Handstitched

I think I have it sussed. I have an appointment in Perth ( 3hrs drive) in a few weeks time. I can pick up a rotary tool on the way. Its not the 'Detroit' I wanted, its the ' Rockwell' brand and is pretty much identical and about $10 more, but works out a lot cheaper than freight. The Detroit brand is available at a shop further north, extra 40 mins, but I can't be bothered driving that far. Wow, what a saga just to get a new tool and save a few bucks eh? In the next gripping episode.....just kidding HS

Just went to order my ' Detroit' tool online , only to find the freight is a bit over 2/3'ds of the product price, $49 for the tool and $35 for freight to my address ...that sucks. However, if I buy $100 worth of tools, I get free freight...go figure? It'll cost me around $45 bucks in fuel ( + traffic snarls/ hassles/ rage ) to pick the damn thing up !! Theres an expression we have here in Oz " NOT-HAPPY-JAN !! " only an Aussie will know what that means.... I'll.... figure something out...apart from inventing new curse words @tsunkasapa Sadly, Buck knives, an American icon, are now made in China. Yep I hear ya !! Happens far too often to our icons. And I always keep an eye out for any old / vintage leather tools at s/h markets etc. practically any tools related to leather. They were made to last . HS

G'Day, The ' Rockwell' tool looks identical, apart from the colour. I guess it was naive of me to think that the ' Detroit' tools are actually made in the U.S. , the price should have been a give away. I was just trying to be supportive and do the right thing by buying either Australian or American . I'll just have to bite the bullet and go for the Detroit, I can at least be supportive of the name , and its only going to be used occasionally anyway. I also have a ' Spear & Jackson ' pneumatic staple gun.I do have an ' Ozito' electric staple gun, good for small light jobs. S.& J. tools were made in the UK once upon a time, not anymore. HS

G'day and thank you for your replies. Does it say anywhere , on the tool, packaging or storage box where its made? I can hazard a guess. @Spyros I still have a few ' GMC' tools , (that are no longer made), drill, jig saw, bench sander and a compressor , and , touchwood, they still work fine . Its seems that we can't get away from ' Made in China' . I might have to take a bit of gamble. It doesn't seem to matter what brand I go for, it will still be ' Made in China'. I agree. This will only be used for the occasional restore job, cleaning/polishing, removing rust on small components etc. Thank you once again for your help HS

G'Day, I recently had the job of repairing a vintage case, a job I wish I had a quality rotary tool. After a bit of a search , I found a ' Detroit' rotary tool. I couldn't find any reviews, here in Oz. They have all the bits 'n' bobs as you would expect. Are they any good & who makes them ? My first impression is that they are American made, are they? https://www.totaltools.com.au/123239-detroit-130w-217pc-rotary-tool-kit-dmg130?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIhK3H6_fV8QIViQ4rCh0Q_gVJEAQYECABEgIrtPD_BwE Thanks for your help HS

@uncmph00 I had a similar issue with the delivery of my 441 clone many moons ago. While it arrived from Queensland to Western Australia in good time, our local courier in my town at the time tried to skimp out on delivery by asking me to pick it up . Same as you," WTF ?? I don't have a forklift" , and with a stern voice " mate, I paid for delivery to my house, ...you will deliver it !! " It took 3 of us to off load it from his ute. the 441's + the big wooden crate, are quite heavy...as we found out Needless to say I was like a kid on Christmas Day My machine did have a lot of oil on it, I just gave a a gentle wipe down with a clean cloth , I cleaned it like it was a new car. While I can't advise you on your machine, but I do hope you have many happy years of sewing HS

and.......what has any of this got to do with the topic of hand made? HS

G'Day, Wasn't sure where to put this, here or ' show off' . Just repaired a vintage case. It wasn't a restore , it was just to put it back together and make it functional as the client requested. It was a bit of a mess, as the grand kids played in it, apparently . It all went back together pretty well, lots of gluing and handstitching . But the bit I wanted to share is how I did the corners, matching the ' grain' using a mane comb ( I sell horse stuff) . I also thought about using the prickly knobbly part of a meat tenderiser , if I had one . Looked quite good I thought. I got the 'fold' wrong on the corner....shhhh...don't tell anyone eh? The colour was a mix of 'ox blood' dye and a bit of Eco Flo dk brown, not a perfect match, but close. HS

Wow, this topic just keeps going doesn't it Just like the leather projects we make....by hand HS

G'Day, I think my only contribution here is that I have made boots for a miniature horse . Not sure if this is of any help, but I used a heavy leather on the sole , with a piece of rubber matting with a tread , cut to size, glued to the leather sole for grip, with extra leather that sort of went high enough to cover the fetlock , using velcro strips long enough to do them up by wrapping right around, and tight enough not to fall off. They did work, according to the client. Just wondering if something like that ( on a larger scale) could work here? But then again,there'll be commercially made products that do the same thing. Just a thought Hope your horse gets better. HS

G'Day, I mostly use kangaroo hide for wallets , not sure if its available where you are? I've also used a 1.2- 1.5 mm veg tan on the outside,so I can stamp a pattern , and roo skin for the inner. Have to admit I haven't tried snake skin or Emu skin. I have a few fish skins, and Cane toad skins , I could try those I guess. HS

@fredk I tried entering the NSW Leather Guild ( Australia) some years ago. I sent them emails with pics of my work etc. .....on 3 separate occasions , but I never heard from them, not even the courtesy of a reply. My work obviously wasn't good enough. Theres no excuse for the lack of courtesy. Hence my comment about guilds being a bit....'snobbish'. Needless to say I haven't bothered with guilds or clubs ever since, and to be honest, I don't think it would have made a single jot of difference if I was in a guild . I've had my share of clubs & committees in the past, , they gave me the s**ts , I had a gutful, so I just continue to learn & improve..... and share my skills regardless. If people ask me how stuff is done, I'm more than happy to teach them. HS

" The movie was very much historically accurate too." I'll correct that to " mostly historically accurate". They actually made a few faux pas in the movie. Moving on..... @Rahere Would I be right in saying that theres a bit of.... 'snobbery' and/or aristocracy involved, being part of a guild ? Just to verbally say to someone" I am in a guild" , can't help but think it sounds a bit ....snobbish HS

Thats exactly right. This is a little off topic too, but theres a really good reference to guilds in the movie " Jabawocky" , in a scene with " Wat Dabney & Dennis Cooper " where Dennis wanted to get a job coopering where a guild sign was displayed . Roughly, Wat Dabney's line : " To get a job there you must be part of a guild, you're not, and I'm not" . Dennis: " Thats not fair " WD: Fair or not, the guilds have the town sewn up"...etc . Needless to say Wat Dabney, ( the inventor of the inverted firkin) cut his foot off to make some money, because he couldn't get a job coopering, damn funny The movie was very much historically accurate too. HS

O'h dear, great minds think alike . When my customers ask where my belts are made,( even though my sign says where) I tell them where and by me, then I show them my hands, covered in dye to prove they're hand crafted . I don't use gloves, . But thats another story for another thread . ' Hand crafted', now theres a term I haven't seen come up in this discussion, unless I missed it. HS

A'h the joys of being my own boss HS

@Klara I stand corrected , I'm quite partial to a nice Shiraz HS

Very true. Thats why I didn't spend a fortune on tools etc. in case leather work wasn't for me, glad it was though If it wasn't, I'd sell or donate the tools to local community group. I borrowed an AS pattern book from a local and photo copied it, I also borrowed a book from our local library....the only book on leather in the entire library HS

Wow ! This has turned into quite a topic...again. The added bonus about what I do, is that I can have a beer ..at lunch time How many employers let you drink on the job? Just .....thought I'd throw that into the discussion . HS

OMG!!!! Here in Oz, that would be worth many $1000's . Wow, what a bargain . The first thing I'd be doing is to have a play with the new ' toys' . Well done HS

This topic has come up a few times on here: https://leatherworker.net/forum/topic/87397-what-is-handmade/?tab=comments#comment-596404 This was also a a topic of discussion between a few friends at the weekend at a local market. In particular, a friend of mine makes & sells assorted items that include Swarovski crystals . She buys the components and creates & makes beautiful decorative items as well as creating and making jewellery. However, she doesn't make the crystals, nor does she make the metallic components that holds them together. The very same can be said for what I do. I buy the raw materials, ....leather, and create and make various leather goods. But I don't have a herd of cows, or other animals, I don't tan my own hides, nor do I make the hardware that go with the leather goods, but what I make is handmade. And as for using a sewing machine, its just another tool amongst many others to help make the end product. But then theres the " machine vs hand stitched" debate . Theres a post about that too I'm sure To me, hand made is :: not mass produced , not the same as..., , bespoke, custom made, with creativity, love & pride , and ....individual etc . etc..... HS

Yep My very first purchase of new stamping tools was a ' basic 7 piece set' , that included some basic stamping tools and a swivel knife . But I also bought some S/H tools from the same shop for a few bucks each, a few modelers, stamping tools, edge bevellers etc. I already had a sharp knife . You don't have to go for new tools if you don't wish to, depending on your budget, and how far you wish to go . HS

Bingo and the blade must be super duper sharp . The leather does move & flex a bit when cutting, as we all know . HS

Perhaps consider putting some decorative spots or small conchos over the stains and make it look like part of the bag? But that looks like the back of the bag? Not as noticeable there. If its just for you, and you can live with it , then leave it as it is. As 'sbrownn' said, it does have a nice patina. HS

War thunder anyone? I get that just after a curry I'm quite a dab hand at making curries HS