hidepounder

Ray, I've noticed that the motor vent is exposed on mine and subject to debris falling in.....I need to install a small sheild on mine to correct that. Bob

Absolutely not! In fact, that was what I meant by doubling it. I think you'll really be happy with it when you're done. Have some fun with it! Bob

I am SICK with envy!!! You have a Water Jet!!! It never occured to me that you could cut leather....but I'd rather makes knives to do that. When I saw the knive you posted, I considered trying to use my plasma cutter, but I know that would ruin the temper of those old blades. Anyway...great job. Stick some Water Buffalo or Bighorn scales on them and sell them for $$$$$$$$$$$ Jealous as Hell! Bob

That's funnny!!!

I don't use Saddle Lac, but I have in the past. I'm with Josh, I think it's a pretty good sealer, and anything that you choose will have to be rejuvinated. Bob

Thanks, Jim, I'm going to try one out. It sounds like a good idea....I would never have thought of using one. Bob

Josh....if all else fails, what about using that little cutter thingy with the spinner on the top of it.....you know....whad-ya-callit.....a.....a......a......................oh yeah!...................YOUR SWIVEL KNIFE!!!!!!! Just joshing with ya!!!!! ("and the hits just keep on coming!") Bob

I sew after everything is finished if I can. Presser foot marks are sometimes a problem....I have adjusted the presser feet on my machines as light as I can get away with. I also have ground and buffed the edges of the presser feet to try to get them as smooth as possible.

I'm fascinated with your knife. I looks great! I'm curious to know how you cut it out without affecting the temper in the steel. Using a saw blade never occured to me...great idea....and good job! Bob

Nicely done Josh and very innovative, I like it! Beautiful job on the edges!!! Bob

Here's a belt I finished this weekend. This is one of my own patterns....it's not new, you've seen it before. I wanted to do something a little different when I drew this, so I wrapped the pattern around the borders. I like it but it makes it pretty slow to tool. The leather is 7/8 oz grade A, HO, with a 2/3 oz finger cut lining. The finish is Fiebings Cordovan dye, Fiebings Lt Brown Antique and Neat-Lac. Stitching is 138/99 at 9 spi. I can't decide which I like better....138 or 99 on top. Any opinions? I also lined the keeper, but I'm not sure why....you can't see it! As always, I appreciate critiques and suggestions! There's always room for improvement! Bob

Nice work, Allen, and congratulations! Bob

Thanks Luke, Just happened to have finished it last weekend and had a photo which showed the lining. Bob

Mike I had assumed it wouldn't be used for anything rough. Bronc halters are popular right now. Doubling it would definitely be the right thing to do. 7/8 oz just isn't heavy enough by itself. Even the Show Halters I make are 16 oz or heavier. You're on the right track! Bob

I'm with Luke...I leave mine natural...I just like the way it looks, better. Bob

If it were me I would make the whole thing double thickness and sew it all....sewing is the right way. It could also be lined with 7/8 oz latigo. Bob

Yes Bryan, that is right. If you have a long stretch between tooling sessions, I suggest using the palstic wrap and tooling small sections at a time. I will say, though, a week is a long time to try to keep everything together. I can't answer for David, but I'm confident that he is talking about slicking....and I agree with him....I slick everything also, before I tool. It does a great job of compacting the leather fibers and creating a more uniform surface to cut and tool. I use a smooth piece of glass that has a wood handle glued to it...made by Barry King. You can use acrylic or wood slickers also, however, they are easily nicked which puts scratches in the leather. In addition, slicking helps to take out some of the stretch out of the leather when you tool. I slick when I case and again before I cut the piece to size. Hope this helps, Bob

Russ, Good explanation! You also pointed out a distinction that may be important...I don't know. I've always wondered if using a detergent or soap makes a difference. I wasn't taught to use a casing solution....I have only started using one in the last few years. I use Joy dishsoap in my solution.... it's not a detergent (I think). Why? Because someone suggested I try it and I liked it! I have not tried Lexol, yet, but I understand that is works very well. I also use Ivory bar soap on the surface before I cut. I wonder if the use of a detergent would have any negative or different effect on leather, or effect the final finish, which the soap does not seem to do. The thing that I think is important that your explanation points to, is achieving a uniform absorbtion of moisture in the leather...which makes for optimal tooling! Casing as oppossed to wetting, helps to accomplish that. Your explanation of the effects of the soap (which I didn't know, BTW) makes sense! Adding soap seems to take this saturation level a step farther than just casing with water. Now, knowing the effects of soap, I am inclined to try the Lexol also (which is mostly soap, I believe). Good stuff, thanks! Bob Russ...I edited this because when I re-read your post I realized that your explanation of a sufuctant was really referring to detergents. Does that mean we should be using detergents instead of soap, or do they both accomplish the same thing?

Using soaps in the water you use to initially wet the leather, helps the leather to cut a little better. I would guess that two things happen...one is that the soap may help lubricate the knife when cutting and secondly, it may reduce the rate that the steel blade reacts with the chemicals in the leather with causes a crystaline build-up on the blade, which creates drag. Re-wetting is not a problem if the leather is not dried out. If you allow the leather to dry and then re-wet, that's when you will begin to notice it affecting the tooled areas. I re-wet all the time, I just try to be sure not to let the surface get too dry before using my spray bottle or sponge. On the other hand, if you over-wet the leather, that will affect the tooled areas, also. One of the tricks to maintaining the optimum moisture content is to not try to tool too large an area at one time. On large pieces, I segment the areas to be tooled by covering them with plastic wrap. That way I can finish one area, taking advantage of the moisture in the leather, before uncovering the next area to tool. Bob

I think my definition of casing seems to be different from other's definitions. I was taught that casing a piece of leather was not wetting it and letting it dry back to the point where it is ready to tool....that's just wetting the leather. Casing is where a piece of leather is wet and just before it is ready to tool it is placed in a casing box and allowed to sit overnight. The casing box was a wood box that was lined with sheet metal, to hold in the moisture. Now days we use plastic bags/boxes. The point of casing is to allow the leather to cure in a moist environment. You're trying to achieve a consistant moisture content throughout the piece of leather. When leather is dipped and allow to return to color, it is wetter in the center because the moisture has evaporated from the surface. It is very toolable at this point, but the moisture is not consistant throughtout. As a result, it may be a little more difficult to cut and less burnishing occurs from tooling. Properly cased leather cuts like butter and a lot more burnishing will occur when it is tooled. Why the refrigerator? To prevent mold! If you are working on a large piece that may take a couple of days to complete, placing it a plastic bag helps maintain the moisture content....the refrigerator helps to prevent mold form forming. The need to use the refrigerator depends on you're particular environement. It is most desirable to not let the leather dry completely out. When moisture is re-introduced after the leather is dry, the areas that are compressed from tooliing, primarily the beveled and shaded areas, absorb the moisture and begin to de-compress...similar to a sponge absorbing water. When re-tooled, the compression doesn't hold as well as it did initially. Hope this makes sense... Bob

I recommend using the old heavy canvas they use on wall tents. Lighter canvas will work, some people use denim, but I think the heavy canvas makes a difference. I saturate the canvas with Fiebings yellow saddle soap. I've been told the white soap works well also, but I've never tried it. Tom, I think there are three or four wraps around the wood form. I used Barge to help hold the outside edge down. It didn't take very long for the canvas to conform to the wood. I don't put a lot of pressure on the leather...firm pressure I guess. I have a harder time not over-burnishing...staying on the canvas too long creates a rough edge....partially from the heat caused by friction, I think. Th yellow saddlesoap helps keep the canvas lubricated. As far as getting the edge round is concerned, I think that depends on the size edger you use and shape of the groove you use when burnishing. Tom, the only time I've experienced what you are talking about, is when my stitching, for what ever reason, was close to the edge. When that happens, I use a rub stick along the stitches to push the lether back in place and smooth it out. I prefer sewing after I do the edges, just to avoid that condition which, obviously, you cannot do when forming. Have you considered leaving everything long and uncut until after you've formed the holster? There is nothing that says you have to cut to your final lines before you form the holster. This would allow you to create a little more room between the edge and the stitches. Just a thought... I haven't looked at John's edges in a long time....as I recall, they looked good. I think he burnishes and then uses an edge finish...but don't quote me on that. Remember, John is producing in volume....he cannot afford to spend the amount of time on the edges of a holster, that I spend on one of my custom pieces. I'm making one...he's making hundreds! He has to produce a nice looking edge, that is durable, and he has to be able to do it quickly. That is a lot different than making one of a kind custom pieces as most of us here do. Our edges should be better...it's custom work, not production work....and we get to charge more for it. At least that's my position.

LeatherCaptain, There are a lot of alternatives to purchsing a Weaver Burnisher. I purchased mine hoping it to be the end of all burnishers......it was not!!!! I ended up wrapping the burnishing wheel with canvas, because that's what produces the best results! In time I am going to modify it again. Weaver will sell the wood burnisher separately (I paid $30 for one a couple years ago) which could be mounted on a motor or chucked in a drill. DueceTrinal sells some of the best burnishers I'v ever seen right here on LW. I'm going to order a couple for myself. http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?s...p;hl=Burnishers. The bottom line is you still have to burnish with heavy canvas! I did this by hand for years, as did every saddlemaker in the country. If you're doing a lot of burnishing, then a mechanicl set-up is the way to go. If you are only burnishing occasionally, the mechanical set-up is a luxury. There is nothing wrong with using elbow grease to burnish with canvas, and then finishing the process with a rub stick. I see a lot of people producing excellent products with mediocre edge finishes (and that's being kind!). They burnish with wood burnishers and use Gum T because Tandy or someone else sells it to them. Then they call it good because they went throught the motions! I have never been able to understand this! I know as well as anybody that fiinishing edges is a boring, monotonous process, but if you want to produce a quality product, it has to be done! Keith Siedel advertises that his edge finishing process involves 13 separate steps. That's a lot of work! Most of us want to get the piece finished and so we skimp on our edges, but the truth is that finishing edges is a major part of the process in producing a quality project...there's just no way around it! Holsters can be tedious because of the contours you have to deal with after the piece is molded, but they are by no means difficult. And nothing looks better burnished than the 3 or 4 layers of a holster when they're done correctly!. If it were me, and I was just doing holsters on a part time basis, I would probably burnish with canvas by hand, and follow up with one of DueceTrinal's burnishers mounted in a dremel or drill. When using the wood burnisher, I'm not sure that the higher speed is bad. Most drills and dremels are available with variable speeds. When using canvas, you have to stay down around 1750 rpms. I feel like I'm rambling so I'm going to quit....hope this helps you! Bob

THAT'S a good idea, Tim!

Hey Mark, those look great! Nice job of sewing too! Bob

My process is a little different than the others posted here. First off, I agree with everybody else, you should do your burnishing after the holster is molded. Once it's molded and dry, this is what I would do: 01.) SAND EDGES - I use a mounted belt sander with a 150 or 220 grit belt and always move against the direction of the sander. All I'm trying to do hear is to insure that all the leather layers are even and all the reisdual glue and finish has been removed. 02.) EDGING - I use an edger to remove the corners of the edge. 03.) WET & SOAP - Wet the edge using a sponge and then rub glycerine bar saop well into the edge. 04.) BURNISH - I burnish with heavy canvas satuarated with Fiebings yellow soap. The canvas is wrapped around a wood burnishing wheel (I use the Weaver set-up) 05.) DYE - At this point I dye the edge with Fiebings alcohol dye. I use this because it is absorbed into the leather...it's not just bonded to the outside like an edge paint is. I also dye at this stage because I can get a nice neat, clean line because the leather is smooth and the fibers are all tight and bonded together. If you dye the edge before you burnish, you cannot get a nice clean dye line! 06.) HAND BURNISH - I use a clean cloth (old t-shirts are great) to rub the edge to remove any residual dye and to determine if a second coat is necessary. If not, I use a hand burnisher to rub any imperfections out of the edges and create an even smoother finish. 07.) POLISH - At this point I use a soft drum wrapped with cordura nylon (Mounted on the other side of my Weaver burnisher) and gererously impregnated with parafin, and burnish again. Once I'm satisfied with the finish, I polish to a high luster with a dry cloth. 08.) FINISH - apply the final finish. Here are some examples of the my finished edges on a belt I completed this weekend, and a photo of the edge on a pad folio I posted earlier this year. Here is my burnishing set-up: This has worked pretty well for me, however, I'm always adjusting as I learn new tricks and techiques. Hope this helps, Bob