Bree

I firmly believe that the problem is the plating. It removes the crispness from the tool. Sharp edges become rounded because the plating coats the edge increasing its size, rounding the edges, and reducing the fineness of detail. Given the plating, I don't think a Craftool can compete with unplated competitors. Remove the plating and its a new ballgame. My personal preference is for stainless steel unplated stamping tools.

Nice lookin belt. I love that workshop!! Looks like mine sometimes!! Boomstick is right about the vertical sewing but in this case the vertical only extends across about 50-60% of the width of the belt. That reduces the weakness caused by sewing across the belt. Nevertheless, it is a good idea to not perforate a stressed member along the line of stress. It seldom helps and often becomes a point of failure.

You can buy a nice chunk of felt at Rockler Woodworking. I used it a couple of projects ago but I hung the belt from a rafter and took the felt up and down so that any runoff would not invade the natural colored back of the belt. The next project will use that Frog Tape to mask where the edge dye goes and then I won't be all that worried about bleed over. I did a test of the Frog tape and it worked beautifully at masking the edges. Felt is perfect in conjunction with the mask.

Spectacular Viking Gaucho!! I love it.

I went over to Home Depot this weekend and bought a KILLER machine for $200. It's a Ridgid 2 in 1 oscillating spindle/edge belt sander. It has the normal spindles that you would find on a good spindle sander with 3/4 inch oscillation. But it also has a 4"x24" belt sander that also oscillates 3/4 inch! It has a big worksurface and is extremely well designed. It earned Fine Wooodworking's Best Overall and Best Value awards in one of their machine shootouts. Here are a couple of PIX of the machine in both setups. (Very fast and EZ to switch from one to the other) Between my drill press sanding drums (non-oscillating) and this oscillating sander, I have all my bases covered.

Study the posts in this forum. You say that you have only one dye.... did you know that you can make black dye out of some rusty metal and vinegar??? Do a search on "vinegaroon". There are so many techniques and methods that people here have to create great stuff on the cheap that it isn't even funny. You have to become receptive to WINNING. Stop focusing on what can't be done and start focusing on what can be done!

Selling your tools is selling your means of production. Once you do it, you have ZERO. The money you receive will be gone in the blink of an eye and you are busted. Start LEARNING to make those tools productive. Start with one thing and learn to do it extremely well. Then learn a second etc. etc. I know a guy who simply cut out some suede from a pattern he made, punched some holes and made little medicine pouches. He added a little pin to the pouch and he was selling them at rallies for $15 apiece. He might hawk them for $10 like a Ginsu Knife salesman. He had a dollar in them if that. Don't take the artistry shown by folks here as a barrier to entry. People normally buy function and not art. Heck, most people have no idea what quality leatherwork is. They are often clueless... which of course drives the artisan nuts. Make something people need, do it well... functionally... and start selling. It will get easier and easier every day. Good luck!

Not sure exactly what your use will be but I bought some white Ultraleather and it is simply spectacular stuff. It is synthetic (polyurethane) but it is whiter than white and extremely durable... withstands 400,000 abrasions. It feels luxurious, soft and, it looks extremely leatherlike. It isn't cheap but it might be a good product to consider. http://www.ultrafabricsllc.com/fabrics/ult...ather_specs.asp Here is where you can get a good price on it but they don't always have every color. You have to keep checking back. You can get some free swatches to check this stuff out. http://newtoto.stores.yahoo.net/ululul70br.html I bought some Arctic which is a little off-white and the White which is extremely white. I bought it originally for some cutouts and inlays.

Thanks! Ya learn new things all the time!

I am brewing my first batch. I put three good sized hunks of steel wool in there along with a handfuil of rusty nails and I have been letting them sit partially submerged in water for several weeks rusting away. Periodically I pour some more water in. The rust keeps accumulating and I plan to fill the coffee can with vinegar this weekend so it can brew up. I'll let you know how it turns out.

In NY, counties issue Pistol Permits and each county can restrict the permit. Some are restricted to Possession Only or Hunting/Target or Business Only. You can't carry outside of your restriction. An unrestricted permit allows 24/7 carry in any place legal to carry. That excludes NY City which issues its own permits. I live in Erie county and it is quite difficult to get an unrestricted permit in this county. In the next county... Niagara... it is quite easy. In the bad counties like Erie, you have to prove a substantial need to carry a handgun concealed. I did so and got the unrestricted. It took over a half hour of arguing my case to an Asst. Supreme Court Justice. It wasn't easy. You have to be very well prepared and a little lucky. It should not be that way, but in NY it is... and there is nothing you can do about it.

Not sure what the right answer is but I have a plastic coffee can sitting with a bunch of oxidizing steel wool and rusty old nails. I put a little water in and get everything nice and wet and then let it dry out and rust away until I rewet the whole thing and start the cycle again. The steel wool is falling apart now and I think next week the vinegar is going in to start brewing the 'Roon. I have some nice fresh bullhide cut to make a super Nemesis for my P3AT so I can park a mag in next to the pistol. Once the 'Roon is ready the bullhide goes in and we'll see just how black black is! I am eager to see the results but I suspect that I have a few weeks left to go.

I have an unrestricted NY Pistol Permit as well as New Hampshire and Pennsylvannia permits. I am waiting for issuance of my Utah permit which will give me the right to carry concealed in 30 some states including Ohio which will be quite valuable to me. I expect it any day as I took the training in late December. For many years I had a Florida CCW until I moved from Florida to Illinois. I carry everyday, everywhere that it is legal to carry. I carry a Springfield Armory XD-45 Compact (.45 ACP) and either a Ruger SP-101 (.357 Magnum) or a Keltec P3AT (.380) as backup. I also carry pepper spray to defuse less than lethal situations... something much more likely than use of deadly force situations. I do not carry because of the current economic situation. I carry because of the general crime situation which was plenty bad when times were good and won't be any better when times are bad. In Buffalo in 2007, there were 8 murders within .6 mile of my home with 2 of them on my street in separate events! There were 14 murders within 2 miles of the house. It can be pretty hairy around here. Anyway... I do not wish to be a helpless victim begging for mercy or pleading for my life from a felon. I believe that I have the right to defend myself with the same level of force that may be brought to bear against me. So I like to stay pretty well armed. Been that way since the early 90's.

I'm puzzled. What the heck are you using it for? To wax thread??? I run my machine thread thru some Weaver Silicone Thread Lubricant and it works like a charm. I even use it on heavier cord or stuff for handstitching to slick it up. Why would you want to mix pitch,tar, wax, and all that stuff when such a simple and effective solution exists??

Ann... I'll buy a whole set of the journals listed. How about $75 delivered? That's 14@ $5 apiece with $5 to ship. Saves me money over David's price and unloads a good quantity of the mags in once quick swoop for you. Payment can come through Paypal if you wish. Deal?

Thanks! I sent him a note to put me on his mailing list and then terrorized him about the website.

I would try Top Coat 200 from Weaver to seal it. That will give you a pretty glossy finish... some glycerin soap might help get you a finish a bit more similar to the bridle leather. The poly thread is very long lasting stuff. It resists UV and is quite tough. I use it a lot. I can't really speak for or against the flax sinew as I don't use it. I did some stitching with artificial sinew. It did the job but I didn't see any advantage to using it over poly machine thread.

Oh hell... here's my baby... ...loaded with woodworking machines.

Pay a little more and get the Weaver Master Tool Maul (with the leather handle). It is made by Barry King. I bought the 64oz and Barry's name is stamped right into the metal. You will save money and have the best maul in town.

Wow! Steve left Artisan. That is a cryin shame. The guys at Artisan are going to have to pull a rabbit out of a hat to replace Steve. He is knowledgeable and dedicated to serving his customers. I will miss him a lot.

Fair to who? You or them? They want the lowest price they can get and you want the highest price that you can get. There is no "correct" system. Each side is responsible for setting their own boundaries and evaluating their own situation. You should focus on your business and personal needs in setting your prices. How much must your charge to make a profit? How do you value your own time? How much income do you want to earn this year? They will evaluate their own needs and cash flow when they make their decision on your proposal. Just don't make their decision easy by selling a $10 bill for $5 as folks have said here before.

Tom... There will never ever be a time when that won't be true. So don't worry about it. You did good!

29K-60 is a great machine. Parts are widely available except for one... the bobbins. The machine takes the large bobbin and the last time I went looking they were few and far between. I finally scored 20 of them and felt lucky to get them. The small ones are easy to get and cheap but expect the pay more for the large bobbins that this machine uses.

Tom... I think he will be real happy with it. Heck... I'm happy with it and it isn't even mine!!

Don't forget to tell your customers that the belt is HAND STITCHED not machine stitched. Make sure to explain the difference between a 301 lockstitch produced by a machine and the hand stitch. Your stitches are excellent and rival the precision of a machine while giving the added strength and reliability of the hand stitch. You can take a lot of pride in the belts that you will produce based on this example. My $.02