debjohns

Hi Just saw this email. I can make just about anything. my website shows some of my work. go to debbiejohns.com. Let me know if you have any questions. Regards! Deb I got this e mail this afternoon. " Have you ever made saddlebags for a motorcycle. The ones I have are synthetic leather and they only last for a year. It is also hard to find a set that fits properly." I've finally learned my lesson, that I can't be everything to everyone without working at minimum wage or less. This person is in Northwest Saskatchewan, Canada If there's anyone who feels like they are up toe to this, please let me know within 16 hours and I will forward his e mail address. I like to get back to people fairly quickly. cowboyup@sasktel.net Terry

I too just bought the last can of neat lac in existance in my area. It seems a forgone conclusion for mankind that if it works, get rid of it! I absolutely loved it as i found nothing better to resist with and to put a nice top coat on dye work before highlighting. i do a lot of leather picture carving and use small paint brushes to apply it. It was NEVER sticky. I have enough time while this last can of neat lac lasts for all of you to experiment with other products and reap the rewards of all your trial and errors, lol. I will keep track of this post.

thanks robert, you're johnny on the spot!

ugg!! I'm soooo jealous of all you guys! I live alone in a stinkin townhouse, not from choice, but because my job is in the city. So my "shop" is on one side of my bedroom wall. machines, machines, i want a machine! been doin it by hand for at least 150 years! I tried to take pics, but camera says batteries no workie. And I have to find the thingy that plugs the camera into the puter. and how do you upload a pic that isn't so big that puter says no way jose, what were you thinkin! and duke, your little saying had me laughing so hard i scared the cat so bad she ran and hid and hasn't come out yet!

I use old prescriptin bottles to keep stitching needles all in one place. I used the bottom of an old lazy susan to attach my tool rounder to and wala! it spins. I have some substantial size lead weights to hold down my tracing paper. But I've had them so long I can't remember where I got them. I've also used them to punch leather over as the lead is soft and doesn't mess up my punches. Most of them have somehow disapeared over the years so if anyone knows how I might have came by them, let me know as I love them.

Holy Cow! 99 people have viewed these posts! I don't think I've talked to 99 leather people in all 30 years I've been doing this, lol! This is too much like fun!

wowie wow wow! and the basket stamping is straight, the bane of my existance, lol! Seb

wow, they look amazing!.........what are they for?

Hi Stephen Thanks so much for your interest and your advice. The website just went live and we are far from done with it. I have over 30 years of photos we are wading thru, they all have to be "handled", that is, cropped, the background removed, made sharper, a new background put in. It's very time consuming. My son is the web designer, so for obvious reasons I can't use anyone else, lol. He has a very profitable business in Orlando, Florida. Besides, I'm actually very happy with the results so far. We are also working on my being able to input by myself so I could actually do "articles" or "how to's" right on the site. I actually received my first "hit" last nite from a rock group out of Orlando who want their costumes to resemble groovy warrior robots. Some of the costume they want to be leather. Cool, cause I've never done anything like that before. So I'm definately going to be using the "help me" portion of this forum for some advice, lol. As you mentioned, I very much want to link to other sites, I think it's a win win deal. The most amazing thing so far on this site is being able to talk to people like yourself, from all over the world who I wouldn't have had access to just 10 years ago. Seeing how other people do the same thing differently, more efficiently, have better short cuts, or just plain out there, is nothing short of a miracle to me. I'm not going anywhere soon!

thanks atx

Thanks Johnny! I noticed it said on your bio that you were interested in learning detail/realistic carving. It's what I specialize in. How does everyone teach without being hands on?

Hi everyone! I found this site thru a link on "Bad Ass Seats". I was looking for other sites to link to mine to network with. As far as I can tell, I've been the only leatherworker of this magnatude anywhere in Florida. I've done it for a hobby for over 30 years and have just decided I needed to do something more with it. In the past, before internet, it was too hard to market myself and work a full time job both. But now with the world opened up to me, and the luck of having a very talented son who has a web design business, the timing is right to put myself out there. Imagine my total surprise to find all these thousands of people all linked together who do leatherwork. How grand!! My website is debbiejohns.com. Take a look and let me know what you think. I've been so isolated that I don't know how I stand. Anyone who has any ideas that I could improve on, I'd be happy to hear them out. And the same goes for anyone that might need something I can help them with. It will be a pleasure to hear from you! Deb