Handstitched

@CraigL Welcome to the forum take heart, you're not the only one that has left something out However, after learning from my mistakes, and,... having to fit rivets etc. ....after assembly, I came up with an idea. I have a long piece of Jarrah ( an aussie type of hard wood) approx 18" long. I clamp that tightly to my bench, its then sorta like a long wooden anvil . Slide the item onto the 'long anvil' ', I fiddle about ( while cursing) trying to get hardware to go in the holes, and hopefully , fingers crossed, fit the 'missed out' hardware, with enough space to use hammers, setters etc. Its is fiddly , and a PITA ( Pain in the a**** ) but it works Not sure if this helping any . HS

I did take a few pics of those dyes. One is white, and the other is green , not turquoise as I thought. Made by ' Hidemaster' ' Western Leathercraft' ( Western Australia) back in the 80's....late 70's ? The price was $2.95 a bottle . Once they're gone, .........they're gone. HS

Not sure if they still do, but I think Tandy sell that material . @Leather20 you could also add a concho in place of tooling, but it may add little bit of ' bulk' to the end product, unless its sorta flat-ish, if that makes sense. Love to see the end product. HS

@Leather20 A leather plaque is a separate piece of 2.5 or 3mm veg tan leather, either round , square or whatever, that is thick enough to be tooled/ carved, but allow enough room for stitching. Put it on before assembling the wallet. BTW, Theres no such thing as a silly question on here. All good . We're all here to help HS

Well, alternatively , you could try using a 1.2mm veg tan , however, you won't be able to carve a pattern into it, but you may be able to stamp a pattern into it, or a friends name, but you have to be so careful that you don't hit the tools so hard that its cuts the leather right through . Try putting a piece of 3-4mm scrap underneath where you're stamping to avoid that..its has worked.....sometimes.....practice first. And perhaps make a wallet inner with say , roo hide, goat hide , pig skin , or whatever you have available, then glue & stitch . HS

This has come up before: I do have a white dye, but its from the 80's.... It was given to me ....by...someone. People often give me stuff . Its a small bottle, but I use it very sparingly because once its gone....it gone. I also have a turquoise of the same stuff. Its sorta like a white wash, dries quickly. I'll take a pic of it when I can . I also found this: https://www.ebay.com/p/1129803792 As for oxalic acid, I've mainly used it to clean any grease stains etc. from leather, on rare occasions . Its toxic stuff. It was originally made from rhubarb leaves, amongst other green leafy thingys . I have a ' skull & X bones' on my bottle Hope this helps, HS

Bingo!! Very rarely do I get someone that knows the difference. Quite often I have to point it out. @WannaBe So I guess by now you have enough ( perhaps too much) info on the topic to make your head spin . But you do whats best for you. Welcome to the world of leather btw HS

@Leather20 Not sure if kangaroo leather is available where you are, but thats what I often use for making simple wallets. Easy to cut and easy to sew by hand or machine. ( I've just ordered some more) Or alternatively, I have used goat skins. Similar in thickness , and come in many colours. A simple wallet is all that people want a lot of the time . I've seen customers wallets as thick as a paving bricks , and so badly out of shape . Hope all goes well for you HS

@WannaBe I forgot to answer your last question. I am quite happy as to when I bought my first machine, but I just wish the process was easier, so many machines to choose from , I couldn't make my mind up . So I had to focus on what it was I'm going to sew, in the present and in the future , and narrow them down. But all I can say is, take your time, choose carefully . HS

G'Day, @WannaBe I'd already started my business before deciding to get my first machine. I handstitched everything, but I needed to speed things up . It was a long process before finally deciding which machine to get. But I now have 4 machines I still hand stitch, but its hard on my hands these days . HS

G'Day, This is no help but I found this as a reference: https://books.google.com.au/books/about/How_to_Make_Leather_Animals.html?id=EJTAIwAACAAJ&redir_esc=y and this: https://www.amazon.com/How-Make-Leather-Animals-Stohlman/dp/B00K894CK2 So people knows what it looks like at least. Perhaps someone on here might be good enough to send you a copy, or look for a download? HS

It finally has a permanent home in my workshop after much tidying and re-arranging .Prior to that, it just got moved whenever I needed to use it....it got a bit heavy It now sits next to ' Brutus' . Quite a juxtaposition, the old & the new sitting next to each other. The rubber mat prevents it from sliding about on the laminex bench. I just need an extra light . HS

G'Day, This is what I use: https://maclaceleather.com.au/product/seal-shine-1-litre/ https://www.birdsall-leather.com.au/DTC/Top-Coat-Leather-Finish/pd.php HS

G'Day @PALeatherArt, yes , unfortunately you will get marks, not matter how well your machine is adjusted. Uwe summed it up very well. Every piece of leather is different. I'm always making sheaths, various leather cases, for knives, tools , ' ' Leathermans' etc. So what I have learn't to do is use a huge 5mm ' D' ring, ' O' ring or a ' Square' ring to rub out the marks . ( the corners help) It does work, but just takes a bit of ' elbow grease' . I'm petrified about adjusting that any further , in case it gets some air time and makes a hole in my workshop roof , I may never be able to get it back in again. Everything on ' Brutus' ( my 441 clone) is adjusted just fine I don't dare touch it. HS

G'Day...from Aussie land You may have some difficulty there. Perhaps you could try that on some scraps first? I would think that the sealer wouldn't adhere . Check this out, it may help: https://leatherworker.net/forum/topic/91870-dyed-leather-bleeding/ HS

G"day, I had a lot of trouble in the early days using oil based dyes on belts, so frustrating . No matter how many coats of sealer I apply, the dye still came through . I now use water based dyes , that have just little bit of alcohol to aid drying. I also use regular water based polyurethane sealers, and hi shine sealers, (some of which are chemical based) . But, no more rub-offs . The belts still come out just as nice HS

Here it is, my $8.00 cheapy . So happy now I have one I oiled up the latch, and all the hinges etc. and it works fine now . I'll give it some TLC later . HS

Thats the same model as mine , but much nicer. I only paid $250 ( Australian) , it works well. Nice restoration . 350 , thats about $700- au HS

Its a shame @remery124 thats not here in Western Australia, I'd snap it up ( the freight would be astronomical , more than the machine is worth ) . Although it has no reverse, that can be overcome, I'd buy it as a 'stand-by machine'. Its not that much different to my Seiko . Hope you're successful in selling it. Me My Seiko is not 60, but 54 years old . And yes, I do rely on it for horse rugs, canvas, medium leathers etc. Its earned me a good income over the years . HS

Toxo beat me to it , but yeh, Basting tape . I found mine in discount shops, surprisingly . But haberdashery shops will have it too. I use it a lot, for making roo hide straps, handles , leather fel / french seams etc. Much neater & cleaner...and quicker than contact adhesive, but a bit fiddly removing the waxxy paper strips, but otherwise very handy stuff Comes in different widths , I use 6mm mostly, sticks like s**t to a blanket . I also have 9mm & 12mm . HS P.S. I had a customer ask me today at the markets: "What are you like at making watch straps ? " In a few words: " crap, too fiddly" . OOPS! I think I was a bit too honest eh? But for me with my fingers, I do find them fiddly .

G'day, Not sure where to put this, " History" , " Show Off, or here. I did do a pre-search on these. Anyway, as the title says, just bought a ' Gladstone bag' this arvo , whoo hoo !! It's only taken me 15 years , but I got one. Pics later, but just like this one ( pic from ebay Oz) , and in similar condition. Same lock & hardware, but no key. It just needs some TLC like they all do. No big deal, not as if I'll be pulling teeth or tonsils to supplement my income I asked the seller " How much? ", I was expecting $30- $50 + Nup..... $ 8.00 ( Australian) paid it in loose change out of my pocket. To my surprise, they go from anywhere from $ 10- to $175 , depend where you look , some in worse condition than mine . HS

I have been meaning to get a length of patio tube or alloy....for years. Its one of those ' round to it jobs'. Theres another idea for scraps @AlamoJoe2002, ' round-to-its', or ' tuits' . A round piece of leather just simply called a " tuit" . " For all those jobs that you never get around to doing" . I thought about making these myself.......but I never got around to it HS

G'Day, it looks quite good...to me anyway Apart from keeping it out of the sun..?? .... You can start by cutting a straight edge. I have a long length of 2x1 wood that I use like a ruler , with a very sharp knife ( a bit 'old fashioned' I know, but it works ) . I then run my strap cutter adjusted to cut a 5mm strip, giving me a perfect straight edge. Others with big workshops on here may have machines etc. to do that . The 5mm strip I sell at markets . I also have some different size strap cutting tools. A ' V' shaped tool for the tip, an ' U' shaped tool for the buckle end. Theres a lot of posts on here regarding belt sizing, making of belts etc. https://leatherworker.net/forum/topic/85744-belt-lengths/ As for wastage, you will always have wastage . I try to use any off cuts , scraps etc. for key rings, belt keepers, fridge magnets, and for longer off-cuts, dog collars, , halter/bridle repairs and various other small items I can sell. You just have to be a bit creative in that regard. HS

G'Day, Just wondering if a different fabric on the back ,like a calico or thin canvas( with same or similar colour) that has a much tighter weave would help. My Mother makes an assortment of handicrafts and teddy bears etc. using a domestic machine. She's sewn quite an assortment fabrics over the years and calico has been quite a big help with ' furry teddy bear fabrics' that are a bit stretchy ( she used to be a seamstress by trade in her younger days ) I now have her old 'domestic machine' , a Pfaff 60. HS

I'll have to try that. I'm of the " hold the thread" crowd A lot of us are our own mechanics , where I live, I have no choice HS