cowboycolonel

Does anyone here know an easy way (other than trial and error and error and error) to fine tune the adjustments on a Landis Lap Skiver? I just put a new blade in mine and everything is WAY off!

I like bronze better, and buy all my stuff from Bork. All matches, all high-quality, and they are VERY prompt and a pleasure to deal with.

F. O. Baird also worked out of George Jedlicka's Saddlery in Santa Barbara for several years. His work is the bedrock of many modern carvers. Can you try to get a pencil rubbing of that maker's stamp? Any detail might help.

I use two thicknesses, about 7 oz for the outside and 3-4 for the lining. I'd use 7 oz for the inside of the spine as well, for stiffness, use the lighter leather skived to a feather edge, foe the hinge pieces, and yes, you should have moist leather when you do you final forming -- not wet, just moist. I don't do videos, but can walk you through the hard parts if you want.

So maybe you want to show us your pattern ... I think I'll make one for 10 rounds, and maybe one to carry two five-round moon clips...

I use ONLY Skidmore's leather conditioner. There are other products out there, but this is consistent, fairly priced, and looks good. No short cuts!

Hoffman, I, too, have a BK swivel knife which I am not fond of. But, you invested, so you are probably going to try to make it work for you. Given that, all I can say is to sharpen the hell out of it, then sharpen it some more (jewelers' rouge), and then strop it every time it starts to drag. I found a GREAT swivel knife from Henley, back in PA. Of course it still needs an occasional stropping, but I can go a long way between sharpenings. If you need the contact info and pricing, let me know and I'll go look up the paperwork.

Get Bruce Grant's book entitled "Leather Braiding". You should like it -- he's a Texas boy.

Buy a bottle of Gatorade. Drink the juice and re-use the bottle as a glue dispenser.

Different strokes -- as they say. I find the box knife dangerous and useless but use the head knife ALL THE TIME., Guess it depends on what you're used to and what you become proficient with. I have a saddlemaker friend who uses box knives and another who uses hand-held razor blades. AS for me --Head knife. If I were doing solely strap goods, the first thing I'd buy would be a strap cutter - Draw knife takes some getting used to. Even after doing this for years I rarely use mine.

Tojo, Your post was fine. There's such a wide variety of techniques and approaches that it's about impossible where to go first. I guess I'd start with a good head knife and a sharpening system that you can use. The best advice I can give it to always use sharp tools. Otherwise you'll ruin leather and your fingers. Start simple - like making strap goods - belts, dog collars, etc. Remember to sew with the run of the leather and not across it, as this just perforates the leather and weakens the product. Get a good quality contact cement for heavy duty holding and a rubber cement for light work. Keep your awl sharp and be consistent in your stitches. Practice on your "scrap" and soon you will find that you don't have any. Don't be bashful. People on here will help you all they can. Just watch and read, and chime in as you want. Best of luck and welcome to the forum.

I found one kind of like it on an Old Porter I restored about 10 or so years ago

http://www.barrykingtools.com/basketstamps.htm Not one of these?

Are you needing just a few, or do you need a continuing source?

I thought everyone knew about dinky doo syndrome. Guess I was wrong. I'm not afflicted with it yet, but I'm certain that my time is coming.

I use Leather Balm with Atom Wax for leather against the horse and for the tooled elements, I usually use Fiebings dyes or Antique finishes followed up by a light coat of neatsfoot oil then a liberal application of Skidmore's Leather Cream. Thereafter, apply Skidmore's every time you clean the bags - or better yet, every time you SHOULD clean the bags. I keep my stuff clean and conditioned all the time, and it's all relatively waterproof. I NEVER use hard finishes on horse gear, as it will crack and loose its luster anyway.

Dear Old, I have found that it's much easier to make patterns on teh fly. That is, I build them around the piece, because they all need to be modified to some extent, so it's easier to know you're going to have to customize in the first place. Blue guns will help, but I just wrap the piece in saran wrap and start folding and molding. Maybe Dwight has what you need. Good luck.

I just made one for a "Helper" here on the Central Coast. It was 4 inches wide and made of 11-12 oz to hold its shape. I tooled it with holly berries and leaves, but dyed it all black, so the image, while deep, remains in keeping with Santa's sense of style - which is to say, understated while still individualistic. His size was 48, which, of course, takes about 60 running inches of leather.

The tricky thing that a lot of people miss about the 205 series is ther spacer system. Are you sure that you have the proper spacer installed behind the hook? If not, you could be skipping stitches or the needle could be rubbing if the spacer is too small.

I have done this on full saddlebags. What I do is to make the lining as if it were the primary carrier for the bag - just where it's part of the flap. Do your forming and stitching ( and most importantly your bending, on this piece. Add pockets, zippers, etc as desired, Then - after all this it completed, use a high quality contact cement to glue the outer flap to the completed work in essence, the flap cover is just a facade. Carefully burnish and coat the edges. Since your bag won't get anywhere near the use that a set of proper saddlebags will, this should stand up nicely.

And you are looking for ...? Patterns? Tools? Machines? Ideas?

I haven't done any purses, but have done a dozen or so saddlebags. I'd suggest tipping the butt of the piece forward, as it will come out easier when things get puckered and you won't be fighting to flap on the purse. Other than that ... looks good.

Sometimes hook and awl, sometimes double needle - just depends.