Chris623

Any recommendations for a good brand of Harness needles for hand stitching? I had an order in with Fine Leatherworking for a package of their size #1/0 needles, but requested a refund when it had been 18 days since ordering and I'd still not received them.

That's a beautiful skiving tool, Chuck. I like the file work. I'd have to make a jig to allow the blade to pivot from the point where the handle starts so I could present it to my 2x72 belt grinder to get a full distal taper all the way around the radius. Would pose it's own difficulties.

I teach a wood carving class at one of our local Vo-Tech schools. I make and sell wood carving knives. Sharpening knives is something I do for a living, so doubt I'll have any trouble making and sharpening a Round Knife. I don't know of any commercial blade manufacturer who ships a blade sharp enough to use, so I'm used to that. With all that braggart stuff behind , I'll look at any video I can watch to learn as much as I can. Thanks for the suggestions.

Kind of what I thought, Zuludog. Thanks. Never having used one of these knives, I didn't know for sure. Wish I could afford to just order one of Leather Wrangler's knives..............they are beautiful. But I know I can make one..........it's what I do.

Does anyone have any thoughts on what bevel to use on a head knife? I know Leather Wranglers offers a full distal taper (like a fine chef's knife) and a shorter, steeper sunburst grind like a rugged camp knife.

Thanks for the input. As I mentioned, I'll research the material in the blade before I try anything with it. I absolutely don't "do" mystery steel in my knife making process. If I can't I.D. the blade material (I'll check with the manufacturer if necessary) I'll just start with good blade stock.

After going through the long list of Youtube videos about head knives, I found the knife I showed is one of Leather Wranglers knives. So if I do make one, I'll be very careful to not duplicate it but simply use it as a guide. I think it's a beautifully designed and made knife.

Not Chartermade. It's a custom knife.................and I wouldn't copy it exactly anyway. But thanks for mentioning that point. Ticks me off, but some people don't respect patents and copy-writes. Lots of good info in your post...........thanks. Trying hard to learn all this stuff. I'll ask my saw sharpening shop what material it is. If it's not something useful, I'll just buy some proper material. I have a Paragon oven, so tempering and annealing are no problem.

I'm a newbie here. Probably don't really need a head knife at this point in the game, but as a knife maker I've been drawn to the 1/4 Head Knives I've seen pictures of. I plan on using a brand new 14" cross-cut saw blade I have (but will never use) that I think will serve as a good material source. I obviously need some "learnin" on the subject of these knives. I "get" the purpose of a full round knife but am not quite sure the way the 1/4 knife would be used. Pretty much the same way, I suppose. ?????? But what is the advantage/disadvantage of the 1/4 Head Knife? Attached is a picture of one I'd like to emulate, but I'm wondering if there are any patterns for them out there or should I just print this to the size I'm wanting and use that as a template?

Okay, thanks fredk. Thanks, battlemunky.

Those are beautifully done. I've always wanted a pair of Ostrich boots.

Interesting tip.........thanks. How would I go about removing it from something it's glued to??? Oh, and you're from "over the pond", so I don't know what "compressed cardboard" is. Is it like out Masonite sheet? Just went back out to my shop and the piece is still nowhere near back to it's original color, so it's obviously too wet.

Unfortunately, no, it probably wasn't dry enough, fredk. Honestly, it still looked darker. I've a bunch to learn, huh!?!?

I cut out and did a little tooling to my first piece of leather today. Not quite sure I cased (is that the proper term for wetting?) it properly. It was a little piece of shoulder about 3"x6". got it wet under the faucet and put it in a ziplock bag for about an hour and a half. I tooled a simple border and laid it aside. Came back in about 15 minutes and it looked as if the impressions were coming back out...............the pattern was softening. Does that mean it was still too wet when I started? Any guidance as to how to know when the leather is too wet/too dry?

Those sure look as if they were made to hold up to a real cowboy's needs.

Without a doubt the best rust remover I've ever used. https://evapo-rust.com/ Took an old pipe wrench I found buried in the dirt (must have been there for more than 20 years because I've lived here that long and it was here before me) behind my barn and put it in Evapo-rust for two days and there wasn't a spec of rust left on it. Hit it with a wire wheel and it looked brand new. I couldn't recommend this stuff more..................just wish I owned stock in their company! Nicest thing about it is it's perfectly safe. No gloves, no masks, and won't corrode anything in your shop because it's not an acid!

I've been drooling over some of his designs. Yup, guys-n-gals, I'll stick with "cleaned up" Tandy stamps for now and will progress to Barry King. Honestly don't see myself progressing enough further that I'll need better than that.

Very tastefully done, Ryan. Hope I can do as well some day.

Thanks, fredk. mike02130, I'm just going to take it to the people I purchased the countertops from and have them cut the slab. While I can certainly cut it, they have the equipment and can put nice clean (polished) edges on it.

"ease a bit" or radius like my counter tops?

Okay, should I do anything to the edges.................like rounding them similar to my counter-top?

Oh. I misunderstood! (not unusual, though) I'll still probably just stick with Barry King stamps. I was at our local Tandy's yesterday and they were having a sale. Lots of folks there, so asked a whole lot of newbie questions. Barry's tools came up in a bunch of discussions as really nice and sharp ones, giving really good clean impressions. That's all I'm after. I'm probably not going to be doing much more than simple borders, so the stamp is the "image", not flowers, vines and acorns.........and the like. I"m not really planning on doing any/much tooling at all.

I had 1 1/4" Granite put in my kitchen for countertops. They cut a piece about 19"x34" out to install our glass-topped stovetop. My primary purpose for getting into leatherwork is to make sheaths for the knives I forge..............................so I don't need a piece of Granite on my table that large. I can cut this down to most any size I want, so what is considered a good size to have for working on leather projects that small?

Thanks, Bob. Didn't realize he was from over the pond. I'll probably just stick with Barry King stamps. Don't plan on doing a lot of tooling, so can probably afford a few of them.

WOW, Bob, those Robert Beard tools look nice. Can't seem to find prices anywhere. Does he only sell through Facebook? Thanks for the recommendation, fredk. Lot's to learn, for sure.