Leather Bum

Yes, that is a very cool wallet indeed. I really like it! I have a couple questions. . . Is the lettering just cut in with the swivel knife? Also, how did you paint/dye the letters?

Very nice, Dale! I especially like the coloring of the sky -- fading from blue to white (or white to blue). . . Is it all colored with acrylic paints?

Is this what you're looking for? Siegel of California: Jiffy Rivets

Hmm, actually if Jeff shades the project before uses the antique, it sounds like he uses a method more similar to what Indy described -- using dye to darken the areas you want to look shaded. . . However, if it comes off so easily with a wet rag that certainly indicates to me that the antique does not appear to be soaking into the leather; and if it is not soaking into the leather (i.e. actually coloring the leather), you may end up with the stain cracking and/or coming off the leather when it is bent later because it never actually colored the leather; it just sits on top of the resist. . . It is important that the leather itself is actually colored -- not just coated with an antique of some sort to make it look right. . . It is easy enough to make the leather look similar to this (Jim Linnell artwork), but I have yet to find a way to color the leather in this manner as opposed to just putting an antique on over a resist and hoping the stain it does not crack and come off later. . . Anyway, that's how I understand it. . .

Hmm. . . well, (for example) how can I edit my post above yours (I made it fewer than two weeks ago ). It does not have an "edit" button anywhere (as this post will have right after I post). . .

Thank you very much Blake for sharing those neat finishing methods. I have a few more questions. . . Do you ever have problems with the Antique Paste cracking or coming off when the leather is bent? The star box and spurs look like they have a nice shine to them: is that just due to buffing or. . . what? I've never heard of Fiebing's Heel & Sole Dressing; where do you get yours? I wonder, have you (or anyone else) ever tried using Fiebing's Edge Kote as a stain? I've been experimenting with it for a while (you need a good resist first), and I would like to know how it compares with the Heel and Sole Dressing. . . Any comments on similarities and such would be great. . . Thanks again for sharing; I enjoy it!

OK, well I'm wondering if you could change the post-editing ability. Apparently right now there is a limit to this feature. . . if you wait a day or so (or however long) you won't be able to edit your post. If, after making a post, I see something minor that I'd like to add or otherwise change, a lot of times I like to just edit my old post rather than double-post. So if that's something that could be modified, it'd be great! Thanks

I think they look fabulous, Blake, though it would be easier to view them if you posted smaller pictures (those are enormous). Now, I'm interested in the color/finish technique: how did you do it?

I sometimes am not sure if people mean "dye" or "paint." Did you dye the leather white, or was it painted white? I think of "dye" as a penetrating liquid that soaks into the leather very quickly (Fiebing's oil dye, etc), whereas "paint" makes me think of thicker stuff like Cova paint. I do not know of any white dye (though I think that would be very cool), so I thought I would ask. . . Thank you

Hello there, Dave Well, posting pictures is actually quite easy; you don't even need a website. There are several free image hosting places that you can sign up with. Then, upload your pictures, and follow the instructions (if there are any. . .) at the hosting site to post your pictures. PhotoBucket and ImageShack are two that I know of. . .