flerg777

Let me know if that works! I'm like bikermutt07, I don't know, but I have an idea: I use a small 45 degree cut piece of wood for skiving the ends of pieces for box stitching. You set the piece on top of the leather, back just a bit, and bring your knife down against the wood, which forces it into a 45 degree cut. Regardless, good luck!

Other than the black, I've had good experiences with Eco-Flo. It definitely requires a good finish (I use Super Sheen and Fiebings Aussie), and I hold the item a couple of days before I ship it off, but I've got a three year old bird bag dyed timber brown that has seen some pretty harsh use, and has no fading or loss of color. I cannot find a good black dye, by the way. I've heard it recommended that, indeed, you should try dipping the whole piece (but, I don't have the space/money for that kind of dye job).

Thanks!

I thought about this a bit, and then it occurred to me to use a round chisel. I'd bought a box of chisels a few years ago from Harbor Freight for cheap. The round chisel made a purnt-near perfect corner with just slight pressure.

On a tangent -- it would be neat t find out what the paper says!

Because of this thread, I realized that I had an entire set of cheap chisel and lathe tools from Harbor Freight in my shed! One of them cuts an absolutely beautiful corner.

If you have a hole punch about the diameter of the corner, you can just punch a hole in each corner, then connect the corners with straight cuts.

I've got a nice 7-8 oz. W&C bridle leather. The grain side is wonderful -- waxy, and soft but still tough. The flesh side, however, is a bit dry and papery in parts. I know that, with time, it should work itself out a bit, but I wonder: would oiling it with neatsfoot or olive oil soften it up, too?

Thank you both for the suggestions. I am considering 3-4 for the inside, and 7-8 for the outside, since that is what I have in stock, but I am concerned about the roll being a bit too stiff to start. I really appreciate your thoughtful responses.

Another happy Buckle Guy customer here -- I just found them a couple of months ago when my local Tandy didn't carry solid brass trigger swivels in a size for 3/8" dog leashes. I've now even bought a W&C bridle leather side from them in 3-4 oz., and it looks great (as do all the hardware pieces).

Wow, what great artistry! I love designs that are so big they challenge the borders.

Great looking collars! I cheat -- I use deerskin to pad my rifle slings, and edge with Edge Flex, since I can't burnish them together.

I have a customer who wants a custom knife roll, and I'm trying to find an American-made leather for it. Would 3-4 oz. W&C English Bridle be alright? I'm not sure if it's too thin, and I'm having trouble pulling the trigger on a hide, but I know that it's good leather, in general. I use 7-8 oz. for leashes and slings, but I don't have a splitter, and skiving such a size at my skill would look u.g.l.y.

Thanks, Billybopp!

Does anybody else line or pad with deerskin? I've been padding rifle slings with it. I'm wondering if anybody has any problems with it, in particular.

I am happier with a round knife, because it cuts curves better and easier than my box cutter, it cuts straight lines through thick leather much, much easier, and it holds an edge longer. These, and the push cut (rather than the pull), makes this blade safer to use, in my opinion. This last point goes to your post, Windrider. A sharp blade is safer than a dull blade. When working with a dull blade, or a blade that dulls quickly, frustration can set in, and the idea to just pull through that last cut can overcome common sense. When that last cut involves a pull or tug toward you, the danger appears to increase. It's easy to get the basic use of a round knife, just keep your hand behind the blade. I have cut myself accidentally with a box cutter, but never with a round knife. (Now, I'm no doctor, nor statistician, as a disclaimer.) Last -- how much do a pack of razors cost? If you've used 100? Now, consider Ferg's great answer, a 60 year-old knife. How many razors in that time? So, there's a calculation that would be unique to your age and amount of use, but it may well be that a good round knife is an investment that pays off at some time. So, to answer your question -- why would anyone buy one? Ease of cuts, versatility in thicker leathers, longer time staying sharp, To answer JLSLeather's question (which was not the original question, but one he read into it): What can a round knife do that a box cutter can't do? Nothing. What can it do more easily, probably more cheaply over time, and probably more safely? Most everything.

I liked the notion of the shell box from the Tandy Leather book on bags, but I wanted a design that made it easier to actually remove the shells. Here's the result:

A great video -- just what I was looking for. Thank you!

Just be sure to carve the nose a smidge bigger than you think. At least, that's what I felt helped me.

Thanks! Nerve wracking is the proper name, for sure.

Bland, here's the sketch. Feel free to use it, but if you can, please post a pic!

Thanks! I am trying to share the sketch. I think I have to get to a computer (I'm on my phone right now.)

Thanks, folks! The stamps are 3/4". Thanks, folks! The stamps are 3/4".

Here's my latest project, a rifle sling. I designed the mule deer head (if anyone is interested, I can post the drawing) because I couldn't find a mule deer pattern that I liked. I also couldn't find a buck with big enough antlers that were also able to fit inside the sling's dimensions, who also had a handsome face. I wound up putting a young buck's face on an old buck's rack. This is also my first time working with the big letters. It was scary, but I faked the confidence and stamped them in.

Thanks! I was hoping others didn't have to suffer from it. : )