hidepounder

I don't know what is technically correct but I don't think a lock stitch is a saddle stitch. At least that is how I was taught. I've always thought a saddle stitch was stronger than a lock stitch, also. Maybe some of the saddlemakers can weigh in here..... Bobby

You might start with Hansens Silver 209.847.7390 or Silver King 818.700.1999 Hope this helps.... Bobby

Another great chair, John! I like the leather added to the bottom....it spices up! Bobby

Here is a couple of scans from the 1931 Porter catalog. The top of all the pages in the catalog are decorated with the "whirling log" motif. I also scanned a page of belts which featured a riding belt which is decorated with spots done in the "whirling log" pattern. One of these catalogs has a pair of chaps with the "whirling log" pattern done with spots, but I couldn't find it. As I mentioned before, this was a very "cowboy" symbol. As a side note....the saddle shown is an excellent example of old Porter tooling. Also the photo in the corner is a picture of a guy bull dogging at the Prescott Frontier Days, which in itself is not unusual...but look at the size of that steer!!!! Bobby

Ben......it's funny that you said that (laughing) that was the first thing I told John when he sent me photos of the bag! I won't tell you what his response was though,(laughing) he knows what I think of those stamps too, LOL! The backside is pretty cool....the hair on is actually an inlay surrounded by a tooled border that matches the border on the front. Very nice job, John! Bobby

Great job on the rope bag, John. The hair-on inlay on the strap is a nice touch. Hey everybody........he didn't show you, but the entire backside of the rope bag is hair-on cowhide also and the interior of the bag is fully lined! It takes a LOT of work to build these bags this way!!!! Very nice bag! Bobby

Hi Terry - I have never tried the Bee Natural so I can't comment on it. If I don't use EVOO I use Neatsfoot oil. If your local Tandy doesn't have oxalic acid, I understand that you can get it at Home Depot or Lowes, however it is called wood bleach. Hope this helps..... Bobby

BEAUTIFUL!!!!!

Okay! I'm going to try to do this in one breath! When I'm finished tooling I clean the leather with oxalic acid mixed at 1 ounce per pint and after the leather has dried I dye the background with Fiebings spirit dye (I like cordovan, but no one else does!) then I apply a coat of oil...I'm currently using EVOO (that's Extra Virgin Olive Oil for those of you who don't watch Rachel Ray) and when that has thoroughly dried (the next morning) I apply a good coat of NeatLac (available only in my personal store) and when it has thoroughly dried I apply Fiebings Light Brown Antique paste with a piece of trimmed wool skin, which I remove immediately with additional clean pieces of wool skins until no more residue can be removed from the tooling at which time I apply a light coat of NeatLac as a final sealer!!!!!! Whew! Almost passed out! Hope this helps...... Bobby

I would give mineral spirits a try......

I'm with Dave....if they want alligator then that is what you should give them. I think it would be good to explain to your customer what the differences are. Dave sent me to the Ostrich Market (thanks again Dave!) a couple of years ago and I couldn't be happier with them. Henry will help you understand the price differences and physical differences between alligator, crocodile, caimaen, etc. ....he's a great guy. Then you can communicate with your customer. I usually am only making belts and small items so I buy bellies and prefer the smaller scales because I think they give more interest to the piece. Bobby

I can sell you a canvas mitt but If you can find a Tent & Awning store, they usually have scrap canvas they'll give away. Even if you had to buy a couple of pieces, they last forever. I just threw away a piece I've used for over 20 years and the only reason I did that was I wanted to test the new mitts I was making. What you want is 18 oz natural cotton canvas. Bobby

Here is another tutorial on finishing Edges..... Finishing Edges Hope this helps...... Bobby

Beautiful Ed! Using the medallions is a neat idea. To take it a step farther, a custom silver engraved medallion or concho could go in there. I think you're really onto something here! Thanks for sharing! Bobby

Thanks for all the great comments everybody! Hi Pete, I'll have to give some thought to how to do that without making a production out of it, LOL!. It's something I touch on in my basic design classes. Bobby Thanks Terry, I'm using a blade that Bob Beard made for me and it's thicker than LW or most other blades, however, I think that the depth of the cut as well as the condition of the leather probably have more to do with the cut laying open.Also applying an antique finish makes them show up better. Biobby

Here is the most recent project off my bench. These "Title Belts" are awards for a World Series roping here in Phoenix. They measure 25" long by 10" tall. They were really fun to do! Bobby

Congratulations Chris....that's one to be proud of! Bobby

You're right dirtclod, it is a good luck symbol. It was used a lot on cowboy gear, saddles, chaps, spur straps, etc. It was also used in the patterns found in Navajo rugs. I have an old Porter catalog (pre-WWII) that is decorated with the "whirling log" symbol. It is very "cowboy" and is highly prized by cowboy memorabillia collectors. I hope that someday our society will make an effort to embrace the symbol for what it originally represented rather than as a symbol of hate. Probably won't happen in my lifetime, though...... Bobby

Hi Bruce! You're right it could have been a lot worse. Missed you at Wickenburg! Bobby

Hi Billy..... I noticed that here were several posts that disappeared. Anyway, having had a great experience in Wickenburg I have agreed to teach at Sheridan this year and I'm already excited about it. I will repeat Finishing Edges and Basic Floral Design. Both of those classes filled up quickly in Wickenburg and I felt they went well. I am also doing a Swivel Knife class and we haven't determined if it will be a half day or whole day yet. There is also some discussion about doing a carving class but we'll see. Thanks Billy for giving me a chance to mention the classes. Bobby

Hi Ferg, Actually I do not use beader blades. I don't even own one, LOL! I've considered buying one but every time I try one I change my mind. I cut all my bead borders freehand or I use a push beader. The push beader is probably what you saw. Hope this helps...... Bobby

I can't tell you why I put my makers stamp on twice....I don't have an explanation for that. It does seem redundant. Maybe I'm compensating for all the times I forgot to use it. :>) I struggle with how to present it also. I told Jill it must be time for a new stamp because I'm always trying to dress this one up. I am starting to settle on leaving it plain when I incorporate it into a tooling pattern and adding some decoration when it occurs in a geometric pattern. Price is always difficult for me. I really wanted this hand bag to sell quickly so I reduced my shop rate and didn't mark-up the silver. I even signed my patterns and included them in the deal so that they could never be duplicated. My hourly wage on this one is pitiful! The next one will cost considerably more, LOL! Yes, there is an outside pocket on the back of the bag. Are you are asking why I put a seam at the back of the flap? Partly because it allows me to make better use of my leather, however, the real truth is I like the way it looks. I think it adds a little interest. On the next one I am going to try to skive the edges where the outside pocket attaches so that the width of the burnished edge remains consistent along the entire length. Seems there is always something to improve on! I like 92 thread and use it a lot. It would have been my next choice for thread size on the hand bag. Something I have discovered (you all probably already know this) is that if I think my stitching looks a little too light, a few passes over it with a stitching wheel makes it appear to be a heavier thread. I'm going to go back to your site to look again, but, I'm not sure I understand about "left" needles. I do use some leather needles, but is there a difference which direction they twist? I'm so ignorant, LOL!! Troy told me a little while back about using "natural colored" thread which I thought was a good idea. Then when we were all talking in Elko, I discovered that everyone is using "natural colored" thread and I am the only guy still using white thread. I never got the memo!!!! Anyway, so now I'm ordering all new thread.....It's tough to keep up with you guys, LOL! BTW.....do you prefer nylon or polyester and is there a brand you prefer? Love these discussions!!!! Bobby

Hi Ben and thanks! Yes we both enjoy some of those "old timey" borders. It is hard to come up with new ones to use....everything has already been done at one time or another so we have to resurrrect some of the old stuff. Sometimes I have a hard time deciding what thread size to use. As time goes by I seem to be drawn to smaller and smaller thread and I sometimes wonder if I'm getting carried away. It seems I'm always going to some extreme or another, LOL! I'm not sure what size thread Keith would have used on something like this, but I can tell you about something he and a few others do that I really like. Keith often will antique over the thread so that it is colored to match the rest of the piece. The sewing still looks refined and decorative, however, there is less contrast and everything blends better. I have come to really like that effect. Thanks for your comments Ben! Bobby

Hi Keith.... Thanks for your comments. I'm always glad to hear from you and I respect your opinion. You're so right about the time these pieces take. I've done enough of them to know better and I still under estimate what it takes to build the interiors, LOL. You know I hadn't given the makers stamp much thought and now in retrospect I have to agree with you. That's a good tip! Jill and I both agree with you about the side strap attachments also. When the bag was finished, the lack of attention there was obvious. Unfortunately, at that point it was too late to get swivels made....now I think we will. I made the bag specifically for the gear show in Elko as I had to be there for the carving class anyway and we won our category. The price for the bag is $2000. Thanks Keith... Bobby

Good looking rig, Alan!!! Bobby