hidepounder

This is a subject that keeps coming up every few months or so. A search would turn up a lot of information. I don't use ceramic or Rubyat blades because I've learned to sharpen my steel blades, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with using ceramics as long as you can keep from ruining them. IMHO most ceramic blades need to sharpened and are not ready to go right out of the box. Sharpening them is difficult and usually requires the use of expensive equipment. Additionally ceramics are not available in nearly the sizes, shapes or thicknesses that steel blades are and I need a variety for different cutting requirements. I think the appeal of ceramics is that they require sharpening less often than steel. I also think that in many cases the user has probably never really experienced how well a trully sharp steel blade can cut. When my steel blade gets dull I can easily resharpen it and I don't have to worry about ruining it or spending the time and money required to maintain a ceramic blade. I'm just too ham handed to spend the money on a blade that will be ruined so easily. I remember when the Rubyat blades first came out....I just had to have one (then two, then three) and they were expensive but I told myself that it was worth the money because they cut so well. Then I learned how to sharpen my steel blades because all the pros that I was trying to emmulate just laughed at me for using the Rubyat blades. What I discovered was that the Rubyat blades were not sharp at all!....I just hadn't known what sharp really was!. So for the money I'm sticking with steel! Bobby

Beautiful job Andy! There are several things I really like about this. First, I really like taking a border and converting it into a floral. It adds a lot of interest. Also I like it that you took the basketweave all the way into the floral without adding a border stamp to make the transition....I just think it is a cleaner and more professional look. Edges and stitching look great also. Very professionally done! Bobby

Both turned out real well Clair! Bobby

Thanks SOSHorses.....the pages are held in with two screw posts.....it's a very common system found on photo albums. The screw posts are covered by the flap. Hope this helps..... Bobby

ABC3, Here's some info on edge burnishing.....it's located under "More Tips & Tricks" on the LW fron page......Finishing Edges. Hope this helps....... Bobby

Ken, I think that making a comparison between the two is comparing apples and oranges. They each have their place but do not really perform the same. I have never used the fantastic burnisher...I have only seen the video demonstrations. It appears to me to be a really fast system. Weaver's system performs more functions but probably doesn't burnish as quickly. In my opinion the Weaver system would be a little more versatile and easier to use on different thicknesses of leather. I think you would probably need to decide what you would need the most....speed with some limitations on weight of the leather to be burnished, or more verstility with more effort or steps required for burnishing. With the Fantastic edge burnisher you must dye the edge before burnishing because the wax used prevents you from dying the edge after burnishing. I personally do not like to dye first because I cannot get as clean a dye line on an unburnished edge. So I like to burnish using heavy canvas and saddle soap so that I can dye my edge after burnishing. I use a Weaver system that I modified, however I am not trying to get a lot of edge burnishing done quickly and I think this is probably where the Fantastic system shines. Here's a link to the method I use.....Finishing Edges Hope this helps.... Bobby

Tim....I use a couple of different brushes. One is very narrow and one is larger. I use the smaller one the most but when the area is large enough I will go to the larger brush. I have never airbrushed before and would like to learn, but I'm not sure that would be a good place to use one. Dying with spirit dyes can get trickey, but after awhile you learn to make the "spread" of the dye work for you instead of against you. Hope this helps.... Bobby

Good idea Mike!

Without being able to handle it and look it over.....assuming that the steel is in as good a condition as it appears....the handle is tight and not cracked....it is in my humble opinion worth much more than $70. I have one excatly like it that I bought from Bob Douglas and I paid a LOT more than that for it and I wouldn't sell it...period. This knife is a hundred years old (I believe) and if I was looking for that size in a Rose again I would snap it up. I think that Douglas would knock the shoulder off...clean it up and sharpen it and sell it for $150.....or more.... Bobby

Welcome Jim, glad you found us! There are several excellent saddlemakers here and a few of them make a living punching cows as well so I know they can answer any of your gear questions. Bobby

Really nice job on the briefcase! Stitching, tooling, everything is very well done. Is it lined? Also curious about what machine you used to sew everything. Looks very good! Bobby

If you have no way of sewing them on you could use some heavier leather lace....1/4" or something like that and just use a running stitch to lace them on. Probably the best thing to do is to take the blankets to a local saddlemaker and have them put them on for you. Hope this helps.... Bobby

Hey Mark....really great job on the camp chair! Bobby

Here is another one. When I first got Vista I was having troubles resizing and then I found this free program on-line.....Prish Image Resizer....it enables you to resize photos by right clicking and selecting a pre-selected or custom size....it then saves a resized copy without affecting the original. Very handy...nothing to learn....and it's free! Hope this helps.... Bobby

Sorry it's taken me so long to respond....I didn't see your post. I'm not real computer savvy but if it were me I would open the photo to it's largest size...then right click and select "save picture as" which should openb a new window in which you can re-name the photo and select a file to save it in. Then you can go the that file, open it and print it. You don't have to save to a file either...you can just save it to your desktop if you want to and then delete it when you're finished. Hope this helps.... Bobby

Troy...those look terrific. Looks like a lot of work! What do you use to seal the leather with and how often must it be re-sealed? Bobby

Nice seat Ricky...grat color! Bobby

Beautiful seat Roo! Bobby

Storm, Another really geat piece! Have you ever seen the Pebble backgounders? I think it is great choice for very large backgrounding areas where it is difficult to avoid the tool tracks. Great job....again! Bobby

Sam, This is another of the posts I missed. I like both pieces....you did a great job! Bobby

Hi Bonnie....I haven't seen any of your tooling for a while....glad your still at it. This looks good! Bobby

Good job Clair. I like the way you took the desige outside the borders. Bobby

Beautiful David! I'm crazy about your designs...can't wait to see the finished product! Bobby

Kate I'm really impressed with this! It is veryneat and clean and professional looking. I can't wait to see it completely finished! Bobby

Nice job Storm! Bobby