fredk

Glue the lining in place then use a very sharp blade, such as a scalpel blade to cut the edge of the lining 2 or 3mm in from the edge. The lining will still be held by the glue and any sewing at about the 3mm from edge

Excellent I made a small case like that for snips I carry. Which are mostly used to cut open those sachets of sauce in carry-out food places

Using manure and piss is very old way of tanning. Your leather might have been done in a very poor backward place and then supplied to bigger outlet

Depending on the cover, the type of pages and the size of the book the price varies from about $150 to $1100. Repros are about $25 - $50 It would be advisable to get a price from a very reputable antiquarian book dealer or from a specialist fine arts auction house

Try acrylic paint pens. They come in every colour in the rainbow and point sizes from 0.1mm to about 5mm You can also get metallic gel ink pens in 'The Works' 2 gold & 2 silver for £1. Modest, normal, pen point size, about 0.5mm afair All these are what I use

There are times only hand-stitching will be needed and there are times only sewing machine stitching will be needed. Knowing when to use either and being able to do either is part of the learning of leathercrafting

That looks very nice indeedy One for the connoisseurs, not the ones who buy bots by the doz

Tandy does an adapter set for their press to use their multiple change stitching holes punches these punches; https://www.tandyleather.world/products/diamond-hole-chisel-set this press https://www.tandyleather.world/products/tandypro-r-hand-press?_pos=5&_sid=8ee07cb9c&_ss=r or https://www.tandyleather.world/products/craftool-hand-press?_pos=1&_sid=8ee07cb9c&_ss=r this adapter https://www.tandyleather.world/products/press-die-for-hand-press-diamond-chisel?pr_prod_strat=use_description&pr_rec_id=c6c0b3465&pr_rec_pid=6614473965703&pr_ref_pid=6614474064007&pr_seq=uniform

These; really speed up the hole punching

The OP hasn't been here since posting his want Try PMing him directly. He may get the notification that he has a message

I've been following this thread and certain postings, such as the one I've just quoted, reminded me of certain things 23 years ago I started on the leather crafting raft ride. It was because I and #1 son had joined our local SCA (Society of Creative Anachronism), then wifey and sons #2 and #3 and #1 dottir also joined. I could not afford to buy all the leather items for all of us so I bought in leather and made it all. I must have been reasonable at it because our head guy asked me to make 20 sets of arm & leg guards (2 guards for arms and 2 guards for legs per set) The SCA normally play with foam weapons but our group wanted to start using real ( called 'live' ) blunt steel swords so special thick leather arm & leg guards were needed. I got the specs from SCA HQ, bought some moderately expensive leather from Le Prevo. 6mm thick black chrome tan plus necessary fittings. I made up 24 sets. SCA HQ heard about this and immediately banned the group from using the guards as they had not been either tested nor approved by HQ. Individually, I could use a set but not for live steel fighting. The group was only allowed to buy and use guards from an SCA HQ approved maker I eventually sold about 4 sets to some sword fighters here who were not SCA. I still have all the rest of the sets. Some are completed with straps and buckles and some are not finished except cut to shape; like the shape of an archery arm bracer, only bigger, especially the leg guards. Some day I'll think of something to do with all cut and shaped leather. And I was naive and stupid back then; I never got money from any of the SCA pple for the guards sets or for the outlay on the leather - 'sure you'll get paid when we each buy a set from you' yeah, right! These sports have spent years working with suppliers of safety equipment and insurance companies recognise this. Anything that hasn't been tested, even though it might meet or even surpass the specs will be frowned upon if not banned I used to do sports fencing. Our masks had a fine heavy wire mesh over the face. Before every competition the masks were inspected; visually for rust or broken wires, then a special gun was used to fire a small steel ball-bearing into the mesh, in three different places, and the mesh was measured to see the result. Ideally there was nothing to see. One day a chap came along with his mask. He had replaced the mesh with a piece of bullet proof perspex. The ball bearing put a tiny stress mark on the perspex, but the mask was banned as it had not been pre-tested and approved by the governing body

To boil it down; I would expect a manual working man's wallet in daily use to last 5 or 6 years, an office worker's wallet or a woman's wallet in daily use to last at least 10 years. A man's belt to last at least 6 to 8 years. A woman's daily handbag, at least 4 years When I say 'to last' I mean at the years I think of the items are not falling apart but are showing a lot of wear. That 'Lived & well used' look. The item might welcome some re-dyeing, maybe some stitching repairs, a very little amount of that though

I was reading through Al Stohlman's book on buckstitching and spotted something. After checking I found out that US paraffin wax is softer than UK paraffin wax

How about 1805 - 1815, 1912 - 1919, 1938 - 1947 periods? I knew several, and I mean in the dozens, of re-enactors who sought out genuine military leather belts, pouches, holsters, even saddles from those periods. In their opinion, modern replicas might do but you can't beat the genuine article. In N.I. there is a re-enactment group call 'The Irish Horse'. They turn up for events in any of the three periods depending on what is asked. All their saddles are genuine period items but mostly the harness strapping is modern leather I also met the chaps from a European based group who did medieval jousting. Several of the chaps were proud to show me their genuine 14th & 15th centuries saddles. I think any guarantee on those would have run out by now A Lord I know regularly uses a saddle and harness made in 1812 in Italy for one of his fore-fathers. it is in unbelievable most excellent condition and has very fine stitching In US terms; think of the saddles, holsters, rifle scabbards from the 19th century still in use But, I agree, that in modern usage a 100 year guarantee is just a modern marketing ploy. At today's rates of closure how many of those businesses will be around even next year never mind in 20 years. Latest in UK news is that an average of 4500 small businesses are closing down each month. Of course manufacturing businesses are only a small portion of this number, but there goes their guarantee on their products When I had a side business of repairing old vehicles (antique type ones) I turned away a tool sales man. He wanted to sell me an extended warranty beyond the normal 1 year on the power tools. I told him that if the tool need extra warranty then it was most likely going to need it, ie it would break down. I bought the tools that gave a 3 year warranty and free servicing during that period

In Europe/UK companies used to give a 'Life Time' guarantee. This was out-lawed many years ago and a specific length of time must be given and the length of time must be reasonable, a reasonable time any ordinary person might expect, eg, a 5, 10, 15 year guarantee is fine, 50 or 100 years is generally not. My guarantee time is variable, 6 months to 3 years generally We think we live in a modern 'throw away & replace' society but archaeologists find the people as far back as the stone age, the neolithic, were no different to us, when something was no longer useful or needed repair, throw it away, replace, or if possible re-purpose the item. How do we know this? from finds, of mostly leather goods, found in middens (a waste/garbage dump) and old item now in museum archives. I have several books which have the likes of belt purses, pouched, knife & sword scabbards, shoes & boots et cetera all found in one location in a midden showing this replace or repurpose of leather items So not even leather goods will last forever, but they'll last a long time if looked after Also, the quality of the construction and the leather used will make the leather item last a long time. Make it good first time and the only time you'll see that customer again is when they come back to buy another item If I may share a story incident to show this; in my old medieval history prestation group a few chaps went to Wales for an event. There they did some classes, including 'leather work'. Two of the chaps made sheaths for 'fantasy' style eating knives they had made in the metal working class. The leather used was poor quality, I think it was cheap chrome tan. I remember it was too soft for a sheath and was rough-out on both sides, it didn't smell or taste like leather. Holes were pierced with some round tool and the sheath folded over and rough hand cut lace used to whip stitch it together. This was supposed to be 'authentic' medieval leather work. Anyway after about 4 or 6 weeks those sheaths were falling apart, some of the pierced holes which were too close to the edge had ripped out, the knife had cut some lace or through the sheath itself. In the meantime one other chap had asked me to make a proper sheath, a copy of a certain viking one, I made it in veg tan, wet moulded and stamped, sewn with linen thread, a welt et all. As far as I know that sheath is still in use after about 15 or 16 years A very important thing now, in my opinion, is to put your maker mark, or some other identifiable mark on the items you make. Not too many times, but enough, I've had people bring to me leather items for repair or replacement, usually they politely argue it should be done under its guarantee. As far as I remember, only once did I have to fix an item I made, all the rest were not my responsibility. Another's maker mark was on the item; 'Not mine' I tell the person 'But I bought it from you at this show just last month' 'This show is only on once a year and this mark shows me someone else made it. I don't sell other peoples work. But I can repair it for you for just a few £££' Not full time at this, but occasional part time. In nearly 23 years of doing this I've only had to repair two of my items, one due to faulty construction and once for accidental damage by the owner. I've repaired far more items made by other so called 'leather workers', I say it this way as those makers made very simple basic errors that a beginner soon knows not to make, eg using linen thread to hold the sole on a shoe with the thread on the surface of the leather withing the walking area - wore through on the first day of use! or not putting a welt into sheath for a razor sharp knife. . . . I'm still wearing a belt I made 22 years ago. It now needs some attention, some re-dyeing in worn places, but its still good. My dottir still occasionally uses a brief case bought second-hand at a car-boot sale. Because of an old receipt found in it the case is from at least 1948. The case just needed a cleaning with saddle soap and it was fine - good quality leather, well made & looked after = a long life time of use too much waffle?

Do competitors in this get an automatic Bye entry in the Darwin Awards competition?

Actually, I have a fish pie in the fridge for din-dins later. I think its cod. about 50 years ago (!!!) I sat on a river bank near the town of Easkey in Eire and watched a guy 'fishing' with a long bow. He was getting leaping salmon as they jumped up river. He got fish at about 8 per ten shots. He was getting them for the local hotel and shop Despite living at a seaside town, there is no fishing off our bit of coast. Its quite renown for there being literally no fish out there, never has been apparently. Only thing is a peculiar edible red crab but no-one catches them any more cos no-one eats them. For any fishing at all you have to go about 50 miles down the coast, or about 5 miles out to sea. The only fish I ever caught here was 3 dogfish shark years ago. I caught them as the master on a small fishing trawler threw them up to me on the pier!

Skin the fish, cure the skin and use it to embellish some holster There, back on track! Fish skin was the choice covering for sword grips in the period 1790s - 1820s or so. The skin was glued on to wood scales using fish glue then over wrapped with either silver or gold wire, depending on how rich you were

That is a clever idea mmm, has other possibilities; a tube shape to hold the extra lens or a drinks bottle, a case like that for a pen & notebook

I think I have the Tandy pattern packs for Western vests. I think I can share them with you Tandy used to sell a wide range of kits, but they stopped, afaik a few years ago, or now its just limited to a few small items

All the holsters look very fine indeedy What are you putting on them to get such a high gloss which is showing in the photos With respect; are you tending to rush finishing these? they seem to have a little look of a rushed end to the job

Good buy, and goodbye your savings, but you'll see a difference I'm using my Tandy press but I may have to save up for one of these

I just found this Tandy Vest kit on ebay https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/195501906345?hash=item2d84d259a9:g:PmIAAOSwHkNji0SP&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAAwFmfLJzONoYa15knBiCFU9EEXUzJarN0UA3r1nwNt%2BWLKrV9miO5fDVJ7%2BIvTgHBWqCdQOHFZ%2B2jM8koCFGoQQ%2FQW1Dm7TzGFfYFQtgSEUk2cc9zmvT5Xl3GhzABfm8op5whZdVR%2FmFRAstMqsnwx5HoR5IaOF3fDWFV3rf8FzAe6gW2fslBQD0dssYwH3CtNNagD3WoXEvFkG7ifhE3nflVQ4kkbFpJzZUIR5fpzkzPpx26g8hGRkMBSPoLmg4iRg%3D%3D|tkp%3ABk9SR9bn-f_4YQ If you don't buy it I will !

I get such things out of China. All measurements in millimeters The last few I bought are not handled punches but for use under a press, but I have round and V end handled punches, all in millimeters

When I did a lot of motorcycling I wore gauntlet gloves. An old trick for wet weather riding was to tie some natural string loosely around each wrist and elbow, leaving several tails about 4 or 5 inches long. In the rain those string tails wicked off the water on hands and arms and let the wind take it away. It was surprising how much difference that string made Kinda like how leather fringe would work