bob21804

Thanks for the additional info on the collar. I have a buddy, who I already made collars for 2 of his dogs, and wants me to do one for his 3rd dog. I think I'll talk him into letting me do a bit fancier one - a bit more like yours. And how did you know I have an (old) F150?! BUT, some of us might more likely be towing an old veedub with it!

Nice, I'd love to have a 67 bus. I have a friend who owns a 68. It hasn't been restored and has a goo amount of rust and faded paint, but I think it's beautiful. Sorry for the off-topic post.

Wow, nice collar. Actually I guess all these choices in dyes, stains and paints can be confusing to me. There's just so much to choose from. I think I would like to settle on just 2 or 3 lines, but still not sure what would be the best for me. I guess it depends a lot on what you're working on. So you use regular Fiebing's dyes and sometimes dilute and sometimes not? If that's right, do you dilute based on whether or not you want to lighten the color, or am I misunderstanding you. Also, I'm assuming by "regular", you're referring to spirit based, not the oil based, right? Again, I don't think I know when or why to choose one over the other. Maybe I should have started a thread on understanding the differences between the types of dyes. lol. (and then there's "stains". ) I would like to try some of the brighter color dyes, like greens, blues, reds and yellows. I'll be placing an order with Springfield Leather late next week. Perhaps I get a few colors to experiment with. I certainly don't mind experimenting. Thanks for the input, Eglideride. Any clarifications and/or more info you'd like to pass on would be great. BTW, is that collar lined, or is the stitching just decorative?

I want to try everything, and I've been thinking about an airbrush for a while. (I've also played with a Preval Sprayer a bit). I've poked around the forums and YouTube a bit, but I'm interested in hearing more of what the members here have to pass on to the complete airbrush newbie. I bought a Harbor Freight Deluxe Airbrush Kit, and one of their oil-less airbrush compressors. I know some people don't think highly of HF, but I've been shopping with them for years and find as long as the customer reviews are favorable, I'm usually satisfied. Granted, I may decide to go with a higher quality set-up sometime in the future, but I'll stick with this, at least for now. Two little things I think I've learned in my 20 minute airbrushing career, is #1 - between thinning dyes and not having much of it soak into a dauber or sponge, I think my dyes will go further. And #2 - I think it's easier to get a nice, light, mellow color with the saddle tan than when I apply with a sponge. Make sense? My first airbrush newbie question - I believe I read most people use rubbing alcohol or denatured alcohol to dilute Fiebing's Low VOC Spirit based dyes - correct? Is a 50/50 mix generally a good place to start, or am I way off base? Also, I think I remember concerns about the spirits degrading seals in the airbrush. Is that right? If so, what can be done about it? I wouldn't mind hearing any tips, suggestions. opinions, etc., on using an airbrush in leatherwork. Show your work and please help me learn from your experience. Thanks! Bob

Interesting thread for me. I just bought my first inexpensive HF airbrush set up, and poking around the forums looking for info and opinions. I have about 20 minutes of airbrushing experience (including setup and cleanup. ), but I liked the way the Eco-Flo Saddle Tan looked on the small scrap piece I did. I think, with some learning and experience I'll have better control of the dying results I get versus rubbing dye in with a sponge or a dauber. But perhaps, the technique I use will depend on the project and desired results. <<< Newbie speaking. No doubt I'll be starting a thread to pick the brains and learn from the experienced airbrush people here.

Just a suggestion, (and someone correct me if this is a bad idea) but you might want to give the area a light sanding with fine sandpaper, and see if that removes the gray. I did that when I spilled a little supershene on a piece before it was dyed. I didn't realize I even did it until I dyed the piece and the supershene resisted the dye. After lightly sanding and re-dying that area, you could never tell it happened.

Datdraku, I really like your carving style. Figure carving definitely isn't a strong point for me, though it's a skill I really want to develop. I'm going to watch the tutorial Thor posted and start practicing more often.

I realize this post is a few months old, but have to say it - That is beautiful work.

Snubby, that's a gorgeous holster. I've not made a holster yet, but I'm looking forward to doing my first one soon. A couple guys I work with are each interested in a good deal on a holster from a newbie leatherworker. As I said to another forum member just yesterday, seeing the beautiful work others here are doing, is really motivating to me. Also, I started watching your video series on this holster, and subscribed. Thanks for posting it, and for going through the effort of putting it on YouTube. I know I'll learn a lot watching you work. Bob

TinkerTailor, thanks for the great suggestion. Sounds like a fun little project to play with. I have access to hacksaw blades, where I work, for cutting 600 series stainless steel - also all the used bandsaw blades I'd ever need. Anything is worth a try - nothing to lose. I sure will, Karina. Happy to help if I can. BTW, "veedub"?? Are you into old VW's too? I have a 73 Beetle and a 71 Bus. Bob

Art, thanks for the suggestion, but the broken blade in my picture is the one I tried to fit into the skiver. It broke because it doesn't fit. The one that fits into the skiver is a bit shorter and has notched ends. Hmm, I wonder if I'd have any luck cutting and shaping one of those blades with my Dremel.

Thanks guys. I appreciate the info and the link. I think I'll have a very hard time get ahold of any blades for this old skiver, but I'll keep my eye and ears open, just in case I get lucky some time. At least now I have some more info. If, by chance anybody has some of these blades to sell, or know where I can get a few, please let me know. Bob

Well, so far no responses, but I found the original (broken) blade that was in this skiver, and it also says "FIRM Blade", so I did a quick internet search using that term and found a few that had been listed in Worthpoint.com, unfortunately still not much info - not even any reference to leatherwork, so I'll keep looking. Again, if anybody has any info, let me know. Thanks! (I tried 3 times to post a link, but for some reason, it's not working for me)

I'm pretty new to leatherwork, and recently bought a chest full of tools at a 2nd hand shop, including this (what I'm assuming is a) Skiver. Can anybody tell me anything about it? It has a patent # and some other text inside the hinged door where the blade goes, but I need a bigger magnifier to read it. Also on the handle it says FIRM Blade (with FIRM in all caps and "blade" in script). Also, I'm specifically wondering where to get blades for it. As you might be able to see in the attached pic, I tried a blade from a safety skiver, but it was a bit too big and broke when I closed the hinged door. I appreciate any info you can give me. Thanks, Bob

Stupid mistakes? I make them everyday. I was just finishing the flap for my granddaughter birthday present purse... adding her initials... A...M... Upside-down "B". I ended up cutting an oval and sewing it over-top my mistake (with her initials all right-side-up this time). Such is (my) life. And she'll never know.

I'm really not much of a skull guy, although I like that... very cool. Thumb up.

I've never made a holster (yet). but it looks pretty darn good to me.

Gary, sounds like you handled this well. I always try to remember to "respond", but not "react", to people like that. He'll lose interest and unfortunately become someone else's problem soon.

Thanks Thor! (and Northmount)! I really, really like that bag, Thor. Looks like a pretty perfect design to me. Now ya went and made me sign up for Pintrest! LOL. I also have Stoleman's Art of Making Leather Cases, Volume 1, so between the pic, the PDF and the books, I think I can put together a few nice bags. Now all I need is TIME. I appreciate the help, guys. Bob

Thanks for the suggestions. Olle P, I get your point, and can agree that's definitely an option anytime. I have done a few simple designs for other items, and realize there are advantages. After I found this section of the forum, I also figured it would be a good idea to get some ideas I might not have. Dirk, thank you so much for the PDF. Even if nothing in those pages is exactly what I'm looking for on this project, no doubt I can use it for some ideas for the kids bags, as well as other projects in the future. I really appreciate you passing it on. If anybody else has a pattern or idea to pass on, please do. Bob

This spring I'll be taking my 3 grandkids to our annual blues festival and camping trip. We stay at a campground for the weekend and attend the festival Saturday and Sunday. I'd like to make each of them a small bag, preferably with both a belt loop and a detachable shoulder strap. Also thinking a loop for a small flashlight and/or other attachment points for camping and the festival. I'm wondering if anybody might have a pattern for a bag that would work, or close enough that I could modify for our purpose. The kids are girls, ages 16 and 11 and a boy, age 8, so something unisex would be needed. Sorry I don't have a picture of an example, but the only picture I have is in my mind. Thanks, Bob

That is pretty cool. I also got a makers stamp from Nick, as well as an embossing plate. They both look great.

I'm starting a belt for a buddy at work. I'm doing this dirt cheap for him, with the understanding that I'm trying to expand my skills and experimenting a bit. This will be my first lined and stitched belt, and I'm also working with milled vegtan for the first time. (I ordered it by mistake and chose not to return it) I'm trying to use materials I have on hand so I can get to it right away and gain some more experiences. My plan, (and I'm not sure it's even a reasonable one) is to use 5/6 ounce milled vegtan for the front, and 3/4 ounce vegtan (not milled) for the lining. I chose the milled vegtan for the front because he doesn't want any tooling work, other than a grooved stitching line with a parallel crease on the border, and his initials stamped, and I figured the somewhat pebbled texture of the milled material would give it a bit more style. I've already cut the strip for the front, cut the belt tip, marked the holes and buckle slot. As soft as this leather is, I'm already wondering how difficult it will be to make a grooved line for the stitching, without messing it up. I'll try with a piece of scrap first. After I finish the front, including dying, I plan to cut the lining leather somewhat oversized, and glue the strips back to back, and let that dry well. I'll punch the holes and slot through both pieces at the same time, to avoid any alignment issues. Then I'll trim the lining to match the front, mark the stitching holes and stitch. I'm sure I'll run into some things I'll be unsure of along the way, but I'll cross each of those bridges as I come to them. I already anticipate burnishing the edges will be a treat. Overall, is my choice of materials and my plan reasonable? If you've done lined belts, and/or worked with milled leather, are there any issues you're pretty sure I'm likely to run into, that you can pass on to me now? Any advice from those more experienced than me (and that's most of you), is more than welcome. Anyway, I guess I'll get to it. I'm not in a particular rush to finish this belt, but I am looking forward to learning more along the way. Bob

Very nice. I like that a lot. I have a piece of ostrich leg skin that I bought a couple years ago, when I dabbled in leather-work just a bit. I never did get around to using it, because I was waiting until my skills got good enough that I was pretty sure I wouldn't ruin it. Now that I've been back into the hobby, steadily for a couple months, I think I'll start thinking about a project to use the piece that I have.

Looks great to me. Are the brighter colors dye or paint? I'm looking forward to experimenting with color sometime, before too long, but haven't dived into it at all yet,. Bob