RockyAussie

It looks to me that the needle is a bit big but at any rate loosen your top tension 1/2 turn at a time and check should help.

Thanks for that MADMAX. I like to see better where I'm stitching as well but I would not want to be stitching soft stuff and have it play up. Don't laugh as I'm sure others will, but I thinking about making it a non walking foot when I want that way.No front foot and closed up back feet the only foot. For intricate position stitching purposes.Just don't like the way the dog foot disappears so deep down in when at the back of the stitch.I'm not sure if there is any way to adjust for that as yet.Regards Brian.

Nice tidy looking mod MADMAX. I have been wondering whether to make a longer needle holder to cut down deflection but not sure yet if it is worth the bother. I notice the middle foot is cut near level with the hole. Does that give any problems such as missing stitches or anything?

Hi again Dunluce, just been checking a couple of videos on the subject and think I might have to do one.They were a bit rough and lacking in the finer details.A sheet of glass with some of that non slip rubber you get from the super market works well enough. As Gigi shows in picture above is one of my sometime favourites but it works best on soft leathers.To trim corners stuck together in that method I first push down firmly with a small pair of sharp scissors or sometimes a sharpened nail puller then press down into shape. What I call a slicker you might call a bone folder. They are good for slicking in lines as well. I make mine out of cow horn or bone normally to suit my hands and whatever the job application is. Normally I would not bother to warm the corners in production but after the glue has set it makes it easier to get it to mould around.Heated carefully with a heat gun or hair dryer will surprise you how much better the leather is to shape up.Sometimes I just use a lighter but on light coloured leather you have to be extra careful.Practice on some leather first to see how far away to hold it and how long. Like I said I think I need to make a video of it.

Looks pretty good Dunluce. Just warm up your corners a bit then with the side of a slicker press inwards and around. I do that style often. For skiving the corner hold the knife on an angle to skive with the side of blade touching the top of leather lining then put the edge of the blade about the same thickness of the product edge out before skiving.(2mm thick then start 2mm out) The skive should then be about as wide as the outer skin layer is thick.Carfully make sure all bits get glued including the skive. Let me know if you need a video done to show.Regards Brian

I think the .8 looks better but neither example looks to have been rubbed or tapped down and in some products the .6 mm could look better after tapping.

Have you tried a hot water and detergent soak? If you can get a good start at an edge try brushing along in between while gently pulling apart. If no go try methylated spirits and same process. Cut out small sections for trials first I think.

The second lot look like you have got it a lot better. I could not be sure but it looks like your using LR point needles and in a seam that the stitching is not seen I would recommend either a TRI point or even round points.If the leather has a stiff surface as it appears too I would think it not a good leather for that application perhaps.Now that I see what your trying to do I I would not stitch into the skive at all or at least keep the leather over 1mm thick. When you tap the leather down try gently warming it with a heat gun first until quite warm to hot, then rub from the inside with a smooth ended hammer or slicker until nearly cool (about 1 to 2 minutes normally here). Then tap around gently onto a dolly until it looks right. Also make sure the thread tension top and bottom is tighter than normal.I hope you got to see my skiving videos as I have seen you having troubles with this in the past and was hoping they may help you some. I forgot to ask which model Highlead? Regards Brian

Thanks Sam and billybopp. I have thanked the videographer. Probably have to cook diner tonight now. Have a think about subscribing onto my youtube channel as that way you get notified when I post something new and it don't cost anything at all.More and I hope better coming soon.

Just another thought... They may be willing to supply the leather piece separately unattached and that would save a lot of mucking around perhaps.

There are tons of different ways to do this but I would say a picture of the product and where it needs to go would be the best place to start.Just had a look online and from what I see you could just replace that strap. I am surprised that they offered the dogs name at no extra charge as that would need be set up each time which would take some time doing. I make products for a lot of different brands and that costs no more as the stamps are made up once and reused sometimes hundreds to thousands of times.That time is then no more than any other. I would suspect that foil stamping would be the answer on firm chrome leather. This could be done locally no doubt by someone who has 1. a clicker to cut the shape out repetitively and store and 2. an embosser with a font style you think acceptable. This would take an experienced person around 10 to 15 minutes per time. As a one off I would not touch it myself as it would take too long. If you paid for the clicker knives and prepaid for 20 or 50 leather pieces to be made ready for stamping I think you may interest someone. If you check my website you will see where I offer free monogramming on my products. The foils can be gotten in all sorts of colours. Hope that helps some. Regards Brian

Thanks gigi I hope to see a post of yours going soon.

Thanks Chuck. I hope to do a few more in the near future.

Here are some videos of skiving with a new roller foot and some of the advantages this roller foot is capable of. Having worked with many various leather types over the years including glazed finished crocodile I found it necessary to have a skiving foot that did not scrape the top surface and allowed leather to go through more smoothly with less friction than the normal supplied feet can give. I made up my first roller foot by cutting down a spare normal foot and making a brass roller to fit onto it. This roller has almost never come off the machine ever since except for the occasional polish and oiling. Steve or on this forum member Singermania kindly provided me a couple of manufactured roller feet to try out. The long one interested me the most as I could see a few applications it could be good for. Unfortunately this foot did not fit straight onto either my Fortuna or FAV skiving machines and some modifications were needed but in the end I think well worth the trouble. The first 2 videos are all about the foot modifications and the last is a bit long but shows me trialling out some skiving operations. I hope these are of some help to any of you that are trying to master their skiving machines. Regards Brian

No sorry. I have a set up up on a couple of Pfaff machines here with Variostop motors but the part you have outlined is only to regulate and lubricate the air cylinder that lifts the feet when pushing back on the foot pedal.

Could be just bad bobbin winding. If wound too tight onto bobbin the threads can get caught under itself on and off and thereby tension up and down. Make sure there are no ruff edges around the bobbin as well.Try a dry run of bobbin in case for any roughness.Clean and oil.

Very nice looking work and detail on edging. Am curious what the leather showing is behind the buckle tongue in the crew punch area? May have to change your logo to Not So Ruff Werkz I think.

Not sure if this is the type of clip you want to make but thought it might help a bit with ideas at least.See pics This shows clip in finished billfold Piece at bottom shows as cut from stainless steel supplier cost about 70c per This pic shows bending angles with allen key that I have cut slot into.Plastic still attached. Final bend done and tapped with mallet at bend to make more springy. Hope that inspires some at least. Regards Brian

I'm using .9mm and I have been doing them on and off for 4 or 5 years and never yet heard any problems or complaints. I don't use bill folds myself so I can not be 100% sure.The strips cost me about 70c each and take generally with practice about 5min to sand and bend into shape.I cut a slot down an allen key to enable the close bending operation.The bending is done with the plastic protector sheeting still on. I will get you some pics if you want.Regards Brian

I am curious if the one on the left lifts up on a spring tension thing or not? I make one for a bill-fold style that we do occasionally and that is not all that hard to bend into shape. I start by getting a place that works with stainless to cut me some thin strips and then I just cut them to length and sand the end rounded then bend them into shape with a tool I made up for the job. Something to consider and it gives a point of original difference to your product..

Hi Dorothy Given the thickness you state around 3mm it would stitch that fine but I would think it is still likely not a good starting point machine. What I was trying to say is that in my factory I have quite a few various machines and I could give you a quick run through on them and what they do.Our web page shows a lot of bags and wallets and such and these are all done on lighter machines than the this Singer. The Cowboy will stitch up in the same thread sizes and thicknesses as the Singer your looking at and would give you a good idea as to whether it is too much or not, in regards to size.Re the servo motor the Cowboy has one on but many of the other run on clutch motors like the Singer and some have clutch Efca with needle positioners and so on.

Hi Dorothy, I think that is a pretty good price for this machine around this neck of the woods at least. I am out Etna Creek ways if you want to talk. Check my web page it has contact details or just PM me a message. I am not too sure if this size is what you would want for bag making normally but I do have a Cowboy 441 here if you want to check it out for use.

Nice looking gear and would love to have the type. PM me if you like with contact details. I am up in Rockhampton but may be able to get a brother down there to help collect.

Well done. I bet you had some fun doing the edging on it though.

I do a similar process as well if I am concerned about the adhesion of the foil due to whatever finishing products may be on it. I do think though that 325 is a bit to high and if following with foil you would have to put the pressure down very light and the time very fast in order to not end up with a big blur. On stiff leathers maybe alright.See this link of the machine type mentioned-