GatoGordo

That is beautiful. Is the pattern your own or did you find it somewhere?

I've used Tandy Waterstain without problem and would recommend it. The work on the cover of the current issue of Leather Crafters and Saddlers Journal was done with Waterstain so it appears even the professionals use it.

Southern California, USA

what are the dimensions of the leather?

First of all, you did not err by flipping the chisel when turning the corner. Actually, you can't. Prove it to yourself by holding your chisel, punch a set of holes, rotate the chisel by 180°, and then punch another set next to the first set. They will look the same. On you piece the holes go from upper right to lower left or //// as seen from the front. This occurs all around your piece and is easily seen if you look at the holes while rotating the leather to keep the edge on top. My guess is that the problem you do see comes from two sources. The tape has some thickness and allows the thin leather surfaces to move a bit with regard to each other. The holes look odd on the back side because you are cutting directly on a poly mat. This does not allow the chisel to penetrate very far past the leather and since the tips of the prongs are sharpened if they penetrate to different depths, they result in holes of different sizes. I suggest you try gluing the two pieces together and then place a sacrificial piece of leather between your work and the poly mat. This will allow the prongs to penetrate beyond the sharpened tips to give a more uniform hole.

Don Gonzales has a video that demonstrates how to center a name in the back of a belt.

I use the Thread Zap II. I tried using a simple BIC lighter, but that was unwieldy. I then tried my butane cigar lighter. That was fine unless I got too close to the leather and singed it. It also had problems in the corners as you also discovered. The Thread Zap II works for me.

Neatsfoot oil is from the shin and foot, not the hoof.

As far as I know, Tiger thread only comes in 500 or 1,000 meter spools depending on thickness. Rocky Mountain Leather Supply does sell it in 25 meter lengths, but it appears that they are the ones transferring the thread to the smaller spool. On the 25 meter spools I have purchased, the label clearly states Rocky Mountain Leather. Also note that when you purchase the 25 meter spool you are paying over three times the price per meter of thread. I have not seen it, but perhaps another supplier offers the same service with Fil au Chinois. For a smaller spool of linen thread, you can purchase Twist at Rocky Mountain Leather Supply. It comes in 80 and 90 meter spools depending on thickness. While I prefer Fil au Chinois, for special colors where I do not need a lot, I purchase Twist. For example, just yesterday I ordered a spool of Twist thread in electric blue. I have a special item I want to make with it, but I can't imagine ever using the entire spool (let alone 500 meters).

I started off with the Waterstain dyes and only had two problems. The first was that it did not seem to like being covered with Neatlac and the second was that I just did not like the yellow. Otherwise, I thought they covered evenly and gave great results. The only reason I switched to Angelus dyes was because the alcohol dye was easier to use to fill a background and it dried faster. Due to some of the comments on this forum, I ran a test and made six coasters. Three I dyed with Waterstain and three I dyed with Angelus (six different colors). All six turned out fine. Perhaps you can explain what problems you encountered with the Waterstain dyes.

I wish you had not deleted it as I thought it was a good approach to resolving the problem. Who knows, the OP may have eventually given it a try.

Here is the first project, a biker's wallet. It looks a little beat up after the folding. Here is the exterior stitching: and here is the interior stitching: I am very happy with the Kevin Lee French Pricking irons.

First of all, let me say I really enjoy hand stitching. I find it relaxing and since I do this as a hobby, I am in no rush to finish. I have been using a set of Craftool 7 SPI (3.85mm) diamond hole irons and have been quite happy with them. However, after seeing the French pricking irons, I was sold. I ended up buying a set of 8 SPI (3.38mm) pricking irons. Here is a picture of the holes made by the diamond and French irons. Here is a test of actual stitching. The top row is with the diamond chisel while the other two are with the French chisel. The top two lines are with 0.6mm Tiger thread and the bottom is with 0.55mm Twist linen thread.

I use olive oil without any problems. I can buy a gallon of it for about $14 and use it for both leather and frying on the griddle. I started using it after discovering that Don Gonzales uses it. https://dgsaddlery.com/what-kind-of-oil-should-i-use/ If you decide to use neatsfoot oil, check at your local feed store as it is used on horses. Ours sells it for far less than the leather stores or Amazon.

I do pretty much what LatigoAmigo does. I tell my printer that I am printing A4, but load the tray with US legal. Sometimes, you can get away with printing on US letter, but it often cuts of the bottom of the print since A4 is a bit longer than US letter.

With that many kits to build, wouldn't it make more sense to buy the zippers in bulk? Purchasing 13 feet of chain and 22 sliders then cutting to length would have to be easier and cheaper than trying to purchase 22 completed zippers and hoping they are the correct length.

I recently started using a thread zapper II. When I first got it I used Costco batteries and, just like you, I went through batteries left and right. I then purchased some eneloop rechargeable batteries and now one battery runs a long time. In fact, I was able to finish my last project using just one battery without a recharge. As for fragility, I have never noticed that problem. If you prefer a lighter, try a butane lighter. There is no soot, but it still sometimes chars the leather and is difficult to get into tight spaces.

The link is still there. It is included in the thread posted in the Patterns and Templates topic.

In the past, I always used contact cement (Barge). However, with my last zipper install I used double sided tape. It turned out to be much easier, quicker, and cleaner. You might want to give it a try to see if it works for you.

From your pictures, I think you are pulling the thread at the wrong angle and this is causing the stitching to be flat. Take a look at UK Saddlery's video where he shows how the angle at which you pull the thread affects how the stitch appears.

I don't have a picture, but I do have some experience. I usually order Hermann Oak sides from Panhandle leather. The last time I ordered from Panhandle, they called and told me that they really did not have any good sides in stock so I cancelled the order and ordered two Craftsman grade sides from Springfield leather (one 4/5 and one 6/7). The price difference between the two orders was ~$20, Panhandle being the higher price. I was so disappointed with the quality of the sides from Springfield that I will continue to buy from Panhandle in the future.

You need to read it again. Hildebrand called Weaver leather and was not happy. He ended the entry with "I have had good luck with Montana Leather and Springfield Leather." Tony is from Springfield leather with whom Hildebrand is happy. There was no salesman spinning anything around.

Would you please explain how you do the lettering? Do you stamp the letter and then paint it with a brush? Do you do the outside color first or the inside color first? What paint do you use?

If you check, you will find a video he made where he discusses various stitching methods and states that he likes the punched holes and straight stitch. I do not, but I still have made a few of his patterns. I just use a diamond punch and saddle stitch.

Your voice only comes across as rude because you are posting in the wrong place. This is an interesting topic, but one that you should create in a new topic and not attack an absolutely beautiful project created by the OP. I truly request that you create a new thread in the general discussion forum where we can openly discuss the evolution and future or leather design and fabrication. I, as I am sure others, believe that the purse presented in this thread is beautiful and one that I would be proud to create and one that my wife would love to own..