Klara

A cheap source of lead is your tire shop (assuming they mount the tires): Mine was more than willing to give me old wheel balancing weights.

I don't see any sun damage either. If you are referring to the lines at the side of the arm rest, my guess would be wrinkles in the hide. I know sun damage as exposed parts (like the top of the arm rest) being much lighter in colour than non-exposed parts.

That's the reason why translators charged by line where I trained. The newbies would take longer, the experienced ones would work faster and make a better living, but the customer would pay the same.

Have you tried soap and water? Just saying, because sometimes we forget the easiest things...

Does machine stitching on leather have to look so ugly? I hope not... On fabric machine stitching mostly looks better than handstitching (remember the scene in The Fiddler on the Roof where the tailor receives his sewing machine?), and I wouldn't pay more for made-to-measure trousers just because the sewing machine broke down and they were sewn by hand. With leather it's different because handstitching is actually functionally better. That's what it makes worth more to me...

OT: The good thing about this claim is that anybody who utters it has just disclosed their complete ignorance: Cows don't fart, they belch. Meaning, "BS" is an incomplete but true answer... It's a pity we seem to have frightened off @LeatherModiste, I'd really like to knoe what they do to which leather goods...

What do you spend half an hour a week on? I haven't done anything to my dog training belt (except replacing fasteners which were badly installed), and nothing at all to my dog collar - both in daily use for over a year in all weathers...

As beautiful as all your work!

Great job! I want one, but I'm too impatient to work so cleanly.

Firstly I hope you are not talking about anything containing actual mercury, which is toxic. The silver marking pens linked by Burkhardt just rub off from most leathers, either with your finger or a special rubber eraser (which also works well on glue spillover) which is sold by leatherwork supply stores. The markings may not erase from all varieties of leather, which is why it's recommended to try the pen on a piece of scrap leather.

@Goldshot Ron Thanks, I had misunderstood.

Do you mean, cutting paper with the swivel knife? That's something I never thought of (I still have "never use sewing scissors on paper, it will blunt them " in the back of my head, even though a knife smith has told me that's mostly bs). Do you use paper on a cutting map or cardbord and cut only partway through?

I would think so, unless the "other stuff" in special vinegar (like balsamico) interacts with the formation of iron (II) acetate. The interesting thing is that vinegar comes in different strengths, I one bought 5 litres "special conserves" with 10 % acidity (for dyeing protein fibres). I suspect that would work even better for making vinegaroon....

Then the question is solved for me

I wonder whether (some) leather might be stretched during tanning? Or maybe splitting - most leather we work with is split, isn't it? And then with humidity it relaxes back into its original shape. Sounds rather normal to me - wool does it all the time.

Vinegaroon is acidic, sodium bicarbonate basic. I know very little about leather, but quite a lot about the protein fibre wool (and hair, and silk). It stands up to acids pretty well, but not to alcaline substances. Given that leather is protein-based material, I would expect somewhat similar behaviour. I also wonder whether plant dyes used normally for wool might work - the above recipes for leather use some of the same plants. Brazilwood, saffron, tree barks, wold (Reseda luteola) - does anybody know what fustic berries are?

Nice!

I have lit up my entire workshop with 2 windows in the roof (north side) and 4 high quality (CRI 98) 36 W fluorescent tubes - the ones that go in dental labs and permit to judge colours. Would those be an option?

I got mine from a grave stone maker, also for free. I am planning on giving the nice lady a keyfob with cat picture as a sign of appreciation that shows I put her gift to good use... (only problem is that my tooling skills are nearly non-existent and keyfobs so small)

I always thought that knife sheaths were constructed with a welt to avoid poking holes. Oh yes, you are right, I can just sew in a flat piece of leather. I was hung up on the fold and how to do it with thicker leather, and... Thanks!

Two years ago I wondered why so many knife rolls had the handles in the pocket and the blades exposed, now I think I know: Because the makers had the same question I have now: How does one stop the point from poking through the pocket? I want to make a simple knife roll type thingy for two nail files and a polishing board, in order to replace the plastic pocket they came in (which they poked through). I do not want to make the wonderful but fairly complex manicure case in The Art of Making Leather Cases (vol. 2, I think). I was thinking about simply folding over the leather at the bottom for the pockets, sewing the edges closed and the separations between the files - classic tool roll design. But I am wondering how long such a construction will last. Does anybody have better ideas?

Thanks!

So how do you close them?

You are welcome, I'm glad you like it

Or even just his blades. I'm pretty sure that the ones I have don't cut so well. The other question I had was about the tires: Aren't our tires reinforced with some textile (or wire?) material? Those ones look like pure rubber. I might have to talk to my car mechanic...