MtlBiker

@PISTOLs - Yes, the 135x16 needle is for leather. What size needle are you using with your v69 thread? Have you tried going up one size which sometimes helps. Hmmm, I read that as you are breaking threads, but realize you're talking about the needle itself. Funny that you can sew fine for 20 minutes and that then the needle breaks. Is there anything different in your fabric assembly when that happens? Surely you're not sewing for 20 minutes non-stop... there must be stops and starts, new assemblies being sewn. Are you new to industrial machines in general, or only new to that 202rb? Are you holding the top thread tightly as you begin your sewing? Do your stitches look alright up until the needle breaks? Or do you have thread nests on the under side? Maybe if you post some photos (maybe even a video) someone here would be able to give advice. Good luck!

Is that New Brunswick as in Canada? Eh? If so, I buy my copper rivets and setters from Aaron Martin Harness in Ontario. Reasonable prices and fast delivery. The setters I've bought from them (two sizes) are identical to the one linked in this thread from Weaver Leather. And the Canadian price comes to less than buying in US and converting. All you need is a good ball peen hammer and you're in business. The toughest part of this rivet thing (for me at least) is the special pliers (forget what they're called) to cut off the excess post of the rivet before rounding the end. Aaronmarton.com is the site. I've been buying their #12 (243-1234) 3/4", #9 (243-934) 3/4" rivets and the corresponding setters #512-9 and 512-12. Very happy with their products and service.

@SpruceMoose - I just took a look at Black Crown threads... the prices are more expensive than the Sunstop from A&E. As a matter of fact, they're more expensive for a 1/4 lb spool than A&E is for 1/2 lb. And a Google search tells me that "Polyamide threads are shiny, very strong, and also a little bit elastic. It can be used for basic sewing and also for technical purposes." Personally I would stick with bonded nylon or my own choice, bonded polyester like Sunstop. BTW, you can't order online from A&E, you have to phone them. American & Efrid... 800-361-6073

Without knowing what you are sewing, it's hard to suggest a thread. But I have no experience with "polyamide 66" threads. I just wanted to pop in with a couple of pieces of advice... Stick with a well-known quality brand of thread. Stay away from cheap threads, as they'll only give you trouble. Personally I stick with A&E Sunstop bonded poly thread, and their Canadian office is here in Montreal and their prices are better than elsewhere I've found. You say you don't want to have to "reset everything" regarding thread... be aware that you really MUST learn how to adjust tension for different threads, as even if you stick with one brand of thread, often switching colors requires a tension adjustment. Black thread for example is often stiffer than other colors (due to the dye is my understanding) and tension needs to be adjusted when switching. And even different materials and thicknesses need tension readjustment. So you should be comfortable with those adjustments. On my industrial machines I almost exclusively use v92 Sunstop, sometimes on my Techsew 2750 Pro I use v138. And I can get away with v69 (Sunstop again) on my domestic machine unless I'm doing clothing with thinner thread. Have fun!

Darn senior moment. SIGH It's often called the "at sign".

@trich - Just a heads up... if you want someone to be notified that you've replied to them, either do it as a reply to a specific message (rather than starting a blank reply) or better yet, type the ampersand (@) and then start typing the name of the person. Choose it from the popup list that appears. I've got a Consew DCS-S4 skiver, same as yours, and I too have been having a lot of trouble and frustration with it. So I'm watching this thread closely to see what I can learn from the more experienced users. Good luck!

I bought a set of two rollers like that off (if I remember right) ebay, or maybe Aliexpress. One of the two must be defective as it doesn't turn at all. And I haven't tried the other one yet, as I was just too super frustrated with my Consew skiver eating leather. Obviously there's a real art to using a bell skiver, both in the actual way you use it and certainly in how you adjust it. SIGH Lately I've been real busy with waxed canvas products but will get back to working with leather again soon. So I'm watching this thread to see the great advice.

@WalterF - Beautifully done. I also shoot field target (and luckily have won several trophies, but nothing at the national level - yet). I also shoot 10m air pistol, but that's a real challenge for me because I'm strongly right-handed, yet left eye dominant. SIGH Anyway, how do you use that pouch? Does it hang around your neck/arm? Is the opening wide enough to reach in with your fingers to get a pellet? Do you have to invert the pouch to get pellets out? I've been thinking about making one but haven't figured out a design that would be practical. So I'm interested in your experience with this pouch. Cheers!

Hi Klara, I probably shouldn't admit this, but since I have 4 cats (without which I may not have survived the several Covid lockdowns we went through) it is exactly for cat leashes that I wanted to get these snap hooks. You are right that these are probably not suitable for nice purses and bags, but I have other styles which I do use for bags and purses but I really like the look of these and wanted to get some. And according to the website @Gezzer linked to, other colors are available also. Cheers!

That's really nice... pretty much exactly what I'd like. But unfortunately that appears to be a manufacturer and since I only need a small handful of them, (less than a dozen would last me a good long while) it's unlikely they would sell to me. But I will contact them just in case. How on earth did you find them? Thank you!

Thank you (again!). But I'm looking for nicer ones, like the one in my photo, and smaller size... these are for 1.5" straps and I need ideally 1/2" or possibly 5/8". 3/4" is already larger than I want. If you scroll down the page here, you'll see a better view of the clip I want. It's an animated photo so I couldn't get a screen shot. Probably no more functional than any other, but I think they look darn cool and would love to use them on some of my projects.

@fredk - I have a press and dies from Kamsnaps and use Line 20 and Line 24 snaps, both from Kamsnaps and Jt's Outdoor Fabrics. The only time(s) I've had trouble with the snaps is when I didn't press down hard enough with the press. Then it's almost impossible to close the snap and if I hammer it down, almost impossible to open it. I wonder if that's the problem you are experiencing. If done correctly, I've never had to use a screwdriver blade to pry a snap open.

Thank you! Swivel snap hook seems to be the best search term. I've been through the dozen Amazon pages using that search term and still didn't find anything as attractive as the one I pictured. I guess I'll have to try eBay, Etsy or maybe even Aliexpress.

Thanks, but those look too industrial... I'm looking for something really nice looking, refined, that could be used on a purse strap for example. Something that's not just a run of the mill snap.

I need some high(er) quality things, snap shackles, whatever they are called, and it must be my old age but I just can't think of what these things are called. Snap shackles brings up a different kettle of fish than what I'm looking for, but if you folks could help me with what this is called, it sure would be easier to search for it...

"Coast Gaurd".... GOURD!!!! Duh, "Guard".

@Ripper70 - Have you tried a #20 needle? From my experience that's a better choice for v92 thread, especially on many materials.

I hope someone will be able to help you but your darn photo is so small it's really hard to tell what we're looking at.

@SteveOz - I have only posted a few items here that I've made. It was only thanks to our first forced Covid isolation that I started sewing. Before that I couldn't even sew a button on my shirt. I'm certainly not in your league in terms of skills. I've done a few small items with hand stitching (things like belt pouches, eye-glass cases, bic lighter sleeves) but mostly I'm machine sewing. I've made a few leather purses but mostly I make tote bags, shop aprons (waxed canvas with leather trims), wine totes, etc. I'm not going to repost any photos here as this is your thread and I really only jumped in to extend a warm welcome and compliment you on your work and website. Do I have a machine or two? No... I have SEVEN machines. SIGH Addicted? Who me?

I've never (yet!) made watch straps but I plan to. And for the last few years I only have been wearing Apple watches instead of my good analog ones. I wasn't sure about the Buckle Guy Apple watch hardware, and after a bad experience with them on the one and only time I bought, I'm reluctant to buy from them again. (I'd ordered something and it never arrived, and they really didn't care, saying that once it leaves they have no control nor responsibility, unless I pay a lot extra for a different shipping method.) I have some old Apple watch straps which I bought on Amazon, but I think the hardware is rather poor quality and if I want to make myself a few straps I'd like them to be good. I'm not at all thinking of making straps for sale, so I really one want one or two sets of hardware... an order hardly worth anyone's time. It's funny how everyone has different ideas of what "near you" means. Canada is a darn big country. OA Leather is about 3500 km away (according to Google Maps). We always get a chuckle out of Europeans who visit, naively thinking they could drive coast to coast in a weekend. They're just so used to the European countries being so close to each other and being able to drive through multiple countries in a day. I'm really impressed with both your website and the apparent quality of the straps you make. Kudos to you!

(By the way, if you want someone to be alerted of a reply, type a @ and then start spelling the name of the person and pick from the popup list. If you don't do this, they won't know there was a reply.) As a Canadian, I'm of course used to driving on the right side of the road with the steering wheel on the left. So in Melbourne I was faced with driving on the "wrong" side of the road, also with the steering wheel on the wrong side, in torrential pouring rain and had to deal with that dreaded hook turn. Had to go back to my room to change my shorts! That was almost 25 years ago but I still remember it well. I loved Melbourne though. Do you make watch straps for the Apple watch also? Have you found a good source for quality hardware for that?

Welcome to the forum Steve! (Or belated welcome, since you've been posting.) Your website is very nicely done and it really shows off your watch straps well. The straps look really top notch. Do you stitch them all by hand, or use a machine? I have fond memories of Melbourne, especially the right hand turn from the left lane business, in torrential rain. Cheers!

I think that in order for anyone here to be able to help, you should post some photos of your exact thread path from the big spool right down to the needle. Chances are good that something isn't right in the way you have it threaded. Also it's important to hold back the top thread as you start sewing. Finally, you should put a new needle in... your saying that the size on the needle can't be read implies it's old. Needles are cheap and should be replaced often (VERY often). We'll all try to help but we need to see photos.

Welcome to the forum, Mads!!! Good to have you here. I'm really a novice with leather work myself, having started just when Covid hit and we had forced closures/isolations. I've found incredibly knowledgeable and helpful members here and I hope you will soon see that also. I really wish I could toast a welcome for you with an icy cold Jubilaeums Akvavit. SIGH I'm in Canada and that just hasn't been possible to find since about 10 years now. So very unfortunate.

@Cali514 - The more I look at the specs for the Techsew the more I like it. If I was buying one now, it might be the machine I'd go for. And the price seems to be quite good. Have you seen the machine? Do you know what condition it's in? Has it been used in an industrial environment and is beat up and worn down? Any idea how old it is? If you can, take something you plan to sew along with you when you go to look at it and see how it sews.