hidepounder

Another really nice job, Steve!!!! Bob

I agree with all of you, I would like to see the profiles filled out also. In addition, I have taken it a step farther and utilized my "about me" space to show examples of my work. I had bugged Jo about this because I thought it would be neat to have a sort of mini web site...I'm not sure if she added it or if it was always there and I finally just discovered it. Anyway, I took advantage of it and posted my photos there. With Kates help, I was able to enable each photo to be enlarged where it was more viewable. For those who have websites already this may be redundant....but for the rest of us it's a great opportunity to showcase what we have done. In my opinion, showing examples of what you do, legitimizes the positions we take and the opinions we express. I have had a number of requests for quotes on products as a direct result of viewers seeing my "about me" page. It is beside the point the most of them suffered some sort of cardiac event when I responded with prices!....if I hadn't posted pictures....they wouldn't have even inquired! Bob Visit My LW Profile

I can't answwer that...I know they used to have a flyer that showed their products, but I don't know about a price list. You'll have to call them, I guess... Bob

Looking great David...as always! Can't wait to see it finished! Bob

First....do you plan on doing a resist before applying the antique? If so, applythe resist to the whole piece....then when it's really dry, spend some time masking around the tooling to help to prevent any antique from getting on the natural side. apply the antique very carefully, trying to avoid any getting under the tape. I think that's how I'd approach it....someone else may have an easier approach, though.... Bob

Josh....do they still have their $200 minimum or did they say?

They are available here in the states. For retail : Hitchng Post Supply,10312 210th St SE, Snohomish, WA 98296. Order toll free 800-689-9971, vickie@hitchingpostsupply.com Wholesale: Wholesale orders exceeding $200 at Phoenix, AZ, warehouse, 602-264-4225. http://chaylor.com/

Thanks for the tips and thanks for showing the difference between the flashlights! I was aware there were new high tech flashlights, but had no idea what the real difference between them was. Great stuff! Bob

ALL RIGHT..another contest!!!! I like contests!!!

Ed, That's good enough to tell you it about it twice! Great job...again! Bob

Scott, I'm not a holster guy.....but I'm very impressed with your workmanship. The stitching is nearly perfect....all your lines are very clean and your edges look good. But what really stands out to me is the finish. I's a little different color than everybody elses and I prefer it. The dye and finish both are very even, and I like the reddish hue. Great job! Bob

Tim, The inserts are made by Chaylor-Fenneli and are completely assembled and ready to use. They offer several different sizes and styles. The material I use for stiffeners is High Impact Styrene....it comes in sheets and is available through wholesale plastics suppliers. I use .040 and .060. It really great for making pattern templates, also. Bob

Great Job Peter, as always! The whip stitch looks great! Bob

Thanks to all of you....your support and compliments are trully appreciated! Bob Ihave never tried, but I don't think so....they are finished and sealed.....stripping a finish and then re-coloring, scares me. Bob

Thanks, Doug and Johnny...I appreciate your comments! Bob Thanks Mark...and you're right it was a little plain....it was a donation to a good roping friend of mine who puts on that event, and I took too much time on the front so the back was a little weak. Bob Thanks Hilly and Ben...I really appreciate your kindness and support! Bob

Thanks Josh....it was nice not to have to edges for a change.... Bob

Hi Richard, It's nice to hear from you....I don't know what to say after all that kindness, except THANK YOU!......and.....where do I send the check? I'm sure you were as excited as I was to learn that Al won the Stohlman award! Very deserving!

Finially finished! Here are some pix of the finished Organizer. It is an award for the American Rope Horse Futurity being held in OKC this weekend. This is a full sized organizer and I used a Chaylor-Fenneli interior which worked out very well. (for some reason the zipper appears pink in the photo....but really it's tan). Chaylor-Fenneli makes a nice product and using their inserts saves me alot of time and effort as oppossed to me making the interiors from scratch. The exterior is 6/7 oz HO. The edges were skived and turned over the insert and then stitched....138/99 @ 7spi. This could have been made with one solid piece of leather, but I like using three pieces which are much easier to get out of a side and easier to manage when tooling. I also think the scalloped binding adds a little pazazz. I split the exterior binder down to about 4 oz and then added a stiffener and a piece of 8 oz leather to the inside to give it more body. This method requires a couple of more steps but ends up working out better than utilizing a heavier piece of leather for the binder and then creating grooves for the folds. I drew this pattern and did some experimenting with flowers. The finish is a light brown antique over a Neat-Lac resist with a Neat-Lac final sealer. Let me know what you think.....I'm pretty thick skinned! Bob

Thanks, Randy, I'll take a close-up of that when I do the final photos. It's not special, just two parallel lines. Bob Thanks Troy! Bob Thanks, Shelly.....the leather is Hermann Oak. I used a Neat-Lac resist and then antiqued. The back and the binding will not have much tooling....i'ts a donation so I can't afford to fully tool both sides. Bob Thanks Josh! Bob Thanks Bruce! Bob Thanks Ed....I started to do that and then decided to just keep it simple....... Bob Thanks....I draw all my own patterns. Bob Thanks Ashley. Bob

Here's a progress photo of an organizer I'm currently working on. I decided to draw some new flowers (my version of some flowers that have been around for a long time), and try them out on this project. I was getting tired of tooling all the little flowers I've been using lately. It was kind of fun to tool something that was standard size for a change! Please let me know what you think.....critiques, suggestions and ideas always welcome. Bob

Good looking pair of chaps, Mark! Bob

Amen Brutha!!!!

Great job on the stool LR. Sorry about your son's injury. On the positive side, when he has his leg propped up on that great stool, he can cross his other leg and practice tying his foot........no free lunches! Hopin' he's back in the saddle, soon! Bob

Everybody probably already knows this, but just in case someone doesn't know.....on a drawknife, the blade is only sharpened on one side, so that the blade forces the leather into the knife and holds it tight against the gauge. If you're drawknife lets leather drift out from the gauge, the blade probably doesn't have enough angle on it. Just a little tip..... Bob

I use both Masters and Barge (original Barge), and like them both. I have a lot of experience with Barge and only a little experience with Masters. I began using Masters when I thought I was not going to be able to the original Barge any longer. It seems to me that Masters drys a lot faster than Barge does, so for me that is one of the things I think about....drying time. When I'm gluing smaller pieces, I usually grab the Masters. I use Barge the most because that's what I have the most experience with. I thin it...probably 10% to 20% depending how long it's been in my bottle. Just enough to be able to spread it evenly. If it's thick and I have a large area to glue, it is difficult to spread evenly. Masters can be thinned also, but I don't have any experience with it yet. I would assume the properties are the same as Barge. I think the Masters may be a little stronger than Barge, and so that is a consideration when I use it also. The more I use the Masters, the more I like it. I have also noticed that when gluing latigo with Barge, I usually have to coat twice, but with Masters, I don't. The bottom line for me is that I like them both and enjoy having the option to use each to my advantage. Bob