RadekSkylark

That belt looks awesome!

Yes, I'm curious about that as well. Ok, it seems that I should be able to make a simple belt in two hours, as it takes much less work than described above. For a simple ~9oz belt I imagine that I would need to: 1) Cut a strap of leather; 2) Mark holes and belt end and cut/punch them; 3) Bevel edges; 4) Skive buckle end of the belt; 5) Dye; 6) Burnish edges; 7) Make the keeper (if I don't go with a metal one); 8) Apply resoline; 8) Rivet the buckle; All of this of course without counting the time for drying, as I can do many other things at that moment. Does it sound doable or am I just dreaming? Thanks

Yeah, but what are we talking about - an hour or two? Thanks

Hey guys - one of topic question... How long could it take for an average beginner to make a simple leather belt, like the one in this video? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpEmkRlv1Uo I'm curious because I lack few tools to be able to make one and I want to understand will it pay off for me to buy one and make few leather belts for myself, my wife, and possibly for someone else in my family. Thus I want to understand how much time I will have to spend to make one, so I can understand what will be the cost of the belt (materials + time + some part of investment for tools) at the end. P.S. The only difference from the video is that I'll have a natural tanned leather and I'll have to dye it myself! Thanks

I bough some kind of "technical alcohol" today at the shop - I think it is the same as denatured alcohol (it contains 99% percent alcohol with some toxic additives so no one would drink it) - can someone confirm that it is the same stuff? Thanks

Ok, I'll just get myself one or two other colors which I won't mix then. For dyeing I plan on using a sponge brush like the one in the picture below. P.S. When I get my dyes do I mix all of them with denatured alcohol at the start in a new container or do I mix the amount I'm going to use in a project just before using the dye? Thanks

The last question for now is - which of Fiebing's pro oil dyes would best match that color of the holster in picture above? Or better yet, which is the lightest brown color in Fiebing's pro oil dye line? I'm asking because I think I could buy black dye and I would want to find a cheap way to get the widest range of brown tones possible buying just one brown dye (which one would it be?). As I see it (don't understand much about mixing colors) - I can buy the darkest brown tone I like and then reduce it as much as necessary with denatured alcohol to get really light brown tone (is that even possible?), or I could buy the lightest brown available and then mix it with the black dye if I want to get darker brown (would this work?). Can someone please advice me on which of these options would be better for getting the widest possible range of brown tones using just one brown dye - which would that be from Fiebing's pro oil dye line? P.S. Just checked that I got a really wide range of EVOO available - is there any particular way to choose which one to buy or should I just go with the cheapest one? Also - denatured alcohol is the one that is really flammable - is that correct? Thanks a lot guys!

Thanks - will check it out! If I decide to use olive oil should I apply it before the dye or after dye and before finish (resoline/sheen etc)? I'm not sure I will need oil or something to make the leather softer - I just want to prepare if I will, as the saleswomen at the shop showed me soles that are fol sale and told that the leather I'm about to buy is used for making these and both the leather and soles are quite stiff. I would have possibly bought a bit softer leather but all the other ones where a bit thinner and much much softer - I though they wouldn't be good for backing of the hybrid holster - that is why I got this leather which in worst case is a bit stiff. Thanks for clarification!

Ok, it seems that I'll skip on both carnauba cream and gum tragacanth. Can you please tell me exactly what is the difference between extra virgin olive oil and usual olive oil because I'll need to find it in local shops where labels could have only native language. Thanks

Ok, than I'll skip on the gum tragacanth and will use water + slicker for first run around edges and for later runs liquid glycerine saddle soap. So I understand that I don't need to buy carnauba cream - it won't do any good for me - is that correct? And if I'll want to get my holster a bit softer (leather is quite stiff right now, although it is ~13oz, so it could be fine as it is) I could use olive oil before dyeing it (or after dyeing)? Also, I've seen brushes that have kind of a black sponge on the end - could those be used for dying and applying resoline to big surfaces? P.S. Where denatured alcohol is used? Is that medicine alcohol? Should I use regular water or destilled water for mixing resoline? Thanks for advice everyone!

Oh my god I laughed so hard because of "there is no question 6" :D Such an epic fail from my part :D The holster I'm about to make looks like this: So I don't need to stitch or glue anything - it is just the backing for the hybrid holster setup. I will be buying liquid saddle soap (spray-able) because it seems to be easier to apply to larger areas evenly. So I understand it is a normal practices that if one doesn't like those edge kote looks and just wants a dyed (for example black) edge he just uses regular leather dye to dye it and than finishes the edge as he always does with slickers and stuff - is that correct? So as I understand carnauba cream before dye or finish like leather sheen, resoline or tan/bag-kote is a poor choice? So what are actual purposes for use of carnauba cream? As I understand it replenishes leather with oils and stuff so it get softer (not stiff)? Why should I dilute resoline? If I do so will diluting with water is ok for Fiebings Acrylic resoline? Thanks for the advice about olive oil! Cheers

Hallo everyone. I've about to try and do my first leathercraft project. I recently received my CCW permit and wanted to order Crossbreed IWB holster (I'm from Latvia, Baltic states), but it turned out to be really expensive when shipped (holster + shipping + import tax) so I decided that I'll better invest the same money (ok a bit more) to buy some tools and materials and will make my own version (copy) of Crossbreed IWB holster (haven't yet decided which one exactly - possibly freedom or appendix carry). Recently I bought a 20" x 8" piece of 13-14oz veg-tanned tooling leather (average thickness 5mm, which is around 0,2") - this piece cost me 13$ - here are few pictures: skin side flesh side Also recently ordered few of the most necessary tools (in my understanding of what I need and want to do): *Tandy industrial knife set (with curved and straight blade - as I understand the curved will be good for cutting curved patterns) with replacement blades (curved); *Tandy #4 beveller; *Scratch awl; *Nylon edge slicker. From what I understand what I need to do is: 1) Cut the leather to desired shape; 2) Sand the edges with sandpaper on drill (if necessary) to get a really nice curved shape (if the curved shapes are not cut out as desired); 3) Dye the skin side of the leather (rub of the excess pigment with cloth); 4) Bevel edges; 5) Slick edges with water and gum tragacanth or saddle soap; 6) Apply leather finish to skin and flesh side as well as to edges. Is my list of things to do ok? Here are the main questions: 1) I'm about to buy Fiebings black Pro Oil Dye - the question is - can someone give me a rough guidance on how much dye is actually needed for a good dyeing process for, lets say, a square inch (for example 0,01oz/sqin), or how much area should I be able to dye with a 4oz bottle of that dye? I'm about to buy the smallest of everything needed and want to know for how many projects I should be covered... 2) As I understand Fiebings Edge Kote and Dura Edge is somekind of thick layer dye that you can apply one bevelled or unbevelled edge to get a dyed and slick edge without doing anything else to it? The question is this - if I only want to get a black edge can I use regular dye and afterwards slick the edge with gum tragacanth to get a smooth finish instead of using black edge cote (or and other color in that matter)? I actually don't need dyed edges for this product - I'm asking this question because I got confused looking at all the dye/finish options Fiebings have for sale. 3) How many times can I reuse a dauber? If I have one dauber which comes with the dye will I be able to reuse it on my project with the same dye until it runs out? How long can I use one dauber without reducing quality of my dyeing job? Should I purchase additional daubers? 4) If I'm about to get glycerine saddle soap for usual cleaning of my leather holster can I use it for slicking edges (I've read that there are people who use saddle soap for slicking edges instead of gum tragacanth because it allows re-dyeing if necessary)? If so, than maybe I can only purchase saddle soap without purchasing gum tragacanth and get good results anyway? Or should I still purchase gum tragacanth - where could I need it than? 5) The shop I'm about to buy supplies from doesn't have neatsfoot oil so I think of buying carnauba cream - will it serve me as good as neatsfoot oil (as I understand if you apply neatsfoot oil before dying leather it helps the dye to penetrate better - will carnauba cream do that as well)? Carnauba cream darkens the color of leather - does neatsfoot oil does the same? 7) I want to use Fiebings acrylic resoline for finishing leather - will it also be good for flesh side of the leather to smooth out fuzz if there is some (one part of my leather has more fuzz than in the picture above - I've heard that tan-kote is good for flesh side, but I want to go with resoline - will it be as good as tan-kote on the flesh side)? Thanks guys and sorry for my bad writing this time - usually I do a better job with that - I'm in a hurry now, so I just need to get this thread started (have been putting it of for few days now).

Hallo everyone. I've about to try and do my first leathercraft project. I recently received my CCW permit and wanted to order Crossbreed IWB holster (I'm from Latvia, Baltic states), but it turned out to be really expensive when shipped (holster + shipping + import tax) so I decided that I'll better invest the same money (ok a bit more) to buy some tools and materials and will make my own version (copy) of Crossbreed IWB holster (haven't yet decided which one exactly - possibly freedom or appendix carry). Recently I bought a 20" x 8" piece of 13-14oz veg-tanned tooling leather (average thickness 5mm, which is around 0,2") - this piece cost me 13$ - here are few pictures: skin side flesh side Also recently ordered few of the most necessary tools (in my understanding of what I need and want to do): *Tandy industrial knife set (with curved and straight blade - as I understand the curved will be good for cutting curved patterns) with replacement blades (curved); *Tandy #4 beveller; *Scratch awl; *Nylon edge slicker. From what I understand what I need to do is: 1) Cut the leather to desired shape; 2) Sand the edges with sandpaper on drill (if necessary) to get a really nice curved shape (if the curved shapes are not cut out as desired); 3) Dye the skin side of the leather (rub of the excess pigment with cloth); 4) Bevel edges; 5) Slick edges with water and gum tragacanth or saddle soap; 6) Apply leather finish to skin and flesh side as well as to edges. Is my list of things to do ok? Here are the main questions: 1) I'm about to buy Fiebings black Pro Oil Dye - the question is - can someone give me a rough guidance on how much dye is actually needed for a good dyeing process for, lets say, a square inch (for example 0,01oz/sqin), or how much area should I be able to dye with a 4oz bottle of that dye? I'm about to buy the smallest of everything needed and want to know for how many projects I should be covered... 2) As I understand Fiebings Edge Kote and Dura Edge is somekind of thick layer dye that you can apply one bevelled or unbevelled edge to get a dyed and slick edge without doing anything else to it? The question is this - if I only want to get a black edge can I use regular dye and afterwards slick the edge with gum tragacanth to get a smooth finish instead of using black edge cote (or and other color in that matter)? I actually don't need dyed edges for this product - I'm asking this question because I got confused looking at all the dye/finish options Fiebings have for sale. 3) How many times can I reuse a dauber? If I have one dauber which comes with the dye will I be able to reuse it on my project with the same dye until it runs out? How long can I use one dauber without reducing quality of my dyeing job? Should I purchase additional daubers? 4) If I'm about to get glycerine saddle soap for usual cleaning of my leather holster can I use it for slicking edges (I've read that there are people who use saddle soap for slicking edges instead of gum tragacanth because it allows re-dyeing if necessary)? If so, than maybe I can only purchase saddle soap without purchasing gum tragacanth and get good results anyway? Or should I still purchase gum tragacanth - where could I need it than? 5) The shop I'm about to buy supplies from doesn't have neatsfoot oil so I think of buying carnauba cream - will it serve me as good as neatsfoot oil (as I understand if you apply neatsfoot oil before dying leather it helps the dye to penetrate better - will carnauba cream do that as well)? Carnauba cream darkens the color of leather - does neatsfoot oil does the same? 7) I want to use Fiebings acrylic resoline for finishing leather - will it also be good for flesh side of the leather to smooth out fuzz if there is some (one part of my leather has more fuzz than in the picture above - I've heard that tan-kote is good for flesh side, but I want to go with resoline - will it be as good as tan-kote on the flesh side)? Thanks guys and sorry for my bad writing this time - usually I do a better job with that - I'm in a hurry now, so I just need to get this thread started (have been putting it of for few days now).