chuck123wapati

I agree with Tugadude also and adding my two cents to the conversation get your self a good set of hands free magnifying glasses so you don't jack up your new awl when sharpening it.

pretty cool ! did you cover that set screw with something so it wont wear on the finish of the firearm?

yes I agree go for it ! I make a cell phone holster that simply slips into your waist band so it can be worn with any type of britches belt or not. It has a large piece of leather that just slides into waist. It would work well I think.

I use old Christmas clothing boxes. you can but them cheaply at any dollar store or poster board is the same stuff. I have found its easier to make my patterns by hand then scan and save them after you get all the bugs worked out. I make the first scan and save then I can reprint and modify until its correct. A lot of people use programs but then spend their time learning the program not the leather work, then they have to update and relearn then at some point the program gets jacked and.... update relearn, update relearn.... well its just a pain in the a** to me. MY opinion only!

I m gonna build this! Thanks for posting!!!!! Came out pretty darn good.

IWb holster with the cell phone outside the waistband for added concealment.

I was at my local thrift store and found about 4 brand new leg immobilizers, those things that get strapped on you when you get a knee operation. That's what I am useing for padding for straps and slings. They are made out of polyester wadding with a layer of cotton on one side and synthetic fabric on the other and are about 3/8" thick when sewn in. When they run out I plan on using the ploy wadding for quilts as it wont break down as bad as foam IMO.

I've used a leather bracer I made for well over 20 years you don't need to harden it because you will want it to shape itself around the arm so the edge doesn't catch the string,which really hurts, it will self form naturally with the body heat and what little sweat it absorbes. just finish it and maybe use a little bit of neats foot oil on it, that bow string wont hurt it a bit. I used a waterproofing mix on mine, snow seal or febriengs mink oil don't remember which so I could use it hunting as well. It didn't ever get really wet but sometimes they get some rain on em. Bye the way it is beautiful work!!!!

the coloring looks like air brush work to me with three colors of brown, tan and natural. I cant tell how the words were done maybe branded in or stamped then burned or dyed with a small brush

You can turn leather and this is how I do it put your leather handle blank on your piece of all thread, chuck it up in a half inch hand drill and spin it while shaping it on the belt sander and it will come out nice and round. I make a lot of things this way, I don't have a lathe either. spin it the opposite way of the belt sander rotation.

That is awesome!!!!!!!!!!

heck yea that came out all right.

I would love to see a picture of your custom round knife/s for reference. I too collect knives and have made them for many years as well but am not to old to learn new tricks. As I said I have never tried a convex grind on a leather knife or a chefs knife for that matter.

You can use a regular hand drill also. I used files and sandpaper while I spun the work in a drill, makes it real easy to keep the work round that way. On the spoon I used files and my Dremel tool wasn't hard at all. For the handles I just made some leather washers with my punch set then tightened down the brass nuts, filed them round, sanded and then coated them with some super sheen thanks ! they are easy to make!

That is stainless all thread picked up at the local hardware store with brass nuts. depending on the finished size you want 1/8" 3/16 whatever size you want to use to get the right size finished product you want. Mine are made from 1/8". Chuck them up in a drill press and file /sand em down to whatever size you need.

yeeaaaaa.... NO.

very cool!! I see some new leather tools in your future as well as unburned leather. That is a nice setup.

If you make a knife with 1/16 th steel and try to have it hardened to 68 /72 rc it could very well break when you drop it the first time or it could break while in use and that could be really bad for you. a thin super hard blade is a recipe for disaster, blades like that are made to shave hair with little pressure or force applied to the metal, cutting leather is a lot different process. Most premium blades don't go over 66 rc. However from what I've read in my books if you do use 52100 it maxs out at 66rc with the optimum in toughness/hardness ratio at 57 rc which is very good and wont need diamond stones to sharpen it. Austenitize at 1475 temper at 300 -400 A convex grind or what some call an axe grind is the toughest grind design you can have as far as breakability, that's why they use it on axes but it doesn't work as well as a straight grind for knives intended for cutting IMO AS the shape creates more drag and has a higher edge angle. It may be a very good option for you however and a personal choice. I've never made one, a round knife that is, with that edge design I have made working knives with convex grinds but they were meant for more punishment, chopping, hacking and such and were also lower in hardness so they didn't chip or break. A high polish will also help on the edge whatever the design, less drag. Don't forget to show us the creation!!

That's gonna be beautiful!

I agree on the hydraulic press! Without a press you will just ruin your dies then you will be out the money to replace and then have to buy the press anyway. Harbor freight has some pretty low cost presses arbor or hydraulic.

I just ordered a 2 gallon Air compressor from harbor freight fortress brand I believe. I had a small compressor built for air brush but it didn't have a tank so it wasn't very smooth at laying down paint. Gonna give it a try myself but now i'm having a blast just painting with it. I have a pasche vl it was given to me but it comes with three size needles and tips and sure seems to work well for the limited time I've been playing with it. Haven't tried any dyes through it yet however.

I agree friend I don't know why anyone would get in a huff especially when you didn't state anything but they are "usually better made". You made no statement that should belittle anyone nor their country. easy to settle however as you said if they have good tools in their country post them and be just as proud of them as we are of our countries manufacturing capabilities. Personally I think most of the substandard leather tools are outsourced from one country in particular and we all know what country that is. What we can all agree on is that you will definitely get what you pay for buy cheap tools and you get cheap tools its that simple and there are people willing to sell you cheap tools in every country.

Could very well be gas welded Which would be harder to look good on small things like nuts, I don't quite understand how an Amish made tool that obviously wasn't made for resale would end up in Arizona but the Amish do leave home at times I've heard. But like you I don't see how the jig is helping form a blocked loop at least from that picture. I also like the comment on putting the loop closer to the buckle because of modern pant loops, seems its just a way to use less rivets and takes one step out of the belt making process, cheaper, easier. But if you want to know how the average belts are made then its all right there nothing out of the ordinary that I can see as you said just hype. A nice rectangular piece of hickory or oak that fits the loop tightly and a bit of hammering to form the sides on a wet loop let it dry and its blocked.

your picture is of a home one, take the pic to any decent fabricator and they could make one in short order.

Thank you ! I appreciate that.