BobHall

I called because someone sent Kevin (Rusty) an email with this thread attached accusing him of being the vendor. I wanted to assure him that, not only did I NOT send the email, Springfield Leather did not send me the bad leather....it was another company entirely. I will not name the company because I am giving them ample time to respond, that's just good business and the right thing to do...and also because this has gotten out of hand. The purpose of this thread was to vent, not start a witch hunt. Lesson learned.

Whoa.....hang on there, Kevin. If you have received any email about this issue implying that it is about you or SL it didn't come from me. The email I sent the company in question was a professional query, and certainly contained no vulgarity...that's not my style. I intentionally left out the name of the vendor in this thread, and have told no one in PM or otherwise; the rant was more about my frustration in general than trying to point an accusatory finger. I will say this...IT WAS NOT the company you work with. As a matter of fact, I placed and order with Springfield Leather last week for pigskin lining and the staff went out of their way to help. I even mentioned my frustration with an order from the other vendor and the staff assured me that if I had ANY problems with a product from you it would be taken care of promptly. I still have faith that most people try to do the right thing. There are a few out there who get under my skin sometimes though. If you have received something from someone else implying you did something wrong as a result of this thread I apologize.

I haven't heard back. I'll update this thread when I do. No need to apologize, it's certainly not your fault. My frustration is as much with a marketplace in general that I felt like I could trust. I am trying to build a business and don't have the resources to stock 10 sides to choose from for a particular project (hopefully will someday, but that's down the road.) I was in a bind, trying to finish a project within the time-frame I quoted, and took a chance. I hope this is an isolated case....perhaps it's like JLS suggested in an earlier response, an unknowing and/or uncaring worker just grabbed it (off the floor, I'm convinced) and shipped it, not that that makes me feel any better about it...lol.

Thanks for the responses...it seems I wasn't over-reacting. Here's my take on returning it: According to the website I won't be reimbursed for shipping. I have to pay to return it. They charge a 15% restocking fee. I'm guessing that, if I was foolish enough to ask for a replacement instead of a refund, they'd charge shipping to send it to me. Sooooo....they make money either way, and I'm the one who loses. They'll never get any more of my business. That piece of leather should never have made it to the showroom, much less sold to a customer.

Welcome to my rant! A few weeks ago I was in need of some veg tan to complete a project. I normally buy my leather from W&C...everything I've gotten there was above my expectations and the folks there are friendly and helpful. Unfortunately they were shut down for maintenance and I'd have to wait several weeks to get the leather, so I asked for advice here on a good place to buy a side. Before I go further let me state that I don't blame the person who made the recommendation at all....my issue is with the vendor. I went to the recommended web site and looked through their options, opting for the higher grade, and higher priced, "Hermann Oak " side. I put the brand in quotes because quite frankly I have doubts that a well-known company like Hermann Oak would ship what I received to distributors to sell as quality veg tan. I'll be the first to admit that I am picky. I am my own worst critic and do my best to provide a quality product to my customers, even if it means scrapping a project I've spent hours on and starting over because of a little mistake that I'm the only one who will ever notice. I would like to believe that I can expect some level of quality and integrity from the those I choose to patronize as well. Please have a look at the photos I've attached. Am I being too harsh in thinking this looks like something that's been kicked into a corner and laying there for God only knows how long? Have you ever made an online purchase and ended up with something far less than you expected? If so, what did you do? Should I send these pictures to someone at Hermann Oak and ask them if they actually produce and sell something like this? Do I need a tropical vacation complete with all I can drink margaritas? Oh, wait, I can answer the last one. In one picture I put a piece of leather I got at a Tandy store about 8 years ago for comparison. I've intentionally failed to mention the vendor by name...I am waiting for a response from them before I do that. Thanks for listening.

Yay me! Thank you so much! And I just wanted to make sure I didn't miss a step or two, which I sometimes do...lol. Thank you!

Thanks for all the work that went into providing the tutorial/pattern. I'm looking forward to making a pair! One thing I noticed (because I'm weird that way)... is page 9 missing? Not the physical page, but the numbered page 9. Don't want to miss anything important! Thanks again!

Looks great!

You're off to a great start, Janice! I learn something new each time I make something, and you will as well. I believe the key to doing great work is more than just practice; it's observing and learning something along the way. Great job! :-) Bob

Considering the 'root' of the company name, would you like some hint of Taoism/Buddism in the logo? The possibilities are endless...it is a very symbolic culture.

A sophisticated logo for a company named Barefoot Leather. That is a challenge! How did you arrive at that name in the first place, Ray? Bob

Josh, kudos to you if you typed all that on you cell. My battery would go dead and I've have to stop to eat a few times if I tried to type that much on mine! Bob

A couple of questions for you, then I'll try to help. How are you molding the top? Are you wet molding it to a form, or over the actual piece? How much extra leather do you have around the outside edge of the top?

I enjoyed reading the entire series, Ray.... thank you for sharing words of wisdom. The acid test is next... putting it all into play. :-) Bob

Thought you'd all like seeing Jo playing with her new toy. This was BEFORE she sewed off the side of the leather. :-)

...me three! Beautiful work!

Ed - Let me know what you figure out. I'm interested in the same Dixon tools. Thanks!

.... great job! I'm looking forward to seeing how great it does when you enter it in this weeks show! You are entering it, right? boB

Great work, Marlon! Hand-stitching looks great. I'm gonna get it... I am I am I am.... Bob

Looks great, Crystal!

This is exactly what I love about this forum... you throw out a line and catch more than you ever imagined! Lippy... Luke suggested Siegel so I looked there first. I can't find it on their web site.... maybe it's in their print catalog (don't have one.) Shirley suggested Abbey Saddlery so I checked them out. They require a log in, which I just got, so I'll look there later. In the meantime I sent an email to Valerie... they show some tools on her web site. She was very nice in her reply, but they no longer ship overseas. Barra... thanks for the link. There's a lot of useful info in that thread. I had no idea there were so many versions. I'm a woodworker as well, but i've never steam-bent wood. If I can't find something soon I'll consider that option. I've seen a few, very few, made in the US. The style of the clam Valerie uses is one that I like; finding one that can be shipped here may pose a problem. I'll keep hunting! Thanks all!

Thanks Luke... I knew they had to be somewhere!

I'm in the area, actually I live very close to the Tandy store in Elgin. I'm very interested in working with you. PM me with details and let's get in touch. Bob

I have a book titled The Leatherworking Handbook by Valerie Michael. In it there are pictures of what she calls a stitching clam. Its purpose is the same as a stitching pony or a stitching horse... just a different design. I have a stitching pony and it just wont work for the projects I'm working on. The distance between the clamp and the tightening bolt is too shallow. I could build a stitching horse but don't have room for it. The 'clam' looks perfect for my needs and available space. The big question is, where can I get one? I've looked with no luck. I've attached a picture for reference. By the way... the book is great! I highly recommend it. Thanks! Bob

Great job! I've love to see how the inside is finished... any chance you can snatch it back from Aunt Megan long enough to get a pic? lol Bob