Horseshoe

I've used pop rivets on OEM plastic seat pans with no problem. Here's a good starting point for lacing. http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/en-usd/home/department/books-patterns/61906-00.aspx

Joel sometimes when I don't punch the holes just right they can get to close but it still works out just fine.

That is called a round braid or Mexican basket weave. It is my favorite lacing pattern but it takes forever.

Your inlay work is way nice!

I used mink oil, and tan kote. I didn't mean to be understated I'm just FINALLY at a point with my leather working that I feel it is good enough to "show off."

Very nice.

Nice.

Recently finish a new seat for my bike. I'm pretty happy with it.

Don't throw out the leather though cause the eco flo is water based and you can clean most of it off with good ole water. There will still be some color but not much. Then through out the eco flo stain cause that stuff aint worth a crap.

Thanks everybody. The stitches are hand stitched with an awl and two needles. For the color I first wiped it down with multiple coats of neatsfoot oil then tan kote, finally tan colored antique gel. I did a few coats of antique gel and tan kote until the color was the way I wanted it. Then a final light coat of tan kote.

I used a Tandy wallet kit once, and I don't really care for them. The insides didn't line up real well, and you're stuck with the kit's interior such as color, texture, and so on. So I choose to make my interior pieces myself.

Wallet I just finished. Close up of the hand stitching, with an awl and two needles.

I take a piece of cased leather and place it with the flesh side up smooth side down on various surfaces, such as, a sidewalk, gravel driveway, a rough piece of granite, a tree, and so on and hammer the leather until I get a distressed piece to my liking.

I do the same as willbilly, I apply my sheen with a rag rather than a dauber and rub it in completely. I do two coats then let it dry for 24 hours then I do two more coats and let that dry for 24 hrs then I apply mink oil or neutral shoe polish to even out any uneven areas.

Just got my first nice high quality Sable brush for applying dye with, and all I got to say is WOW. The cheap brush I was using before was like using a straw broom compared to this brush. If your somewhat new to this, like myself, spend the money on a good brush. You wont be disappointed.

well I've made my very first batch of the ole roon, and it is very dang cool. I also did an experiment with brass shavings that I have access to, the result is that it did nothing no breakdown of the brass at all and no coloring of the leather.

I always pull toward me rotating the leather for any curves and circles all while keeping the knife shaft straight up. Oh and practice, practice, practice. I did a few Celtic designs when I was first starting, and let me tell you Celtic designs will get ya cutting curves real well real quick.

i use the eco flow antique gel applied with an old T-shirt and no resist. I just put it on super heavy making sure it gets in all the nooks and crannies. I make sure the gel has pretty even coverage, let it sit for only about 15 minuets or so then I wipe it down with a wet paper towel. If I want it lighter I wipe it down very hard with the wet paper towel, If I want it darker I just repeat the process a couple of times. I actually want the pieces I antique to have somewhat uneven coloring, because to me that is the point of antiquing a piece. If I want more even coloring I use dye.