Klara

I've decided that I don't really need curves. Straight lines (tapered for a pouch flap) and rounded corners are sufficient for most jobs.

There is no way to scrounge some used packing material? When I cleaned up a bit yesterday I found a foam-padded knife box - the foam looked good enough to keep (even if the usable parts are small). Today I experienced Murphy's law of hardware supply: No matter how big and varied your stock - when you build something new the exact piece(s) you need is not in there. Which is particularly sad because Thursday I was at Lidl's, and they had the stuff. Only I didn't buy it because I was convinced I had done so when they sold it last time.

Sniff (why is there no crying emoji?), now I know I'm old! I not only still have cassette tape players (yes, two!) but tapes to listen to!

Given that I just ordered some 30 watch band buckles before I found out that I'm actually quite happy with the band I made (with a buckle that I had cut off from a watch at some point in my life. Btw, the spring bar was rusted, so hardware can "go bad"!) - no, you are not the only idiot. In my excuse: From Lithuania 5-packs were considerably cheaper than singles, and from China I only bought one each, but in different colours and styles. Don't know what I'll need before I make the item, do I? And with 6 weeks shipping I want stock on hand. My favourite supplier for pet hardware only sells 10-packs minimum for most items, and for the cheap stuff like (D-)rings often 50 cost about twice as much as 10. You're not going to say no to 30 free rings, are you? Besides, during our lockdown(s) I was extremely happy to have things on hand.... (during the first one mail order wasn't a good idea as the postal services cut back as well)

Sorry, that doesn't make sense to me. Or are you talking about the width of the strap? We all know that the inside of a curve is shorter than the outside. So, when I wanted to make a wrinkle-free dog collar, I bent the liner over a "mould", attached the padding and then the outside. I was happy with the result, but doing it was such a pain in the ... that I decided it was simply not worth it to avoid a few tiny, invisible-in-use wrinkles. Here is the discussion I started on the subject: https://leatherworker.net/forum/topic/94789-dog-collars-always-worked-flat/?tab=comments#comment-645501

But the curve of a belt is much shallower than that of a cuff... And I believe that a lot depends on what kind of leather is used. The chrome-tanned 0.8 mm lamb in my dog collars (over foam padding) wrinkles, when I bend my leash from two layers of 2 mm veg tan to the same curve, there's no wrinkles.

Except they couldn't, long-term. Unless they start out with prices that are too high so as to have a margin for negotiation. Which is okay, even obligatory in some cultures, but I still don't like it (either end).

That's brilliant!

So do I - I want the option to just quietly go if I don't like the price. But I have talked to an artisan who didn't display prices because he wanted people to talk to him. He figured "how much is it" was a good starting point for him to explain how and why he made things. Sometimes I also would have liked the possibility to increase the price for particularly annoying people...

Couldn't you wet the leather again and stretch it? Just an idea...

Is that legal in Australia? In France you could complain to the consumer protection authorities and they'd at very least visit and give them a good talking-to, probably a fine (not sure because the goods in my stall had prices on them. Yep, they came to check out the artisans in the Christmas market...).

Where are you planning on storing your leather? I have it under my improvised cutting table, easily accessible and out of direct light. For tool storage I am a huge fan of magnetic rails on the wall within easy reach. Have you checked out the YouTube videos on leather workshops? There are quite a few where people show off their new space.

Firstly, I have been making a dozen or so dog collars last year and I have come to the conclusion that the wrinkles don't matter (I asked the same question here). My dog hasn't complained yet... Secondly, if you use a 2 mm strap on either end, there is not much point in reinforcing the middle (unless you add padding or do it for looks). It's the ends that are stressed most - where the leather bends around the buckle and the holes. Thirdly, you can watch how a professionally trained UK saddler makes collars in JH Leather's videos on YouTube. That's the instructions I followed and they work really well. Have fun!

On the other side, bike paths are generally designed by people who have never ever ridden one...

The obvious one (which I forgot to build a place for) would be the maul/mallet(s - however many you use). Maybe also something for water (bottle holder?) and sponge. A place to store your granite, if it's not permanently integrated in the workbench. I don't have enough experience to think of more, sorry. But I always have wondered why the stamping tool holders you can buy have the tools standing up vertically. I'm working sitting down and find it easier to see the tools if the box is at an angle (so that the working end of the tool is facing me), so that's what I built.

Funnily enough I just sewed some plastic-coated fabric to leather (by hand) and pre-punched chisel holes and a glovers needle worked best. A normal pointy sewing needle was a lot harder to push through the plastic (there is no way a fabric needle will ever cut leather!) and I didn't even try a harness needle.

As @tsunkasapa said: Check out YouTube and see who you like. I bought a few videos from Jim Linnell when they werde on half-price sale (I believe they are regularly). As far as I remember he also has the very basics for free on YouTube and his website.

Depends on what type of leather needle we are talking about. My mother always warned me against using sharp leather needles (glover's needles) on fabric because they could cut the threads of the fabric (incidentally, that's why I don't use an awl on leather/textile combinations). On the other hand a pointed fabric sewing needle would increase the risk for puncturing your fingers and splitting the thread when handstitching. And blunt embroidery needles have an eye that's bigger than desirable for leather. But in a pinch, anything goes! On waxed canvas it's unlikely that a cut thread will pull out (I think, not a material I'm familiar with). You'll have to see whether a blunt needle even pushes through easily... I'd just try different needles on scraps and would use whatever works.

Thanks for the picture, I didn't recognise the square knob as tension adjustment! Nor was I sure about the cam lever, because my design doesn't have one - I use a butterfly nut for both purposes. Which is slow in use, but it was the easiest version to make.

https://www.faille-industrie.fr/couteau-demi-lune-p2923 "The shape is designed to remove the fillet material (? not sure about this term) from PVC frames". Herder themselves list it in the catalogue under Industriemesser - industrial knives, or technical knives. Just goes to show that the same knife can be used by several crafts.

Good idea! Would you mind showing us the other side of the stitching pony? I don't see how it is held together for clamping the workpiece...

When I contacted the manufacturer of this knife https://www.abbeyengland.com/solingen-knife-french-4529-fc0171 they sent me to a French company for window-making - it was described as a putty knife, if I remember correctly. But I decided that the one I have is good enough https://www.decocuir.com/cornette-couper-echancree-germany-c2x28422368

Generally twice, but polyester thread three or four times.

Where in the world are you? How many horses are in your area? I'm assuming we are talking about English saddles, since you are talking about knee pads. The thing is that English saddle trees may be (depending on the material) rather fragile, so that buying second hand withou checking them out in person is a risk. The other thing is that saddles need to fit the horse, so ideally we try before we buy... That might explain why there's no demand for your saddles (or is there another reason why you are "unable to sell"?) Or they might be in such a sorry state that they are unuseable (you have cleaned them up, haven't you? Btw, why were they donated to you - instead of sold on Craigslist or E-bay?) I am also assuming that your primary motivation is to create revenue for the group. Then I would advise against finding a leatherworker (unless one is willing to donate his or her time for your cause) and even more against taking up leatherwork yourself, as tools and supplies are not cheap andyou probably don't want to invest a lot of money with uncertain outcome). I would try again to sell the saddles (for a really low price, if necessary). Either to horse people (you could announce that you are willing to come to the stable with a truck full of saddles - for fuel costs, of course), or to crafters for the leather, possibly to a saddlery school as teaching material, or as decoration.

Try putting the locking collar on the awl blade (on the blunt end), then force the blade into the jaws and then screw down the collar. I believe that's what I did when I had new, big blades and my grandmother's old haft. (Then the jaws came loose from the wood and I bought a Vergez Blanchard haft https://www.decocuir.com/manche-alene-mandrin-manche-747-vergez-blanchard-c2x17295710 which solved that problem. And created a new one because the haft is too big for my hand. But rasp and sandpaper took care of that)