alpha2

I had to laugh at some of the things you listed as "learning experiences"! I thought, "well, that's obvious", then realized they were exactly what I would have screwed up and had to do over! (Especially the running back to the store for stuff, I OWN that one!) Enjoy your new "almost stress free" stitching now. Jeff

That is Mont Blanc's copyrighted logo, you could try them. I would think that anyone else selling them for commercial use might be a copyright infringement. Jeff

It's a feature, and one in some demand. Making a project for someone else, though, they should be aware of the "look". Also, you can generally make the hi-lighted areas go back to "normal" by manipulating the leather. Jeff

Try doing a line of stitching with the tool slightly "off" tilted in one direction, then another line with it tilted a tiny bit the other direction, and see if maybe how you are seeing it is slightly off. Then, of course, make absolutely certain that the leather is perfectly flat when you use the punch. Jeff

Zipper practice. You and me both. Jeff

Oh, and if my experience is any indication, when the missus wears something fine, the orders start flowing in. It's a bike thing. Jeff

Is that blue, or Egyptian Blue? I have the blue, but the Egyptian Blue is fantastic! I wish I could get it for the CowBoy 4500. CowBoy has a Serafil thread that is close. BTW, great project! Jeff

Wait! There's coffee?

Very nice! That should hold your gun, and another gun, and a couple of double mag carriers! How long did it take you to stitch it? You can see why strap cutters are so popular, now. Jeff

Happy Birthday! Thanks for all you do. Of all the forums I frequent from time to time, this one I visit at least once a day, usually more. The sheer amount of advice, and amazing experience level that is available on this forum is nothing short of amazing. Best people ever. Jeff

You don't want to buy Tandy buckles, you want a wholesaler if possible. Google wholesale western buckles. Or something like that. I did that recently and there a number of outlets selling stuff like that.

Sounds like you had a long series of learning experiences on these bags. I exhausted and agitated just reading about it! When I first read your thread title, I thought maybe you'd finished getting your shop all set up and organized. Heh-heh, I see that's not the case! Jeff

So much so, that if you find yourself in that position right now, contact me and I'll buy your knife! I have the Tandy Al Stohlman one, and rarely use. I've sharpened and sharpened, etc. etc., and have never been happy with it. When I do "get it kinda sharp", it needs stropping immediately again. Jeff

Nice holster. Airbrush practice is critical. Nice thing is, you can do it on a piece of paper or cardboard. Draw outline of a holster, then have at it. It's a pretty steep learning curve.

Wow! Sheila, that totally works for me! Jeff

All true. I think that experience can be related to wisdom. As related to knowledge. (Knowledge is is being aware that a tomato is a fruit, wisdom is knowing to not use it in a fruit salad). You can see where experience could be substituted for wisdom there. My older sibling was all over book smarts. My knowledgeable brother has actually DONE basically...zilch. He did read all about it, though. You wouldn't want to turn him loose on a project he had read all about. After a lifetime in aviation, he was incredulous that I didn't play around with Microsoft Flight Simulator. Really. I tried to explain that if I wanted to have a flight experience, I would go to my hangar and roll the plane out. I'm not sure he ever got it. I have to say, my experience has paralleled Mike's experience. I can only read so much before I need to do it wrong a few times, to learn what doesn't work. "I have not failed, I've just found 10,000 ways that don't work", - Thomas Edison. Now, having said all that, this forum is a real shortcut to better leatherwork. It's like book learning and experience all wrapped into one resource. But, I'm still learning a lot by messing up on a regular basis. I don't expect that to change soon! Jeff

I'd like to score a junked truck with purpleheart decking!!! Fire up the planer you'd have a major score. Jeff

Yes, black bridle. The first removable sleeve I made for Bag 1.0 didn't include a coin purse...I was "informed" that wouldn't do! Mrs. A2 doesn't begrudge me anything I spend on leatherwork stuff, so she gets whatever she wants. Jeff

What you describe sounds like a typical buckle that is designed so that the billet doesn't have to make a big curve over that bar. Moving the prong bar down allows the billet to lay flatter. Jeff

Just remember to put some loctite on the threads, so they don't unscrew as you pivot them! But, yeah, Chicago screws. Jeff

Now you have Barry King wishing he had some of THOSE! Purpleheart? Jeff

Thanks, Munk!

Thanks, guys! The blue was the boss's choice. I showed her all the colors I have in stock, but she's seen a couple of belts I did in black bridle with the blue. Jeff

Second attempt at Messenger Bag for the boss. A lot of experiments with the first one, just a couple on this one. I tried some folded edges, and an interior piece with pockets for cel-phone, pen and keys. This one is a bit wider and deeper. Also went with a different closure than the first. The first one had a magnetic closure, and I hated it. The flap was fairly flexible, and lining up the two parts was difficult. I also stitched the 2-ply strap and flap on this one.

Thank you, Sir! Jeff