fredk

I get nearly all my supplies from LePrevo. A fair amount of their tools and dyes comes from Tandy, but is cheaper. The staff at LePrevo are very helpful. Tell them what you want the leather for and they'll recommend some. They'll also post you a small off-cut to check out. Keep an eye on their Special page on their website, many bargains can be had.

I too have one of these awful V gouges. Its now somewhere in the bottom of my main tool box. Thanks for the info on the fix, I'll have to try that. I got this V gouge to replace the wood working carving chisels I was using. It never replaced them.

I had to search out my tools. I have a 104 as well and its pretty tiny. I have a G619 which has the same pattern but is approx 1cm [3/8''] square, it covers about 10x the area of the 104. But I've checked on the Tandy site and the place where I got my 619 and its no longer listed - so thats no help to you. I don't know where you are located, but here is link to the place I buy from; the B series has some larger background stamps. However they are finer and bevelled. http://www.leprevo.co.uk/photos/stamp1.htm or the 114 in the Tandy list looks much bigger; http://www.tandyleather.eu/en/category/leather-stamps-backgrounders or the G605 'geometric' stamp; http://www.tandyleather.eu/en/product/g605-craftool-geometric-stamp?sSearch=g605

What size of area are you trying to cover as background?

Another use for small off-cuts; put into small self-seal plastic bags and sell for a $1 or £1 to women who do the hobby of scrap-booking or card making. They are always looking for these sorts of items to adorn their projects. I make board games, and the game pieces, so I punch out small discs from off-cuts for the bases for the game pieces

Hi folks, Just a brief introduction from me. I'm Fred, hence the very clever log-on name. Its one I can remember easily. I've been doing some leather work for about 15 years now. I've not been doing much, not really much output in that time, but it should increase greatly over this winter. I've been involved with medieval historical presentation groups for about 18 years. I got fed up not being able to get quality made leather items here in N.I. for myself and family members so I set to and bought in leather and made the items myself. This has expanded to making items for others in the groups. I make mostly belts, bags, hats, an occasional knife sheath that sort of thing. These I make as near as possible as copies of real medieval items. I've orders for hoods, a jacket, more pouches. I've also been asked to start re-covering car steering wheels. Another range I make is board games. Wood boards covered in leather and then tooled. I make the game pieces as well. A couple of years ago I made a re-enactor a Star Wars belt & holsters kit, now that was interesting. Lots of wet moulding, and all to a tight time schedule. A small film company approached me the other night. They want me to make a couple of hand-gun shoulder holsters. So, whilst searching for patterns or pictures I came across this forum. From scanning through it I thought it looked like a good place, thus I joined up. I'm self taught in leather work. I have most of Al Stohlman's books [who doesn't] plus a lot of others. I'm always looking out for ideas and methods to improve my work. BFN, fredk