Handstitched

Yep, as @chuck123wapati said, contact adhesive. I've learnt my lesson when using those clamps. I only use them briefly just to hold the leather together while the adhesive sets, otherwise they will leave marks.They are an extra pair of hands in leather, but I never keep them on for long lengths of time. Looks like your leather was a bit too wet. HS

@globalmetalco You don't have an agent in Australia by any chance? Have a look at my post regarding 'Chain Suppliers Australia' . I prefer to buy Australian, but if I have to buy from O/S I will, but the Oz $$ isn't at all well , putting up the cost of goods coming into Oz and putting up the cost of the end products. HS

@fredk Heres a pic of what I am looking for, chrome & gilt plated, 10-12mm for boot scooting/boot straps, and later, dog leads & horse leads. ( brass chain would be better for horse leads) Sometimes called ' curb' chain' or 'twisted chain'. Our hardware chain, Bunnings ( no pun intended) doesn't supply rolls of the stuff, only small ' hobby' lengths . We do have a haberdashery chain as well, but they only supply soft alloy chain mainly for hobby use. I'll just have to keep searching HS

I had a good look in our hardware chain ( pardon the pun), we have 'Bunnings' , they have some chain , but not the stuff I want . I'll just have to persevere and keep searching thats all. But thanks for the suggestion . HS

Just a quick correction, the chain I use is around 10mm, not the 5-6mm I mentioned before . Might have to put the call out to a few leather suppliers. The alloy stuff simply wouldn't be strong enough for dog & horse leads . HS

In some cases, if oxalic acid doesn't work , its best to dye the whole bag the same colour as the stains, if thats an option . HS

G'Day, I'm on the look out for the type of chain used for making boot scooting/line dancing straps . I can get the aluminium nic or gilt plated stuff , but I'm looking for something stronger, as in the type used for dog & horse leads ( thats another future thought ) . Thats what I've been using, about 5-6mm . There seems to be an increase in boot scooters/ line dancers lately for me , so I'm thinking ahead. Any suppliers in Australia? No doubt there are suppliers O/S, but with the Oz $$$ in the toilet , it would make it a bit ex$y . Thanks HS

Its quite flexible . Quite often I use it before stitching, machine or by hand, it holds everything in place . HS

@Spyros Thats pretty much what I use, sometimes Kwik Grip Gel, but both types work just the same. Can't say I've tried the water based version though. The other brand is called ' Parfix Fast Grip' same thing. I can't get the adhesives (and some sealers) that I want either because they can't be shipped by air , and road freight is too ex$y , so I just have to improvise. They seem to do the job OK, and I've used them for years. If they go off a bit in the tin, I use some toluene to soften it up . HS

These days there are quite a few varieties of contact adhesive for different applications, for construction use for example , some of which are flexible like PVA . I think I have tried PVA in my early days of leather, but it just didn't quite hold . I now use contact adhesive, its like an extra pair of hands . We have ' Clag' here in Oz, a brand thats been around for eons , a white gloopy stuff . Brings back memories, mostly messy ones HS

Can you borrow a set from someone ? , or, buy a set, and sell it on ( to someone on here perhaps ? ) to at least get your money back , just a thought . HS

Once upon a time, I never knew that an old sewing machine could be a thing of beauty , that was until I got into leather , and on this site . Now I have so much appreciation for them now, I guess in the same way that people love old cars, bikes engines etc. Hope Alan Rundell is able to find one HS

Theres a set at Birdsall , Australia...not much help for you though, sorry. They are quite pricey, and the freight even more. https://www.birdsall-leather.com.au/Y8145_dash_00w/Alphabet-Set-3_or_4In-Leather-Art/pd.php Is there a Tandy near you? HS

@Alan RUNDELL I found this: https://leatherworker.net/forum/topic/73271-cast-iron-again-pearson-bennion-busmc-a1/ Just thought a pic may help . HS

The few times I have needed quality concho's , I have bought from these guys: https://conchos.com/. They have a good range . They don't just do concho's . I'd love to get some more, but the Oz $$ is in the toilet atm , making them really e$xy to ship to Oz. HS

This is pretty much answered, but I have a setter that has a small hole in it at one end, about the same size as the post. I put the post in,put the setter on the tiny bit sticking out, and with a firm hit with hammer, I can depress the leather around the post giving it more length, I sometimes moisten the leather . And as mentioned , they come in different lengths HS

I checked my collection of magazines, but mine only go back as far as 1960.Damn, stuff was cheap back then . What of, a hand bag?? "Wow!! look at the pair of brass 'D' rings on that !!" Ahem. Sorry . HS

@Spyros I hear ya. I bought my Juki clone back in 2005 . It was around $3800 from Qld. , but to replace it now would be around the $5000 + mark . And although its done so much and pretty much paid for itself now, ( and I claim depreciation when I do my tax) , I still hand stitch. I will never give that up . There are many projects/ jobs I do that need the handstitching . I think I spoke about this on another thread. So I'm 50/50 when it comes to machine V's hand stitching. At the end of the day, I'm happy with my decision to buy a heavy duty sewing machine. A bit of trivia: I fully handstitched an item for our local Ag Show( it was a cartridge belt) , and while it got the ' Best in Section' blue ribbon, I'm happy to say , the judge thought it was machine stitched. Go figure ? HS

I have about...25. Its taken me all this time just to accumulate them. And all of our hearts have been broken like a love lost that we will never forget........ *sigh* . HS

Stop it you guys, making me so jealous Yeh, you're right @chuck123wapati, all of those pics would make nice postcards or calendars. Some years back, in Summer, coming back from my early morning casual job, got home around 5am, couldn't let that pass without taking a pic. A bit out of focus, but nice. I stood there for quite a while looking at it as it kept changing colour. . Just me, and Mother Nature waking up. 'sobsniff' HS

" In the next gripping episode"....... ......." To be continued ..." ...." That was the final in this series..." NOOOOO !!! HS

50/50 . For me I think it depends on the individual project. There are some projects where handstitching is best suited for appearance , functionality & authenticity , but as for volume items, as 'AZShooter' said, this is where the machine is good. But you can still achieve an attractive well made item with machine stitching as well. If time is in short supply, once again, a machine is good, also good for just punching out the holes ready for hand stitching......sshh.... .but we never do that...do we??....mmmnah !! HS

@Ferg That is truly beautiful. Such a lovely place you have there. I have to say I'm a little envious. I'm in the Central wheatbelt , west oz, I often jokingly say that we have only 2 seasons here in West Oz , ' alive & dead' . Nice and green during the cooler wet months, but now we're coming into our ' dead' season. Its only a matter of weeks before everything is dead & dry . Theres not much difference between autumn & spring , all looks the same . The only fauna around my place is the occasional bobby, ( Bobtail lizard ) , and the occasional snake, but we're having some confusing weather atm, nice and warm one day, freezing the next. We try to put out water for the ' bobbys' . They help keep the snakes at bay . The sun rises & sun sets is something I enjoy here, I really take notice of those . Lovely pic you have there. HS

@Rbarleatherworks One other thing I did was to use heaps of newspaper, and tape, to 'approximate'/ 'extrapolate' a template before removing the remains of the vinyl . It did help, sorta They really are called ' quad bikes' here in Oz HS

I've also used ' Q' tips, or ear buds to get into the little nooks & crannies. The ones that are currently used to stick up your nose would be good, longer sticks HS