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johnnydb

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Posts posted by johnnydb

  3. Posted · Report reply

    Ok,

    Back in the late 1940's to early 1950's my great grandfather caught Tuberculosis and was extremely bored...so he took up leather crafting.  

    He made a nice purse complete with zipper pockets and Sheridan tooling on the exterior.  He entered it into the local county fair and won first place for his work.  Afterwards he gave it to his granddaughter (my mother).  

    She gave it to me yesterday while celebrating her birthday.  (My son didn't make it as he has a new job with funky hours) 

     

    So it definitely needs some sort of oil or dressing to help it out.  The craftsmanship is awesome...I can see why he won.  Nice work.  But this thing has been abused from getting packed into boxes over the years...squished and etc.  

     

    So...I have heard that some oils weren't good for older leather or for a piece you want lasting for another 70 years.  And I can't remember which did what.  I don't want to just slather this up with neatsfoot and then go "oops, that didn't work".  I ain't got that kind of opportunity to make a mistake.  

    Any ideas as to what will work or make it like new again?

  4. Posted · Report reply

    6 hours ago, Hardrada said:

    Romeo & Julieta tubes come with a lining of cedar veneer.

    Cool...I'm going to look today and ask for a couple.  (I hang out with my business partner in one...I don't smoke the cigars or drink beer but I do drink the root beer they got on tap) 

    Surely they will have a couple they can let me have.  That way I can make a case lined with cedar... maybe even get a couple of the tubes to wet form some leather with.  

  6. Posted · Report reply

    5 hours ago, SickMick said:

    Not just "cedar". Cigars are stored with "Spanish Cedar". It's different than what you find in the lumber store. Far less aromatic.

    What I've seen most guys do for a lining in these, is to just get a few cigars that are wrapped in cedar (the right kind). Unwrap it from the cigar and stuff it in holder. It works great. 

    For a form, you can simply use dowels the appropriate size screwed together. Keep in mind that there many different "vitolas"...which basically means size...in thickness and length. So it's better to go a little bigger than the average size the smoker uses. 

    And yes......cigars aren't just for guys. I work a bit in a cigar shop. The ladies are a big part of our business. 

    And last but not least.....great job!

    I wasn't aware that some cigars are cedar wrapped. I just knew that the good cases were often lined in cedar. Thanks for the tip.  

  7. Posted · Report reply

    On 2/14/2022 at 9:53 AM, Bert03241 said:

    Well thats good to know. I'm not a smoker ,but thinkin about tryin a cigar

    That's probably not going to work out well for you.  I'm a smoker.  I smoke cigarettes regular and pipes on occasion...and where I enjoy a good cigar I can't do it very often because of the hangover they give me.  

    Cigars are strong...they make a lot of people sick if they aren't tolerant of that much tobacco.  

    A good cigar starts at $20 each...most are double that.  Some get up to outrageous prices.  

  8. Posted · Report reply

    On 2/7/2022 at 4:06 PM, Bert03241 said:

    Yea you really got eagle's. I didn't realize you had to line them, makes sense tho

    I might be exaggerating a bit with the eagles...:rofl:

    But the lining is to keep the cigars from tasting like leather and their moisture level up.  Usually (but not always) the smaller cases that hold one or two aren't lined because that's what they will smoke in a day...so less infusion of the leather and little moisture loss. 

    Some are lined with plastic or cedar or something.  None of the linings are very thick...1mm usually.  

    I did see one that was actually made out of wood that had some leather trim.  But it looked kinda clunky and heavy.  

     

    I just finished a pen case for my wife that has a telescoping slide cover like a cigar case...I wet formed some belly leather to make the inside and covered it with a thinner veg tan.   

    My hand stitching sucked...so I'm so embarrassed that I am not planning on posting a picture.  But my wife seems to like it anyway.  

     

  9. Posted · Report reply

    On 2/2/2022 at 1:21 PM, Bert03241 said:

    The other thing I wonder about is these things are pretty big like 4" wide 5" tall, do people actually carry one of these things? I mean your not gonna put it in a pants of shirt pocket so where do you carry them. ? thats a 3 cigar case diam.

    Women carry purses....

    I'm scared of putting my hand inside of my wife's purse...seen an eagle climb out of there once...they got talons and beaks and a wingspan that can carry off a small sheep in a minute.  

    Ever since I've been wary of women's purses...

    The thing that I am wondering is how he lined it.  Most cigar cases are lined with various woods or plastic to protect the cigars from absorbing the odors from the leather and keep the moisture in the cigar.  

     

    Otherwise it's beautiful craftsmanship

  10. Posted · Report reply

    I'm working on something much smaller for pens for my wife's purse.  

    But I'm using a strip of heavy belly that I've wet formed instead of PVC tubing.  That way I could line it with cloth.  

    I'm using baseball stitching for the exterior seams.  And making sure that I cut everything extremely square and straight.  I messed up a few stitches...but otherwise it's looking good at this point.  

  12. Posted · Report reply

    16 hours ago, YinTx said:

    Difference is I didn't line this one because I am trying to make a more affordable version than my usual stuff. That cuts about $10 of leather out of the material cost

    Actually I have a recommendation that satisfies both cost and a more finished look...

    (Beautiful work BTW...your tooling looks a lot better than mine) 

     

    As you are going to work on completing the stitching line across the front and back anyway...you can use a piece of cloth to line the project.  Even nice upholstery fabric isn't more than $14/yd. And it will remove the "unfinished" raw leather from the inside. You should be able to get at least 6-10 Bible covers out of a single yard. And that's if you use upholstery fabric...lighter weights non emroidered are of course going to be cheaper. But you can use anything from denim to monk's cloth to just cotton flannel and make it shine with that. 

    Pockets can be burnished on the inside using gum Trac...if you want or fabric laminated as well so the leather dye/oil doesn't get on the paper. And it will look something like this. 

     

     

    IMG_20211025_125638673-imresizer.jpg

  14. Posted · Report reply

    1 hour ago, Dunluce said:

    Nice one. Think I’ll give it a go. Appreciate all the replies.

    You are welcome...

    Getting the iron to be upside down was actually my biggest challenge. Used a mallet through the handle of the iron and a couple of big measuring cups to get it to be stable enough to set the letters on it... watching out for the steam vents. 

     

    Plugging it in or unplugging it to be my on/off switch and waiting for it to cool down so I could put it away. 

  15. Posted · Report reply

    5 hours ago, Dunluce said:

    I would like to out some hot foil initials (just the two or three letters) on a couple of items. It’s not worth thinking about buying a stamping machine so I am wondering if anyone has had any experience just heating up standard hand stamp letters and using them to stamp some foil?

    Just did exactly what you are talking about. 

    I used a clothes iron set on cotton setting and set the letters on it. 

    I also used a piece of wood marked for the edge of the stamp and clamped to the leather to keep the letters uniform spacing and level. I also clamped under the edge of the wood the foil sheet but on top of the leather going to be stamped. 

    I let it all get hot for like 5-10 minutes...

    I also used gloves....hey that stuff gets hot and I need to work very quickly. 

    Then used a lot of pressure and held it there for a bit. Making sure I had even heavy pressure on all parts of the letter. 

     

    Worked like a champ. 

  16. Posted · Report reply

    On 11/19/2021 at 3:35 PM, Garyak said:

    None of the above is happening. I run them daily and have for a couple years now. I’m guessing my two water Wells and their electric pumps that are rated 110v or 220v, and I’ve been running 110 for 15 years now, 365 days a year will burn out now. It was a good 15 year run……. 

    Water pumps are very different...your water pump motors are a variable voltage squirrel cage motor. 

     

    They aren't stepper motors driven by a Variable frequency drive. Which is what a sewing machine motor really is.

  17. Posted · Report reply

    3 hours ago, chrisash said:

    When I started I nearly had a heart attack when told the price of veg tan, I contacted a local car upholstery company and they said come around we might be able to help. Visited them and they pay someone to take their scraps away. turned out I could take as much as I wanted, all chrome about 1.2-2mm most with chalk marks showing faults that i could not see, and bits 5 foot x 4 foot and less just for free in different colours

    A great way to learn on the cheap. but it appears many never really consider Chrome leather but just veg tan, yet plenty of things can be made with chrome which is far cheaper

    Actually I was interested in some chrome tanned leather for a couple of projects I was thinking about doing... portfolio and a zipper bag/purse.  

    I just haven't seen any great deals on the materials yet and Christmas prep is starting as soon as I finish what I'm currently working on. (Not much left to go on it.) I'll be tied up with Christmas until next year. Over 1K of assorted chocolate truffles and another 1K of assorted cookies and then several blank gingerbread houses and there's more but I just mentioned the worst offenders...yes, it's a production for Christmas. 

    And from what you are saying...that would be an awesome find. We do have a tannery close by here that makes chrome tanned leather...but it's for sporting goods... like basketballs and baseball gloves and soccer balls... you get the idea.  Just a 90minute drive away. I was thinking about hitting them up for some chrome tan for a few sport nuts I know. 

    Purple for Louisiana football and regular orange pebble for basketball. They would make some great portfolio/organizers...just the right stitching and they would look great. Work great too so long as they don't get thrown around. 

  18. Posted · Report reply

    7 hours ago, Squid61 said:

    johnnydb I have built several rubber powered planes, scratch and kit, and have spent more money and time on those than most of my utility grade leather projects and I haven't had one leather project disintegrate on impact.  I own no machinery so my only real expense variable has been in the cost of leather; same tools, techniques and finish products for a checkbook cover as a fine clutch purse.

    I buy most of my general project leather, veg and chrome, from Weaver's and Springfield; both outfits sell the better stuff as well at decent prices when needed for my classier projects and they both have always been a pleasure to deal with.

    I agree...I have yet to buy anything from Springfield or Weaver yet...

    Just nervous about buying anything sight unseen. I've been told they have some great deals on leather and supplies....just haven't pulled the trigger yet and I'm almost done for the year. Last of the stitching going in tomorrow for my wife's journal. That will be the third journal cover (A-5 sized) out of a $40 shoulder from Tandy. 

     

    I've also given up airplanes...too much time and effort that crashes. Gave away the controller and servos and motor...plane was in pieces (of course) 

    I do like the hobby...it is fun. 

  19. Posted · Report reply

    1 hour ago, Warhauk said:

    I'm trying to determine what cheap kind of leather I can start using. There seems to be a big difference between vegtan and chrome tan, at least from the descriptions ive read. So am I correct in assuming that learning to tool, I would pretty much have to spend the money on the vegtan? For non tooling practice, is chrome tan acceptable? Im not completely sure what direction I want to take my work in. Most likely renfaire style pieces and stylized belts, wallets, etc

    You can usually pick up belly sections of veg tan for really inexpensively...and make some cool things with them to learn tooling and stitching and dying and wet forming. 

    Chrome tan is for extremely pliable leather uses. Veg tan can become soft and pliable but it takes treating to get that way. 

     

    Baseball gloves are chrome tanned leather but still require oil and forming to close easily. But a lot of chime tanned leather is thinner and more pliable than baseball gloves. 

     

    The "coin purse" gathered and tied at the top is chrome tanned leather...but purses and handbags are veg tanned leather. So is armor. So are arrow quivers. 

     

  21. Posted · Report reply

    On 10/22/2021 at 9:33 AM, Squid61 said:

    How large/thick a piece of leather is involved?  I tool smaller items like coasters and notepad/book covers and don't get measurable shrinkage, I don't case I just wet the surface with a sponge as needed to achieve good tooling.

    I was told that a day long casing leather process makes the leather easier and smoother when carving and tooling...

    And I tried it...but absolutely destroyed the leather by shrinking it too small to be used. 

    It was going to be a 300pg A-5 journal cover.  So 9"X13.5" made with a shoulder piece that was about a 5oz thick of veg tan...I wasn't wanting to make a 3-D that jumps out at you...just a well tooled piece that is nice and classy looking. 

    This is what I remade and did. 

     

    IMG_20211025_125626849-imresizer.jpg

  23. Posted · Report reply

    Either will work...just depends on what you are comfortable with using. 

    Barge definitely needs curing time before the cloth is attached or you will get bleed through...but it can't be too much or else it won't stick... meaning that your coat needs to be extremely even. One of those small paint rollers can really help when doing this...the brush in the can?  Not going to recommend that whatsoever. 

    Sprays can go everywhere you don't want...so some blue masking tape is going to be proscribed. 

  24. Posted · Report reply

    2 hours ago, gordond said:

    As said .. considerations for function and aesthetics.....

    Bag shown here had to carry vinyl album covers (utterly packed) internationally to a crowded music festival(s) - for autograph hunting. I did very well (the bag certainly helped :lol:)..

    The lining had to be slick to get these covers out really fast without damage (microseconds to get said autographs ..lol!).. rolled edges aid to that also. Plus a liner was required to cover the plugged embossed facia.. lining here is 0.5mm thin goat (upholstery refinish dye/acrylic) --- simply spray glued on. .Included is a inner hardboard (Masonite) "box" lined with soft nylon plush to hold the bag "square" ...think this plush was used for covering commercial wall partitions - cube farm office (Nb :for those who have seen this bag..I had to strip the top finish as it had denatured and started to get quite smelly .. hence some acrylic came away with it ..not a biggie to fix)

    Now ..going down that lining path can be eye opening and wallet emptying!.. many decades ago I started with clutch purses .. click close/ framed, lined .. the lining stumped me .. finally tracked the "right" stuff - I'm talking about competing with top boutique brands here..great ..but potentially had to buy the whole roll.. (equivalent to 2 weeks wages at that time).. it definitely was a specific nylon(?) fabric designed for long life, good domestic abrasion resistance... Actually need to track down more .. anyone care to pitch some suggestions or some real specifics would be appreciated.480721186_IMG_20211028_2356084824.thumb.jpg.19ccd9e109dfb427bb8fb704175971ba.jpg

    IMG_20211028_235550221~3.jpg

    I just have to say that your bag looks awesome...very unique and nice at the same time. 

    I usually pick up cloth at the sewing/hobby stores...they usually have a wide variety... even upholstery fabric and pleather. I think that I've seen something similar there but I'm not sure. And with the current supply chain interruptions... especially nylon you are going to need some luck finding it. (Basic Materials stock's Earnings release report mentioned issues with nylon specifically)

  25. Posted · Report reply

    10 hours ago, Spyros said:

    Ahhhh, shit LOL  I am an idiot, I was always thinking you have to turn the leather over the fabric, which means skiving etc, it never crossed my mind you can just turn the fabric over itself instead.  Thank you sir, you just opened a world of possibilities :)

    Love this wallet BTW

    It's actually a journal cover...but I do thank you for the compliment. 

    I haven't had much success with bags yet...I am considering doing one again but for a bag I'd need to do some French Seams...and I really hate skiving. (Don't ask, just go with it) 

    And bags can be lined in a variety of ways from all I've seen...the number of variations has got my head spinning with choices. So I'm putting it off for a while. 

     

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