hidepounder

I guess this would be my effort to try to tie a confusing issue to a practical application. If you are selecting a rouge to use for touching up your swivel knife, an aggessive cutting compound is probably counter-productive. The drag you feel when cutting leather is caused from a chemical reaction between the steel and the residual chemicals present in the leather, resulting a crystaline build-up on the blade. In this instance you only want to remove that build-up in order to continue cutting smoothly. The more aggressive the rouge used during this process, the more quickly the blade is dulled due to our inablility to maintain the same angle while stropping. Conversely, when actually sharpening the swivel knife blade, the use of a series of diminishing cutting compounds would be desireable, as a jig is used allowing us to maintain the same angle throughout the process, ending with a sharp, highly polished blade. So...I guess it makes sense to have both cutting and polishing rouges on hand. Oversimplified probably, but how did I do? Bob

Steve, those were definitely the days of hard bodies and flat stomachs! I guess I don't need taps because there's no way I'm gonna get my feet up and out front of me before becoming a yard dart! Bob

Hi Casey, I know what you mean (been there too!)....we've dicussed this and she is insistant...these are to replace a couple of 2" Pohja belts that she's wearing now. When I make these they will net at/or just under, 2". I always trim down to allow for the width of the lace. Additionally, todays womens jeans are more forgiving than the Wranglers you and I wear. Thanks for having my back, though, I appreciate it! Bob

It's crazy isn't it? I'm such a sucker for this stuff.....anything to make it brighter and shinier and sharper! It's like buying fishing lures....."maybe this will catch the big one!"

Thanks for all the nice comments, everybody...I appreciate them! I'm looking forward to making these and will post them when they're done. Bob

Pete, I used a 1/4" HG angled blade that Bob Beard made for me. It's one of my favorites.... Bob

I thought you might like to see this new belt pattern. I drew this and finished it in two configurations, for two different belts, at the customers request. These samples will be submitted for pattern approval. The black belt will have black kangaroo laced edges in a Mexican Round Braid. The lighter belt will be stitched and have silver flower centers. Both belts will be two inches wide, tapered to 1", for buckle sets, when finished. I used alcohol dyes and paste antique on both samples....finished with Neat-Lac. I added the nickel and dime for scale. As always, critiques & comments welcome, of course! Bob

Amazing as always! I noticed that the edges are turned, but not stitched. Makes it super clean! Thanks for sharing this, Marlon. Bob

hivemind, There is absolutely nothing wrong with cutting with shears. David prefers to use them also. For me, shears take too long, especially in heavier leathers and they are hard on my hands. Additionally, I use the head knife for other operations as well. When I'm cutting really thin stuff, I sometimes use one of those rolling cutters, but 99% of the time I grab head knife. I think it is all just a matter of personal preference. Bob

Good tip, Bruce. Thanks! Bob

I was reading a knifemakers catalog today and reading about rouges....they had a pink they were touting for final finishes. Just thought I'd throw that in to make a complicated subjet more complicated! Bob

That's kind of exciting! I'm relatively sure that I won't make Sheridan again this year, but maybe Elko will be an option. I'll give Wayne a call and see what's happening. Thanks! Bob

Badger, I don't think anyone is bashing...I didn't read it that way...maybe some difficulty in understanding the resistance to learning to use a great tool...but not bashing! There is a reason that round/head knives have been produced exclusively for leatherworkers for the past 200 years. Most professionals use round/head knives for a variety of reasons...cutting shapes out of leather is just one of them. They are an excellent tool for cutting bevels on edges and are simply unsurpassed when it comes to lap skiving, especially on irregular shapes. Their design makes them incredibly easy to use to cut a staight line without the assistance of a straight edge, and you get to do all of this cutting away from your body, not toward it!!!!! It's really an all around knife! I agree with you....a person should use what works best for them and I trully believe that! But if I'm asked, I am going to recomend learning to use a round/head knife because for me, it is the fastest, easiest and most efficient cutting instrament I own. Why recommend something you feel is inferior, right? I'll bet I have collected fifty different knives over the years, in nearly as many shapes and sizes, searching for that one knife that I can grab off the bench with confidence and a sense of gratification, knowing it is the best tool for the job! For me it's a head knife. It's one of the most important tools I own. I wish it hadn't taken me so many years to learn to use it, but it did, and now I tell anyone who asks, what a wonderful tool it is and why. There is a definite learning curve and I think people who have mastered that skill are enthusiastic about it and want everyone else to know what a joy that knife is to use use! Anyway, that's my 2 cents...I'm not bashing...I'm just excited to share something that was difficult to learn! Bob

What show is that, Bruce? I didn't see it in the schedule....

Josh, Continuing the vine is fine! It is also a good way to start....if the vine is continous you can branch off anywhere and you don't have a "starting" point.

I think 3/16" is a good distance. If you can get away with a stitch groove in the back, I think thats good. Looks better too. If you're having problems driving, is it because you can't tell where the needle is as you go around the curve? If so you might try grinding the nose off the needle presser foot. It made a lot of difference for me.

AMEN Brotha!!!!

That's for sure! And if you're hanging around saddle shops, beware of the open coke cans!!!!!!!

That sounds neat, Bruce! Do they serve Crown while you're there at the movies? I could get lost there for days!!!! Bob

Hi Tom, It doesn't sound to me like you're doing anything wrong...it just sounds like you aren't comfortable with your machine yet. I'm an avid advocate of using a stitching channel, so I think you're on the right track there. With your machine you should easily be able to slow down to one stitch at a time. That's what you need to do when going around a corner. As time goes on, you will become faster and faster. Speed is not important to start with. I use an Adler 205-370 and the distance in the petal from full speed to a nice slow stitch is about 1/4". Needless to say it took me a long time to learn where the sweet spot was where I had good control over my stitching speed. I also learned to hang on to the wheel and apply some breaking pressure with my hand. (this is probably a bad habit). If you're not set up with a speed reducer, then that is something to get immediately. I like using single sided outside presser feet.(I like the narrow harness stiching style) I have a right and a left which I change as needed so that my outside presser foot always rides on the inside where there is no chance of it slippiing off the edge. One of the other things I have done is grind off the nose on the needle presser foot so that I can see the needle penetrate the leather. I don't know if that is a bad thing to do or not...one of the sewing experts needs to jump in here and make some comments, but it sure is nice to be able to see that. there must be a reason why they don't come tht way...I guess if you're just doing long straight runs, the ability to see is less important....(jump in here Art!!!!) There is absolutely nothing wrong with using a guide! I don't use one anymore because I wanted to be able to stitch accurately freehand, so I praticed and practiced and practiced on scrap until I was comfortable. I now use my fingers placed against the machine to create a guide when doing straight runs. Until you are comfortable stitching freehand, use a guide on your projects....then practice freehand on scraps. If you keep at it it will get easier and easier. Hope this helps, Bob

Thanks Art...Jill and I really enjoyed those videos. Would like to have seen more. Bob

Well...............that clears it all up for me!!!!! Wondered how that was done.......... (just kidding Allan) Bob

Vector, As you can see from the different posts, knife sharpening is the major issue here. Anything can be used to cut leather...if it's sharp! What you need to concentrate on is taking whatever type of knife you think you like to use and learn to sharpen it. What is sharp enough? A box cutter with a new blade is not sharp enough, a new knife with a factory edge is probably not sharp enough. There are many videos available on U-tube that are worth watching, and they all demonstrate different methods of sharping. It's a learning process that you must master in order to be able to continue enjoying your leather work. I personally use a head knife and a small straight knife. I don't have any problems cutting curves or corners or wierd shapes in heavy leather with a head knife. A couple of suggestions....when cutting out of a side of leather, rough cut (cut it oversized) the initial piece out of the side. Take it to your bench, dip it in water, let it dry a bit, then cut it to shape on your bench. It is much easier to cut correctly from a small piece of leather than to try to cut your exact shape out a dry side. I have to agree with Randy about using head knives and there is a good reason why most professionals use them. They are difficult to learn to sharpen, but if you get a good one and get the hang of it, you'll never go back. Good luck, Bob

Dusty, That's pretty darn good for a first attempt! Some of my thoughts are...it will look a lot better if you will elongate all the lines that form your petals and other elements. Add more petals to the design. When designing these patterns it is helpful to draw a circle around each flower. When you draw petals on the outside of the circle, elongate the lines but do not let them cross the circle. The same thing holds for petals on the inside. The center of your vine should be the circle you originally drew. I start out by laying out my circles and then filling in the flowers and vines. Add petals so that the spacing between them is the same, over and over. Try to make the amount of background you create balance throughout the pattern. All your lines should be sweeping...not blunt. It's a great first attempt. Drawing patterns takes lots of practice and study of others work. Hope this helps, Bob

Now that I think about it, I may know where one got to....finding the saddlemaker may take some doing. IF I can find her, I'll bet she would let me take pictures.....