MikeRock

Flea Bay has a number of sets of nut cracker and picks. There are also several mentions of 'seafood picks'...... and lobster crackers. We don't have a whole bunch of Lobsters in Wis, so I missed that one. Here are two of many:

For eating really little pickles!

Thanks, the tang photo shows most of what I needed. How is the butt secured to the tang? I used to peen the heck out of the tang to fill a taper filed in the butt. God bless

Great work, as usual. Did you happen to photograph the tang of the knife before adding the handle materials? God bless

Are these the guys? I wonder how real the Ebony is??

Rather than duct tape, two or three pairs of latex gloves, wet the piggie skin and then do some work with the gloves on until they are dry. Same as the old boot break in with damp/wet boots.

What looks like a dark groove in photo Nr. 1......is that groove worn in there since purchase or is it designed in? It 'looks' like that worn area and its mating surface might have seized up or at least had very high friction loading. Looks like some shrinkage cavities in the dark area. Did the needle survive?

Were getting 3" of that 'stuff' over the next 36 hours.......

Dwight, My first thought, and a laugh, too. I've 'hand stitched' myself a few times. Dental floss, a needle and needle nosed pliers...

I copied this from an old woodworking hand tool group I frequent. Any ideas what this is? " Just created a Flickr album showing a front and side view of a mystery ( presumably ) leatherworking tool. The business end looks like it would cut a narrow square-sided groove. The purpose of the offsets, and the adjustable brass parts, is a total mystery. What was this tool used for?" God bless, Mike Rock

Stewart, Missed you during your time of loss. Glad to see you up and running... Sunflowers are always a happy flower. God Bless Mike

Great work! And workmanship. What weight is the money belt material? God Bless

Thank you Bob! God bless

Now for the kicker..... what point do you use when sewing heavy canvas to leather, like a linemans canvas and leather bucket?? God bless. Mike

Nice work for a good old tool. I do have a question about using bungee material. I have an old Forest Service double bit axe that someone used bungee on, circa 1975. It has lost all it's elasticity and has been tied off like a rope, with the outside fabric doing the work. Now that I think about it I am going to replace the bungee with leather belting and a buckle. Just a thought. God bless Mike

Yup Chuck, Cold and wet! We were up there when the Basque shepherds were moving flocks to the mountain meadows. We were heading up too, in our old Dodge Powerwagon.... finally said to hell with it and pulled over and set up camp. When we met up with them on top, they had moved two herds of 10,000 sheep each that week. Good old boys, we spent a few nights in their camp up on top. Mutton, potatoes and wine..... Good country, back in 1968'ish. You could see forever and touch the stars at night.... good times. Except for that damned wine.... monumental headache...... Staked a bunch of claims up there for quartz and spar. Found some gem quality beryl too. Still have a Bull Durham sack of good gemmy stuff.

Barron and Sheilajeanne, THE canoeing pack was a big Bergen's Rucksack. Ideal for this prospecting equipment. Stick with waxed canvas with leather on the bottom and at some stress points. Plenty tough unless one is unnecessarily brutal to their stuff. We prospected all over eastern Wyoming, even where Chuck lives. Feldspars and quartz deposits, pegmatites. Flying and packing, horses and on foot, never wore out those packs. All leather is too heavy, just not ideal for either afoot or horseback. God bless

It looks like a single edge razor blade.......but what do I know. Haven't shaved since the 1970's. God bless

Take a look for Marvin Huey, Casemaker. Some awesome stuff. I didn't need a case but got a full set of ebony handled screwdrivers (turn screws) from him. God bless

Cactus Jack.....in your name....... https://duckduckgo.com/?q=cactus+flowers&t=ffsb&iax=images&ia=images Flowering cacti....... God bless

If you have the pattern, with the midsection larger than either end, sew it up. Dampen, like casing, and stuff with flax seed, tamping as you fill. The normal crupper stuffer has a funnel and a steel tamper rod of small diameter, 1/4" or so. Add some seed, tamp hard, more seed, til filled. IF you don't have a crupper stretching/drying form, put a nail in a board. Put a small v-belt pulley over the nail and stretch the crupper, smooth side in, sewn side out, and pull....... nail both ends at once, or nail one, stretch and nail the second close to the first. Make sure the lengths of the tails are close to the same. Let dry overnight and then stitch the buckles and pieces together....that should take care of your wrinkles.

Since you have the saddle, can't you take some photos of it, or have a friend take some?

How beautiful to watch...... lovely old mechanisms. Thank you

Hi Chuck, Old man here... Did you ever see one of Rudy Ruana's knives? Forged from files, guard and pommel cast from melted beer can aluminum, elk scales and the cross pins made from aluminum clothesline wire. Hand sewn sheaths. I traded a girl an Indian flute for one she had, 1974. Look him up, cool old gentleman. https://www.ruanaknives.com Good grief, they are still in business! Good for them!! If you like that knife style, let me know. Getting your blanket ready to ship.