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TBigLug

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About TBigLug

  • Rank
    Member
  • Birthday 05/09/1982

Profile Information

  • Gender
    Male
  • Location
    Jackson, MI
  • Interests
    Working draft horses, dirt farming, construction, woodworking, truck driving, etc.

LW Info

  • Leatherwork Specialty
    Holsters (eventually, lol)
  • Interested in learning about
    Holsters, belts, scabbards, gun sleeves, etc.
  • How did you find leatherworker.net?
    Google

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  1. What process and tools do you use to carve simple cartoon style figures? Are there any how to videos for beginners? I am doing some keychains for work trucks and want to change to doing a carving on one side of the dump truck and the truck number and info on the other. Thinking of doing one shaped like a tire too. Maybe a backhoe or excavator. I antique and oil them so they look old and worn right off the bat. They are small as well. Probably 2"x1" I want to basically add the outline of the bed, window and tires.
  2. Seems like an odd question, but where do I find leather with more scars, stretch marks and brands? I have done quite a few holsters, belts and odds and ends with the "blemishes" as my centerpiece and they love the character. Is there a place to find these "seconds"? Thanks
  3. Has anyone used these to add patches or bands to pant legs? At $100 it would save me a ton of time from hand sewing these on my bins. The old Singer is just too shallow throated to reach. What is the shortest stitch length these will go to? The bands I'm sewing on are thick and stiff. It would be nice to have a manual machine to do some lighter leather work as well. Anyone use them to make belts? Thanks.
  4. Buddy of mine lost a bunch of weight and needed his belt shortened. I haven't gotten to do any leather work since we bouhht the house 2 years ago so I jumped at the chance. He lost 7 inches and wanted me to just punch a couple extra holes and trim the end of the belt off. No sir, took the distance out of the buckle end so everything still looks like new! Also he had never treated the belt so I waxed and reburnished the edges, oiled and treated with my oil/ beeswax mix.
  5. Has anyone made a simple tobacco pouch? I want to make something that is sealed enough not to spill tobacco in my pocket or bag, smooth bottomed to make scooping the tobacco into my pipe easier (no seam at the bottom to trap flakes), big enough to hold several ounces of tobacco, a pipe, lighter and tamper and doesn't have zippers. I'm hoping to do something that folds on itself, or has a cord that wraps around to secure it or maybe a strap and buckle. Has anyone made one before, have a pattern or advice regarding leather thickness or how to do the ends. Thanks.
  6. No problem, take it, change it, adjust it, share it, make it your own. Hopefully it helps.
  7. I can give you some insight. It's been about a year now and I've learned some things along the way. #1 get the cheaper "Safety Skivver" the expensive one is useless and hard to use for me. #2 I have found I use only the stitching chisels I have only once used the overstitch/ stitching wheel once and it looked terrible (my fault, harder to use) #3 Ritza Tiger thread is sent directly from heaven as is strong enough to pull your truck out of a ditch (lol). #4 The money I spent on the carving and stenciling tools was wasted, I'm not artistic and cannot carve leather (yet, I haven't given up completely). #5 The strap cutter has been a godsend for all the belts, collars and straps I've done. #6 the rotary cutting tool is a dangerous but indispensable tool. #7 The 6 prong stitching chisel is useless in thick leather and you will bend the prongs learning how to use it, rendering it useless. Get a bone folder to hold down the leather while you pull it out. Start with the cheap chisel set off Amazon, still using mine after a year. #8 Don't wax your chisel if you want your dye to color the inside of your stitch holes. #9 Get the best diamond awl, jewelers pliers and harness needles (John James) you can. Those are the thtee most used items for me. #10 have fun! I use the vast majority of my tools to some degree BUT the short list to test the waters is cutting mat, rotary cutting tool, edge beveler, contact cement, wing dividers, stitching chisel set, diamond awl, jewelers pliers, ritza waxed thread, harness needles. I'm no expert, just sharing my experience. I'm sure there will be some "professional" leatherworkers that can offer their own opinion about why my list is bunk, lol. Also as a side note, I primarily make belts, collars and holsters so I work with 8-12 oz leather. If you're doing thin leather bags, wallets, etc you may need differant stuff.
  8. Pretty basic. Started with raw veg tan leather. Wiped down with deglazer on a towel. Immediately applied mahogony dye with a tack sponge going left to right, top to bottom then top to bottom, right to left to cover from all directions. Let dry 30 min then on with stitching. Normally I punch my stitch holes before dying but I got in a rush last night.
  9. Last pic. Could have stood to be another 1/4 inch longer but it works for me. I like my holsters open ended anyway.
  10. Built it for my wife's short barrel G&G. Definitely better stitched than my adapter. Ised chisels and thicker thread. Mahogony stain. 8-9 oz leather. Bag kote. Didn't turn out too bad. Had no pattern so I started fully from scratch on this one, lol.
  11. TBigLug

    Leather Strop

    Sounds like a good teason to make another one someday.
  12. I saw those, where can I find an oblong punch that is wider, say a 1/4 or 1/2 inch instead of the 1/8 or smaller I see mostly? I'm using a hybrid, I use the chisels to mark my holes then finish off with an awl. I don't pound all the way through with the chisels because it was opening my holes up too much and deforming the leather on my two layers. I should probably go back to just hammering through until I get better with my awl. It rides good. I haven't got to range test it yet but it feels great. Holds it down low enough I can clear that long 8" barrel without looking like the Joker and pulling it above my head to draw it, lol.
  13. Wet it down with sponge until it turns darker, wait until the surface goes back to original color but leather still feels cool to the touch. Stamp away. That's an abbreviated process but that's how I've been told. Start on some scrap to practice as well.
  14. Also if I had it to do over I would make the main slot narrower and the belt slots a little narrower as well.
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