esantoro

Thanks, Tim. That's exactly what I needed to know. Ed

How long does one 5 ounce can of Never Dull last? 10-15 12-sq. inch applications? Does it store well? I'm asking because I found a good online source if buying in quantity. Ed

Due to the low price I got a few deadblow hammers. Certainly nice to have around and better than rawhide mallets for cutting and setting rivets. But I also ordered a maul and mallet from Barry King, both 3#, and, man, do these feel good in the hand. They inspire precision, and the sound the make when knocking tools is like that of a door of a precision-engineered luxury sedan sealing shut. Anvils, mallets, and mauls, oh my! Ed

I think 4/5 oz leather would be ok. My standard Maverick is 17" x 12". This was a special request of 14.5" x 11". It weighs about 5.5 lbs.Ed

Thanks for the comments. This bag was done in 5/6 oz veg tan.

Here's a new Maverick I just finished. ed

Thanks for the info Andy. I'll go make my bids. Ed

Grab Regis' 3000 if it's still available.

Hi Andy, I need this as well, but also am limited on bench space. What would you say the approximate dimensions are and weight? Is it possible, say, to store this underneath the work bench and pull it out and c-clamp it when needed? Thanks, Ed

Thanks for the responses. I'll try the Never Dull. I like when brass tarnishes in a normal way, oxidation, but due this brass being underneath some leather for some time, the tarnish on it is not an elegant time-worn tarnish. It's just black. Ed

Does anyone have a surefire method for cleaning brass that has become tarnished? I've got some brass hardware that had been lying underneath some latigo and has become prematurely tarnished, perhaps due to the oils in the leather. Thanks, Ed

Instead of throwing the thread away, box it up and ship it back, and get your refund. Most companies expect that returns are shipped at the customer's expense. You're out time, sheath leather, and the cost of return shipping. I hate when this happens, too, but have learned to accept it will happen sometimes. For thread, stick with the brands and suppliers Art mentions. Do you know what brand of thread you purchased? I think this unraveling may happen with certain brands. For me it has happened only with American & Efird bonded poly. A recent ZW shipment was missing some items, but I can't complain, as ZW is going to send me three sides of bridle leather split to my specifications at the tannery and no additional expense to me. I don't think anyone else in the industry will do this gratis. Ed

Just got finished with some burnishing. The F1 grade corded felt works well for intricate situations. It's best to have at least 1/2" thick wheel, which requires the appropriate length screw for the mandrel. If you have a dremel or similar tool, this felt does work well. Not great but well. I suppose to make a great burnishing attachment one would have to make a small hardwood burnishing wheel. Time for more R&D. ed

I've been wanting to share my experience with my choice of tables, but for some reason have been too lazy to start a thread about it. I like having equipment that can serve multiple purposes. Folding tables work very nicely, though none of them are much good for heavy pounding. Here's what I have: 2' x 6' laminated dense particle board (melanine ?? and rather heavy) banquet table from staples for about $50 and free shipping. This table seems to take all my mess until needed later. 2' x 4' heavy plastic table from Lifetime, also about $50. This table is topped with a 2' x4' x .5" cutting board from U.S. plastics. I use this table for most of my work. I can put a 50 lbs anvil on it and set Jiffy rivets and cut out 2" oval logos. The only think I cannot do on this table is set the caps on semitubular rivets or peen or roll over the posts, which requires a serious whacking from a heavy steel hammer or mallet (peening, rolling over). Though this folding table is made of heavy plastic, it is very sturdy. http://www.kmart.com/shc/s/p_10151_10104_1...me=For+the+Home These two tables work very nicely. Now, just yesterday I received the latest addition to my flexible system. 4 folding chairs from Lifetime, very sturdy and comfortable. $120 from K-mart pls about $11 shipping. Try to find free shipping if you can. http://www.kmart.com/shc/s/p_10151_10104_1...me=For+the+Home 2 20"x30" folding tables from Lifetime, like large TV trays, but much sturdier. From K-mart at $30 apiece. One of these tables serves to hold stitching projects off the left side of my machine. These tables have three height positions. I wouldn't use these tables for any pounding, but they're good for holding things, gluing, setting stuff up, and prepping. http://www.kmart.com/shc/s/p_10151_10104_1...me=For+the+Home I think Sears also has these tables, though their prices seem higher. Eventually, both K-mart and Sears should have these products on sale and perhaps free shipping. I think I may try to get rid of my heavy 2' x 6' table and replace it with one from Lifetime. For what limited pounding you can do, I'd say the plastic tables from Lifetime serve better than the melanine tables, which are a bit cheaper. Ed

How well would the rear end of one of these stitching horses function as a seat for machine stitching? I'd like to use the rear end for machine stitching and be able to take my leather straight from the machine, turn around on the stitching horse and finish stitches off by hand as needed. Ed

Has anyone had any experience with Weaver's stitching horse that sells for $155?

Thanks. It's off my list and I can put the $5 toward a 96 oz maul. ed

This is not meant as negative criticism, just a comment. It seems that we already have all of this. The front page, I think, even has links to certain tutorials. The way it works now seems more spontaneous, and posts are contributed in the process of doing other things -- breaks, working through ideas, brainstorming, procrastination preparatory to work. It is also helpful when people look for valuable old information and bring past posts current for continued exposure. There's something nice about being forced to search through old posts and being confronted by unexpected but useful information. It all works because it doesn't feel like work. Maybe there could be a special list for all those threads that have proved extremely informative and or popular. Some of the ideas below could be promoted as special threads, similar to the monthly challenge. My two cents. ed

Thanks, Art. Now that you've set me in the right direction, I'm finding all sorts of brands. Do you ever use belt dressing, which doesn't seem necessary with the automotive belts? ed

Do any of you use a a dressing on your sewing machine belts? I need to place an order with Weaver and am looking to round out my order to meet the minimum. The long belt from my machine to the speed reducer is actually an automotive belt. The shorter 22" belt from the speed reducer to the motor is lighter duty. By the way, does anyone know where to buy an automotive 22" v-belt? I've found 21" and 23", neither of which fits. ed

The cutting oval on this die is very good, but one flange of the Y-shaped mallet handle is bent farther outward than the other, resulting in hits that do not cut proportionately, and possibly more stress on one weld than the other. Is this to be expected on mallet cutting dies, or should everything be centered properly? ed

The PLAC puts out a great newsletter.

Hi Art, I was worried about getting too heavy a mallet/maul, as my 4 lbs mini sledge hammer feels much too heavy to control when trying to hit a 3/4" diameter head. I use the sledge for caps on tubular rivets. Intuition told me that it might be difficult to hit a narrow target squarely with the rounded surface of a maul, but Barry King told me otherwise. What you write here also seems spot on, as always. Thanks, ed

Twenty minutes on Google is a dangerous thing. Now I want a lathe. ed

Thanks, moriver. would you be interested in making one or more for purchase? I would be interested in something that can be chucked in a drill press, something like Norm Lynds', as well as something like a tandy slicker that can be either hand-held or chucked. You got me interested now in ironwood. I did some checking and found lignum vitae, which has been discussed around this forum. http://www.lignum-vitae.com/hardness.htm I started looking around this site, and now I want to get into woodworking. ed