TomE

You have an attractive maker's mark that adds to the style. Good looking project. I got excited thinking you had tooled bridle leather - I have a fair number of shoulder/belly scraps to use - but I guess English bridle is a color of dye.

Klenda's article on bulldog tapaderos is in the March/April 2023 issue of Leather Crafters and Saddlers Journal. Jason Timmermans has an article on "Custom Hardened Leather Arch Supports" in the July/August 2022 issue. He explains the use of stearic acid (long chain fatty acid) to harden leather. Think this traditional approach is a better than simply drying out the leather. Can purchase these back issues from the Journal's online store.

Fiebings Saddle Oil is another product that I use for work boots. Sold at farm stores. Has silicon oils like Fiebings Golden Mink Oil. I think that is a waterproofing ingredient. Saddle Oil will darken the leather somewhat. I suspect it will soak in even with the Atom Wax applied, but if not the Atom Wax will wear off with a bit of use.

Thank you, @YinTx, @paloma, and @chuck123wapati. I appreciate the encouragement. Sticking with what I know.

Thanks, @Gezzer!

Thanks, @RockyAussie. That's very kind.

Thanks, @Hags and @Mablung. My friend is excited to try it out and give me feedback. Going to make an adjustable guitar strap for another friend once I finish sharpening my large bag punch.

Made a fixed length guitar strap for my friend and farrier. A thank you for shoeing a couple of our horses even though he's trying to retire. The strap is British brown HO bridle leather lined with 5 oz. black napa leather. Padded the middle section. Wasn't sure how to finish the ends of the padding on a 3" wide strap, so I skived the cover and extended the decorative stitching to secure the ends of the pad. Thought about adding 2 additional lines of stitching along the pad but decided this looks cleaner. You might see grooves and wrinkles in parts of the strap. He wanted me to use leather near the belly of the hide because he likes the imperfections. I hope he likes the imperfections in my work as well.

Thanks for this practical idea. I really enjoy learning here.

These machines have been discussed here quite often. Try a key word search of this forum for each model using quotes, e.g. "Pfaff 1245".

Yes, the Class 14 is pricey and built like a tank. I found a (barely) used one on this forum. Good luck!

Those are fantastic! Love the colors. They must have been thrilled with the gift.

A manual splitter like the Osborne #84 is very handy for splitting straps, and for lap skives on the ends of straps. However, I wouldn't count on splitting pieces wider than ~2". Depending on thickness, the leather will stretch when pulled through the splitter. It takes practice to get an even split over the length of a strap - harder with wider straps. Variations in the firmness of the leather will affect the split. The Cobra Class 14 splitter will more easily produce consistent splits on wide/long pieces of leather but it can't do lap skives. So if I had one splitter it would be the Osborne #84 or the similar Tandy Pro splitter I use. @bruce johnson sells new Osborne #84s with a sharp blade. Requires skill to sharpen a blade this long. The Class 14 blade is hollow ground and LMC has a sharpening service. The Class 14 is a luxury for me but probably a better choice if you need to split wide pieces of leather.

Thanks for this info, Bruce. As always, you are contributing to my leather education.

Curious why the customer is interested in horse hide for this purpose. So many more choices in cow hide.

Could make the crystal studded strip as an inlay in a thicker strap. See this arrangement with fancy browbands/fronts on English bridles for dressage. The raised edges offer some protection for the crystals. Here's a dog collar with the same idea. https://youtu.be/ThF98j8fqzc?si=3NukH7_Z3PU0SFOW

Mine is one wheel with the cotton layers sewn together to make a firm edge. My buffing wheel is 3/4" x 6". Fits the curved blade of a hoof knife. I don't have experience with black compound. Green is plenty fine for my blades. I buy supplies from Farrier Product Distribution or Sharpeningsupplies.com.

I agree with @bladegrinder's choices. I have a 3/4hp Baldor motor with 5/8" shafts and a sewn cotton buffing wheel. I use green compound for everything. The other side is a deburring wheel. Has lasted 12 yrs in a machine shed although I'm hearing a bit of bearing noise. I use it for hoof knives and leather tools.

Not sure what "curing" leather is but if you're interested in hardening leather you can search the forums for "hardening leather." One method is to use low heat to work stearic acid (a long chain fatty acid) into the leather.

Thanks for the info. I appreciate learning from this forum.

I am not familiar with your machine but it looks like the knots are showing on top when the stitches become irregular. Would help to describe the weight of leather and needle and thread you're using. Changing the needle can affect the top tension. I don't understand the problem with your presser feet. If they have teeth then grinding and polishing the feet is an option.

Although @bruce johnson didn't say it, he sells high quality leather tools that are sharp and ready for use. Check out Bruce Johnson Leather on the web and on Facebook.

Thank you @bruce johnson, @chuck123wapati, and @AlZilla for your thoughtful replies. You all raise interesting points that will influence my experiments with leather this winter. Hope to spend more time in the leather shop once I finish the fall/warm weather chores - spreading manure, replacing broken fence posts, and weaning the foals. Thought I might turn this hobby into a business someday but my wife's business uses up most of my time. Maybe there will be a brief span when I'm too old to mess with horses but young enough to mess with leather.

I don't know of a good way to skive with a Class 14. It is best used for thinning larger pieces of leather than can be done with a manual pull-type splitter. It is also easier to do long splits on the Class 14. I still use my Tandy Pro splitter for lap skives on the ends of straps.

Would a bumping dolly be heavy enough to replace the anvil? One person holds the dolly and saddle and another person sets the rivet. They come in a variety of shapes for auto body work. Eastwood Co. sells quality tools https://www.eastwood.com/fairmount-double-ended-round-dolly.html