Tkleather1

I also recomend using a heavy cardboard, for most of my patterns I use Bag stiffener that I buy at Tandy in spokane Washington

I got ya I was jsut curious if it was detremental to the forming process was all. There is no inherent danger in a cocked pistol - only in poorly trained or negligent people. and Boomstick I couldnt agree more.

I have a question, and probably a stupid one, I was noticing in the pictures that the hammer is back in the cocked position. Why? now I am not a holster maker I was just curious. But I do like the way that they form up using the vacuum very nice!

I have heard a few guys talk about leather putty and plugs on here, I know that it is probably a very old idea but I have never heard of it. Could you talk me through how to do this. I like the outcome.

Yeah 5.99 and some quality shop time and a learning experience sure beats the hell out of 40.00. No offense to those of you who build and sell them of course.

Well I finally got a peice of hardwood. I found a piece of dalmation wood. I had never heard of it but the guy at Windsor plywood told me it was a very dense wood that turned real nice. So I bruoght it home, Now I dont have a lathe so I did things the very hard way. the piece was round to start so that helped, I found the center and drilled and tapped a hole, chucked it up to the grinder that it will be mounted to for the duration of its life, well my center hole was a touch off but pretty darn close, spun it up and went to work with a file to get it all trued up, then I went at it with some 160 grit sand paper and then 220 to get it a little smoother my final sanding was with 0000 steel wool. Now since I dont have a lathe I dont have any of the tools that go with it either. to cut the grooves I used a round chainsaw type file and just worked it around to vary the width and depth of the gooves. after I cut the grooves I went back at them with the sand paper and steel wool to smooth it all up. I rubbed it down with just neetsfoot oil after I was all done and it sure looks nice. I tried it out and it works alot nicer than I expected it too since I am about the farthest thing from a wood worker. I will post some pictures when I get my camera fixed but that is liable to be a while. I know that there are alot of esier ways to do this but the whole thing only cost me 5.99 not bad. granted I had all of the supplies except the wood. Tell me what I should have done different, I know this is difficult without pictures but do your best. ha ha Dimensions are 3" long and 2-1/2" in diameter.

I dont know how much this would help, but you could try casing it up and slick it with a peice of glass.

There are a few of you guys talking about Henley knives. Where are they sold? ive searched around on the web and cant seem to locate anything. Does anyone know where a guy can get a rube tipped blade anymore for a swivel knife?

apparently they are not selling this on ebay anymore. I am looking for a walking foot machine, do they make one? and if so what is the cost?

what is the feed system on this machine? They dont say on the site. is it just a feed dawg system or is it a compound needle feed?

Hi I was curious if you could PM me with some information about the okanogan School?

Yeah Like a cow!! I am sorry I should not have gone about it this way but the dang PETA people have done too many things to this country and the farmers and ranchers who started this country. so noah I am sorry But I do not agree with any of the values that were brought up in your post and I too will stand in the corner for 10 minutes.

did they happen to say if the new gen. will still be around the 2300-2400 mark. or is it gonna be more money.

now I am no where near as good as alot of the guys on here but here is my .02. I started with a borrowed 3 pounder and I hated it. it was way to heavy for me. so then I bought a one pounder and thought that it was great, for a while, and it is okay for some things but now that I have found "my style" it is too light so I bought a BK in a three pound straight maul and I use it on almost everything. I do alot of my "interior beveling" with the light one but I usually find the heavier one in my hand. I need a two pounder for most everything that I tool but that three pounder is sure nice to run one of barry's stamps. again just my opinion.

Hey guys I am sure that this has been asked before but since I am new around here I will ask again. What is everybodys favorite swivel knife and what is your favorite round knife or head knife? now I know alot of you profesionals have about twenty of each but if you could have just one of each what would it be? Now me personally I only have one round knife and it is an OLD Osborne and I do like it. and I only have two swivel knives one is an elcheapo tandy and the other is an elcheapo Al Stohlman from tandy. The stohlman knife isnt bad but it isnt great either. the reason I am asking is to learn of new toolmakers that I have not heard of or dealt with before and I want to expand my selection sooner than later. So Tell me, what are your favorites?

Well thanks for all of the input it sure helps me figure out the RIGHT way to do it. I realized that I have been missing a few things and I will definetly try some of those things. Thanks again for all of the input.

what ever you do dont let the VEGAN on the other thread hear about this one.!

Well coming from the cattle industry side of things I have to call B.S. and no offense to you but I dont think she has a clue as to what she is talking about and I do take offense to the fact that there are people out there who are willing to put hundreds of thousands of people out of business just because of her opinion. Those cattle have it pretty darn good if you ask me. instead of being out on the open range not being able to find food and starving to death they are fed quite well, given a pletiful supply of water, vaccinated so they dont get sick and die. maybe she should be set free with no food or water in nevada or the mountains of washington and see if that is a better life than going to the grocery store and getting her dinner, or going to the doctor. I bet she would change her mind just a little about how bad things are for the critters at the feed yard. Dont get me wrong I am sure that there are some cattle that dont have it as good as others but there are people that just arent good people and dont treat animals right at all. Sorry if this is offensive to you or her but 99% of my friends make there living with some hand in the cattle industry so if you dont have a first hand say in this then I dont think you should have a say at all. otherwise it is just hearsay isnt it?

I have never understood the whole vegan thing but to each his own. but the thing I dont get is they dont like the killing of living things right? But they eat vegatables right? Last time I looked those are living organisms too. they grow and use oxygen or produce oxygen but either way it is alive. So does she wear plastic shoes or what. Well no because that would kill an animal too in order to get oil and what not to make the plastic. so personally I think that the vegan thing is a little strange and makes zero sense. but please feel free to tell me how wrong I am and My ears are wide open if you can explain the thought process in a logical way. by the way I am not trying to shake the cage here I just dont understand.

Well it sounds like that is pretty much the tried and true method with a few tricks thrown in here and there. I just heard about the soap the other day and have yet to try it. I found that there are a few steps that I think I need to add thats for sure. so hidepunder if I use your method does that mean that my carving will turn out as great as yours.LOL I wish. I finally understand the purpose of slicking and it makes perfect sense now that I think about it.

Thanks for the input I still dont get why you guys are using the glass, is it the same as puting it in a bag? By the way I checked out your site, you turn out some nice stuff.

I think that the slicking that you are refering to is the edge slicking? I definetly do that, I am refering to Slicking or stretching of the leather before the carving. I am curious about leaving a piece under glass however, What does that do for the leather I have not heard of that method?

Hey there everyone I was curious, since I have found that there are a million ways to do the same thing, How does everyone go through the casing and slicking process. I personally know that I am probably not casing correct. but this is my method. I rough cut my pattern. use packing tape ont the backside. Thourouly wet my leather trace carving pattern, wrap in saran wrap and put in the fridge, come back the next day and carve and stamp. Notice I dont slick YET and I am sure that I have missed steps that would help with my end results. If anyone is willing to share how you do it I sure would like to hear the different ways. Good day to all.

I dont know if it is what you are looking for, but Tandy in spokane sells a white padding material. I have some here in my shop that I didnt use. I used some when building leather knee pads for a welder friend of mine. it is about 1/4 inch thick and has a cloth type backing. Feel free to PM me if it sounds like something you are looking for.

I was curious what the best way to cover oxbows is? I have messed around with it and I just cant figure out how to do it. If anyone could help and either give me a play by play or point me in the right direction I would sure appreciate it. I think that most of my problem is I usually make it way more complicated than it really is. I would like to cover them in rawhide and a simple lace braid on the outside but I am open to all that anyone can share. Thanks Tim