Handstitched

I have had issues with old tube rivets before on old leather repairs, projects etc. Depending on the job,a nice sharp drill can be used...carefully, as already mentioned, but if you wish to speed things up a bit, I have also used a pair of sharp wire cutters , and in this case , to get in between the shell holders and the belt and cut them . It may take a bit of brute force ...and a few curse words, but they will cut. When you finally cut through, a piece of the rivet might ' ping' across the work bench, so mind your eyes. I have also noticed the using just the tips of the wire cutter blades and cutting the rivet about half way does help a bit. Good luck. HS

OOPS! My bad, don't always believe what you read I guess.( the heading) HS

I like that The 'herringbone' stitch adds a nice touch . Love the templates in the background (Don't worry about dyed hands, most days my hands are covered in black dye. My nails make me look like a 'goth' ) HS

Try this: https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/8B-Cylinder-Bed-double-needle-industrial_60780182111.html?spm=a2700.7724857.normal_offer.d_title.49002730KKgqx6 Have a look at the pic, second from the left. It may well be a copy of a .....?? Look familiar? HS

@Constabulary The bottom half looks like a Pfaff, but the top left half is identical to my Seiko STW 28 B , guides , tensioners etc. . Strange. I'll keep looking HS

G'Day Frodo, I just had a look around myself, under the headings, ' Sam Browne Posts' , vintage military holsters, vintage bag clasps, military bag closures , but no luck . The Sam browne post comes up, but not the other bit. Perhaps modify a hand bag clasp? Or get a piece of brass plate, and make one? HS

G'Day, I've used this tool quite a few times now, its becoming quite handy, not just a ' museum piece' in my workshop. It fits snuggly and comfortably in the palm of my hand ( as the name suggests) and I've got small hands too , a good buy that HS

What size are the off cuts? I have made belts with off cuts of belt leather , make a billet & buckle end, attach each piece in between with ' D rings' to make a full length belt , some skiving may be invoked to fold the ends over. Perhaps decorate with concho's, spots , spikes, etc ? Ladies sometimes like the thin belts, blokes sometimes like the wider ones. Another idea, I have made one piece knife cases with belt off cuts too, with some thin leather on both sides to make an ' expandable' gusset. Machine sew or by hand. Sold heaps. I'll have to take a pic. HS

Aaaaaaanyway...... Back to the OP........again. @fredk You took me on a trip down memory lane. I also used a ( non retractable) ' Stanley' knife from my old fibreglass pool days ( still covered in f/glass) ) still have it, and use it. For my leather sewing awl....( don't laugh) I used a large hand sewing needle, but covered the 'eye' end with padded leather to help push it through leather , and not my fingers, but, it worked. Still have it. I too bought thread on those ' wee cards' ....still have those too, geez In one of my old leather books from the 70's , you can make stamping tools with old large nails. Carefully grind a pattern of choice on the head,cut the point off, and hey presto, stamping tool . Get an old flat head screw driver , modify it, sharpen it to use a carving knife. Very 70's 'retro' , but, it works. For the newbies that are budget conscious, its not necessary to buy brand new tools. HS

What a laborious looking piece, but so well done . I still have trouble doing eyes on horses, but you've got it just perfect HS

Thats quite a good looking job, nice grain too . It must be heaps more comfy, surely? I keep wanting to ' upgrade' the appearance of my boring ol' 70's - 80's office chair. Its got daggy worn out looking fabric atm , after seeing that, might have a crack at my ol' seat. HS

I agree, my ol' Pfaff 60 does sew thin leather quite well, I also make Kangaroo leather wallets on it. I do have a ' Necchi Supernova' machine in one of my sheds, all complete, with full box of accessories and cam...thingys for different and fancy stitches, but I haven't tried sewing thin leather on it, guess I should, its quite a nice machine. I bought it for about $10 at a charity shop, and found another next to a skip bin, mostly complete. HS

G'Day, I have done this, but on a knife /leatherman case. Once molded , let dry*, but before I take the wood template out, I tool / stamp the pattern as you normally would, but when the wood is in , then take the wood template out after tooling and continue making the other parts, the back piece, a belt loop etc. With the knife case, I tool the flap as well . * I have tried tooling straight after molding while its still wet, but its a bit messy. Hope this helps HS

Meanwhile.....going back to OP....in regards to affordability... get the violins out... When I first started leather, the majority of my tools were S/H , scouring the classifieds...the 'antiquated' paper ones, some the tools I bought were from ex- leather crafters etc. Many came with books and heaps of other stuff. A leather shop in Perth had S/H tools, as well as leather off cuts. I also looked around in hardware shops to see what tools can be utilised for use with leather . It kept costs way down . I still use them today . Only a few tools I threw out in the early days, a rotary punch, it bent after a few uses, and rotary cutter that couldn't cut the skin on a custard. But I learnt from that. Only after I became more interested in leather & gained a lot of experience I bought new tools. The most lethal tool I have ever bought was a thumb strander It strands thumbs , not leather Its in a box, at the back of a shelf, .......where it stays . HS

G'Day, The 60 uses standard needles, mainly for fabric etc. but I use ' Schmetz 100' leather needles. The bobbin case is sometimes called a ' pig tail' bobbin case or ' tipmatic' bobbin case .The bobbins are easy to find in any haberdashery Not sure if I can help you with the manual, as mine is probably no better that the ones you've seen . I have also noticed that these Pfaff 60 machines are sometimes advertised as ' industrial' or heavy duty industrial' sewing machines, ......no they're not. They're just a good strong domestic machine, like the domestic Necchi's , Singers etc. . Some come in a sewing table, and some are 'portable' in a sewing box with a box lid like mine.Some came with a plastic ( baker lite?) foot pedal, but mine has a metal foot pedal. Apart from the occasional belt or needle , it has never failed me. Mum bought it brand new , before I was even born , she made and repaired all of our clothes on it, and ....its all complete , except the wood slide lid thingy for the accessories box Good 'ol Mum HS

I worked at a newspaper once , saw a bloke lose his fingers in a guillotine making the colour TV guides. Off topic, ..........and totally gross....and I went a funny colour and didn't feel very well HS

"brewers pitch" Is that a fancy way of saying" you'll be too damn drunk to know what you're doing?" Like, .... keep missing the end of the stamping tool with your mallet and hitting your thumb instead? 'If you value your fingers, 'Don't sew drunk ' Sorry Frodo, off topic I wonder if a gourd can be covered in leather?...hmmm I'd like to see that HS

My Mother did just that once,, straight through the left index finger, nail and all, just missed the bone, nearly made me pass out. They're quite a basic simple machine, good for thin leathers, good for wallets too. I have a full set of original feet and manual etc. HS

Can we have some pics ? Someone on here may know what it is and give you some advice. HS

Whisky or bourbon ? Never made one before. Love the examples shown HS

@jcuk I guess the weekend edition works better.

No , no magnets. The client requested a few small holes on the parts that goes under the instrument panel, (closest to the front) to secure it. And I guess that its a firm enough fit under the instrument panel, and the seat, to hold it in place. The pic doesn't do it justice , as its nice an shiny, the client is really happy with it HS

G'Day , This is a simple ' tank bib' for a Harley.(Not sure of the model) . Its not too wild, flash or fancy just neat , subtle as per clients request. . The client wanted a diamond theme in the pattern . It has 3mm lace on both sides*. Its skived slightly just where the bib goes under the instrument panel, and where it goes under the seat. I used 3 coats of ' seal 'n' shine' to weather proof it , and also went over the lacing ( once finished) with the same . * I usually lace left to right, but I also laced from right to left on the opposite side , so the lacing on both sides is 'pointing' the same direction. HS

@Klara Two words, ....'it works' . @jcuk We all love you !!!!! Nearly peed my undies !! The simplicity in the design is outstanding . Are you going to copyright the design? @Frodo A ' before and after' ?? I do make and sell fly swats using leather, but I'll be keeping my simple affordable design a tad quiet ...sorry . @billybopp that chart missed out the ' reddies' , red back spiders. The female makes you sick when bitten, but the male just makes you sting ....and curse .... like billy'o !!!!!! @fredk What do you call a fly with no wings? A walk . I've had flies on a leash. True . Funniest thing I've ever seen I'll explain how its done later HS

G'Day, My recent purchase from a 'vintage tool preservation' club' at a recent event, love these guys In amongst all the other countless vintage tools , some just for display, and many for sale , was this interesting piece. Its a ' saddlers palm' , or a 'saddlers collar palm', or as I call it, a 'saddlers thimble' . Its 'dimpled' on the inside , and at the end , theres a small 'hollowed' out bit for the needle to sit in. It sits comfortably in the palm of my hand , hence the name. Theres an ' 87' on the back ?? Not sure what that means ? a year, size ? Theres no makers mark, or anything else. I only paid $12 au . I could have spent a small fortune and browsed for yonks at their stall, but I had my own stall to tend. Any further info is appreciated . HS