MtlBiker

I've tried a pencil and either the mark couldn't be seen or I'd permanently marked the leather. Is there a specific type of pencil you're talking about, or hardness?

What do you folks use to mark the grain side of leather? I often need to put center marks or position marks on the grain side and I guess I don't have the right product because whatever I try either doesn't show or I can't wipe it off (it wouldn't always be hidden) later. For now I'm trying to leave as unobtrusive marks as possible, and I've even used a ballpoint pen. What's the best marking tool for this?

I'm SO with you on that! Companies in the US often think of Canada as some very far off country and charge crazy prices for shipping. But just to be clear about this particular IVAN order, I'm not sure if shipping is always free or it was free in this case because I ordered a bunch of stuff and the total cost was over $200 US.

@Tequila - That's gotta be tough... waiting and waiting and not even sure it'll ever get to you. Crazy! I'm going to add to the ranting with a little rant of my own... I placed an order through Amazon for a small item I really wanted (actually it's two small Arkansas oilstones which I would use for sharpening my awl blades). Delivery was scheduled for almost 10 days out, on a Friday. But on the Monday morning prior to that expected Friday delivery, I got a notice that it was out for delivery. Only problem is that my office/business is closed on Mondays. It's never been a problem with any other delivery or courier... they see we are closed, our business hours are clearly posted on the front door, and they always make a second delivery attempt the next day. That's been the case for the delivery companies Amazon contracts to as well as Canada Post, Purolator, Canpar, UPS and FedEx. But in this case the delivery company simply brought (supposedly) the package to a pickup location FIVE KM away! (There are lots of dropoff/pickup locations much closer). They made NO attempt on a second delivery (as Amazon tells me they are contracted to do). So two days later I went to that pickup location and the package was not there. The delivery location is a small corner store absolutely jam packed with candy, soft drinks and other stuff and it was the size of a larger cupboard. The man running the place could hardly speak English and spoke no French and he couldn't find my tracking number in his records. All the packages waiting for pickup were just stacked at the side of his counter. No package. I called Amazon and they agreed to refund the purchase and said that if I wanted the product to reorder it and they were sure this wouldn't happen again. So I ordered again and guess what? The same thing happened! Scheduled delivery for a Friday but out for delivery on the Monday before. And again sent to the pickup location without a second delivery attempt. And again I went there only to find it wasn't there. And even though it's possible that someone just picked it up (stole it) from the store because the packages are unattended, the man showed me his list of waybills received and mine wasn't there. I suspect the courier company and particularly the driver. I went through the whole customer support thing with Amazon and again they agreed to a "goodwill" refund. And that they would "de-priortize" that delivery contractor for my future orders. A week later, because I really wanted the product, I ordered for the third time, but this time used my home as the delivery address. And it was finally delivered! Left at my door by the same delivery service (so much for de-prioritizing them) but obviously a different driver. Now my little less than $100 order doesn't compare with your several thousand dollar sewing machine, but the frustration (and yes, anger) certainly was there. I hope you get your machine soon, and that everything works out well in the end.

@Fredk and @Sheilajeanne - I just found that Ivan Leathercraft sells that acrylic gizmo. I was ordering some punches from them and came across it. Acrylic Chisel Aid I just added one to my order. I'll believe it when I see it, but they said it would deliver in 2-7 days via expedited (FREE!) shipping. And that's from Hong Kong to Canada.

@Northmount - Thank you very much for the photos and your comments. I guess I have to rethink this and try to find a better cord and bolo. Obviously the big names, with their volumes and money, simply design what they want and have it made. I'd be doing only a one of, or maybe two. So I've got to find something nicer. There are some options on Amazon but I'm not sure, without buying, that they'd work or be classy enough. Back to the drawing board. I've seen those cord sliders at MEC many times and they're way too small and common looking for what I want now.

I agree with that sentiment. Since the Fiebing's dyes cannot be ordered via the Tandy website (all show as sold out) I emailed the rep who's often helped me (and given great service). He replied that he only had 8 colors in stock (6 of them shades of brown believe it or not) and that he'd be glad to prepare the order. I said I would take one of each of the colors he had and asked him to email me back with a total price including shipping with the surcharge and that I'd call him with a credit card number. (I'm reluctant to give that via email.) It's now 4 days later and I'm still waiting for him to give me the price. I think you're correct that they really don't want to sell Fiebing's products. Meanwhile I ordered from Lonsdale and the order shipped out on Monday. Prompt service and easy peasy to deal with. Okay, thanks for the advice. I will dye my leather before cutting it out, but I will stitch it before wet moulding it (as per the pattern and video I'm following). Using the solvent based dye instead of water based, will _probably_ eliminate or minimize the dye affecting the thread. But in any case, I'll be using the same thread color as my dye, or as near to it as possible. At least for this project, which is really just for practice. I've already made 4 AirPod Pro cases, but only own 2 AirPods. So it's all about the practice... dyeing, cutting, gluing, stitching, wet forming and final finishing. And with such a small item, there isn't much wasted material. Perfect practice project. Cheers!

Thanks very much! Shame though that Tandy themselves didn't post a decent photo of the item. You also said earlier that it was not great for purses. Why? It's exactly purses that I wanted to use this for.

Thank you! (I hadn't known what it was called so couldn't find anything.) The photo of the item you linked to on the Tandy site is very poor and it's hard to understand how it works. Also no spec is given for the diameter of the cord that it accepts. I've been searching and Tandy has a 6mm braided leather cord which is the largest diameter I've been able to find but I don't know if it'll fit. I guess I will have to phone them. Is it correct that this is only part of what is needed? You have to add a decorative piece (concho?) to it, plus bolo tips (again no spec given for the diameter or how they are fixed to the cord). Between the cord, slide clip, concho and tips, it'll add about $36 to the cost of a bag. Not including dyeing time, etc. I'm certainly no Ralph Lauren so it will be hard to make a profit on one of these bags. Luckily, it's a labor of love rather than a money making scheme for me. I guess I'll have to search out other options that might be less expensive. Maybe the cord doesn't have to be leather... but whatever it is should be classy. SIGH What have I gotten myself into?

Bolo Tie!!! Great! Thanks everyone. @fredk - Woggle... isn't that what a bicycle wheel does with a broken spoke? Fred, I'm not quite understanding how you use a large wood bead... do you drill a hole in it? In any case, if I'm hoping (dreaming) of making a high quality leather bag like that, I need something a little more classy than a wood bead. I'm probably biting off more than I can chew with this but I'm quite excited about giving this project a try. I've already made some Swoon Bonny Bucket bags using fake leather and fabric and I found a YouTube video by Myth Leather Co. who made a few modifications to the pattern and made his out of leather with a drawstring closure. And I have some beautiful leather for it! Thanks, but for what I'm thinking of I probably need something a little more classy and elegant.

I've got no idea what it's called, but I'm talking about the somewhat decorative closure that could be used on the old cowboy necktie... that was basically like a string/cord around the neck with the closure sliding up and down the two ends on the front. I've tried to search with a few suppliers, but not knowing what it's called makes it difficult. I'm planning a new bag with a cord type closure (through grommets) and I really don't know what to use as the cord (do I make my own out of leather, buy something, or what?) and what to use as the closure. I saw a really gorgeous leather bag that a lady had which really impressed me and it's probably beyond my skill level at present (but it's nice to dream). Suggestions would be very much appreciated. The bag the lady had was a Ralph Lauren and it might have been this model:

@Manakawari - Sorry I cannot be of any help to you with the machine but wanted to say I like your choice of gin. Makes me want to go home and have a Martini. It must be 5pm somewhere.

Thank you (again!). I ordered some dyes from Lonsdale yesterday and they're coming in about a week or so (Canada Post). Lonsdale's web site says to pour some dye into a dish and then use it. Is that what you do? How about using a sponge with the dye directly from the bottle? Do you dilute it at all, or does that depend on how strong a color you're looking for? I also ordered some of their reducer. Is that just denatured alcohol or something else? Funny that Lonsdale is shipping the dye via Canada Post and Tandy said that only Purolator would take it, and with a surcharge at that. If you were making an AirPod Pro case (as per the link I posted) would you dye first, then cut the pieces and stitch, or would you do the dyeing after it's stitched? And if wet moulding after the stitching, how would you handle that? My concerns are shrinkage of the leather and also being able to wet mould after stitching. I'm thinking of dyeing a larger piece first, then cutting and stitching and then wet moulding. Does that sound good to you? Thank you again!

Does anyone here know the difference between Fiebings "Leather Dye" and their "Pro Dye"? The Tandy US site lists both and implies the Pro dye is newer and improved but the Canadian site only lists the regular Leather Dye. The shipping of these products is a pain as there is a $15 surcharge on top of regular courier shipping charges. And they say they can only ship Purolator and not Canada Post.

Don't apologize! The photos show the terrific work you've done. Thank you. I don't think you answered what kind of dye you use... spirit based?

Okay, next time I try this particular piece I'll save the dyeing and and surface finishing until the very end. After cutting, gluing and stitching the pieces and wet moulding. I'll also try to get some spirit-based dye.

That's what I've been trying to do (with the few projects I've done so far) but this particular one has the gluing and sewing of the two parts before the wet moulding. I guess I'll try to get some spirit based dye to solve the color running problem.

I guess you're all right... it was the water-based dye which caused the problem. But I'm surprised to hear spirit dyes haven't caused any shrinkage for you, I mean, the leather still gets wet, doesn't it? And doesn't getting the leather wet cause it to shrink? (One of my last projects had a pattern piece that was 7 3/8" long and after getting it wet with my dye, it shrunk to only 7" which is why I now dye a larger piece before cutting my pattern.) The only thing using a spirit based dye would solve would be the running of color if after dyeing you make it wet to mold. Or does that somehow help reduce or eliminate the shrinkage also? What dye are you using? Not water-based?

I can see doing what you suggest when you've molding the pieces individually, prior to stitching them together. And that's what I've done when possible. But what if you need to wet mold after stitching? Like the YouTube video I'm following (linked in my first post). I'm not sure that would work because of the shrinkage factor. Do you think it would work to cut the pattern, stitch it together and then wet mold it? And only after all that dye it and do the surface finishing? I am a newbie to working with leather and until I saw that video I linked to I didn't even know you could wet mold after the stitching. Of course it also depends on what you're making and in many cases it wouldn't work. I have some pre-dyed veg tan leather and I'm sure that would work well, but I didn't have the color I wanted so had to start with un-dyed veg tan and dye it myself.

Are you saying that I should cut out the pattern and sew it together before dyeing and wet molding it? The last project (I learned from) I cut out my pattern first and then dyed it (this is before stitching) and the leather shrunk by a surprising amount. Which is why I dyed it first this time. A spirits based dye would avoid the problem of the dye running all over the place when I wet the leather to form it I guess. Is there a brand you recommend? I've been buying my dyes and other stuff from Tandy Leather and they have the Eco-Flo as well as Fiebings Pro, but for some reason shipping the Fiebings is a hassle. I can't get any dyes locally, nor any leather working tools.

Yes, I'm dyeing to know what I'm doing wrong. Using veg tan leather, I first dyed it using Eco-Flo Leather Dye. (After having learned from experience that the veg tan shrinks when it's dyed or made wet.) When it was dry, I cut out my pattern and then stitched the front and back pieces together. Then I made it wet in order to form it around the item and that is when I got covered with the dye. (Of course that Eco-Flo dye is water based.) Should I have finished the leather with Satin Sheen (or something else) after dyeing it and before wet forming it? I'd been afraid that if I applied some finishing coat I wouldn't be able to wet form the leather. Would that have happened? Would I still be able to wet form the leather after dyeing and finishing it? (This is another Apple AirPro Pro case, following a YouTube tutorial by Totuia. Unfinished... work in progress drying...)

Cool! I'm in Montreal also. Speaking of the world changing, prior to the first forced business closures due to Covid, I couldn't even sew a button on my shirt. Now I have several sewing machines and have moved through various fabrics to Cordura and waxed canvas to Sunbrella and now to leather. For me, that's the only good thing that came out of Covid... finding a new hobby that is interesting and keeps me sane. (Or as sane as possible.)

Really gorgeous work! I too wish you great success and I'm sure you will have it. But I'm curious about why you said the pricing would be about $400 Canadian, when the person who asked about pricing is in Australia, and most members here are in the US. And you appear to be in the UK. I, on the other hand, appreciate the price in Canadian dollars as I'm in Montreal. How much would it be in pesos? Yes I'm kidding around, but your work is really great.

I see now! It's used on the top (not the business end which pokes through on the other side). Okay. Got it. And Fred's picture helped also. Sorry for being so dense, but you threw with the way you said it (or the way I understood). This is a pretty good idea! Thank you for the patience to make sure I was understanding. I too would love to have one of those acrylic things Fred is using.

I still don't get it. I'm probably as dense as those wood blocks Fred is using. I define "business end" of the chisel as the pointy sharp end, which is usually poking a bit through on the underside of the leather that you've punched through. The handle end is the opposite side. I think I could see using a block of wood on the upper side of the leather, right alongside the chisel which would then hold the leather down flat as you work the chisel out of the leather. But having the wood on the business end?