celticleather

Take a small spoonful of adhesive and allow it to dry out on a smooth surface. When dried, peel it off and work it with your fingers into a ball. Carefully rub the glue you want to remove with the dried adhesive ball, and it will adhere to the surface of the ball. This works with most contact adhesives.

Abbey Saddlery have them. http://www.abbeyengland.com/Store/tabid/77/CategoryID/202/Category2ID/124/catpageindex/2/Level/2/ProductID/69147/Default.aspx

Have a rummage through leatherandstuff-shop on eBay (http://stores.ebay.co.uk/leatherandstuffuk). Joanne often has small quantities of veg-tanned leather for sale (and she's in the UK!).

There's a lot of information about George Barnsley in this thread - http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=20784&hl=barnsley Their tools are still available, but the company name is now Woodware Repetitions, specialising mainly in wood-turning tools.

The tool in Picture 1 looks like a crimper, for fixing old-fashioned shoe buttons. Pictures 2 and 3 are indeed edge cutters, for trimming around the edges of soles on a finishing machine. Pictures 4 and 5 are a hand-cranked fudge wheel, for applying a pattern to a shoe welt after stitching (see pic).

Ray - Have you searched for Hawking Bags? Would they be the same thing? Some medieval ones at http://www.deviantart.com/morelikethis/189767426#/d3i7opw, but there are many on Google images. Perhaps not Tudor, though! Terry

The most important thing when using an extension cord, is to ensure that it is fully uncoiled when in use. Leaving any part of it coiled up will create an induction, causing the wires to heat up and melt the insulation. I found this out the hard way, many years ago!

There's another supplier on eBay at http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Leather-Shoulder-Tooling-Hide-Full-Grain-for-Crafts-/261112570647?pt=UK_Crafts_Leathercraft_LE&hash=item3ccb85a317. Their leather is good quality, and their prices are quite competitive. You need to state the weight of leather that you require.

These rollers were used to compress ('plate') the soling leather for shoes, making it harder and therefore resistant to wear. Nowadays most soling leather is pre-cut to size, and has already been 'plated' at the tannery or by the soling supplier.

Try David Flint at Flint Industrial . . . Tel 01948 780593. He's very knowledgeable, helpful and reasonably priced!

Here's a couple of tools I made about 35 years ago. They're made from 3" nails, by filing down the heads. The second picture is an example of the wheat ear that can be created. I still use these two tools regularly!

Try Googling 'Sam Browne Stud' . . . you'll be surprised how many sources there are!

Le Prevo have some gold(?) plated sets . . . a bit plain, but extremely cheap! See http://www.leprevo.co.uk/offers.htm, Item SP660.

I've had an enquiry from a guy in France who requires a wallet/card holder. This is not my line of country, and he's looking for someone in Europe who can make one for him. If anyone has any recommendations, I will be glad to pass them on.

A couple of years ago I was clearing out my old workshop ready for a move. Behind a bench I found the instruction leaflet for the Original Strap Cutter which I bought in 1972. 40 years later, it's still going strong, and I use it every day (I've had to sharpen the blade a few times!). I've attached a pdf of the leaflet, just for interest. Strap-cutter.pdf

Nick It's a bit annoying when suppliers change their sources! Abbey Saddlery also stock Sam Browne studs, but may not have the skinny ones. I've borrowed some pics from their catalogue (see below). Terry

The ones that Le Prevo sell seem to look a bit like what you're looking for (http://www.leprevo.c...owne-skinny.htm). Could be worth giving them a call and asking them the measure the bases.

Donna I share your loss, and I was shocked to hear of Tony's death. We communicated often via email, and he was always extremely interested in world affairs, as well as those that affected him and his family in Tasmania. We also shared a great interest in archaeology, and he was always keen to hear of my experiences of working with the Time Team in the UK. I shall miss him. Terry

Le Prevo are very good, but you may find that J T Batchelor in Islington are cheaper. If you are close to London, a visit to their shop/warehouse would be an eye-opener! (http://jtbatchelor.co.uk/) If you can't get to visit them, a phone call to Ted or Rocky will soon get you on the right track. For sheaths and pouches, I would guess you'd need 3-3½mm russet veg-tan, and it would probably be best to start off with a shoulder (approx 12-14 square feet).

This would definitely seem to be a job best suited to copper rivets, but if you want to give screws a try, these people (http://www.russels.c...EATHER%2012.pdf) sell them in dozens, rather than 100's.

S & K in Islington (http://www.skfittings.co.uk/index.php) have just about everything you'd ever need . . . except a catalogue! They're very close to J T Batchelor, so a combined visit would be worthwhile!

I notice that Goods Japan have a number of leather stiffening products (http://www.goodsjapa...vlet/Categories). I've no idea how (or whether) it works, but it may be worth dropping them an email.

Have you tried keeping the edger still, and rotating the leather? I often find this gives a more consistent edge on circles and rounded corners, but the edger does need to be very sharp.