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It seems that something like this would be useful in handbag, briefcase, satchel construction. I always labor over getting strap retainers to line up symmetrically. I have a method of measuring, marking and punching holes on the flesh side of the leather. A T square like this would easily save me time, though perhaps a zero centered ruler would be almost just as good. Ed

Does anyone know what kind of leather is used in this old Coach bag? Is it a soft veg tan of some sort, or is it a chrome tan? Thanks, Ed

Hi Robin, Here are some of the feet and needle plates I have. With the rounded raised needle plate, my machine misses too many stitches, which I think is in part to the steep slope of the needle slot that allows the needle to deflect too far in front of the hook. I should think about giving the plateaued holster plate more of a chance to prove itself, even though the rounded plate makes tight corners better. Ed

Just finished this 18" Maverick. Ed

back off on the presser foot tension atop the machine. Ed

I would love to make these and other clever items for friends and family. Ed

I think I've been looking for something like this.

Hi Art, How much heavier would you say the 4000p/Highlead is than the 4000R? Ed

1. Sand the edge so that it's even. 2. wet edge and slick. 3. apply one coat of Edge Kote. Let dry 15 minutes. Apply second coat. 4. wait one hour, then rub edge with beeswax and burnish, though Regis had good results letting the Edge Kote sit overnight. That said, I'm still waiting to hear from LCI about my color matching. If you don't want to wait until I get more information from LCI, you can try Zack White's Edge Ink, which to my best educated guess is the same as LCI's Manual Edge Ink. Also to my best educated guess, this Edge Ink is what many high-end bag makers use on their edges. According to my conversations with LCI, the only difference between their Edge Finish, for which I'm awaiting further information before ordering. and th Edge Ink is that the former is a matte finish, while the latter a semi-glossy or glossy finish. Ed

My guess is that she wants to do much of what we do here, but with the added benefit that with Etsy, we would also have individual as well as a community store. I think the networking system we have here is better than the technology over at Etsy, but Etsy already has the online distribution set up. Ed

Just got an email today from an artisan over at Etsy.com. She wants to start up a leatherworking team over at Etsy.com. I told her about our little community. If she's not already aware of us, she should be here soon. Ed

I've been calling around for suede. Kevin at Springfield Leather told me to contact Newberger Leather. Hadn't heard of them, but they look like they might be very promising. http://www.newbros.com/leathers.htm Ed

For a while I had been putting the brushes, once I am finished with them, into a cup of water that had reached the boiling point. The problem with this is that I was leaving them there until cleanup at the end of the day. Now I've decided to put the brushes in the hot water when the glue is still wet, swish and dab the brush around a bit, then remove it and put it on my glue tray. By leaving the brushes in the hot water, I think I was allowing the glue to return to the bristles and harden, especially as the water cooled. Using solvent is just too expensive, and I can do without any unnecessary fumes. Anyone have a good source for cheap brushes, other than sales at Harbor Freight? I'll try the dollar stores. Next time I see them for a steal at Harbor Freight, I'm buying 200 or so. Ed

Thanks for this post, Regis. I had been wondering about Edge Kote, too, the more I use it. Though I am looking into getting a rubberized edge finish from LCI, I still want to have options for edge finishing. I'm currently using Edge Kote, but I've seen Edge Dye and Edge Enamel and have been wondering if maybe these might work just as well, or better than, Edge Kote. Now that I am burnishing everything with beeswax, perhaps I don't need the thicker consistency and flexibility of Edge Kote, which seems difficult to get in colors other than black and brown. Ed

For those of you who have a 441 cylinder arm machine: If you take a bird's eye view of the secondary tensioning discs (lower discs), how many strand of thread do you see. ? For the longest time I had been wrapping the thread 1.5 times around these discs, but then started getting more consistent, more predictable, more controllable results by wrapping the thread one additional cycle. If I take a bird's eye view of my machine's secondary tensioning discs, I see two strands of thread, not one, as there is when you wrap the thread 1.5 times. What do you see with a bird's eye view on your 441 machine? Thanks, Ed

I'm mainly handcranking with the monster wheel. No electric power needed. Ed

$5 jumps out as a workable price to me.

Hi David, Good to hear about them. Now I'm sure they'll be standard supplier for me. I sent out swatches to LCI for color matching. Still waiting to hear from them. Ed

Pete's idea of using Bick 4 mixed with spirit dyes seems to cut right to the chase and makes it easier to just find the color you want and then rub it on. ed

Also a good source for dyes, saddle soap, and other Fiebing's products. ed

very cool use of scraps.

I asked my sister who works in theaters in Chicago. She said the following book by Millie Davenport might lead to answers: http://www.amazon.com/Book-Costume-Millia-...t/dp/0517037165 Ed

I've started using Edge Kote on my bag and strap edges and burnishing with Beeswax. I like it so much, I decided to buy beeswax in bulk. If anyone is interested in an ounce or more for $1.25 an ounce plus actual postage, please let me know. It would probably be the most economical to purchase a minimum of three ounces or more. Ed

I found a new supplier with good prices for things I need: Tanners Bond Edge Kote Aussie Wax Free Shipping on certain total amounts. That amount is not stated anywhere on the website, but $65 was enough on m first order. http://sewwhatsupplies.com/cart/ Ed

I use white glue and clamps. Let sit for 30 minutes and then I go to work, though overnight would be best and I do that sometimes too, if doing so fits within my time frame and with whatever else I'm doing at the time. ed