Chakotay

Antique will darken your work to some degree no matter what. Same with oils and other finishes. They all effect the final look. I compensate by beginning with lighter coloring. In other words, if I want the final piece to be "medium brown" I use light brown dye (or dilute whatever dye I'm using) . To lighten an already-dyed workpiece, you could scrub over the leather with a melamine foam pad (aka Mr. Clean magic eraser), or cloth dampened with alcohol to remove some of the antique. hope this helps.

#X517 Basket Weave Stamp purchased at ProLeatherCarvers

Latest 1911 holster with my NEW favorite basketweave stamp. Fully lined with milled leather. I've got into a habit recently of doing edge binding on my holsters. I really need to stop; it's such a pain in the butt.

Where are you looking for them? A quick search in the usual places: Amazon, Springfield Leather, eBay, etc... I see lots of strap cutters and replacement blades for cheap.

Guess I shoulda have included that: Thanks! It a nice calf hide I picked up at Tandy.

Just finished this holster for a '51 Navy using hair-on-hide. I have a build video on Youtube as well.

here's my vinegaroon recipe:

Very cool!

Agreed it's a combination of techniques. Surface was tooled, dyed, antiqued, and scrubbed/sanded.

Ha. Sorry. Road Agent Leather is my YouTube channel. I go by "Chakotay" here on the forum.

Yes, that's me!

Hello fellow Texan! You've been given some good advice. I have my own leatherworking YouTube channel I've been (slowly) building up in the last few years. Not saying I'm an expert; I'm trying to learn as I go. But my quick thoughts: --Agree that filming is the easy part. The real chore is editing that footage together into a "story" that will hold people's attention. --I wouldn't agree you need more than one camera. IMHO, that would just make editing more complicated. But be prepared to be frequently changing angles to get the best shot. The one camera you do have should be good quality (This is my next investment) --Lighting is just as important as the camera (maybe more?). Fortunately, it can be had much cheaper. I used an inexpensive light ring from Amazon. --I wouldn't necessarily agree in needing short videos: Depends on subject matter, but it's generally held longer formats equate to longer watch time . . . which helps your algorithm. --Relating to above, watch time is actually more important than subscribers if you're concerned about revenue. --Don't skimp on your thumbnails . . . they're the billboard for your video as people scroll through hundreds of other videos with similar content. Good Luck!

Here's one from Tandy: https://tandyleather.com/collections/tools/products/flat-side-awl-haft

That's how I would have interpreted it. Look good man!

I had a Boss for almost 7 years. It did everything I asked of it. It can be finicky while you learn its quirks. The only time the "manual" aspect of it was tiring was when I was stitching liners to belts. Can't comment on the Outlaw, but It's made/marketed by Cowboy so I presume it's a well-made machine. The Boss has been around longer so there will be a deeper "well" of information and support surrounding it if you need help---something that shouldn't be discounted. It does have a deeper throat than the Boss. Not a huge deal, but depending on what you're making it could be a deciding factor. Whichever one you end up picking, make sure you get the edge guide for it. It's indispensable.