TrooperChuck

I use Tandy's overstitcher with interchangable wheels. The funny part, though, is that I never change the wheel. The #5 works for everthing I do.

Raven, I've experimented with a couple tools like those and was never happy with the results. Maybe I'm just "awl-challenged", but I could never get a decent looking line of stitches with them. I went back to saddle stitching with a sharp awl and two needles.

I know what you mean! Its funny... I worked for a government agency for 22 years and had a great career, but I really don't like and don't trust the government. I could go on and on about how our government is not what the Founding Fathers intended, but I guess I don't need to be raising my blood pressure.

Brent, I use Tandy's satin shene on top of Fiebings dye all the time. I found that three light coats of the satin shene gives a good finish to my projects.

I recently read a book about the Mayan calendar... December 22, 2012 is the date they predicted the world's end. I'm planning on going on vacation on that day.

Child molesters, wife beaters, people who are cruel to animals, and arsonists... I wish we could round them ALL up and... Since this is a family oriented site I will refrain from saying what I'd do to those kinds of people. Instead, I'll send some prayers out for the safety of the firefighters and anyone living near those fires.

Brent, I'm in the same boat you are... maybe even a slightly smaller one. I'm just a hobbyist who sells a few saddles and leather goods. I don't want my leather work to turn into a full-time job. I got a business license (and consequently, my business tax forms) simply because it allowed me to buy materials a lot cheaper. I don't see myself getting business loans, accepting credit cards, or even building a website. I wish the feds had a tax category for "Commercial Hobby". I have tons of respect for those who operate a REAL business, but it looks to me to be a LOT more work than I want. So, my business plan is.. well, I can't really say it's in my head because I never thought about it until I saw this thread.

Another vote for 100% wool here. Has always worked for me. Air, gels, neoprene, etc... in my mind, they're all gimmicks.

Let's see (can you hear my steel-trap mind doing the arithmetic??)... The cost of the stirrup is zero. I happen to have one that lost its twin long ago. It's wood, covered in leather, if that's okay. PM me your address and I'll ship it to you. Don't worry about the cost of the shipping. Use that money to help out some leatherworker who needs help/advice/materials, etc. Glad I could help.

Wow! That is beautiful!

"And besides, guns don't kill people.... it's the bullets.... " Oh my gosh, Horsehairbraider! You have no idea how hard I am laughing right now! That is a GREAT line! Casey, you reminded me of yet another case I investigated, except it wasn't the husband who came home early, it was the wife. And, yep, she found her husband in a compromising position... with the neighbor lady... in their CHICKEN COOP!!! The wife went back in the house, got a shotgun, and literally shot the guy in the butt! Fortunately for him, the gun was loaded with birdshot and she was far enough away that it just peppered his hide and didn't cause any real damage. I had a heck of a time trying to keep a smirk off my face while I was interviewing that guy.

Please count me in, if it's not too late. (If it is, I'll whine and snivel and wait until the next one!) I can ship overseas if needed.

Karl: If no one in the UK can spare one (which I find hard to believe) I'll send you a Genuine Original Authentic Garanteed 100% Real American Stirrup from Washington state. They're incredibly popular here. Almost eveyone I know has at least two! You might have to wipe the dust, grime, and hay chaff off it because it's been sitting in my tack shed for ages. Chuck

Once again, the "experts" made a booboo! I thought they were immune from that?

After we hang 'em, can we make something with their hides?

Windy, how did you find out about my shack!?!? And, ummm, can you make me one of those hats in size 7-1/4?

Unfortunately, when it comes to guns, we almost never get the full story from the regular media. So many of them have an anti-gun bias, and they often write the stories so that people who are unfamiliar with guns can continue thinking "See! Another evil gun almost killed someone!"

Wow. Back in the early '80's I investigated a negligent discharge of a handgun in a hotel room. A guy was either cleaning his gun (his story) or playing with the gun (my suspicion) when it discharged. The bullet went through two walls and dropped onto a bed between a couple that had been asleep. Can you imagine being awakened by a gun shot and finding a still-warm bullet beside you in bed? Close call. Now, more that 25 years later, I can't remember if we charged the gun owner with Reckless Endangerment or not, but he probably should have been.

Welcome! I know the feeling of wanting to learn saddlemaking. MY advice is to keep looking for a teacher. They're out there, but sometimes you got to search for them. But, once you build that first saddle.... well, it's ADDICTIVE!

Scott: I, too, hate airplanes. My hatred comes from spending thousands of hours in small planes in Alaska, travelling to remote places, often in bad weather, to investigate serious crimes or investigate PLANE CRASHES. If I never step on another plane again it won't bother me. On a lighter note... This forum has such an amazingly diverse group of people and skills that we could start our own country! Let's elect Johanna as president of LeatherWorld!

Josh, A dislexic friend of mine had this to say about his spelling... "Thomas Jefferson said it was a boring man who spelled his words the same way every time." I kind of like that phrase. Go2Tex, Awesome work!!!

I was an Alaska State Trooper from 1981 t0 2003. During that time I was stationed in Fairbanks, Yakutat, Juneau, Sitka, Anchorage, and Sitka again. My last two assignments before retiring were serving as the statewide search and rescue coordinator and running the state trooper training academy. After retiring in 2003 my wife and I moved to northeast Washinton to be closer to family again. I miss Alaska, but I'm fortunate in that the state troopers bring me back to Sitka about three times a year to teach search and rescue management and wilderness survival to the trooper recruits at the academy. During all that time my wife was involved in wildlife rehabilitation. I never knew what I would find when I came home... baby harbor seals in our bathtub, owls perched on our kitchen table, a trumpeter swan in the guest bedroom. Her last job, before we retired, was rehabbing bald eagles and other raptors, and training the ones who couldn't be released back to the wild for education presentations. She travelled all over the country with an eagle named Volta sharing hotel rooms with her. She even went to the Bahamas with him twice, but never with me!!! After retiring I started playing with leather, and really wanted to learn to make saddles. In 2007 I was introduced to an 82-year old cowboy/saddlemaker/jack-of-all-trades who agreed to teach me saddlemaking. I worked with him about 4 days a week for 5 months. His fee for teaching me was the cost of the materials I used and 5 cords of firewood! I learned a lot from him and will always be thankful for his willingness to spend time with me. I'm thinking of making a couple saddles, saddle bags, pommel bags, and other horse gear and setting up a booth at fairs and other shows. But, beyond that, I just make stuff ordered by people who heard about me from other people.

When I was first getting started in leatherwork I made up some "cards" to indicate the different thicknesses of leather. From a 4-5oz. piece of leather I would cut out a rectangle about the size of a business card. I then edged, stamped, and dyed the "card". The stamping included "4 - 5 OZ." along with some decorative border. I did the same thing with various other leathers, and kept them on my work bench as a reminder of what the various thicknesses looked and felt like. At the time, (remember, I was just getting started then) it was a fun and useful way of practicing some basic skills.

At one time I wanted to sell some of my leatherwork on Ebay, but I've changed my mind. For me, the disillusionment came when I sent a complaint to Ebay about what I thought was some unfair bidding. All I got back was a form-letter which didn't address the point I had raised. So, I sent another complaint, and I got a form-letter apology, which STILL didn't answer my original complaint. That incident told me exactly what the good folks at Ebay thought of their customers. So, now I only use Ebay as a form of entertainment. When someone is trying to sell a Model 1904 McClellan saddle as an "Original Civil War Cavalry Saddle!" I send them a note. Most of the people respond back with a thank you, but ocassionally some of them get really defensive! LOL

Tom: I understand your reluctance to take on something that seems complicated, but to be honest, holsters really aren't very complicated. And, with your contacts as an NRA instructor, you already have a ton of portential customers. I wish I had gotten into leathercrafting when I was a state trooper. When in uniform, we had to wear the department-issued gear, but off-duty or working in plain clothes we could use our own leather gear. I could have sold a LOT of concealed-carry type holsters back then. For what it's worth, one of my best buddies is also a NRA instructor. They keep him pretty busy, traveling around the country teaching cops. Welcome to the forum. Chuck