Rockoboy

I think the biggest asset to a carver/sk user is practice practice and more practice. I have seen on here somewhere, a practice sheet with lots of right and left cuts of different sizes. Some are half round, some 'S' curves, some 'Nike' swipes and other often used cuts. Get some scrap leather and make 10 cuts of each shape, each day and you will start to find some smooth consistency to your swivel knife work. Oh yeah, one last thing ... make sure you know how to sharpen and keep your knife sharp. It is so much more difficult to do consistently good work with a blunt swivel knife.

+1. I can see a need for one of these.

Man, your head is a busy place, and maybe a little mixed up!

A few years ago, before I started doing any leatherwork and way before I ever bought a sewing machine, I had a belt re-sewn. The length was 12inches and 1 & 1/2inches wide. So for 2feet 3 inches, I was charged $30.00AUD. That was a lot cheaper than buying a new belt for $75.00AUD. I was ok with paying more than $1.00AUD per inch, so I find your question irrelevant, unless you pose your question to people in your country and also within the economic region as most of your customers. If you charge $1.00 per inch, I am guessing you would get no work. On the other hand, if the repairman in Australia was to charge 17cents per inch ($4.59 for the job I had done), he would not be able to pay his bills.

Excellent work. Several hundred dollars worth there IMHO, or somebody is getting themselves a bargain.

I paid $37AUD delivered ($25-ish USD) on eBay, for something that is very similar in looks, identical in use.

When I am using my hydraulic press to cut out patterns with clicker dies, I sometimes go up to 7 - 10 tonnes, depending on the size of the cutout. A lesser press would definitely make an imprint of the shape on your leather, but a stylus will do that. If that is what you have, make the best of it. I am thinking a 1 tonne press might be OK for punching holes, stamping, setting snaps and rivets and eyelets. Maybe somebody who has a 1 tonner, will make a comment.

It would have to be pretty damned good to be worth $90USD!

I have had success in removing contact cement by rubbing with canvas. Usually whilst the glue is dry, but not fully set, so fairly soon after assembling. Any PVA (water based) glue should clean up perfectly with a little water, and some light rubbing before the glue has dried.

Can you sew a seam along the edge with a space to run some elastic through? Sort of like a draw string top, but with elastic to automatically cinch the top closed, instead of a pull cord.

You must have been facing the other way when you took the pic.

I made my own to fit on my 227r copy. At the time I made mine, I had not heard of such an item for sale, but apparently they are available.

I thought the stitching (in the 1st image) might have needed a little bit of practice, but I see the stitching is identical on the back. Is that a design feature? ... I still like that green, especially the lighter streaks. Almost looks like sunlight refracting through water.

OK, I got it now.

Very nicely done. Is the Drum Photography clock supposed to be mirror image? I just saw the 2nd post.

Abbey England are about one of the best places in the world to get some leather, tools and supplies from. I've only dealt with them by email, but its always been well worth it, even tho' they're 12,000kms away.

Do you have any more pics, specifically the other side? I like a colour and the monogram is really nicely done. Watch your spacing between the letters.

Looks good. Very nice use of a re-purposed object.

I do not believe there is any requirement for a roller foot. I glued the folded edge and hand stitched the fish skin to the 1.0mm vegtan lining. You can see the effect in my key wallet. The same thing could have been done by a machine with or without a walking foot, because the entire thickness is less than 2.0mm.

I use some fish leather for small projects. Either I factor in the lack of burnishing and leave the edge unfinished, or for the second option, I fold the edge over to hide the unfinished edge. There is always this option.

Rather than scraping it over concrete, I am leaning more towards placing the cased leather on asphalt or bitumen, call it what you will, then place a heavy weight on it to make the rough surface imprint onto the leather. For a lesser stressed finish, use a few heavy boards like painter's planks, and for a very distressed and deeper finish, I would slowly drive a car over a board on top of the leather. I have not tried any of these ideas, so if you do, I would be interested to see how things come out.

I totally agree. I think innovations are a good thing. On the other hand, if you don't like innovations, don't use them.

What were you working on? Pics or it didn't happen!

Very smooth. Nice job.

That is a great looking tool, and capping that end is a good idea as well. The sample holes are perfect, and that's the important thing. I don't know if there is likely to be enough carbon in the steel of your pipe to make it worth hardening, but it might help.