harryhorse

Hi YinTex, Yes, you are correct, the clear was turned and stitched and then attached to the colored vinyl. When I made my pattern from the pieces I took apart, I left a very good excess 1/2"-1" especially on the ends just to make sure that I did have enough material to either fold or make french seams, which was on the original. Since I have the frame clamped on sawhorses I can use that to place the colored material under, and then mark where the seams should go, and where the clear vinyl should go, and use the old pieces to mark the folds. I wasn't sure whether to stitch the entire outside first and then insert the clear, or start with the center strip (where the handles go) and then add the rest, but after reading your post and looking at all of it again, I think I will stitch all the perimeter first, then add the clear at the end, making sure it all fits the way the old one did, and then I can take it all down to my friend that has the harness stitcher for the final fit and stitching. Thank you so much for looking. Dinah

I have tried to find someplace where I could ask some questions about a job I am working on for my hay man. The only reason why I did not come here first was that primarily this is for leather and not vinyl........anyway, I was given the left hand door for a metal tubed cab frame and half the vinyl was on the rest had rotted or cracked. I managed to make a pattern and got some heavy marine vinyl and clear vinyl for 2 windows for the door. I've got all the pieces cut out and now I cannot seem to figure out if I should sew the outer perimeter first and then put in the vinyl (all inside seams were french seams), outside were fold over. OR, add the clear to the center strip and then stitch the pieces together. There are 7 pieces of the outside vinyl and two pieces for the windows. So far all I've managed to finish was stitching a lining under the center for the handle. I'm using my Brother walking foot to get the pieces together and then am taking it down to a friend that has a post machine to attach it to the frame. ANY comments or help would be great. Not sure if I ever want to make any more doors :).

Thanks Brian! I've been up to my armpits washing and repairing horse blankets for 2 weeks now. Every door in my house has a blanket hanging to dry and I have more repairs before I deliver some tomorrow. I managed to finish my eldest sons birthday present - a leather satchel. I want to get back to leather work, but right now the blankets pay the bills.

Thanks Brian! I think that's a great idea. Sometimes it pays to hoard a bit.......you never know when it might come in handy. Dinah My main use for them is to roll the hand stitching down further into the groove I've made so that it's a bit more protected. The secondary use would be rolling skived edges about 1/2". I was not planning much else 'sept rolling across your knuckles-----------:) Brian Just tugging' your whiskers Rocko. Actually they don't make much of a sound now, I know they did when they were on that big old Settee. Dinah

WOW that is really amazing! You did such an outstanding job Terry! Happy Wife=Happy Life

Unfortunately Buckle Guy is the same way, standard shipping charge, I think it was $5.00 auto fee for handling/order and $2.66 for first class whether it's one snap or more. I ended up finding another supplier (wholesaler) in Flatiron district of NY. Henry Westpfal Co., Inc. that has tools for Leather Work. 115 W 25th St. NY, NY 10001 been in business since 1874 - 212-563-5068 . Prices are good, they sell CS Osborne tools. They only employ 3 people, but Carmella is the lady who answers the phone and is really great. I sent them my resale tax information and they took care of everything. They ship UPS but standard rates, no handling charges. They are basically knife and scissors people and sharpening for chefs but have a deal with Osborne for the leather tools. I found an old guy around here that was going out of business and got a box of 'stuff just take it away' deal and had Grobet swiss files and some great other tools, one was an early CS Osborne rivet setter-which I did not know. Since I needed some fold forming tools for my metals I of course, polished the other end to use in some classes. I was always taught to file, sand, polish, buff all my old hammers and tools until they shined so they would not mar the surface on my pieces-mostly brass and sterling. Well, last year I realized it was a rivet setter. Here is Osborne's web address. https://www.csosborne.com

My main use for them is to roll the hand stitching down further into the groove I've made so that it's a bit more protected. The secondary use would be rolling skived edges about 1/2". I was not planning much else 'sept rolling across your knuckles-----------:) Brian Just tugging' your whiskers Rocko. Actually they don't make much of a sound now, I know they did when they were on that big old Settee. Dinah

If I didn't want to share you would not have seen it. Not at all, Brian. If I can contribute in some way and make it easier I'm all for that. You have to post photos though...... Dinah

Really beautiful and great work

I was watching a video today on YouTube by my favorite leatherworker. He was using a metal roller on leather to depress the saddle stitching into a groove. I thought it was so cool. I grabbed my tin of antique sofa rollers, some wood for a chair I'm restoring, six metal ones and 3 hard plastic ones from the 40s. I dumped them in a pickle solution on the side of my cooker, and in about 30 minutes brushed them clean and buffed them, took some old wood handles for my round wood files, used the wood files to enlarge the holes a bit and put them in. I love it when I can find stuff around here to use that I need not spend money on.

Hi Bob-sounds very interesting.

Thanks JD, I have a stitching horse that I've used for years. Dinah

Wow Bob! 2 sides? I just got one side and it's 26.8sqft. That must have been a monster to get on the machines table and keep it there. Dinah

Hi Zach, This is a very cool-way before it's time saddle! The adjustments are to make the head plate (front of the saddle) wider or more narrow depending on the withers of the horse, mule,, draft horses. Some drafts are so large, their withers would be pinched with a small narrow head plate. Some horses withers are prominent (stick up-have no muscling) and some are almost round (like ponies that have a crupper on the saddle to keep it from rolling over). The panels (sitting on either side of the spine) also sometimes need a saddle that can be adjusted for the broadness of their backs. Or it could be that depending on how many saddle pads or blankets were used. There have been several saddlers in the UK that have created custom saddles (English, Western, Racing, Endurance) that can be fully dismantled. You can adjust the flaps for hacking out or jumping, or pure dressage. Headplates can be changed to accommodate various horses within minutes, it has no tree, there is the seat, and the panels, and the flaps. Each panel has a front and a rear airbag to adjust the fit and comfort for the horse. The gullet (down the spine is created to be quite wide to lay on either side of the spine and not so close like the old saddles. Endurance horses love this as much as the fox hunting horse that is out for many hours. The tubing for the air bags can be seen mid-point of the seat- This is just my personal idea, but it is very cool. Please let us know if you decide to restore it. Dinah

Thank you Tugadude! I have an industrial Brother walking foot, and can do everything on it that doesn't require a 'post', but enjoy saddle stitching and that makes it an easy choice. I've been saving for a good machine with a post to work on with some of my medical horse boots, hopefully I'll find one. Dinah

Welcome to you! I think the next time I wish Tandy were closer, I'll read these posts. I live 250 miles round trip to the closest one in my state. Probably a good thing. The last time I went I allowed myself only 45 min, and got out in 30. Your background in designing and making clothing will help you for certain. If push comes to shove, you will find that your background will come in handy with the leather work. Dinah

I just joined yesterday and "...already she has a question?" If there is someone familiar with 5 oz. Bison leather - I would like to know if machine or hand saddle stitch for man's simple mail/messenger bag. Thank you, Dinah

Here are a few quick photos of copper rivet heads. The first shows the one on the left I have used some of my flat jewelry files on to start, just to get the surface even, the next one is after I sanded with 120-1200 grit, and buffed it, and the last one just shows a clearer photo of the surface. The rivets available now are so poorly made-and punched out on an assembly line, and you can see this when you are filing down the surface because there is a decided crown in the center. Years ago I got a bag of copper rivets from a farrier in the UK. I used them up over the years, but they were incredibly good copper and polished up a treat-The nice thing now is that the washers are smooth to begin with, so depending on which orientation you want the rivet, it can still look nice and smooth without too much work. Sometimes I want the pounded over shaft to be on the outside and will file and polish that as well. I don't want any rough or sharp edges, one of the first things I learned when I learned about metal working. It took me a good year filing and polishing/finishing *no machines* but you can use that in so many other work as well like furniture and leatherwork. Hmm, won't let me upload them. Let me see if I can just get one and downsize it. YAY John! It's great when we can find a 'work around'.

Hi John, I polish lots of copper and brass in my jewelry and larger pieces. After I file and rough edges *which you probably won't have on rivet caps*, I start with a soft brass brush, a green scrubby and borax and rinse. Then I will use various sandpaper grits starting with 400 and working up to some of the higher ones 1200-2000 fabric they use on airplane windows and things. After that I charge my buffer with polishing material like Zam for copper bits and Fabuluster for brass/sterling. My buffer is super fast and will give a great shine, but these look like they are machined to get the concentric circles. Eventually, however, the metal finish will oxidize and turn a bit darker, depending on use. Did you try to see if the Buckle Guy website has any already turned like this? I can take some of my rivet caps and show a comparison when I'm finished mowing-the endless growing green pastures....... Dinah