JHLeatherwood

So many questions ... I got my Consew 332 "estate sale special" back from the "repair guy" and my confidence in him is shot. So I need help. He installed the GB 125 needle shown. He told me I needed to buy 135x16 needles, and to use 18 or 20 for my 69 and 92-weight threads (starting with 92 on top and 69 in the bobbin). In earlier conversations on here, and after a phone call with Bob @ Toledo, I bought the needles shown in the second photo. They are SIGNIFICANTLY shorter, and appear to be 135x8 - which makes sense why they'd be shorter. This is my first industrial sewing machine, and my first machine in 20+ years. I have the Consew manual (a bad scan of 40-year-old paper), and I'm mechanically minded, so I'm willing to dive in. Should I: Go with the 134s I bought from Toledo, knowing that means I'm going to have to learn how to adjust the needle height and timing? Find more of the GB 125s, which I can drop in but may be more prone to breaking because they're long? I'm mostly sewing scrap right now, learning how to use the new servo and machine. I'll use this mostly for non-visible lightweight sewing in wallets, bags, and accessories. Once I get more comfortable (and consistent with it, I may sew sheaths and visible seams on bags and wallets. Holsters etc. will still be hand-sewn, until I can afford a machine that will handle 277 thread. Also: I'm strictly a hobbyist. Does it make sense to buy pre-wound bobbins, or am I OK winding my own? The bobbin winder that came with the machine is irreparable, but I rigged up a substitute with my cordless drill that seems to work OK.

Any chance of the stl for the z-height adjuster and fan blow-through for the eleksmaker laser?

Going to have to look up Harry Rogers - sounds like a good way to spend some time. Another you-tuber who's doing a lot to bring in new people to leather is Tony See, of dieselpunk.ro and leather-patterns.com. He started off making and selling his bags, masks, etc. but has moved completely to making and selling patterns now - he's said publicly that he doesn't want to compete with the people who buy his patterns when people are looking for leather goods. Not only has he sold 90,000 patterns (over the course of five-ish years, but the pace is accelerating) he has solid, well-produced tutorials for every pattern. He also does videos on product photography, stitching, "Why your stuff doesn't sell," and so on. There's no tooling involved, and the patterns are made well enough that even I can do them - which has led me back to some of the more interesting and challenging things I'm trying to make. And, of course, the wealth of knowledge here has helped. Back when The Rifleman and Gunsmoke were all the rage, Stohlman/Sheridan holsters and saddles were interesting to kids. Now, it's anime and game characters. If the craft doesn't adapt along with society, it will become even more niche.

I like this idea - clearly the most rigid solution.

I'm making a whale tale tank bib for my son's Harley, and he has the split tanks with a gap in the middle. I'm using 7-8oz veg tan, and given that it's going to get wet many times, I'd like to put something between the veg tan and the buckskin "liner" I'm using to back it and protect the tank. Springfield and Tandy sell "bag stiffeners" but it looks like they're heavy card stock - which will retain water, and eventually disintegrate. Some folks have suggested "EVA craft foam" but it's very floppy to begin with, and 2-3mm thick besides, so not a good fit for me. What suggestion do y'all have? I do some 3d printing and thought about a 1mm printed sheet of PLA (plastic) that tapers to effectively zero at the edges, but I'd love to have an off-the-shelf option. James

That's a lot of leather - I didn't even know you could buy pallets of leather.

If that's for making spoons, how big is your fooking fork?

What "very small laser engraver," may I ask?

Got it - thanks. Was reading some of his blog posts and wondered if he had rage-quit.

Holy Easter thread, Batman! I was out poking around your site and saw the downloadable patterns. I don't see any licensing or permissions statements on them, though. If I download one of your patterns and make the item, are you OK if I sell the item? I don't know that I'll do it, but I'm happy to credit "Design by JLSLeather, hand-crafted by JHLeatherwood." I've noticed that some designers are very free with their permissions ... and others, not so much.

Please don't tell my boss what I've been doing this morning, but ... Published in 1896, and available for free via the Gutenberg project, the Manual of Mending and Repairing has a section on leather: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/61786/61786-h/61786-h.htm#REPAIRING_LEATHER-WORK

I really do need to get back to my day job, but the gutenberg project has many, many, many old books (even though some of them have recent publication dates). I love digging into topics like this, especially when I can find a gem like this: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/58293/58293-h/58293-h.htm

Congrats on landing a great gig! I don't know if you have access to Diana Gabaldon (through the showrunner?) but she is legendary among historical fiction community for doing extensive research - I'd bet she has notes and sources that would help, and would (obviously) be germane to the show. There's a leatherworker at the museum in Landis Valley who offers classes in 18th century leather work: https://www.landisvalleymuseum.org/event/leatherworking-class-at-landis-valley-5/ And for a great long shot, try reddit.com/r/askhistorians - it's a very moderated Q&A forum that requires primary research and citations. This individual has several answers about 18th century clothing and shoes, many with sources. I don't know if they're still active but you could private message them via reddit: https://www.reddit.com/user/colevintage/ Keith Burgess has a video series on making an 18th century Welsh drag cart and many other leather goods - might be a lead to some original research there, too. Forgive me if you've already checked these out - what a great rabbit hole to fall into for a little bit.

I'd suggest some thick (or very stiff) leather as a liner, or some of the plastic bag stiffener some handbag makers use. I'm also curious whether you'll get fender dings when the shocks compress. I had to move my tool roll to the handlebar when I took the 4" over shocks off my panhead - sadly, after I saw the dent on my front fender.

That's very cool. And I'd love to see the actual tool - looks like it's a beast. One question: Is the Sam Browne button closure cut the right way? It looks to me like the stud would slide toward the slot, rather than the hole.

Right down the street from me is a saddlemaker going out of business. The sellers are HIGHLY motivated, but will only sell it as a lot, all at once, and the buyer is responsible for picking it up and hauling it away. If I had the coin to spare, I'd bet an equal amount that someone willing to sell it off in bits could turn a nice profit. It's also possible they've sold off the valuable bits, and this is what's left. I am not affiliated with this listing at all - but if you buy it I'd like to meet you (and maybe learn a thing or two). They said there was MUCH more than shown in the photos. https://www.facebook.com/groups/819452594765083/permalink/3444166058960377/?sale_post_id=3444166058960377 Pics for attention:

My bad - I am SO sorry - it was at the top of the screen for me, and I thought it was stickied. Thanks Retswerb for linking to it.

I recently got an old Consew 332 that's currently being refurbished locally. Bob (and several others) spent some time here in the forum answering my basis questions. I decided to upgrade to a servo, and called Toledo Sewing Machines. Bob took the time to talk me through some options, answered an inordinate number of clueless-newby questions, and got me through the ordering process. The servo, thread, needles, and sewing-machine oil arrived MUCH faster than I expected. Expertly packaged and undamaged. 10/10, will gladly support this forum sponsor again. James

There is an excellent pinned/sticky post about how to choose a laser for leather work in this very section.

Would love to see some examples of laser engraved leather that's been in use (like a wallet) for a while. We often treasure patina - but would those lines in your image above hold up, or would they wind up looking like a WWII sailor's tattoo? (Yeah, it used to be a beauty sitting on an anchor - now it's just a dark blob lol)

I want to see the original, made in 2003. This is beauty work. I'd be thrilled to rock this on my panhead.

Snipped some stuff - but THANK YOU! This is exactly the answer I needed. The creaser was the missing piece for me. (And yes, I DID say that I'm really new at this!) I learn something every time I come here. James

I'm REALLY new at this - what did you do to the tops of the pocket cutouts to get the perfectly uniform lip?

Thanks for the tip. This is the first sewing machine I've had in the house in .... 20 years? I know I'm going to go through a good portion of my stack of scraps just learning the basics and getting ready to think about using it on an actual project. I see lots of keyfobs in my future. Looking at the chart on your site, contemplating the dozens of threads (hah!) on the topic, and considering the things I've been working on, I'm thinking about a "first order"to be ready when the machine gets out of the shop. I've been using Ritza .8mm and Tandy generic waxed thread for all my hand-sewing. So I'm thinking I should get ... 16/100, 18/110, 19/120 and 22/140 leather needles, and 69, 92, and 138 threads. That way, I can do my lighter wallets, biker accessories, and lighter tool sheaths with the right needles and thread. Is this right? Or should I just go with 138/92 and a 19/120 needle for everything?