TomMeyers

I agree with spyros . Get the most you can and price at the market price of similar products. So know your competition. If that price is too low for you then get out of that market. Sk there is a use for costs but it is not for setting price. Cost plus pricing is erroneous; market price is reality. (MBA '83) Your work is very! Nice. I would have punched the holes into the pattern rather than by measure.

I recommend you put a tab of leather across the bottom of the closed zipper and in front of that sew an X on the teeth. The tab will hang off the end a little but give you the space to open fhe case. I use that in purse making. The other end can be finished the same or just sewn to the leather. One side of zipper to one side of leather. ...

There is an up and down of the tape. The dome should be pointing up when zipping (up). Yours are not.

I bought a 2ft by 2ft scrap of dyed leather. Attractive color (dark burgundy) 2-3 mm soft. I worked with to make a bracelet; skived, burnished edge, machine stitched, folded. All went well it was a little spongy, burnished ok but not real shiney, easy sewing. Didn't seem to work well with my bag kote. It is bonded and has no fibers. Whst has been your experience with bonded leather for working and durability? I may use it in a purse. Anything that might help me purchase, work and sell in a purse product? Thanks, Tom

I am sewing a woman's tote bag with 3-4 oz chrome tan. I want to know if i can use chrome tan for the straps too. They will be folded length'wise to cover the flesh side and glued + sewn. 2 straps, each about 2 feet long I am not sure about their strength. Maybe i need to embed web. Your thoughts please.

This is an inspiration to me. Thanks, Tom

Today i saw an electric rotary cutter being used for fabric and advertised for leather too. Does anyone have experience with an electric rotary cutter? Tom

Laser engraving is a possibility.

My awl has a nice small feature: a dent in the wood handle that I use to push my needle. Also, the point is fine enough that I can use it to pull the needle eye to get a tight needle through; gently so I dont break the needle with the awl.

Plastic liner is what my water bag had.

Keep the buckle. Buy a strap. Tom

ZRM&E 30pcs 12mm Handbag Bottom... Amazon one day shipping available.

Check out video by hahns atelier https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.pinterest.com/pin/415527503119625540/&ved=2ahUKEwiLkpjbqNjrAhVHx1kKHfHQDpg4KBCjtAEwB3oECAMQAQ&usg=AOvVaw0ZhtbiB4dDU8RSCRLXj3aw

I first recommend you use leather needles they are shaped like a spear and accommodate more thread along the shaft. You will need to limit thread to #69 118 needle recommended. A walking foot is available for that 4452. There is also a nonstick teflon foot. The 44xxs have a rapidly accelerating stitch speed you can adjust that some by changing the setting in the foot control. Usually for fabric the foot pressure is not adjusted you may find the need For belt seam allowance you may want to use a magnetic guide. Tom

Nice work. I see nothing to change.

Even without lining I think that maybe, s stitching can make a belt more interesting and less likely to deform. Lining helps of course. Thoughts?

I see that I am not much concerned about what other people and companies are doing. I am interested in what I am doing. If more people are not interested in leather working ----- I don't care. If companies dont promote products for leather working ----- I dont care. Other people don"t influence what I do or how I feel about my activities. The state of lratherwork and leather supplies and leather products are not my problem. I study quantum computing, bee behaviour in my back yard, sewing, leather. My education, my motivation, my experiences ... define me and are what make me happy.

I have been googling for coverage of feiblings pro dye. No luck. I am preparing to return to my home in the dominican republic from NC and I want to stock-up here. Whether from experience or from Feiblings I welcome your comments. Tom

Thank you everyone. You have each contributed to my understanding and thus to the quality of my work. Tom

I have tried saddle stitching and watched videos of others. The movements involved are tuned to reduce excess movements and speed the process and produce uniform stitching. Because I am inherently lazy I tried to find an easier way thus: Is a saddle stitch the same as sewing from one end to the other and then sewing back to the start end? What is lost? I thought maybe there is a risk of piercing the first thread when returning but if the first is in its final position then there is no consequence. Some stitching attempts to eliminate that by pushing the first needle but not the thread before inserting the second needle. Others depend on accurately piercing.

I bought some 2nd hand mens belts just for the buckles. I disassembled them to study the materials and method. Here are the 4 different types I found: 1) outside top grain with thin lining next to body. 2) top grain outside unlined 3) outside thin lining top grain next to body 4) outside thin lining, inside bonded leather, thin lining next to body #3 was a surprise that offers the opportunity to use chrome tan and colorful outside with top grain strength. The edge of the top grain had been machine skived to reduce the force needed to sew the edges. Summary: cheap buckles from 2nd hand; interesting sandwich for beauty and strength if not tooling the top grain.