JazzBass

BEAUTIFUL!! I've rarely seen a trunk so nicely done. This must have taken quite a bit of both time and skill. Kudos, my friend! Anyone would be proud to own that.

Interesting... I DO like the clicker's knife, as it's the knife my grandfather used for years at Endicott-Johnson shoes. I can certainly see the half-round knife as being wonderfully useful. Remember...I'm still a relative newcomer - it's just nice to find that I was wrong about this tool. re: the clicker's knife - do you resharpen the blades, or just replace them? I found that the ones from Tandy need at least stropping, right out of the package. Nonetheless, it's probably the best knife for really tight curves. Poly board...I found that poundo board was too soft, resulting in what you mentioned - digging in too much. For skiving, I use the slab so the point can glide.

Wow...it takes the idea of craft aids and tap-offs to a whole new level. It does look like the lines are a bit thick... curious about how you feel about the result, and if you'd make any "adjustments" to subsequent patterns. In any case, this is a real winner! Those tap-offs look like they'd last forever.

I've always found that accurate cutting, for me, might just be THE biggest challenge in leather work. I have tried many knives, but had avoided the round knife ONLY BECAUSE of all the comments I've seen online, talking about the difficulty of learning to use one, (essentially) due to a relatively steep learning curve. WRONG!!! I LOVE this knife! It does most everything that other knives do, and does it better in most cases. Learning curve? Well, sure...every new type of tool has a skill set to be developed, BUT - right off the bat, I was kicking myself for listening to the "it's too hard to learn" crowd. Almost immediately, it became my favorite knife of all. I should have known that such a unique tool with such a long history, had good reasons behind its continuing popularity with leather workers. DOH!! (forehead slap) So don't shy away from the head knife...if you don't have one yet, make it next on your list of tools. You won't be sorry - it's not THAT difficult to learn, and it's worth its weight in gold IMHO. I can't say enough about this great tool.

how about leaving lame political comments off the forum  First of all, it was a joke that was just too tempting. Second... This stuff effects all of us. Unless we want to have what we do eventually regulated or even outlawed based upon some inane, extremest policies, we had better pay attention to what we are paying for. Maybe I should have put this in "off topic", since the warning is not really part of leather work per se - but beyond that...ease up a bit, my friend. Realistically, my "lame political comment" could only bother the indoctrinated. Back to the bench...with my new knife

The real laugh is that there's no warning concerning how you could ACTUALLY get hurt. I guess no one in California ever cuts themselves - they all must die of cancer first...or just plain stupidity. When do we as a people just say, "ENOUGH!"? Bureaucrats and bottomfeeders (but I repeat myself) are spending our money to come up with this crap, and livin' high on the hog for doing it, while lording over every aspect of our lives. It's unbelievable what people are willing to tolerate. To quote from what SHOULD be a familiar document: "Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed." Aint it the truth?!! (I won't bother to quote the next sentence, apropos though it may be. )

That should be the warning for the California State legislature.

Nice. The subtle sunburst around the diamond, really makes the transition work - otherwise, the white (cream color?) center might have been too big of a contrast. The whole thing looks great.

Bought a new C.S Osborne #70 round knife, and was making this sheath for it when I actually read the warning sticker: #1 - I'd like to know how this knife can have a cancer risk #2 Reproductive harm? I assume that they mean in some way other than dropping it in your lap. Yes, it seems like a joke, but I went to the website listed, and it is indeed about California Prop 65 warnings requirements, so, SOMEBODY is serious about this. Which makes it even more of a joke, depending on how you look at it. Odder still, C.S. Osborne is in New Jersey, yet a seller in CA was apparently required to affix this dire warning. Hmm... One question - we've all seen ridiculous warnings. (go buy a ladder), but they generally have SOMETHING to do with the function of the item itself. Can anyone top this one for preposterously absurd irrelevance??

That IS a lot of work! Nice Job!

It does, thanks. In fact, I had been creasing multiple times as well, to try to "set" it sufficiently. I'll definitely need heat on bridle so I'm not shoveling sand against the tide. :)

Thanks guys, I'll do some more experimenting. Ha...now I know what to do with all those unused strap ends. ;)

Gorgeous work again, Ryan! Hey...lots of 'Bone players in that family - I've had the honor and great pleasure to work with both Bill Watrous, and (the great) Carl Fontana on many occasions. Don't worry...I'll hold off on the jokes about the "Pneumatic Pitch Approximator"...oops...did I say that out loud? ROFL! Beautiful family, beautiful work. You are indeed blessed, my friend! ...you just need to grow a bass player! Hahaha.

Thanks @billybopp...makes sense. I'm learning. Slowly, but learning!

Forgive the complete neophyte questions... I've seen such "patchers" before (though few as elegant), but don't know what the particular "niche" is for such a contraption. (guessing...) Is it meant to be used as something in between an industrial sewing machine, and say, a big Landis harness stitching machine? Why is it called a patching machine? What is it meant to "patch"? Sorry...I'm clueless as to the nature of this elegant machine. A little insight as to its uses etc. would be great ;)

Nice work...I especially like the double gussets (done very well), and the wallet interior. Excellent!

I'm sure that others have run into this one on occasion. I've been having some difficulty getting my English Bridle belts to hold a good edge crease. All the "stuffing" of wax/tallow seems to not want to hold the crease. The definition and depth diminish with handling, and over time. I know that a heated creaser might be the answer - if I use the "old" method of an alcohol lamp (or just a lighter, haha), is there any general rule about temperature, or is it just trial and error with scrap? ...maybe, as hot as possible without smoking/burning (?) Any tips appreciated.

Excellent! You sure COULD go into business with these, if your were so inclined - but I respect your decision to only make your own. Beautiful work!

Beautiful!! I noticed the rod protruding on the handle end - I forget what it's called...a "cap nut" or a "crown nut" or something . Did you have/find one of those to finish it off? Looks GORGEOUS with the stacked leather handle! It's as nice a maul as I've seen. GREAT job! :)

Sorry for the "hijack" , but Fred gave me an idea --- diamond all and needle in right hand, needle and champagne cork in the other. Hmmmm... The cork would not only save fingers, it would lend support to the leather. I'm convinced that uneven flexing is always interfering with my awl work. Double Hmmm. Thanks @fredk

No need to apologize! I understand fully

Sounds like a plan. Yeah, jabbing your finger is no fun...regardless of the tool! Haha.

I'll second what @Dun said. A diamond stitching awl will give you the right shape to the hole, so it should give a better looking result on the back (if that's important to you). I'm guessing that with glover's needles, it's tough to get through the same hole without piercing the thread, and you might see puckering on the back (?)

Wonderful! Just out of curiosity...any plans to offer your tools commercially, or do we only get to drool at the pics? ;)