chuck123wapati

well maybe I can help a lacing chisel is what you need for punching lacing holes they come in different widths to match your lace. I glue it up before lacing i'm sure someone will follow up with their own methods also as leatherwork is not written in stone lol.

pretty cool I watch an English show "The Repair shop" where they repair and restore things for folks. there are many leather projects they do, one was to finish a pair of baby shoes that was started over 100 years before and never finished because the baby outgrew them before they could be finished. the guy had to make lasts first before he could finish them. but they were perfect when he was done.

I think I'll clarify a bit. tracing a tooling pattern on the front of your project is somewhat different than tracing a template to be cut out of a larger piece of leather. For example the rectangle that makes a wallet that you cut out of a larger piece you can trace with about anything you want as at least mine are oversized and will be trimmed off. i use a soft point pencil and trace around my pattern. my previous comments were mostly about tooling patterns. hope this helps

lol its my specialty, a stylus is cheap stress free and used for more than just tracing patterns. Mine is a dulled large needle in a exacto knife handle. The really really really good toolers draw their pattern directly on the leather. I am nowhere that good but it's what to strive for if you're in it for the money.

I wouldn't suggest a ballpoint pen unless it's empty. Please don't ask me how I know but if you rip through your pattern you will draw a beautiful ink stain on your piece of leather then you can toss it. some folks use craft tool aids, plastic impressions you tap into your piece. The really good toolers use what is called a tap-out. it is simply a leather pattern with the swivel knife marks cut into it. you case your piece and tap the leather impression onto your piece then cut it. it is much more precise than any traced pattern. The swivel knife is the most important part of the tooling process as its the basis for the design so if its off then your design will be off.

You are the best-dressed mountain man in the Rockies, indeed. Nice work! Horns are fun getting them thin enough to see through will make you pull your hair out lol.

i use the round sportsman's model with a brass handle I've managed to wear out two of them in the last 40 + years. they are a great product no doubt. I sharpen my awls similarly to what you do; it's much easier on tiny blades to get the proper angle.

nice rig indeed!

Thrift stores are your friend! Check out old leather goods, leather clothing, and boots, and such. Also, scraps and cut-offs make good tooling and sewing practices. This sheath was a scrap that i practiced tooling on then I reversed it and made a roughout sheath for an old beater and practiced my sewing on it also. I have a cheapo china patcher so a lot of scrap was burned in the process of setting up and practicing lol.

I'm not that far yet but I do have a Sheridan carving book coming so who knows. I use the books more for the study of the designs and how they flow, and especially how negative areas affect the overall design. I've always drawn, painted, wood carved and other artsy fartsy stuff so most of the design will be mine to a certain degree but yes maybe not Stohlman or Sheridan but somewhere in between lol. I'm having a problem finding cheap 1 1/2" Ridgid tubing lol. I'm thinking of a reel on case so there is some carving room.

i'm planning two fly rod cases for this summer. I'm not one for a lot of carving on a project but just a bit in the right places. My carving is so so I've read far more than I know on the subject lol.

yup, you should pull down a few bucks that is a nice knife and sheath.

oh heck yeah anything you find download and save, I got over 50 e books one time free from Tandy when they were changing bosses. Now I think they charge for them again. Plus the tons of other free ebooks you can find through random searches. It's all about finding your style not copying someone else's they should be for finding a starting point, and learning theory like DG is doing.

Never trust a pig they'll squeal on you every time.

Personally yes! But then again how many leather workers are in the world to buy enough to make it profitable? Many of the older books are no longer made i think in part also due to the patterns becoming outdated as well the thought that books themselves are outdated to most young folks as the video is the instant gratification of seeing an individual technique without real thought of actually reading and understanding the whole leather working process. A guy needs to keep his head on a swivel to find good books also check in yard sale estate sales thrift shops and even libraries get rid of old books for pennies. Folks here on the forum sometimes sell leather tools inherited or are selling off an estate. Rarely do they mention the books always interested in selling the tools so a quick P message may get a box full of "old books and even patterns" that would have went to the dumps rather cheaply. Books rock!!!

I am so sorry friend but as I read your post I thought about what's on eBay so I looked and found a buy-it-now copy for 19.95 newly posted just a few minutes ago. I couldn't help hitting the button. I use eBay only for buy it now and when I start searching I check new listings daily and buy it now ads only. Just picked up a left-hand 1494 Pfluger medalist the same way for cheap.

You are very talented and very fortunate!!!

I use my bib overalls that's why they call em overalls lol.

Damn, I'm thinkin steps for my burb it's lifted a bit 6". I could tap those oil parts for set screws.

Now that is cool !!!! i have a v6 lol.

we could use a pic of the back of the hat band ends on the left of the head with some sort of embellishment, I don't see that so that's missing info on your project. on cutting the slots get a round punch the width of the intended slot and punch two holes that match the width of your concho strap then cut across with a knife creating the slot. Slot punches are pricey for one project when a cheap round punch and exacto knife aren't. One slot per concho the concho strap goes through the leather main strap then around the concho bar then back through the same slot under the main strap to the next concho. it could then be ended in the back with a bleed knot.

That's a fine pattern!! It looks great. Shooting it will tell the tale, lol. Sometimes, they slide up due to recoil. The stitching is great looking, too. If you can clean up that edge on the riser, it would be perfect, IMO.

Rock on man !! I'm 66 and know exactly where your head is at. I don't ride bikes anymore but no one has ever wrenched on my shit.

I've done a bit of etching myself. That's too bad though it leaves out a lot of potential for those buckles if you can't do it no one can. I would consider a different material for the construction as chrome steel is way overkill for a buckle and leaves out a vast number of sales options. Good luck to you in your endeavor you have a good product!!!

Hey Mac!!! No, it won't work lol. leather sewing machines cost a ton o money. Home-style machines won't cut it and there are no needles that size for them. Now what is giving you fits with the hand sewing maybe we can make that easier and a bit more fun for you.