Arturomex

That Smugmug link is smooth as a pup.

Yeah, on my computer it freezes and stutters and freezes and stutters until the 00:16 second mark and then it runs smoothly for the last 00:03 seconds. I'm looking forward to hearing more from you on this machine. Regards, Arturo

Thanks, Mike. Appreciate your answer. Regards, Arturo

I've seen these a couple of times in Japan, Frodo, but I think you'd be hard pressed to find them on the 'net. These units are not like most Sam Browne posts I've seen. The post is straight, like a button stud, as opposed to tapered like a lot of Sam Browne studs, and the top is domed with a flat back more like the profile of a Chicago screw. As others have suggested, you might find a button stud and a self made plate will work for you. Regards, Arturo

Well, it depends on the leather and how thick it is. Usually, I'll sand anything under 1.0 mm. I generally use a Barry King 00 edger on anything thicker than that up to about 2.0 mm but a lot of that depends on what kind of profile I'm looking for. Generally, as the leather thickness creeps up, using the 00 edger gives a squarer profile and more pronounced shoulder. I really like that look for some applications. Other applications, not so much. I use 400 grit for shaping, if needed, and for my first pass on an edge with more than one layer but I find it a little coarse for just taking the sharp edges off. I generally use 800 or 1,000 grit for my second sanding pass and knock the edges off then. From there I go to 1,500 grit and then on to slicking. If it's a single layer of thinner leather, I usually start sanding with 1,000 grit and progress from there. No point in tearing an edge up anymore than needed with coarser grits. If I have a long edge that I need to address, I'll clamp the leather under a metal bar at the edge of the bench. It gives me a lot more control doing it that way. Regards, Arturo

Wondering if anyone can relate their experience with Tokonole over the long haul. Aside from the durability of edges on both chrome and veg tan, I'm particularly interested in what happens to the flesh side of veg tan that's been slicked down with Tokonole. Curious, too, about how it holds up (or doesn't) in a warmer, humid climate, especially on the slicked down flesh side. Does it get soft and gummy or is it stable? Thanks, Arturo

On Jenn64's thread about moistening leather before dying, Silverd commented that he sprays water base contact cement for his laminating work. Don't want to jack her thread so I'll ask about this here. I'd like to learn more about this from anybody and everybody doing it. ie: which cement, how much it's cut and what kind of spray unit is being used. Thanks, Arturo

Tandy has the Craftool Pocket Notch Punch. I just use a half round punch and then knock the hard corners off with a knife. 8287eb36d9787909d06209618099f80445be2b31_635x635.webp

Thanks, Brian. I have the Techsew 4800 so everything in your photos looks familiar. Apologies, @palvim for derailing your thread. I hope you get things sorted out. Regards, Arturo

So, just to be clear, Brian, there's nothing more to it than that? Slide the pin out, sand, re-install? No special slots, twists, turns or magic incantations? I'd like to try this out. Thanks, Arturo

Here are some links to threads that might help regarding your questions, Jeannie. There's a lot of good stuff in Brian's posts. https://leatherworker.net/forum/topic/86653-help-a-guy-out-with-his-new-skiving-machine/page/4/ https://leatherworker.net/forum/topic/76603-skiving-machine-independent-feed-mod/ https://leatherworker.net/forum/topic/79422-attaching-shop-vac-to-bell-skiver/ Your post has me thinking that I'd now like to set up some kind of vacuum system on my skiver. But I'd really like to see how the units with the built in vacuum are configured "out of the box" and think about reverse engineering from there before I start getting too creative and spending money. Regards, Arturo

Those cyclone dust collectors look great but I think the immediate issue would be getting the material out of the bottom of the machine and table to the cyclone. I recall a thread on the forum here a while ago talking about fabricating an assembly to mount on the bottom of the table as part of a DIY vacuum assembly but I can't find it. I think Brian, ("RockyAussie") offered some information and weren't you also involved, Jimi? Maybe your memory is better than mine. Regards, Arturo

Just to remind those good people who live in a colder climate and get supplied by ordering off the web that winter is approaching. Yeah, I know... The point is that it's not too early to start thinking about what you need to order before freeze up so your stuff doesn't when it's in transit. Regards, Arturo

Thanks, Fred. Appreciate it. I'm curious to see what these 800 items are. The following is from a reddit posting: "Once again: the UK government agreed to this. The NIP makes it quite clear that Northern Ireland will remain in the single market and therefore subject to EU regulations. No ifs, no buts. But let's not be naive about this: when they signed it, they didn't do so in good faith. They just needed an "oven ready" deal to go into an election with. They never had the slightest intention of upholding their obligations and weaseling out of them was always the plan. This will have consequences, and not only because the EU will retaliate for breaking the treaty. Those checks and rules are not there because the EU wanted them there. They are there to keep NI in the single market. The only reason NI is still in the single market is because of the border that will have to be set up around it if it leaves. No amount of twisting and turning is going to change the fact that there is a legal and practical requirement for a hard border between two different regulatory and customs regimes. The UK government is simply trying to lift the NIP out of the wider context of Brexit so that they can ignore this. The NIP is not the problem, Brexit is. The UK can either deal with the NIP, or it can deal with the consequences of breaking the Withdrawal Agreement. And what the EU will do will be the least of their worries. It's what's going to happen in Northern Ireland if the political settlement falls apart because a land border is set up. Of course, the UK government is self serving, amoral and irresponsible enough to break the treaty anyway. Making any further concessions to or deals with such people is pointless. First legal action (which they'll refuse to comply with) and then suspension of the treaties and sanctions." There's an old Chinese curse: "May you live in interesting times." Sadly, we are. Regards, Arturo

Fred, I've tried to find these 800 new rules and the proposed 1,200 new EU regulations but I've come up dry. Could you please point me in the right direction? Regards, Arturo

Hardly accurate, Fred. Casting Mexico as the EU is a poor choice of example. The UK knew what they were signing up for when they inked the Northern Ireland Protocol. A deal is a deal. You can't blame the EU for Boris Johnson's stupidity.

I have an antiqued project that's a little glossier than I'd like and I'm wondering if using Tan Kote to seal the antique will bring the gloss down. Looking at the MSDS's for both products I can't see anything that would contradict doing that and I plan on doing a little test drive on some scrap but I'm wondering if anyone has ever tried this and what the results were. Thanks, Arturo

There was a bit of discussion here: https://www.reddit.com/r/CCW/comments/lug10n/anyone_else_get_screwed_over_by_savoy_leather/

Lot of good points made. Agreed that it's an older technology but a lot of the weight in a bell knife machine is there for stability. That cast iron is a good platform to hang all that other stuff from. It's rigid and it's sturdy. These machines are designed for industrial applications. I think that's reflected in the price. Fortuna put their first bell knife skiver out the door in 1903. A lot of that old technology hasn't changed much because it works so well. Much of it was designed and refined in the 1800's and around the turn of the 20th century when leather goods and, apparently, cast iron, were big business. LOL They were designing for durability and reliability in those days. It worked then and it works now. I think if anybody could design, build, market and profit on a bell knife or other type of skiver that was smaller and less expensive than what's on the market now, they'd be doing it. I've seen that Nippy Skimini at a trade show in Japan. It's OK but I don't think I'd buy one. It's very well built and all but just not for me. The other Nippy skivers are great. Nice, tight, well built machines that I think are well worth the asking price. I'd love to own one but for me the deal killer on bringing a Nippy to North America isn't the price tag in Japan, it's the shipping/processing/tax. Regards, Arturo

Very nice. Really like the color choices, hardware selection and all round attention to detail. That's some tidy work well done. Not sure if I like the idea of those exposed Chicago screws, though. They're gonna be rubbing on something. Regards, Arturo

And where, exactly, are the lines showing up on the skived area?

Dwight pretty summed it up for me. I'm also in the Resolene 1:1 camp except I apply it with an airbrush. I started doing that to avoid pulling antique out and it didn't take me long to start appreciating the quality of the finish I was getting on all my veg tan, antiqued or not. One of the things I appreciate about acrylic finishes like Resolene is having the ability to control the gloss of the finish. I've found I can get anything from a nice, mellow luster to squint your eyes shiny by increasing the number of coats or by not thinning. I'm not a fan of the super high gloss look. I think it looks cheap and plasticky and it's prone to cracking but there's a sweet spot just below that level that I think looks especially good on black. I find two or three coats cut 1:1 gives me the low key luster I want for most of my stuff and, as others have observed, there's never been a problem with dye rubbing off. The water clean up is just a nice bonus. Regards, Arturo

Thanks for the replies. I have an opportunity to buy some of this at a really good price and I think I'll give it a test drive. Regards, Arturo

I'm wondering if anyone has recently used and can comment of Chahin veg tan tooling leather. I have looked at other threads here on the Forum about this brand and got some good information. Just hoping to hear from people with more recent experience. I thank you in advance for your attention. Arturo

You might want to look at the Weaver Master Tools Cub machine as well.