battlemunky

Airbrush wise, Harbor Freight with a coupon is your friend. You don't need an expensive set up for dyeing leather. I think with the compressor and the brush I spent <$100.

I too appreciate that you are on here representing SLC. As good, bad, or indifferent as our issues/questions/etc. are/have been, you still come back and remain positive. Regarding "stuff", I would sure like to have more higher quality options even if it means higher prices but it needs to be commensurate. Expensive for expense's sake is meaningless to me. For example, Vergez Blanchard wing dividers...I think I paid almost $100 bucks for mine. $100 for wing dividers! I guarantee you though that I will never wear them out or break them and they are ridiculously well made. Worth $100? I'm not sure but my great grandkids will likely be able to answer that question. On the other hand, some of the Craftool stuff, in particular an edger I have from them, IIRC was $40 and the collar is cracked and it doesn't stay sharp like the heat treat is bad on it or something. It won't make it past my desire to pony up some $ for a set of Master's or Palosantos let alone to see my great grand kids. If y'all can find some good quality stuff at even better prices, you'll have a lot more of my business. Oh, and more of Kevin's dog.

First, Chris, welcome to the antiquing frustration club. We are legion! As far as a correction for the piece, maybe when you get a chance you can try some of the gel antique? I use Tan Kote and Resolene as resists but I'd think Pro Resist would act similarly. Let us know what you try and show some pics when you get a workable fix or sooner if you're feeling brave. As good as the last sheath turned out, it wouldn't surprise me if you aren't getting a decent result but your tolerance for imperfection may be blurring your vision. In any case, keep sharing as you go.

Here is why I have issue, among a few other things, with Tandy. Guess which one is Herman Oak and guess which one is Tandy. That is from removing blue tape after tooling. One is nearly hairy, the other is nearly perfect. Both are shoulders. Aside from poor leather sold at similar prices as HO, I’ve encountered more often than not, Tandy sales folks just hawking stuff for the sake of hawking it. Asking for an item that you are very familiar with just to be pointed to a completely different item just for an up sell, as if you were stupid, by a sales rep is unacceptable. That is how the leather industry is hurt not us bagging on Tandy. They are the only chain available to a lot of folks and instead of preying on hapless victims they should learn how to help people in stead of trying to liberate their money from their wallet. if I wouldn’t have encountered this at multiple Tandy’s in multiple states I’d let it slide but it is systemic I fear. That helps neither themselves, newbies, or the jaded and knowledgeable they try to grift on. Yet I continue to patronize them from time to time.

Yeah, great work all around!

Really nice refurb @Handstitched! I really like the lumpy new textures of the cane toad.

I have some 3-3.5 oz I use for wallets and haven't had any issues. I'm not sure how thin yours is. I do notice it being more supple with a softer temper to it than regular veg tan but it behaves pretty close to it.

You could probably do a dry run with some plain alcohol and see. Most dyes are very close to alcohol of some sort so they should penetrate similarly. If you apply the plain alcohol and it runs through the other side then I'd expect the dye to behave similarly.

Neat and clean!

Those are great!

You've grown into this very well @YinTx. That looks great!

@Adonis, that's just the way it turned out after I dyed and slicked it down. I guess since it's the flesh side.

Thanks @kiwican. I have already redesigned it. There is too much of the knife that extends beyond the top of the sheath and rubs on my love handle. It doesn't hurt but I can feel it so I have extended the belt loop in length and set it a bit higher on the sheath so it will both ride a bit lower and have the strap cover the exposed knife from any muffin top that extends above my pant line. I could just lose 20 lbs and keep the original design... :D

Beautiful work!

Palosanto edgers get some love but I've not used them personally. Good luck trying to get one though, everytime I've gone to buy one of them they've been out of stock.

Welcome @BIGSIZZLE!

I've only ever tried it on a sheath and after knocking it around on stuff it lost a few chunks. When I intentionally tried to peel the rest off it didn't want to let go so maybe the spots it peeled from was too slick or had something on it the other parts didn't? I've only done test runs aside from that. On a purse or bag it may hold up but I think on a thing that sees wear like a sheath's edge or maybe a wallet, burnishing is what I choose. I likely have given up on it too soon but I've learned to love a nice burnished edge and use chrome tanned leather rare enough not to matter.

Ohhhhhh Methinks you could’ve made a taco for the 119 but I think you’d need a strap to hold it in because of the hand guard. Anyway, I really like yours.

Take a piece of leather in your hand like a taco. Use the knife, spine in the trough of the taco, for the filling. Add a strip of leather on the blade side as the toppings. Now close the taco onto the toppings and sew it together with a big hole on one end and a tiny hole on the other end. Big hole is for ingress/egress of the knife and little hole is for water drainage if you choose to allow for one. It stops looking like a taco at that point though so I can see where the analogy should’ve made a left at Albuquerque, to quote Bugs. See? Taco. This works well for wet forming. You can create a really good strapless retention fit and lock that knife in.

Think “taco shell with a welt” if you try another one. Since the one I showed is for a folder while folded, it doesn’t need one but the 119 would but welts are easy enough. I think the stacked leather is a far harder sheath to make and yours looks pretty good. There are a ton of good YouTube vids on them too.

Good stuff!

Really cool gift!

You are killing it! Another cool and clean piece.

Good work!

Beautiful.