jasonmccluer

thanks. I was under the impression you needed them fresh and green. should I remove the hulls and dry them in the sun?

I will try to simmer it longer and covered this time. I know what you mean sheilajeanne, nothing grows under a walnut tree. We keep our dahlias and our veggies far away from our giant walnut. thanks for the info everyone

I don't know about putting fresh hulls in my coffee grinder but I might need to crush them up better. Do you dry them before you put them in your grinder? How long do you simmer?

I boiled my dye again this morning reducing it by half. I added a half pot of old coffee along the way. I was hoping for a syrup sort of concoction but no luck. I did get a nicer color though and after putting some oil back in the leather I am feeling a little better about it. now I just need to figure a way to apply it to avoid inconsistent coverage.

I gathered some walnuts from the yard and followed the tips and tutorials from some of the posts here but my results were not what I expected. I removed the hulls and tied them up in cheese cloth. I placed them in a pot with distilled water and brought it to a boil. Then I turned it down to simmer for an hour. After an hour I let it cool overnight and repeated the simmer for an hour and let it cool overnight. I used it on a belt strap the next day. The only thing I seemed to accomplish was getting my leather very wet. It darkened the strap but only about as much as plain water would. The leather is Hermann Oak veg tanned. What could I do differently to get better results? Also, does anyone have a tip on how I could apply the dye without getting the leather extremely wet?

I have used carnauba creme mostly in the past on dyed projects. I am interested in making my own mix. I will have to explore that option.

Recently I have been interested in keeping close to the natural color of veg tanned leather for my belts. Not something I have done before. I find after a few test belts spread out among friends and family that simply giving them a light coat of NF is not sufficient. The test belts crease quickly at the buckle, mar easily, and conform too soon to the wearer's shape. What I want to achieve is the color of slightly aged undyed veg tanned. I like the color after a light oil. I also need a mellow (low gloss) top coat or process to protect the leather and not let it darken too much too soon. I know that time and use will darken it naturally. Finally, I am wondering if there is a top finish that will give the leather a little extra strength to keep it from losing it's shape too quickly. I am using a 10 oz Hermann oak premium veg tanned bend from Springfield Leather. I like the leather but I wonder if I should go with a heavier weight or a different cut from the hide. I should also mention that I am not tooling the leather at all. I know there is probably a bunch of ways to go about it so everyone's expertise is much much appreciated.

I was wondering about the quality of the leather as well. From what I have read belting leather needs to be pretty consistent as far as tensile strength and flexibility goes to ensure safety and smooth operation. This makes me think that the grain would also be pretty consistent and free of hard or soft spots. Let me know if I am wrong. I know that belting leather is often used for bags, desktops, and other furniture. That also makes me think that maybe it is used more now for aesthetic purposes rather than for actual belts for machines considering all of the advancement in machinery. Considering that I figure there must be a supplier where I can look into it

hi. can someone tell me the difference between belting leather and other veg tanned leathers like Hermann Oak premium grade. I am wondering if you can make wearable belts from it and if so where can I buy it?

thanks for the replies. I've got a nice length bend I am cutting from.

hi. I have a few western/plate style belt buckles I want to make belts for. I am wondering how to account for the length of the buckle. how do I measure for the center hole position. do you simply measure from the hook rather than the fold when using a heel bar buckle?

Hi folks. I am wondering if anyone can tell me if only one of the components of a belt (the buckle) is from a foreign country can I make the claim Made in the USA? I am creating my brand logo for my maker's mark branding iron and would like to market my belts as made in the USA. Everything from the leather down to the beeswax I use to burnish is made in America. Nearly all (not sure about my Poundo board) of the tools used in the production of my belts are American made, homemade, or handed down from my grandfather. I was made in America as well. The only part of my belts sourced from another country (China) is the buckle. Here is a link: http://www.ebay.com/itm/172641176024?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT Would it be safe to make the Made in the USA claim? Or could someone provide me with an American source for solid brass roller buckles? thanks