WalterF

Finished the front.

Working on a medium note book cover with WWII nose art, 2 down 1 to go.

Gini mentioned she wanted a tooled flower piece that would fit in a broach. This is 1.125 inch circle, fits the bill.

Had a small offcut, why not do a nose art tradinng card. This was from WWII and what Al Stohlman would have seen on planes in the Pacific. I wasn't sure about painting, the actual nose art is without much shading so kept to original.

Thank you, it would be cool my skills aren't there yet.

Completed it today, I like this leather for both tooling and cost as it will allow bigger pieces due to the cost of leather.

Worked a little more today.

Trying out some new leather from Traditions Leathercraft on a larger piece 10 x 6 inch. The leather has a feel that took a little to understand, after it is very nice to work with providing a nice dark burnish. Trying out different aspects bevellling, backgrounding, matting, and cutting. Thus skipped around on the tooling.

done

Tooling during bad weather, working on a 6.5 inch square piece of cowboys on a stagecoach.

I would be mad to if someboody burnt my leg! Thank you, they are fun to do. Done next to frame it.

What's on the bench today? Barrel Racing, thought it would be fun to do a womans Western sport carving.

Thank you Completed the tooling, since the HD logo was the main theme decided to just color it and let the rest be supporting elements.

Done forthe night.

As big a part as Harley Davidson played in my fathers and my life, this is the first piece of that life. it is 8 x 11 inches and it will most likelyy be painted. No hurry on this one taking time and enjoying the memories.

Tooled a 40 Ford my favorite era truck trading card.

Finished painting on the Texas Girl Nose Art and put it on the thermometer on our wood stove to dry it out quicker. Tonight the stove was running hotter and warped and discolored it. Tried to save it and see what happened, the front leg is messed up and discoloration. Sometimes we have bonehead moves, today was mine.

Another WWII nose art.

Worked on a WWII nose art trading card. There is so much inspiration for tooling in that genre.

Another trading card, while under the weather.

Another trading card V8 theme and old school pinstriping. Pretty happy how it does on leather. Still drying down.

Was able to work on another tonight.

Made a trading card, first one. Decided these would be a good time to tool things I wouldn't normally do.

Thank you, making a few stamps also, background and border out of bolts. It is cheap to try and if it fails put it in the scrap metal pile. I do buy good stamps too, their is a skill to it and I don't have it. Simple things are fun who knows what happens though. I like the stacked handle. I wouldn't say fancy, more options.

Wanted to do some petal lifting, making the leather look more 3d by stretching up certain sections. Mine are in NC, didn't want to buy an expensive set. For under 20 dollars and an hours work here we are. Pretty happy. The items, Stainless rods, handles, super glue, I found a set of stainless rods 1.5mm to 8mm x 60mm long these were 8.99, the handles are file handles got 12, 6 large not used and 6 small, 6.99. Put the rods in the handles, for the small ones wrapped painters tape around the top for a snug fit then used some super glue down the hole to fix them. The grinding to shape can be done many ways bench grinder, files, dremmels, the angle isn't precise we are after a cutting edge. I like the angle around 45 degrees with the heel radiused. Used a course grinder to get shape and then went to a finer belt grinder. Then used sharpening stones to clean up the scratches, finished with 2000 on the stones and then used a strop with polishing compound to bring a mirror polish, we want it to be razor sharp at the tip as it is a cutting tool..