tsunkasapa

Sounds like the National food is BUTTER!

Our city totally screwed up a cross town through street to create a 'Bike Boulevard'. But it is a block south of the street that borders the university, so the college kids have no use for ir. And the locals don't use it. It is a nightmare for snow removal, and almost impossible for emergency vehicles. The excuse from the city? "We got a grant to do it." The stupidity of govt, at ANY level, is mind boggling.

Navajo has a 'soft-medium hand. Apache has a 'medium' hand. The Navajo will likely be more supple/flexible, making it more comfortable to wear.

Very nice! Lots of work in these big projects, mental and physical.

You can even burnish with a piece of dowel. Sand it nice and smooth. Then dampen the edges and rub. It doesn't take fancy tools to get good results.

I would check out Don Gonzales on Youtube. He has lots of videos to choose from, and if you like his style of presentation, then he has classes that you can pursue. But there is too much FREE instruction to jump right into paying for classes. don gonzales youtube - Bing video

To simplify, you can use a leather needle on fabric, but you don't want to use a fabric needle for leather.

I think you are right, you will need to remove the bottom to reach the retainer. Curved needles may be helpful.

Looking good!

I don't pierce at all. Just thread the needle and sew. There is no need to do it.

Check with Maverick Leather, they may have something in their "bits and pieces" bin. It's worth a call. football - Maverick Leather Company

I use a small pair of needlenose pliers.

Bump Trying to keep this going to see if someone can help the OP.

A pass or two on each face of the base with a file. Do one pass, try it, do another until it will slip in.

Very nice! Good job on your basketweave.

Try reducing the dye. Maybe 1 dye-5 alcohol. Keep reducing until you get the shade you like.

Other uses for the corks; after you've been stabbing into one for a while, it will get rather chewed up. It makes a great 'pincushion' to keep your needles in. Also, if you have a round handle awl, stabbing it into the cork at an angle will keep it from rolling off the bench when you set it down.

+1 on the wine corks, but it's a good thing I have friends that drink it, because wine is disgusting. Every bottle is RAISINS that don't get to go into oatmeal cookies!

That's a bit hard on the fingers, all those pointy things and all.

Thingy is a 'Technical' term.

WifesLeatherGuy sent me pics that I have resized. I have never seen anything like it. Perhaps the resist was too heavy? Perhaps not dry enough? Not stirred/shaken enough? Anybody else have an idea?

Not bad. I see what you mean about the latch. One thing that might give you a problem is the 'top' where your handle is attached. A piece of Masonite inside would beef it up so the weight of the firearms doesn't pull it out of shape. Just a thought.

Exactly. I have no idea where that came from, but the old guys at the saddle shop I used to hang out at as a kid did it R to L, and 'near to far' so to speak.

Well done! For crosshatching, try either draw filing or use a needle file to cut one line at a time.