8thsinner

Don't worry about the dye so much. If you want toe worn look, first off google worn leather effect, and you will find hundreds of people all saying the same thing, Stamp on it, sand it, drive over it, drag it behind the car for a few miles etc etc Theres a fine line between worn look and weakened leather you should be able to tell where that is and stop before you get there.

INitially reading this, I was about to mention the japanese custom of analysing the card itself, it reveals a lot about a persons work and if youwant to be professional which is the impression your website gives UKray, then it is as important as you make it. And I feel the best way for you to define your cards perfect image is to go round every shop in town and get their business cards, take them all home and make notes on what you like, whats missing, whats too much, what looks cheap etc Your going to end up with a better impression of whats good for you. In my mind however heres whats close to perfect. Noticable, distinct and unique clean cut logo that doesn't look like flash image Full contact details (I'm sure you have to have this for legal reasons anyway technically) that don't take up loads of room or distract from the overall feel. If you go with sample images, I think they should be teasers at best and gently faded to the side or overlapping a corner for example. But make sure it's your very best image. As you may know from browsing in japan, symetrical simple clean elegant lines are prominent, I happen to love them. If you were in japan I would suggest an extreme close up on a light background of PERFECT stitching on stingray with your details on top...using textured paper....( I meant card obviously)

Have you got a picture of the model your using for comparison purposes?

Just a thought. Try it and see, The length of the handle is quite far from the edge though, might not get as much control.

Indeed thats a very nice clean looking belt. Well done

Well it's a good sign that it maybe can work, but my spectra is very smooth synthetic, so maybe I should wait until I get something with it's own sleeve which can compress it's own inner core more. The plastic roos look fun, I wonder if you can get their scrotums for pouches too...lol Thank you for the links I am not over in the PKF much these days

I am wanting to try this in order to dramatically increase the native strength of a braided cord, be it bolo or otherwise. even something for demonstrating knots too. I am hoping someone has done this and can point out any weaknesses in the style when used for tight knot work, such as friction burning and ripping the leather from the inside. Or is it usually smooth enough on the inside to hold and grip well? The only thing I have handy to try it with is 2mm spectra kite line with a very high breaking strain and no sleeve... I want to try it with roo, but don't have any yet, so I will be using regular lace... Thanks ever so much.

Thanks for sharing the link, checking it out now

Came out beautifull man.

I have had some success too with a sewing needle but I stab the sewing needle into a piece of wood, then insert the eye end into the permalok, and spin the permalok in my fingers, take it off and tap it on the wood, then keep going until nothing else comes out. I have had a lot of practice with this on my last project where the lace was just split too thin and wouldn't hold properly, wouldn't grip and would just break over and over again. Good luck with it

I wuite like the stamp work, it's very crisp looking but I can see a few things that you probably know about anyway. But a few of the stitches on the bottom right looked like they were torn by the other needle as it was stitched, this could just be angles though. The burnishing at the top edge and a little round the bottom looks like it over run but still good and smooth. And I do think the belt loops should have their own stitch outline. ANd I like the choice of gun too.

Tanks for the explanation, that does kinda make sense. As for a roo version, It is not my intent to use it for roping, well not cattle roping anyway.

If you look under the stone you will see the knife blade poking out. The stones are tied to the wood which slides ontop of the rack right side, the rope on it is to keep it alligned perfectly, You slide the wood/stones over the blade curing around the belly, back and forth back and forth. You work that till there is a burr, then change sides... That clear it up any? If it doesn't go to youtube and look up cutlerylover, he has an excellent demo of the edgepro apex... If you look under the stone you will see the knife blade poking out. The stones are tied to the wood which slides ontop of the rack right side, the rope on it is to keep it alligned perfectly, You slide the wood/stones over the blade curing around the belly, back and forth back and forth. You work that till there is a burr, then change sides... That clear it up any? If it doesn't go to youtube and look up cutlerylover, he has an excellent demo of the edgepro apex...

I was looking around tonight trying to find out if anyone makes kangaroo lariats or reatas and I came across to me an unusual design what was termed as a half and half reata around about 85 feet in length half of it was a four strand and the other half was an 8 strand and it looked to me like the 8 was cut from the two strand. So I am wondering which way round this was used and why some would choose this over just a regular reata.

Well at least it would smell clean lol

Well aside from the fact that every one is really quite personal in their choices with blades and stones. My choices reflect an outdoors mans lifestyle with field sharpening kits being my preference. Diamond dust on a stone or a file is great for shaping and taking out nicks, they cut reasonably quickly reguardless of the steel, they stay flat permanently and are mostly easy to clean. But they are quite expensive. Japanese stones are easily the best for polishing, for leather work 1-2000 I find quite adequate, I got mine from survivalschool.co.uk. One has broken in 6 years but I still use it. My first choice for touching up my camp blade or khukri is the strop loaded with rough. I also have an old fashioned oil stone hard (scrapes white if dry) it's easy to use but it is very time consuming. Though oil stone on a jig using water, I can get a 128 gram knife to slice skin by it's own weight within 4mm of movement using an angle of 35 degrees on 440c steel. I always carry a cutting of this in the field about an inch across. I have a mini sharpening steel in my wallet at all times which is great for working out a nick during skinning or other slicing activities but I always resort to diamond to fix it followed by stone to polish it up again, then a strop to buff the burr off. My diamond file today by preference is the one on my Leatherman TTi. My blades range from 440 A or B, S30V to D2 and truck steel springs. and this makes quite an impact on prefered sharpening methods. SOfter steels that are still in the quality range like 440c Arkansas stones work but kinda slow. On my D2 this would be unacceptable to me, I like sharpening but I am not willing to spend three times longer doing so with weak stones. I often use a very heavy grit diamond stone measuring I think about 2 by 6 inches to flatten the japanese stones, thats there only downfall, they need to be kept flat and improper use always wears them down in the middle. I am always working towards proper japanese sharpening methods for katanas so even in convex blades I prefer flat stones over mouse mats, although I always keep a supply of 2000 grit paper too So in essence Without buying a jig system heres what I recommend Immediate touch up suitable for cooking etc, smooth steel cheap or antique works fine. Removing damaged areas definately a diamond file or stone like the DC4, although I don't have one. This doesn't need to be big unless you regularily reshape heavily damaged and rusted blades. Medium to average sharpen or light polish 1000 grit japanese stone small or large, small for field use and large for home and bench use. If your using a strop after this it becomes a high polish and keeps the price down. But if you want super sharp 4000grit japanese stone hands down, superior polish. To clean up a blade of rust dirt and what not, I have two stone like things about 3 by 2 by half inch, I don't know what they arecalled for but they are kind of a dark green and glittery and used for buffing scratches from aliminium, I think a skiboarders buffer is the same thing but haven't tested that. I don't have any jig systems but my design was based on the edge pro, I am confident that the diamond stones used in them are worthwhile and if I could afford it I would still get the apex model as it is portable. As I said though it's personal choice but thats my opinions.

My operation is probably the cheapest of the lot. Cutting lace = Lace master tandy style but not tandy prices Splitting lace = Hand made system with full adjustability upto an inch wide laces Beveler = None, but seriously thinking about making something from what ever I find in the next skip... Heres a quick video of the system. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NADdAuqiUkc

I might suggest the perfect system of keeping a round knife as sharp as you need would be to make up a jig like I showed but reversing the blade and the stone. Depending on the size of the handle you should be able to insert it into a hollow metal tube just big enough to stay loose Keep the angle constant by hammering nails for which the tube cannot go past and make sure that the blade is centred to the stone on this. WHen sharpening keep the pressure on working into the edge and when placing a strop on top of the stone (the 2mm difference causes a micro bevel) put the pressure away from the edge to push the burr off. But will also convex the edge a micro fraction which will only serve to toughen not blunt the use of it. I forgot to add above if your working up through the grits of wet and dry not sand paper, at each grit work at a minimum of 45 degrees angle difference, this reveals much more obviously when you have removed as much metal as needed. Budget for sharpening tools, Jig is near enough free if you can find some scrap wood and nails, that way you can spend more on 8" japanese bench stones two duals covering maybe as low as 800 all the way 8000. However professional japanese chefs would stick to 1000 and 5000

See, I have never measured my prep times too closely, I know with a lace maker I can't cut a hide in two hours from the outside, but cutting from the inside one size above what I need I can do that although that can get a little crooked in the odd place. So I am looking into cutting wider laces the same way you do RG, then cutting them down after stretching to get more uniformity. When it comes to splitting I find it actually quite relaxing so I take my time there but I make sure the blade has just been polished to a mirror finish and ill spend ten minutes on that alone Soaping lace up for work again I find relaxing. But I do find the smaller the work the slower I go, the likes of a pineapple in fifteen minutes, not at all when it's finishing width is less than half an inch for bracelets and the like.

I am just curious as to how long it takes people to do regular operations such as 1 foot of 4 strand core or no core 8 strand round 8 strand gaucho 8 strand herringbone regular size simple type one 8x9 pineapple triple gaucho Both over a core and lastly how about, what is you most common operation and how if at all did you figure to make the operation quicker?

bang for the buck... Jig made from wooden pallets, cheap stones, wet and dry or a second hand oil stone, leather which we all have some of, boot laces and toothpaste. ALthough really toothpaste sucks in long term use.

GEnerally this is a huge huge question and quite frankly even those of us who consider them selves good at this art still argue about it. Here are some major questions to consider What will you be sharpening? What is your budget? What sort of steel are you sharpening? How much space do you have? For knives and scissors the edge pro with all the extras is ideal and will last a life time, it's designed to be used by people making a living at sharpening other peoples knives. Other similar brands are available in the hundreds and cheaper. Arkansas hard and soft stones are more traditional and will raise a good edge but not polish Oil stones do not need oil, infact they are better with water. And they get a polish. But they are very slow. Japanese stones cut fast, and polish amazingly well but the good ones are not cheap. Field kit, one 1000 and 6000 dual grit stone, a diamond file, and a strop...perfect edge every time. a leather strop will polish most any edge but may toughen (make convex) the edge depending on leather thickness, not ideal if it's a splitter blade your sharpening. Are you sharpening two blades constantly? Make your self your own jig with a few bits of wood, less then a dozen nails and any sharpening medium. Diamonds cut fast but not near as smoothly as a japanese stone will, But for the field butchering use, they are ideal to reshape and sharpen before polishing with japanese. On a budget? 400 - 2000 grit wet and dry paper backed onto glass will do a good job again, and can raise a superb polished edge. The REAL value is not only knowledge but belief in perfect angles make perfect edges. You can sharpen with near anything including glasses, tiles, bricks etc. Anything with a grit to it, even bullrush stems or chocolate will sharpen and polish a blade as long as it's backed and supported by a suitable material such as leather, wood or your leg. Consitancy in edge alignment and pressure of direction are the key though... My homemade stanley razor splitter set up gets polished up before use with a 3000 grit japanese sharpening stone, tear drop style, cheap and far from perfect polish but it works for splitting leather. I take the same stone to my convex hunting blade once every 3-4 months by hand, every other sharpening is done by strop either supported by wood, or strung from my foot. Any leather will make a good strop with the right compound, but thicker is better and the more suede like the more of the compound can be really worked into the pores. Ask more questions and be more specific please. forgot to mention theres another traditional electric waterstone set up thats excellent and made by a european company, I can dig out my catologue if your interested. It ranges up to a 6000 grit wheel around 12 inches in width so it will last but the whole set up costs around 5-600 euros...

Some one after my own heart, I love the round braid, I just thought it was mexican...lol

Heres the current works, Now on hold for corset finishing.

Speaking of alternatives, does any one use crisco vegetable fat for soap?