CitizenKate

Wow, those are beautiful... very original - you two are a great team! Kate

I really find my mauls much easier on my wrist and arm than the rawhide mallet I used before. I was starting to get a chronic "tennis elbo" type of problem in my striking arm, and when I got the mauls, the problem cleared up. I think it also helps to use the right weight of striking tool for the job. One that is too light can make your arm (and wrist) work harder than it should have to in order to get a solid impression from the stamp. The rule of thumb I was taught was, if you have to force the striking tool down, it's too light. If you have to control the fall, it's too heavy. Kate

The compressor I use with my air brush is just an ordinary 3-gallon, 125psi model I bought at Sears. As long as it has a regulator to control the hose pressure, it will work just fine. Also you may want to get a moisture filter, which you can get just about anywhere you can buy a compressor. If water gets in the line, it could cause some problems with your air brush. I think the main advantage of buying a compressor that is "designed" to be used with an air brush is that it would run much more quietly. Kate

I second Luke's reply. Kate

I recently switched to the red rouge, and I like it much better. The red rouge is recommended for jewelers; it produces more of a high shine on the metal than the white rouge does. I can get my knife tips very sharp with considerably less effort than I used with the white stuff. Kate

That's a heckuva lot nicer than the ones I see teens wearing that they got at places like Hastings. (Real leather makes a difference, doesn't it?) Kate

Welcome Ryan! Feel free to play, experiment, and brainstorm! We'll have fun helping... Kate

Also, Maine Thread Co. is a good thread supplier: http://www.mainethread.com/ Kate

I remember when you first posted that, Clay. I can do some pretty respectable ornamental design from various periods and cultures, but floral scrolls have been my bane. I still have a ways to go in that area, but that little tutorial you and she engaged in was a major "aha!" for me. I've never met Verlane personally, although we exchanged email on some occasions... I was also very saddened by her sudden passing, but she gave us so much, and that is worth celebrating and preserving. Everything we all remember about her has suddenly become much more vivid, and I think that's our way of keeping her with us. As long as we preserve what she gave us, she will always be with us. Kate

Hey John, Dumb question : What is "mild steel"? I know "stainless steel" and "carbon steel", but I've never heard of steel referred to as "mild". One thought about the stains, though... do you think maybe spraying some lacquer on the tool will keep it from staining the leather without affecting the quality of the impression? Just a thought. (There is probably a reason the inexpensive tools have a chrome finish.) Kate

Great post, Robert! I had just picked up some steel bolts to play with and was doing some experimenting with my dremel tool, and your tutorial answered a bunch of questions that were collecting in my brain as I played. I've really got the bug to make some of my own stamps now (as if I have nothing else to do - ha!). Thanks so much for taking the time to write that up and snap some WIP photos. Kate

You finally did the fish belt! Nice! I love Bob's scroll designs. Wouldn't you know he'd want all that beautiful carving dyed black?! I agree - whatever happens, don't do it. Kate

I second Alex's advice 100%. I would add that I've also found that both Tan-Kote and neutral shoe polish work great with water-based dyes and antiques/stains. Kate

I've been selling only made-to-order items (some custom, some not) for five years, but now am starting to build up more ready-to-ship inventory. The advantage of made-to-order is, you don't have any money or space tied up in inventory. The disadvantage is, you're behind the eight-ball all the time, and the money is in limbo (not quite the customer's money, but not quite yours, either) while you're building the order. Sometimes customers get skittish having their money tied up in a long turnaround, and I've had a couple get cold feet before the order was completed, and cancel the order. (This is for non-custom work. For custom work, the prepaid amount is non-refundable.) I was able to sell the items in the end, but it's still not good when that happens. The advantage of maintaining an inventory is, you can work more at your own pace, and when an order comes, you just package up the item and your money is free and clear. It is a lot more fun making stuff when I don't have someone breathing down my back to get it done. And it's a lot more fun selling something that's already made. It also makes it easier to go to art & craft fairs, since you need to show up to those with a pretty full array of merchandise. I've considered just building display items and taking orders, but I'm sure I'd lose quite a bit of business that way, and the 3-6 months following the fair getting all the orders filled would be hell. So, just some observations from my experiences, for what it's worth... Kate

It is tough to dye leather white, so I tend to avoid it altogether. I did have one customer insist on a game board with white squares, and after he agreed to all the caveats, I agreed to make the board. The white xylol-based dye from Fiebings is very difficult to get good results with when applied with a hand brush. But I got much better results spraying it on in multiple, light coats. It gave the leather a very solid white appearance, while having a minimal effect on the surface texture of the leather. That being said, I still don't recommend it, because xylol fumes are highly toxic, especially when sprayed. I have not tried the white acrylic from Createx, but I have used some of the other colors and they are great on leather. Any time you use acrylic, you want to apply it thin enough so some of the pigment will get absorbed into the leather. I've also used Krylon spray paint to color an area of leather white, and that works surprisingly well. Kate

In general, Eco Flo dyes are thin enough to spray without diluting. I've sprayed quite a bit of it from my airbrush with no problems. My first guess is, the feed tube may have become clogged, which was not too unusual when I was using a pre-val sprayer. Kate

Wow, she has been one of those pillars of the field since long before my re-entry into it. This really does create a proverbial "hole" in your reality. It's hard to believe she's just gone. Well met, Verlane. Thank-you for all the inspiring moments you gave us. (And by the way, she was the one who convinced me to get that hideous 6lb maul. I objected, but I got it anyway. She was right, as usual. *sigh* I will miss her dearly.) Kate

Dale... wow... nice figure carving. You need to post more of your finished work. Kate

Huh. That's something I think even I could do! Thanks for sharing that, and I'll be interested to know the results from your trials. Kate

Exactly, overlap them more. The impressions should overlap by 60-75%. As far as how deep... can't say exactly, just go lighter than you do now, then come back with another lighter pass, and see if you think it looks smoother. Right, just work the leading edge of the beveler on the inside edge of the backgrounded area. This causes the edges of the backrounded area to be "tucked in", so it looks more defined. I'll try to post a photo of what I'm talking about if this doesn't make sense. Hope this helps... Kate

welder, that's a great first carving. Your knife cuts are unusually smooth and clean for a first try, so you appear to already have some comfort with the swivel knife. It looks like you may be struggling a bit with the beveler, though. Not a problem, that's what everyone struggles with at the beginning - Lord knows, I sure did! (I'll post a couple of photos later to show you what I mean.) Two things I think will make it easier for you... - Make your "walking" beveler impressions closer together. - Make two lighter passes, instead of one heavier pass. Two things to try if you would like more defined, smoother backgrounds... - Try running a beveler around the inside of your backgrounded areas after backgrounding. - After beveling an area, hold the work at an angle to your work light and rotate it, looking for uneven areas, then tap them lightly down with your backgrounder as you spot them. Sometimes it's hard to see the uneven areas when light is at a more direct angle while you're working. Turning them at a sharper angle to the light helps you to spot those areas more easily. Hope this helps, and definitly do keep posting your work - you're off to a great start! Kate

Okay, here are some results of my testing, if anyone is interested... - It turns out, I was actually able to get some very nice results from the all-in-one. You just have to buff the heck out of it. I also discovered that it mixes very nicely with Tan-Kote to make lighter shades and add a little more protection. So this is the stain/antique I'm going to use for my classes. (I still prefer my own recipe for my own work, but this is something I've been testing for use in a class setting, that will produce nice results without much hassle.) With this product, you don't really have to use a sealing finish, but in case you want to... - Tan-kote was the winner for the finish you can brush or wipe on water-based stains and antiques "with confidence" (i.e., you don't have to be too careful). - Neutral shoe polish ended up being the best wax finish you can wipe on water-based stains. The antique was not disturbed at all when it was being wiped on, and you can create any kind of finish you like from mellow to high gloss, just depeding how much polish you put on, and how much buffing you want to do. - Acrylic finishes can be used if you're careful enough. That is, work fast, make one pass (the second pass is what gets you), and avoid using too much pressure. Thanks for all your input! Kate

Ohhhh... do you mean to say all the backgrounds and textures you create are by cutting? Kind of like linoleum carving? (That would explain why, in the back of my mind, when looking at your work, I think "linoleum print".) Think I'm going to go try that! Kate

I just got a flyer from Hidecrafter advertising Thoroughbred tooling and carvng sides, on sale for $5.25/sq. ft., and skirting sides for $134 per side. Toll-free ph.: 888-263-5277 Kate

I don't know if very many people noticed, but leatherworker.net passed the 1000 member mark on November 21st. Congratulations, Johanna - well done! Empower the members, and there is no telling what explodes in your face. Kate