Handstitched

A'h aaaah!! Now I see it . Looks great too . The colours really show up the texture quite well . Look forward to the next part. I'm guessing ' snapping turtles' are not easy to catch? ...and dangerous ? hence the cost? I hear ya We all love what we do, but not how much it costs . HS

I guess we're all waiting to see what happens next . Good luck .

This is a long shot, you don't have an off cut to practice on? Not knowing too much about this type of leather, I have this image of the dye ' bleeding' in all the wrong places and completely screwing it up. Perhaps try the dye you intend using in an inconspicuous spot?

How about a (clean) compost tumbler , they can be quite large, would that be big enough for a hobbyist? t Just a thought . HS

You're a bloody legend I'm of the " restore , rebuild , fix up & re-use, make the old work again " ilk . I quite like the red , it really is quite good ( even when blue is my fave colour) Hope you have so much joy from it !!! HS

Yeh...I noticed that too You can even hit the foot pedal after its turned off and it will keep going for about a doz turns. Love these machines HS

The issue I have with mine is the screw at the front of feed dog plate is so old and worn that it just comes loose with vibration, so I just use a bit of' Loctite '. Hard to find another amongst my junk as its a ' counter sink' type scew. The plate to the left should come off, it may need a bit of ' gentle persuasion ' . The other thing I noticed is the exterior of your belt. Looks like is been rubbing against something? Or is it a bit of paint over spray? I find the reverse very helpful , can't work without it While its origins may be a mystery, I think $150 is a good investment. I so envy the piping foot, not available for mine. Have fun HS

I agree. I rely on reverse to do the stuff that I do.. Just give it a good service, if it needs it , and enjoy it . Parts and needles etc are easy to get. Although, I can never find an instruction manual specific for the STW- 28B's ( twin needle) , so I use a 226 manual instead. HS

They are excellent The texture in the first pic is identical to Cane Toad. They can also come in different colours too. But they ain't cheap . The tanning process is different to other leathers apparently, to remove all of the toxins . I have to admit, you're giving me inspiration and motivation Well done HS

It took me ages to find it in my list of old emails, but by my serial # is : STW28-B serial number ' WS-6611007 '. It was produced in 1966. . I contacted Seiko in Japan back in 2015. Not sure if this is of any use at all, but just thought I'd share in case anyone else needs info. Thats all the info Seiko could find " because it is the too old machine." Their words. HS

Great minds thinks alike. My (early) Seiko STW 28B looks the same, except a twin needle (used as a single) with reverse. But looking at the flywheel , more like a 226 . The drive belt may also reveal a brand name like mine does. HS

You've done a great job on the tooling I have this pattern pack . Its been sitting in my filing cabinet.....for ...too long Haven't made it ...yet. I also have the old original movie on DVD . Well done. HS

I really should give them a try . The are available here in Oz. I guess I just haven't given them much thought . I do have some fish skins that someone gave me , but nowhere near as nice as snake. I've only used Cane Toad. A Cane Toad skin sheath perhaps. They do have a nice texture. HS

What an excellent job Love the wood grain . HS

If you ever see them in your travels, ....grab em' !!! Very hard to find. I can have so much fun with these . HS

So love that I also love the ' embellishments' on your machine No ' rattlers' where I am . HS

@tsunkasapa I made this little ' montage' of some of the tools made by the Kelly Tool Company in NZ , including ' Boss Buttons' to share . Top left: the range of ' Boss Buttons' that I have. Top Centre: a close up Top Right: "Carvertool" tools also made by Kelly Tool Co. Centre Left : A selection of ' Australian fauna designs and ' First Nations' themed designs Centre: the front of Boss Buttons info sheet' , with an example of what can be achieved to the right . Bottom Left: Midas tools that I have ( Kelly Tool Co. ) ( top) , and ' Leathertool' Company NZ tools (bottom) . Not sure if Kelly Tool Co. made these . They are quite rare . The designs that can achieved with ' Boss Buttons' is endless. HS

Thats one good looking watch band Is it a hard leather to sew ? never sewn stingray before. HS

I use long post line 24's so that the buckle is interchangeable and the belt keeper is loose . Thanks, but that could open up a whole new debate. I used leather tools to achieve the end result Its machine stitched , using Coats 277 M10, Yellow, #24 needle , but thanks 'Boss Button' stamping tools are made by Kelly Tool Co.in New Zealand. They are made using a high impact plastic . They also made ' Midas Tools'. They are very rare . I do have about 5 different sets, also with some Australian fauna stamps, as well as some Australian ' First Nations' themed stamps. I did try to find some examples to show you, even that was difficult. I'll try to take some pics and upload some pics from the brochures that came with the stamps. I'm lucky to have them . HS

I've never thought about making walking sticks, never crossed my mind. . I have seen them hand made at various craft markets , shows etc. but those look great. Just wondering if a tooled / carved embellishment would go nice with those. Not sure what type of wood is suitable here in Oz. Is Aspen a hard wood? HS

I love doing these. The leather is 5mm VT ( stuff I use for horse gear) , tooled with ' Boss Buttons' tools down the centre , made by Kelly Tool Co. NZ , with craft tool veiner and spots on the edge, and dyed with a few coats of Eco Flo Saddle tan gel antique, sealed with ' Seal 'n' Shine' ( Aust), fitted with a good heavy solid brass gear buckle . I have done these before . The brass and the antiques go so well together. As for the pattern, made up on the spot. The sky is the limit with these vintage tools. Are Boss buttons hard to find these days? HS

My fridge magnets are carved and ready to be dyed ...and hand stitched.

Al Stohlman came to mind when I read that. Almost everything I have learnt I owe to him ( and Anne) . HS

Its pretty darn clever, however its made . Very effective. But one word that passed through my mind, briefly, was ' filigree' . So love the textured surface on the sheath, top right & centre left. My Mother once taught pottery, one of the techniques of applying a texture to wet clay was to use natural materials, pine cones, tree leaves, tree bark etc. anything that has a rough surface. A similar technique could be applied to wet leather. Love em !! HS

Yes. I do remember some years ago, I went to a commercial sewing company making enquiries,. I also had a chance to have a look at some of their machines that made straps etc. for use on ships etc. They were huge, much bigger than my 441 clone, fly wheels were massive . One strap I was shown was 2' wide and well over 1" thick and as hard as a coffee table . Blew my mind. Can't for the life of me remember the brand. HS