4mm spacing Another thing you can do is run an over-stitch wheel over the stitching; its like a stitch marker but its blunt. It helps to make the stitches straighter

The clue is the word 'custom' You can order any style and size of tool when ordering a custom made one Others will be along soon and give you directions to custom tool makers/suppliers in the US

I do dip some items when doing Resolene but for the most part I just use a damp sponge, same for Super Sheene

Ikea has this https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/products/cookware/ovenware/koncis-roasting-tin-stainless-steel-art-90099054/ or https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/products/cookware/ovenware/mixtur-oven-serving-dish-clear-glass-art-80058761/

I got my stainless steel trays in a £1 shop. Might you have something like a 1 or 2 Euro Shop or a discount home goods shop any place near?

I was thunking the the same thinks Thanks, a very informative tute

As far as I've found Super Sheen is a better version of Resolene. With Res, diluted, it might take 4 or 5 coats to get a 'shiney' surface, but S/S only takes two and it doesn't seem to need diluting for application

To be honest I can not be 100% certain. It does not show up in the browns or green dye. I've used meths to thin white, red and yellow acrylic paints and it did not tint the paint

Last first; do NOT use anything like white spirit or turpentine - it will not mix with the dye and may actually make the dye colour separate out I use Methylated Spirits; it sounds like you 'spiritus'. Meths has a purple colourant in it - this has never tinted any dye or even acrylic paint I have used it in. If in doubt just dilute an egg cup full to see. I believe someone on here has pointed out that Fiebings Reducer is just a mix of alcohol and it is over priced for what it is. I take a bottle of dye and pour it into a new HDPE bottle. HDPE = High Density PolyEthylene. You can buy them cheap off ebay. I get them at £6.60 for 6 Fiebings comes in small 120ml bottles. The new bottles are 500ml. I add about the same amount of meths, ie about 120- 130 ml To dip dye I have stainless steel oven trays, they are about 35cm x 25 cm x 5cm deep. I pour the diluted dye in, dip the leather, hang the leather to dry, pour the dye back into the big bottle - easy-peasy For long items I just pull them through the dye in the tray; pulling to and fro a couple of times. I hold the the dipped leather over the tray for half a minute to let excess run off then I hang it to dry over some newspaper to get any drips >> Remember to label just what you have in the new bottle; not only colur but dilution as well No, no, no, no

Dampening the leather sure does work; it helps the dye flow through and penetrate the leather. I use Fieblings dye, its an acylic dye, I dilute it with methylated spirits - an alcohol Dilute the dye more that 1[dye] to 3 [thinners] and you can build up the density of the colour by the number of times you dip

Same treatment basically; dampen leather. This time dilute the dye. 1 dye to 1 thinners at least. Apply with a damp sponge or dip-dye. Some on here prefer to use a spray brush to apply the dye - thats ok if you have a spray brush and somewhere to use it. I prefer to dip-dye when I can as it gets both sides of the leather in one go

A most excellent tute

You did well. When I managed to get a copy it was in the US, posted to the UK. Including customs it cost me about £125. But I reckon it was worth it even tho its one of the most expensive books I've ever bought

Those look grand. Remember; antique is supposed to make the leather look used, its not really meant to give a perfectly even coloured finish as dye does

Try putting Duck/Duct/Carpet/Fabric/Gaffer ** tape on the back. Don't use plastic parcel tape ** it has so many names I'm not sure which one you would know it by

JJ Glover's needles have the edges of the triangular part sharp, they are also highly polished. I have some needles from another maker, a reputable one, the edges are dull and I can actually feel the difference in the surface of the metal - and the eye of one of those broke on me just last week, pulling 0.8mm thread thru a pre-made hole

Nice tidy work both of you Depending on your dye; keep some cotton buds and meths handy - they can be used to dab off excess drips of dye from some areas, like threads

No tricks, just slow and careful work - which no doubt you are doing I would use a ball end modelling tool to lightly mark the straight lines either side of the centre stamping; that at least eliminates one mis-alignment possibility Have you tried; instead of doing several complete lines, do the basket weave in a 'block' around the centre stamping, then working away from that towards the edge?

That looks very nice. That lacing looks just dandy Pity you spelt 'favour' wrongly To de-shiney brass or plated parts for leather work I put them on a bit of granite and roast them with a plumbers mini blow torch. Once heated up and cooled they take on interesting colours

No, the hole does not open up larger; Under the ball head is a bar stem, the leather bears against that bar thus the sides of the hole are in compression. Leather under compression does not enlarge or rip, it is quite a solid wall. If you have the access slit on that side you risk having the slit widen out and riding over the ball head thus having the closure open up when you most need it to be secure. Also a slit cut will rip though much more easily and faster than a circular hole. In many manufacturing processes the way to end a straight slit cut so that it doesn't extend when not required to do so is to end the slit with a circular hole or end Military holsters from as far back as the 1840s used this form of closure and after many years of use the hole is still a tight fit over the ball and stem

When I use 'antique' I a/ use a sponge, a damp sponge is best, to apply b/ I wet the leather; more than damp, but not as much as needed for carving/stamping c/ work fast, really fast d/ have a pad of clean kitchen paper ready for wiping off the excess