CaptQuirk

It is a keyhole button hole punched, and it slips over a stud on the guitar.

That was a steal! I love the old world craftsmanship, it is long forgotten.

I needs to learn to do airbrushing, but that is something I never had luck with in the past. I can spray a car or a pay phone, but anything finer like that is out of my league. As for your basket weave, it looks perfectly fine. Better than my past 2 attempts. I think I ruined the weave when I tried to wet form the holsters around the gun. Up till that point, it looked great. Keep it up, you found your niche.

And here is another thought, can either style of cutter do curved straps?

I'm jealous too... I'm working in less space than your bench takes up. I'm still trying to figure out why we went the tiny home route. Anyways, with the wife working nights, I can't do much during the day. No tooling, no rivets, no swearing when I stab myself again. I am so ready to get a rent a shed and move into it. And the first thing I do, is get the biggest, brightest shop light I can afford, and build a work bench with room for tools and materials and a coffee cup So... Granite, huh? Hmmm...

@Big Sioux Saddlery- I usually work with 6-10oz leather, no reason for me to go that heavy. And I really can't afford one of each. I wanted a Blonde and a Redhead, but couldn't afford both of those either... Anyways, I am a beginner. That said, if I had to choose between one or the other, which strap cutter am I likely to mess up the most leather with?

@semofir https://www.tandyleather.com/en/product/table-top-lace-cutter

Those don't look bad at all. Got my son a guitar for Christmas, and made a strap kit for him to tool and finish himself. It turned out pretty nice, and he has been getting a lot of people asking where he got it. Never having made a guitar strap, it didn't come out as nice as your's, but still... people like custom hand crafted over stamped out by machine in whatever country they were made in. Rock on!

Thanks for that Dwight. I am at odds with buying Chinese goods. Have a hard time finding US made goods, but still look for them over imported stuff. The one you posted the link to is not only made in China, but shipped from there too. Not going that route, cheap or not. I guess it is down to calling Bruce for an old Osborne, or get "The Original Strap Cutter".

@TomG- I was told to get one of those to make the mystery braids I use for safety straps on my holsters. How would that work if I was making a 3/4" strap with 3 strands?

@Dwight- is that one you have Chinese made? If not, who is the maker?

Ok, thanks fellas.

What is the difference between Harrison marked bars, and the Newark marked bars?

That just means fewer fingers to stab with the awl, right? Which of the wood ones would recommend/ not recommend?

Ok. So you say Osborne is the best way to go, as far as entry level? So many sites, with so many different cutters. I see the "Original Strap Cutter", which looks like the Tandy, which looks just like another one with no name. It is so confusing for a beginner.

I was actually at his site, and found the prices a bit high for my level, even the $100 ones. Actually, it was the top of the line plow gauges on his site that dropped my jaw. I'm not sure I'll ever reach that level.

I've looked through posts, and found most folks saying that Tandy is no longer a decent choice. Lots of folks swear by their plow gauges, but just glancing at the prices gave me a pucker that won't be going away soon. So, where do I start? Osborne? Something else? Be gentle on my wallet

For those who use tape, do you apply it before or after casing?

That is really cool! I wish I didn't have to give up cigars, that would be nice to have. I can't imagine how frustrating the end plugs and side stitches were to do.

Isn't stamping kinda hard to do on a curved surface, like after wet molded?