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Thanks, Dave and Steve, for the nice comments. ed

I spent hours today looking for the right size screw. Just now found this online site. Good price for the washers and screws I need. http://www.boltdepot.com ed

I love the simple, clean, stitching. Very elegant. Nice work.

Just found a metric 3 machine screw about 20 mm long to allow for a wider felt wheel for the dremel. Twenty mm was the longest I could get at Lowes or Home Depot. I could use a 25 mm or 30mm screw. Anyone know of a good source for hard-to-find screws? Ed

I like the leather you used for that journal. It seems to be a 6 or 7 oz milled or chrome tan. ed

I much prefer the Hermes production environment. Much more human. What's interesting is that I think the values embedded in those environment do come out in the products. The second environment, to me, is less human oriented.

And here's a different side of the upscale environment: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rsx2ZYYrLe4

I've been in one of the Manhattan stores. A lot of their stuff is machine stitched: belts, wallets, notebooks. I would even bet a good deal of their bags. I read an airline magazine article once where one of the master crafters ducked the question of how much machine stitching is employed. I like what one woman said her grandfather, founder or one of the founders had said (if I understood her correctly): luxury is something that can be repaired. I took this to mean that the item is timeless and constructed in a way that allows for repairing. It's also very interesting to see how people work in the craft environments of these upscale communities. I think I'm going to start handling my bags with one gloved hand, when necessary. Someone in the fashion world told me that the same amount of skill goes into making $50 knockoffs. I was surprised to see so many young stitchers. I was expecting everyone who works on a Hermes bag to be a 50+ master craftsperson. I've taken two of my bags into the Manhattan Hermes to be critiqued by the master craftsman there. The manager came over and we had a good chat. She told me to keep bringing my work in. In a few weeks, I'll have some bridle leather in and I'll be working on a special bag to bring back to them. I may machine punch the holes and hand stitch everything but the straps, or I may go with thick stitchless straps. I'm already working on a method where I machine punch all the top stitching holes, glue, and wheel the machine by hand to stitch the bag together. Ed

I've been coming across some very interesting youtube videos. Hermes:

I found zinc washers at The Home Depot, but feel that these might rust too easily and stain the leather. Hanson rivets has black-oxide finished steel washers at an inside diameter of .194", a better fit with 3/16" tubular rivet posts. Does anyone foresee a problem with this kind of finish? Ed

Thanks, Dan.

Just got off the phone with Norm Lynds. Great conversation. He's still making these cocobola drill-press slickers, but he is backed up, due to a recent move and downsizing of the shop. He gave me the go-ahead to post his contact information. He also makes individually-sized wood slickers for the dremel. Norm Lynds (425) 357-1001 sagerat2003@yahoo.com

I may end up getting a collection of dowels of various woods. If I do end up also getting cocobola turning blanks and I want to turn them into 1"-diameter dowels, would 1.5" x 1.5" blanks be large enough or should I go larger? The only source I have for premade cocobolo dowels is in Canada. Might anyone know of a U.S. supplier for cocobolo dowels? The best source I found for the turning blanks is Diamond Tropical, which also offers good deals with free shipping on Ebay, but that's for a quantity of 15 pcs of 30" 1.5" x 1.5" blanks. ed

Is this the beeswax solution that John Bianchi uses with his felt burnishing wheel? Ed

Just found this burnisher on Ebay. It's a larger version of what I've done with the dremel. http://cgi.ebay.com/Fantastic-Leather-Edge...id=p3911.c0.m14 If this link doesn't work, search on Ebay for "fantastic leather edge burnisher"

I'm going to the hardware store tomorrow to see what kind of dowels I can return with. I've emailed Norm, but I'll try again. I'll see if he has a telephone number in the Rawhide Gazette. Ed

Is this the tree that horse apples come from? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osage-orange I searched the forum and found the following recommendations: walnut, cherry, maple, ash.

Hi Bruce, How wide a diameter is the slicker made by Norm? I just got the one from Weaver and it is 1" in diameter. Ed

If I can't find cocobolo dowels, what types of wood would be good alternatives? Ed

I just got the wood slicker from Weaver. Absolutely wonderful. Now I'm on the hunt to find 1" hard wood dowels to start experimenting with making my own slickers for my dremel. Does anyone know if The Home Depot or Lowes carries these dowels? I know there are a few places to order online. Ed

Nice looking tool.

I wouldn't use an anvil lighter than 12 lbs or so. ed

Even though they're just rapid rivets, get at least a two pound mallet. At first it won't seem that such rivets need a heavy mallet, but with a heavy mallet the initial smack makes a much better fit. ed

Great pictures, MArlon. Thanks. By chance, were you able to check out Artisan's 20" splitter? Ed

Does anyone know of good source for washers to use in peening or rolling over the #350 Jumbo Rivets from OTB? I'm running low on my current #L-1125 washers from OTB and am thinking that OTB's price seems a bit high for washers. Furthermore, the .205"-diameter hole in these washers is a bit wide for the .175" post of the jumbo rivet. I'll try the usual places -- Home Depot and Lowes -- but thought I'd ask around to see ifanyone has been in a similar situation and knows of a better and less expensive washer. Thanks, Ed