TomE

Not sure about locked feet, but this video from @Uwe was a great help for setting the timing of the walking foot mechanism.

Really nice. I like the popcorn idea. I saw some flax seed in the grocery store and decided it was time to make a crupper. This padded loop goes around a horse's tailhead to keep a saddle or driving harness from sliding forward on the withers. They are traditionally stuffed with flax seed, which also provides oil as a leather conditioner.

That's a handsome setup, @Tim Schroeder. I agree that the narrow plates and dogs are game changers for the 441 clones. I am learning to machine sew projects that I did by hand sewing previously. Still on my learners permit for sewing lightweight goods.

@Patrick1 Patrick Hennigan makes flat plates with dogs of various widths. https://heprecision.com/ . He also has an interesting narrow presser foot set as an alternative to an in-line foot.

The author of this harness making manual repeatedly says splitting strains and damages the leather. He recommends buying hides in all the thicknesses needed to avoid splitting whenever possible. Also says that removing thickness from the flesh side significantly weakens the leather, compared to an intact/tanned hide of same thickness. For example: "Running the hide through the splitting-machine has long been acknowledged to be detrimental to the leather, owing to the severe strain to which it is subjected, but the introduction of the belt-knife machine for splitting removes much of this objection, as the hide is split without being strained in the least." Since the band knife splitter is OK in his opinion, I am wondering if a crank or motorized splitter is similarly nondamaging. I am considering a Cobra splitter to handle wider pieces than I can split with a manual splitter. I'd like to split bridle leather bellies and shoulders for cases, purses, etc. These pieces are leftover from cutting straps from 9-10 oz sides of leather. I'd appreciate hearing your opinions and experiences about whether one of these feed through splitters damages the leather.

Really like how the border frames the leaves. Great textures. Did you use a beader for the inside of the border?

Good looking chaps, @Mulesaw! Smart looking tooling and stitching. I like your maker's logo as well.

Fiebing's online shop lists black Pro Dye in 4oz, quarts, and gallons. I found this old harness maker's manual with recipes for many different "blacking" dyes (Chapter XXV). https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/80/The_harness_makers'_illustrated_manual._A_practical_guide_book_for_manufacturers_and_makers_of_harness%2C_pads%2C_gig_saddles%2C_etc._.._(IA_cu31924000022636).pdf It's a fun read if you're easily entertained like me.

That all sounds good. Will be interested in how the felt burnishing works out.

What a pretty bag!

The "copperas" in the Hasluck recipe above is iron sulfate crystals. He adds "log chips" and "gall nuts" that I guess are for tannins. The "gum arabic" is polysaccharide and probably helps with slicking the edge. Old school recipe. @Dwight of course you can buy Fiebing's pro black dye from their online store or from Springfield Leather, etc. There is something different about black pro dye compared with the browns I use more often. The black tends to dry out the leather more (oiling fixes it), and I notice an oily residue (not seen with the browns) when I rinse the dauber with water.

I use the sanding drum on a Cobra burnisher as a first pass to level up edges after trimming or to even out a curve. Need to be careful about the heat generated that will burn the leather. A light touch is best. I finish by hand sanding before burnishing.

I don't think iron sulfate is very reactive. It is unlikely to damage polyester thread. Hasluck ("Harness Making" 1904) describes making black dye. "The dye or stain is made by boiling together for half an hour 1 lb logwood chips, 4 oz crushed nutgalls, 1/2 lb copperas, a little gum arabic, and 5 qt of water. Keep a little in an old bottle hung near the bench. The dye is applied with a stick having a piece of felt attached to its end. The ink can be thinned by the addition of water."

Maine Thread Co makes waxed polyester threads in heavy weights, some of which are called artificial sinew. I've used their 0.040" waxed polycord, doubled up, to sew new girth straps on a saddle and reattach the panel. Heavy stuff!

Very elegant! Thanks for sharing.

@FarmersWife you’re welcome. Will be interested in how it goes.

The finished rounds are right at 1/2" diameter. I start shaping with a 5/8" or larger hole. Al Stohlman mentions the idea of using a heavy strap of leather clamped in a vise as a substitute for a rounder.

Thanks, Ron. I recall (?) you giving me tips for sewing close to hardware. Glad to return the favor. This rolled throatlatch is based on Al Stohlman's method for handle #17 in his case making book vol. 2. @bruce johnson supplied the rein rounder.

Thought I'd share the methods I've pieced together for making a triple stitched halter with a rolled throatlatch (link below). I've benefitted greatly from the advice of members of this forum and hope others find this information useful. I welcome your suggestions, corrections, alternative methods, etc. Thanks for looking. ellenberger-halter-methods.pdf

The throatlatches I've seen in that shape feel like they're solid leather to me. Haven't taken one apart. After shaping the rolled throatlatch in a rein rounder you can bend it into a shape and it will hold the shape fairly well when dry. Steinke ("Bridlework" book) mentions using an insulated multistrand wire for smaller rolled pieces. It needs to have some flexibility. I'd be concerned about a single conductor copper wire being too ductile. My money is on an all leather rolled strap giving you the best result. I'm going to post my complete methods for making a halter in this forum shortly. Would welcome your feedback.

The traditional way is to wrap a leather cover around a leather filler. I outlined the process in this forum. https://www.leathercraftmasterclass.com/forum-1/leathercraft-techniques/rolled-leather-strap. Here's an example:

Would like to buy a copy of "Making Harness. A Step by Step Guide" (2005) by Lewis Martin and Daniel Preston. Any leads would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks for the tip. I'm going to make some laced reins.

Waxed linen thread lasts a long time although I've seen it rotted in 40 yr old stirrup leathers. I'm guessing you're not making items that will be subject to heavy wear and outdoor weather. I use bonded nylon thread for almost all the tack I make, sewn by hand or machine. Color isn't a factor for me - English tack has thread that is chestnut, black, or natural/linen color. I think the stitch length, and using an awl, are the biggest factors affecting the look of the stitching. I do a lot of hand sewing with #207 nylon at 9-10 stitches per inch.

This idea of a hole at the end of a cut is used in bridle headpieces. The "split" separates 2 points for attaching a noseband and bit to the bridle. It is common practice to punch a hole at the end of the split to prevent tearing of the leather. What usually happens instead is the point is torn at one of the buckle holes used to adjust the length of the noseband (cavesson) or the bit billet.