stelmackr

There is a product made by Bee-Natural that you spray on that works like magic. It is applied by completely covering the leather and as it dries a second coat makes sure all the leather is covered. When dry the leather returns to the natural color and water just beads up and runs off. The leather remains flexible and feels the same. I've used this product on naked leather (leather that is dyed, but had no protective finished) to make the leather useable for my book covers. I started my little business with those "Friday Specials" from Siegel Leather of California. Many of the leathers were quite inexpensive, but had no finish on them. By using Bee-Natural Leather Protector, I was able to use all those odd, inexpensive leathers. The Natural Leather Protector works. I've often wondered how this would work for belts, wallets, motor cycle seats, etc. I think give it a try after the this holiday ordering rush. NATURAL LEATHER PROTECTOR Natural Leather Protector waterproofs and protects your most color sensitive leather. Natural Leather Protector is made with the newest and most advanced formulas in scientific technology, offering you a waterproofing and stain resistance that doesn't affect the color or texture of deer hide. Size Available: 16 oz Bottle $32.50 www.bee-natural.com/cgi-bin/web_store/web_store.cgi?product=hobby&category=yes&cart_id=2190785_4659 Hope this helps. Bob Stelmack

I'll be there. I've got a nice book press for delivery to Aaron...

Sorry, about the broken link. I no longer support that website. Here is different link for the article: http://aaleatherbigb...her Article.pdf If this fails to work--let me know. I used to be the editor of the RawHide Gazzette, but retired after doing it for 15 years. It was great fun and I learned a lot from the people who submitted articles to PSLAC (Puget Sound Leather Artisans Coop) http://www.pslac.org All are welcome to submitted articles for publications--no money, no prizes, just the satisfaction of helping others learn the craft of leather. Hope this helps. Bob Stelmack

In my experience, I've used a bookpress, that produces about 2-5 ton of pressure. I used an old physics formula for the calculations As Aaron said, look for letterpress type and eBay or Craigs List is a good place to look. When looking for the letterpress type use Search Words: - printers type, letterpress type, metal type, metal fonts, hot stamping fonts, hot stamping letters, metal letters. I also use the point size that I am looking for to narrow my search. Here is some information to help you get the right size of type: Points are a measurement of the Block Height which the letter is on. So the letter printing is smaller than the block height. When these were manufactured at the foundry they were cataloged at the block height. The below conversions are the block height: 12 pt is approx 1/8 inch 18 pt is approx 1/4 inch 24 pt is approx 5/16 36 pt is approx 1/2 inch 48 pt is approx 5/8 inch 60 pt is approx 13/16 72 pt is approx 1 inch 84 pt is approx 1 3/16 inch You can also also purchase brand new type at: M&H Foundry ( http://www.arionpres...ndh/catalog.htm ) Take a look at their catalog to see the range of font type and sizes. Here is the back of a book cover with a large amount of 18pt Times font that was impressed on leather using a bookpress. For some description of using letterpress type on leather try this: www.pslac.org/download_area/Typography%20in%20Leather%20Article.pdf Hope this helps.

Charl, Thanks for the kind words. I have made conchos out of some medallions to allow mounting. I use Chicago screws and solder them to the medallion. I use a pinball and a doming tool I picked up from Harbor Freight to make the concho shape. Here is a sample: I would not trust any adhesive to attach metal to leather. Maybe you can rivet the medallion to the leather. Or adhere the medallion to a thin larger form of metal and sew through or around it. There is also a way to form a lip to hold the medallion, but the lip hides part of the medallion. Please see this example: (Note: This is not my cover. It is made by Mikes Leather at: http://mikesleather.com/gallery/ ) Hope this helps. Bob Stelmack

I have made book covers that have medallion holders in them. I make them so the medallion is removable, but they could be made permanent. To make permanent the process is involves two layers of leather. The top layer is punched out with the size of the medallion (plus a little) and a sewing channel is made using a circular piece of pipe. The leather is finished and a piece of vinyl, larger than the hole and larger than the sewing channel, is glued in with contact cement. Next the inner layer gets the medallion double back taped to it and the two pieces of leather are put together and sewn. The size of the hole, the thickness of the vinyl and sewing channel position will also help hold the medallion in the correct position. Please see this simple example: . I get the vinyl from Jo Anne Fabrics and comes in about 5 thicknesses. Hope this helps. Bob Stelmack

Bright, but nice execution...

Perhaps just dampen the leather, then use the tool.

From the FERDCO website: Everything has been sold out to Hoffman Brothers in Rosemont Il. 800-323-9120. www.hoffmanbrothers.com We will be posting more info about this as soon as everything has been finalized and Hoffman Brothers has everything. Bitterroot Saddle Company will be stocking thread, ( the same brand that we were selling). his # is 406-961-3978, they are located in Hamilton Mt.

Ask and ye shall receive: The problem with individual leather stamps in not only the vertical alignment, but the kerning (horizontal positioning) of certain letters next to each other. If you use those Tandy Leather Factory stamps and position one stamp to the next, then it is just like typing a Microsoft letter in courier font, a non-proportional type. See this example: RawHide Gazette Whereas, using a proportional font, like Times New Roman you get a result like this: RawHide Gazette You can see that certain letters are "kerned", or moved closer to other letters. This kerning taken care of with the individual letters relative width and a kerning pairing indicated indicated in the font software. So, for me, I have chosen to experiment with letterpress lead type and perform the kerning with the letters. For example the lowercase "i" is extremely narrow, whereas the "m" is the largest with. Please see http://www.pslac.org...her Article.pdf for an example of letterpress type pressed (embossed) into leather. I use a bookpress, but a plain old wood vice would do the job. By using letterpress type I get professionally spaced text on leather. When I don't have the size or font I want, then I trace the letters printed out from a computer on the project and tool them. Bob Stelmack

Very nice tutorial. I might suggest using 3M Scotch Magic Tape since it will not leave a residue on the letterpress type. Here is an alternative way to place/impress letters on leather and even how to make the letters curve: www.pslac.org/download_area/Typography%20in%20Leather%20Article.pdf Hope this is helpful.

Where/who gave the class?

Greetings from Richland, WA.

http://www.4hides.com/Leather_Collections/Pages/Vegetable_Tanned.html http://www.theleatherguy.org/VEG-TANNED-15413.aspx https://hidehouse.com/products/index.html?Category=RV

Try Google search with these strings: Shibouri Method of Dyeing Leather Shibori Method of Dyeing Leather Hope this helps.

I thought the same thing with Photoshop 7 on my many computers on Windows XP. Then Windows 7 came out and over time, one-by-one, the XP computers were replaced by Windows 7 machines. Guess what--old versions of Adobe products would not work. I was already tired of semi annual upgrade paths of Adobe products. It seemed that I was getting "125 dollar-ed" to death. And the functionality were less and less and the interface GUI needed to be relearned. I gave up. I use the open source GIMP (www.gimp.org) instead of Photoshop now. The same story applies to Adobe's InDesign and I now used the open source ScriBus (www.scribus.net). I'm starting to get that way with Microsoft Windows office products and I now use the open source LibreOffice (www.libreoffice.org). The final step will be Linux to replace Windows 7. I already dual boot to either Windows 7 of Ubuntu (Linux). Good luck with Adobe products, They were a good company and good applications. Bob Stelmack

I remember my change over from hand sewing to machine stitching. The initial trial of the old Singer treadle with leather needle (only worked marginally and only on thin leathers), then a Boss with it's long learning curve and sore arm after making a belt, then a used Juki-562 without a reverse and a broken hook (expensive part to have replaced) and finally contacting a sewing machine retail seller and asking for advice, I seem not to learn from past experiences. I think of my early young adult experience every time I read someone else wanting to buy leather stamping tools, or a starter leather sewing machine. When I was about 14-years old I saw a nice tropical aquarium tank at a Chinese restaurant. I was hooked. I saved up some money and bought a 5-gallon tank with all the tropical requirements: heater, filter, tank hood, light, air pump, sand, plants and some fish. All items were brought home and set up in the living room. Everyone spent a lot of time watching and enjoying the aquarium. I was hooked. The small tank would only support a few fish. So, again, off to the pet store I went and returned with 15-gallon tank that need a larger heater, larger filter, different tank hood, different light, larger air pump, more sand and more fish. There they were—both tanks on the marble topped chest in the living room. The larger tank now had more fish in it and more action. At the pet store I had seen a 29-gallon show tank that really showed off the tropical fish the best and allowed for larger fish. I was hooked. Returning again from the pet store, this time with a 29-gallon show tank with, you guessed it: larger heater, larger filter, different tank hood, different light, larger air pump, more sand and more fish. No room for all three tanks on the marble top chest. Moral of the story: If I started with 29-gallon tank I could have saved enough money to purchase an additional 29-gallon tank and a stand to hold both of them. And—there was no one who would purchase my other tanks so I didn't have room for them and they became garage sale items. I keep finding out that I am better off when I purchase the “right thing” for the “right purpose” upfront. I spend more money, but actually save by not buying the interim steps between low cost entry item and the final fully functional item. P.S. I am the owner of three sewing machines and bought each one for specific usage: Singer 29-4 patcher (thin leather projects) FERDCO 1245 (Pfaff 1245 clone) (medium leather projects) FERDCO Pro 2000 (Juki 441 clone) (heavy leather projects) Bob Stelmack

All the thread has been sold. Thanks for looking.

I can't resist... The difference between a Consew 206Rb-4 And 206Rb-5 is, wait for it..... -1 I used to work for Boeing and during the time that Boeing released two new airplanes (767 and 757) I was always asked what the difference between the two airplanes was. Being a smart ass engineer I always explained the difference was 10. Apologies for the bad pun.. Bob Stelmack www.pslac.org

I use this all the time: http://www.wawak.com...e-1-4-x-60-yds/ Got the idea from Wiz Bob Stelmack www.pslac.org

Please see http://www.pslac.org/public/03_mar13.pdf (page 6) for an article on James Polson and his laser demonstration. He said: "...found that using some light tack paper over the leather help keeps the burnt leather dust from getting on the non-lasered leather to aid in clean up.". Bob Stelmack

Take a look at www.pslac.org Bob Stelmack

A tannery I visited, also made jackets, pants and other clothing item from deer and elk skins. They took the finished leather, wet it and stretched them before cutting and sewing. They said it minimized stretch later on. I tried it and it worked for a set of running shorts I made. I stretched the deer skin on a sheet of plywood and stapled the edges to the plywood. Bob Stelmack www.pslac.org

Wouldn't laughing gas be more fun.... ;-)

Here is a inexpensive pattern I found on the Internet via a Google Search: http://www.bighousedaddy.com/attache_case.htm Hope this helps. Bob Stelmack www.pslac.org