celticleather

This arrived in my inbox today . . .

I have a roller guide on my Tippmann, and it works very well. On my other machines I usually just use a Yale-type key, taped to the arm with masking tape. I put the needle through a piece of scrap leather at the appropriate distance from the edge, slide the rounded end of the key up against it, and secure in place with a couple of wraps around the arm. I don't use the Yale key for any particular reason . . . we just have lots of them laying around, and they're about the right thickness!

Le Prevo have a 4" solid brass buckle that may suit your purpose. See bottom of this page http://www.leprevo.co.uk/brass_buckles.html.

Ray I haven't any idea of the tonnage of pressure that the press exerts - nor any idea how to measure it! All I know is that I screw down the platen till its pips squeak, and then wait for the satisfying 'crunch' that tells me the cut is made. Occasionally I have to turn the work through 180 degrees (with the knife still in place) and give it another squeeze, just to ensure complete separation. It's OK for small-run cutting, but could be a bit tedious for large-scale work. Terry

Ray I have an arbor press that I use for cutting out keyfobs and small items, but I find that the pressure is far too concentrated in a small area to facilitate cutting larger stuff. The same may be true for a fly press. I have an old bookbinder's nipping press that copes reasonably well with larger items, but it still needs sharp knives and a fair bit of energy to achieve a good cut. It's made from solid cast iron, and weighs more than I do! The platen is about 14" X 9", but I think they come in a variety of sizes. It looks pretty much like the picture below. Terry

My mid-morning coffee suddenly looks less attractive . . . thanks, mate! The nearest Starbucks is miles away!

Errrm . . . regardless of what some Scots may wish, Scotland is still part of Britain!

http://www.abbeysaddlery.co.uk/product_detail.cfm?id=H1015

Perhaps a made-to-measure horse?

I sometimes use old litho printing plates to make templates. They're made from very thin aluminium (English spelling!), and can be cut with scissors. They don't rust, and our local printer is happy to give them away!

Look at 'folio corners' on this page: http://www.leprevo.co.uk/leathergoods.html. Click on the link 'folio corners' for a picture.

The usual Brambley excellence! I like the hinge system on the flap . . . very neat. Terry

There's an excellent tutorial on handstitching at http://www.bowstock.co.uk/saddstit0.html. It follows through Marlon's instructions, with pictures. Terry

The punch you're looking for is indeed a pippin punch, and can be found at http://www.leprevo.co.uk/photos/button_pippin.htm. The studs are Sam Browne studs, and can be found at http://www.leprevo.co.uk/press_studs.html. I guess these must be available in the US (assuming that you are in the US!).

We've been here before . . . try these, among others: http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?s...ost&p=77724 http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?s...ost&p=77837

I wonder what percentage of people would see the words without being prompted? Having seen them, it's almost impossible to see it any other way . . . fascinating!!

First class, as ever! Terry

Excellent!

Absolutely brilliant!! Be sure to let us see the finished article.

Likewise! Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but it's always too late! Terry

What a great plan . . . hope it works out! I trust the cottage will have an adequate workshop built-in!

It could be that dampening the leather, together with the folding action, has caused the leather to take up a lot of water, which will give a darker appearance. Try leaving it for 24 hours to allow the water to evaporate completely. I often dampen articles that have been dyed with the oil dyes, and I've never had problems with a permanent colour change.

There's a bunch of tutorials at http://www.bowstock.co.uk/tutorials.html that cover a number of aspects of hand stitching, finishing, etc. There are even more at http://www.btinternet.com/~kingsmerecrafts/ (scroll down to the bottom of the page). These could make interesting reading until some books arrive!

IMHO you'd be better off doing it this way: http://www.bowstock.co.uk/saddstit1.html But then, I'm a bit of a traditionalist! Terry

I would totally endorse Barra's comments, and just add another thought. A problem with synthetic threads is their strength! There is a danger that they can be pulled up so tight that the stitch cuts through the leather like a cheese-wire, and overtightening can also cause 'rippling' along the stitch line. Using a natural fibre tends to teach a gentler touch, without compromising the strength of the finished product.