GatoGordo

I like the hole that a French iron leaves, but I find them difficult to use. The bottom of the teeth are flat and lining up on the stitch line is not accurate. The tips of the diamond chisels are pointed so placing them on the stitch line is easy and accurate, however, I am not a big fan of the hole they leave although I don't think it really matters since it will close up again after stitching. I like Kevin Lee's black stitching chisels (Japanese Diamond Style) that provide the best of both. The tines are pointed and easy to line up and the hole is somewhere between the French and diamond styles (go to 6:30 in the accompanying LeatherToolz video and you can see the hole it leaves. I have stitching chisels in 3.0, 3.38, and 3.85 mm and use them all depending on the project. For belts and holsters, I use the 3.85 mm.

I have purchased several tools over the years from Kevin Lee and found them to be very good. I have also sent him a few questions and received a reply within a day or two. Nigel Armitage recently posted a video on YouTube where he discusses corner cutters, both stock and custom, by Kevin Lee. He also gives Kevin Lee a high recommendation.

In the first entry each pdf is listed twice. Click on the second instance of each.

If you want a 3D printed Colt 1911 dummy gun, you can download the STL files from Thingiverse for free and print it yourself.

I really like this bag but would prefer a cat rather than a dog. Any plans to create a feline version?

Years ago I did something similar. My solution was to cut two needles short so they would fit in the small space available and then to manipulate them with needle nose pliers that could reach into the space.

I have purchased ostrich legs from various suppliers, but the ones from Ray's were the best quality, in my opinion. They also offer the largest color variety that I have found. https://www.ostrichleathersbyray.com/

Bob Park has an ad for this book in this month's Leather Crafter's Journal. $45 plus s/h 602-999-3099 hidepounder@cox.net

@Leathershark what glue do you use to attach the lizard? With the curved surface it seems that contact glue may be a bit risky and leave some wrinkles if not done properly.

I am curious how you did that. I assume the lizard is glued to a vegetable tanned backing. For the two that are wet-formed, did you do the wet-forming with the lizard attached?

Here is a link that shows using the braid in a dog leash. You will need to do it multiple times to simulate the continuous look. https://leathersmithdesigns.com/blogs/braided-leather-dog-leash-diy-/

Join the two pieces together with rubber cement or double sided tape. Then sand or cut the edges to the size and shape you want. While glued together, the edges will be more rigid and easier to shape. Finally, separate the two pieces. At this point, the two pieces will be mirror images. Finally, mark the stitch line with dividers.

I went the easy route and printed a set on my 3d printer.

Which pattern is it? I looked at various hat videos by Dieselpunk.ro and yours looks better than anything I saw from Tony.

In 2018 I ordered a custom made maul from Clay Miller. Over the years of use the head started to wear and needed replacing. I was not sure how the maul came apart to replace the head so I sent an email to Mr. Miller and asked him. In his reply explaining how to replace the head, he offered to do it free of charge. All I had to do was to send him the maul. I quickly decided to take him up on his offer. One hour after he received the maul (I checked the tracking information), I received an email from him saying that the maul was repaired and would be shipping out that evening. I received the repaired maul today, one week after I mailed it out, and it looks better than new since it has years of patina on the handle from use. Clay Miller is a great vendor who stands behind his products. Just wanted everyone to know.