Rockoboy

With absolutely no experience at doing what you are trying to achieve, I would think the lacing would look and function better if you used a saddle stitch lacing rather than a simple up 'n down lacing as you have done. Depending on how that worked or didn't work, maybe wet forming either sides of the 'taco' might help the lace to sit better and hold it together.

That is gonna be a doozy to figure out!! I got nothing to contribute on this question, but I am interested to learn what the experts have to say. I do like the case as you have made it so far.

One of the best ideas I have heard hereabouts, comes from @bikermutt07. He suggests making a bunch of identical small items for practice. Start off with key fobs or drink coasters or wrist bands etc. Get about 10 or 30 or 50 cut out, there's your knife practice. Do some stamping or simple carving, small pieces like those mentioned above, will not take much. It gets your toe in the water for a start. Plus they won't be real expensive. If you make a mess of one, put it aside and try another one. I always keep the blunders test pieces, to try out some dye or test a stamp or any other small thing, rather than using good new leather for those things. Try out some edging processes, dye some pieces, oil some, try other finish techniques, play with it, learn some stuff and have fun with it.

Pretty cool looking lighter and pocket knife. Did you take any progressive pics of the lighter cover being made?

Seat belt buckles? The same as used in motor vehicles? I would try a car wrecker, or if you want brand new and cost is not an issue, go with new from your local automotive parts supplier. Lazy susan swivels are available from any good hardware store, especially the woodwork speciality stores. I am not sure where you are, but in Australia, the 1st 2 places that come to mind would be Timbecon or Carbatech.

Mind if I ask, where did you get them? I am in Australia, so buying them from anywhere specific is probably not going to happen (my 'local' Tandy store is about 4000kms away from where I live). I bought some in a job-lot from a lady going out of leatherwork ... that has happened 3 times now. There is a small leatherwork and costume store near the centre of Perth, I have bought some bits 'n pieces from there, and I have bought some tools, rivets and leather online from ebay, and some items from a company called Birdsall's Leather.

What I meant was the pebbling is so close to identical, but there are miniscule differences, so each X that can be seen was made from a different part of the roll or plate. When it was produced, the roll or plate had the exact same pebbling pattern detailed onto each X on that roll or plate. I sometimes use the same technique when I am making multiple identical components (or sections of components) on a laser.

I just noticed all the pebbling in the middle of the X's is identical. Maybe it was done with a roll or plate that was produced with just one image replicated to cover the roll or plate.

Not just @Constabulary! I just missed a beauty. I think it was a 107W20 for less than a tank of fuel! Oh well, the search goes on.

I have a few different sizes in the length of single and double cap rivets. I think I only have smaller diameter in single cap.

If there are not likely to be any copyright considerations, you could get a quote from arbelet12 (on this site) to have a stamp made. He's made a a custom stamp for me, plus I have 2 more custom stamps coming. He does great work at a very reasonable price.

Paying off BIG time!! and worth every cent invested IMHO.

That machine is a classic, and you appear to be just the right person to bring it back to life. Well done with the repairs you have already done. As @RockyAussie said,

Good match for authenticity. I like the textured leather. Is that embossed somehow, by factory or yourself? What is the leather?

Got to call this a winner. Your belt looks very rustic. I like it.

I have the same 'ballistic leather' in my workshop!

Very smooth looking piece at the end of all your work. I find with most projects, if I don't have to re-evaluate, alter, redesign or adjust the goal posts ... I am asleep, dreaming of "how I want things to be"!

If anybody needs to work (create dust) in a dust-free environment, get somebody to hold the nozzle of a vacuum cleaner right near the router, saw, drill, dremel etc.

Depending on the price you would like to receive and after viewing some pics, I might be interested in the last 2 items, the zodiac set and the 3/4" Celtic alphabet set. Can you post pics and prices please?

Definitely not Robinson Crusoe on that score! My favourite trick is gluing something together before fitting a stud or whatever closure system I am using. Sometimes I can partially dis-assemble the item to get it fitted, and sometimes ... NOT!! @#$%*!!

If I had $1.00 for each time I cut something out left hand instead or right hand, or 2 backs and no front, or 2 fronts and no backs ... you get the idea ... I could buy a couple new sides of leather I reckon!

Excellent job. I can only hope to be this good.

Looks like a fair effort at a baseball stitch to me. I found with my baseball stitching, I can sometimes get the thread to lay better if I 'tweak it' with a stylus. IMHO, if all the thread on each side are laying parallel to each other, it improves the entire job. I have a scalpel handle the same as this one, so I might try this out for myself.

That depends on the size jacket you are making. Are you (or the person wearing the jacket) a small person or 4XL or larger? Are you considering lining the arms as well as the body? If you draw and then cut out your pattern on paper, you could place the cut out pieces on a flat surface to determine the square footage of sheepskin required. Disclaimer: I have never done this type of project, but this appears IMHO, to be the best way forward. (Unless you want to buy a huge heap of sheepskin and save the leftover's for another project).

I totally agree with @bikermutt07. I do what I do for my own appreciation and sense of pride in achieving something for myself. I will never achieve the carving, stamping, stitching, cutting, design or whatever of many people on this site, but I will definitely enjoy myself with what I do manage to make.