LatigoAmigo

Well, he put on the brake and took a break. Works for me.

You might try contacting the suppliers who advertise on this site. Maverick Leather would be a good place to start. You could search their website to see if anything interests you. https://maverickleathercompany.com/

Leather working is a tough business, and very few make it, so most of us on this site are hobbyists and happy.

I feel your pain. I've been faced with the same problem, and resolved it by installing hidden snaps. Maybe place a ligne 24 snap in between the magnets.

You will want to check out Ohio Travel Bag. They sell this press (for $199, so you got a super good deal) and the many dies that work with it, including rivets, snaps and grommets. As far as cheaper, not sure. https://ohiotravelbag.com/products/t-1490?_pos=2&_sid=f368b4fbb&_ss=r&variant=30411959009364

A few years ago one of my coworkers retired, and to celebrate he went to Hawaii. To rub it in, he sent us greetings engraved on a coconut. It arrived by USPS, but was certainly outside of the first class letter rate for size and weight. Probably considered a parcel, which uses a different set of rules and rates.

Something like this is what comes to mind.

The ability to have tight, even stitches that really apply pressure to hold the leather over time. I often throw in an overhand knot to ensure even tension.

Sure... here is the link: http://www.campbell-randall.com/product/italian-twist-press-no-3

This might help...

Amazon is not broke everywhere... I found them in stock right now, but maybe it is only here in the states.

You nailed it... here are the two that got posted.

On this site .jpg files work best, but these images are not in that format but in something that Photoshop does not recognize. Is there any way you can convert these images to .jpg file format?

That's great. You might want to post the images themselves, because the link that you posted to view them can get lost over time, and so will the ability to view the images of your good work.

You might try something like installing a bathroom fan, mount it over your workspace and vent it out your window. Or even a kitchen/stove style fan with a hood. I have a more severe fume issue (due to a laser cutter), and since the fumes were bothering my neighbor, I have installed a fume extractor, which collects the smell and doesn't require outside venting. A bit pricey though.

Then you might want to look to Al Stohlman's books for inspiration. You can find them at this Tandy link, and also on Amazon, EBay, etc. He clearly details the fundamentals. https://www.tandyleather.com/en/category/stohlman-leather-craft-books

I'm feeling your pain. I use Amazon quite often for Tandy items, and one of their vendors is SpeckStore. It may not do you any good, as items ship from the US, but given the current state of affairs, it might be worth taking a look. https://www.amazon.com/sp?_encoding=UTF8&asin=&isAmazonFulfilled=&isCBA=&marketplaceID=ATVPDKIKX0DER&orderID=&seller=A1DOFKMTLCPOIO&tab=&vasStoreID=

In my experience, I have had differences in color on the same hide. Maybe not as significant as yours, but still different enough to notice.

The metal will dig into your back when sitting, so I'd go with leather.

Thank you for accepting my advice. I would like to add that you will want to allow for some elasticity in your design. Most suspenders are elastic, but leather suspenders need some help. I have always added elastic to the back, but I don't know what will work best for you. Then the next question is... how are you going to connect them to your pants... with clips or buttons? The reason I ask this is that I do wear suspenders with my tuxedo, and the clips sometimes slip off the waistband.

You should use 4 oz. leather; the straps should be 1 inch wide; they should be the same width all over. Once you've made these and worn them for a while you'll have a better idea of what works best. Some suspenders are for function (wider) and some are for fashion (narrower), so that determination will probably drive you to your final design.

You managed to take a lemon and make lemonade. Nice job, it looks great.

It does, but I help it along as much as I can. First I coat the leather with a paste I make that I found on the site here. It is for braiding (Ivory soap, lard and water), but ends up like a very light saddle soap. I apply it before lasering and it picks up much of the residue that might find its way onto the surface of the hide, then wipe with a microfiber cloth. On the edges I use foaming saddle soap and work it in, then wipe with a microfiber cloth. Then I seal the edges with Tokonole edge paint. It applies easily, is water based and dries quickly. Two coats of that and I'm done. The smell is cleaned off of the surface, and any residual smells are sealed into the edges. If I do any engraving, I rub Fiebing's Antique Finish into the lasered area, and let the leather soak it up, then rub the excess off very gently. Laser engraving creates an image that is very fragile, so I don't rub it in, but I don't engrave often, so I have limited experience with it. Hope that helps. I must add that I don't cut veg-tanned leathers, only chrome and combo tanned (like latigo).

I create all of my own patterns using Adobe Illustrator. I spent some time studying graphic design, where I learned a few "tricks of the trade." On Craig's List, I found a 100-watt CO2 laser located nearby. It wasn't what I would have preferred, but it fit my pocketbook. The work area of the bed measures 20 x 30 inches. There is a bit of a learning curve when cutting various types of leather, and then there is the smell. I just installed a fume extractor to eliminate offensive odors.

The body of the bag is bison, the handle is latigo and the trim is cowhide, all purchased from The Hide House in Napa. The material is cut with a laser cutter (including lacing holes) and then hand-stitched. This bag took about 30 hours to produce. Here are some more pics.