CitizenKate

It sounds like you have a lot of ideas floating around in your head for different projects you want to do. I think it may simplify things for you if you start with just one or two projects you have in mind to start with, and what kind of look you are trying to achieve with them, and narrow your query to what you will need for that. So I guess I'll answer your question with another question: What kind of project do you want to start with? Kate

Yes, and it works great. It's definitely the way to go if you've got one. Kate

Beautiful! Where is it going to go? Kate

Nice, Marlon! I think this is my favorite piece I've seen from you so far. Kate

I just went over there and took a look at them. The ones I looked at won't work that well, because most of the small veins are just painted onto the leaf, and the leaf skin as a pretty coarse weave. I think you would be able to tell pretty easily from the impression that it's a fake leaf. Just my opinion. Kate

Just letting everyone know that Paul Burnett has just started a new blog on his site, where he intends to post numerous articles showing projects in progress from his studio. Those of you who are fans of Paul's work will definitely want to visit and see all the new projects he has in the works. For those of you not familiar with the work of Paul Burnett, he is an award-winning leather artist who has developed and taught revolutionary concepts and techniques for carving, coloring, and embossing leather to produce very realistic wildlife subjects, stunning Victorian ornamental art, and much more. Anyone who is interested in carving leather should check it out. You can get to it from the Blog section here on Leatherworker, but here is a direct link: http://paintingcow.com/content/index.php/blog Kate

Sorray, that's what I meant, I'm just in the habit of calling it Aussie Wax for short. It has wax in it. I think most leather suppliers carry it. Kate

Kate is smiling.

Glad you found us, cutfingers, we look forward to seeing your work and participation in the forum. Kate

I think name brand designers are always on the lookout for people who do work they would like to include in their products. I've done some business with a couple of them, now, who purchased samples. One saw my web site, and another found me on Etsy. But at the end of the day, I don't think they can afford us, even if they charge 10 times the amount for the item that we would normally sell it for. I believe it's probably because what they are really selling is the marketing itself. They put all their money into marketing and very little into the manufacture of the product. Even as much as they charge for something, their profit margin isn't as high as you might guess, but they sell a lot more. On the other hand, most of us either can't afford the kind of marketing they do to creates the mass illusion that is their designer image, or don't have the marketing savvy. Personally, I wouldn't market my products that way even if I did have the savvy and the money, because I believe in selling something that is truly of value, rather than just a bunch of marketing hype. I have a feeling a lot of you feel the same way about it. I still think there are a few things we can and should do to improve our images as independent makers, though, without spending a lot, and without compromising how we represent ourselves. Put a little more effort into well-designed packaging and tagging. Think of the packaging as part of the product. Take a critical look at the channels you are using to get your product seen, craft fair displays, product literature, etc... Do they look professional, or amateur? Do you have quality images of items you make, or just snapshots? If you have customers telling you what they got was much better than what was pictured, it's probably a sign that you could charge more for your work if you produced better images of it. You can improve them a ton without spending a lot. These all might seem like little things, but if you don't think they matter, think again. Kate

You should always use any type of lacquer product in a well-ventilated area. I keep a box fan with an air filter clamped on it near where I'm working to keep the fumes under control. The fan sucks the air away and through the filter. You still get fumes, but they don't build up as much, and dissipate quickly if you have good ventilation. I also use a respirator if I'm doing a big job. I really haven't found anything quite as waterproof as lacqer, and I want what I make to be able to handle a worst-case scenario, which in this case is something like getting hot coffee spilled on it. If you don't know if a finish you're using will stand up to that, take a piece of scrap that's treated with it and pour some hot coffee on it. I will also mention I've also had very good results (in terms of being water proof and heat resistant) with Aussie Wax. It shouldn't take that long for acrylic finishes to dry, but I don't use them on anything that has to be moisture proof. I've had things I finished with Satin Sheen that were totally ruined after getting rained on, so now I only use it on work that will only be used indoors, and not in conjunction with the use of anything liquid. But to answer your question, I allow about 5 or 10 minutes between coats of lacquer, then let them sit overnight before stacking and packaging them. I apply it with lambskin scraps in very light coats, and after wiping it on and getting worked in a bit, immediately wipe off as much as possible. The lambskin will get down into any tooled impressions you have made in the leather and keep the finish from pooling there. If it goes on too heavily anywhere, it not only will make your leather look like plastic, it will become brittle and crack when you flex it. The finish will stay flexible and not crack if you put it on in very light coats. I put on 2 or 3 coats. And yes, I also put it on the edges after slicking. Kate

Oh, no... Kate

That was a very fascinating tour. I especially enjoyed seeing all the original steam-powered 19th century machinery that they still had in operation, with all the original lumber, even. (I'm sure all the steampunk enthusiasts would have been thrilled to see all of that.) The tanning liquor probably still contains water that originally filled the pits when the tannery first went online. The liquor is surprisingly non-toxic. We were told you could take a swim in it and you'd be fine. (I'm more than happy to take their word for it, though.) I won't say it wasn't smelly. In some places there were some smells you would typically expect to encounter on a cattle ranch, but not as pungent as what you would encounter in a feedlot. The liquor had what I would describe as a yeasty smell. But it wasn't as smelly as I anticipated. On the second floor, where the finishing is done, the smell was heavenly, as it was filled with the smells of those lovely oils that give the leather the smell we know it by. When everyone stepped out on the floor where all the finished hides were stacked up, there was a collective gasp. To our eyes, that was tantamount to a gold mine. Shep Hermann is a very personable and down-to-earth host, and not the typical exec who is out of touch with the technology. I really enjoyed his presentation, and have a much greater appreciation for all that goes into that material we treasure so highly. I hope we-all can continue to find more ways to make it worth their while to continue producing it. Kate

You know, you could have just done this... ;-) Kate

That is a pretty neat effect you got with the hairblade tool. It reminds me a lot of the lines you see in metal engraving to create a shaded effect. Kate

I always click on your new topics when you post photos of your new work because I know I won't be disappointed. Beautiful work, as always, Eric. Kate

That last one really turned out great. Thanks for showing them to us. Kate

For something you just slapped out, those are great. Kate

RIP Kate

Kate