ScottEnglish

Thanks zuludog. I had forgotten some of the awl length will be lost within the handle. Good job you mentioned that! Thanks Tugadude for sharing your experience. Thanks fredk. Your way of fitting an awl to its handle is much like the traditional way of fitting a file to its handle.

Thanks battlemunky.

Hi. I intend buying a saddler's awl from Geo. Barnsley & Sons in the UK where I live. Which length would best suit saddle stitching together two layers of about 2mm thick vegetable tanned leather with 1mm Ritza tiger thread? The awl blade lengths are 1.75", 2", 2.25", 2.5", 2.75", and 3". Thanks. Scott

Hello to you all. When skiving stiffeners, how thin should the edge be? It is my understanding that traditionally vegetable-tanned belly leather is used for stiffeners. I am using chrome-tanned belly leather. If I skive the edges to a knife-edge, they are somewhat ragged in places. Not a problem at the toe, but certainly so at the heel. Thanks. Scott

I've found a use for the scuff leather so have decided to keep it. Scott

fredk: I'll research medieval shoes online. eBay. That's a good idea. Maybe I can divide the hide into sides and sell them separately.

I have for sale about 37 square feet of black scuff leather. It's chrome-tanned and approximately 4.0 - 4.5mm thick. Here is the link to the leather that I bought: Black Scuff Leather / Outdoor Hides / Strong & Durbable Leather (jwoodleathers.co.uk) I live in Wales. If you'd like to know more then please send me a message. Thanks. Scott

fredk: Thanks for answering my question about your medieval shoes. Spyros: Thanks. I've now decided not to attempt to reduce the thickness of it. AzShooter: I'm going to try and sell it. I'm only interested in making footwear, nothing else.

fredk: Thanks for your detailed reply and mention of shoe leather prior to the birth of chrome tanning. Your medieval shoes, am I correct in understanding that they were unlined? Hardrada: Thanks for the links. Scott

fredk: Thick vegetable-tanned leather for unlined boots? I know a few people on these forums tried to dissuade me from using vegetable-tanned leather for footwear over a year ago. I still went ahead anyhow and made some shoes using vegetable-tanned leather. I don't intend doing so again unless you know something I don't. Which is probable. Scott

Dwight: Are you referring to power tools or hand planes? I want to keep the grain side intact so I can't see how your idea will work. I am a bit dim though! Aven: On average the hide is about 10oz in thickness. The cutting the seller sent me, I listened to your advice about obtaining a cutting, isn't representative of the suppleness, or lack of it, of the hide as a whole. I do skive joins. jcuk: J. Wood Leathers is the supplier. I've already asked if they have a splitting service. They don't. chuck123wapati: Thanks for the unconventional method for reducing the thickness of leather. I can't return the leather as I've already used some. I would do otherwise. Scott

Thanks RockyAussie. Your reply is exactly what I was after. Scott

kgg: Thanks for your advice. It would be impractical though every time I make a pair of boots to keep visiting a leather goods business. Too much time and money expended. And I can't justify the prices you've mentioned to buy my own machine which may not get much use in the long-term. If I can't have the entire hide reduced in thickness for a reasonable cost I'll have to sell it at a loss. fredk: At its current thickness the leather is far too stiff for making footwear. Hence my wondering whether reducing its thickness will make it more supple. However, I've learnt from this forum and my own experience that not all chrome-tanned leather is supple anyhow and I'm not confident that reducing the thickness will solve the problem. I'll reduce the thickness with my knife first to see what effect this has. As I only make simple footwear keeping this hide isn't an option. It either needs splitting if this is economical or selling. Scott

Hello. I recently bought a thick, chrome-tanned hide for making unlined boots. Unfortunately, it's too thick. I'm going to need to reduce the thickness a bit. What options are there for reducing the thickness of the hide in its entirety, or for reducing the thickness of parts of a boot pattern once cut out? Thanks. Scott

Samalan: Yes, that sounds sensible. DrmCa: Thanks for the warning. chuck123wapati: There's very little information available about Solaway online. I think in view of what I've been reminded of, that these products may harm our health, that I'll focus upon alternative means of removing a sole. Thank you all for your comments. Scott