Gosut

Update: Had a chance to see the checkbook cover made as a gift. No shrinking or cracking. Wife pointed out that it had been carried in a purse and not a back pocket.

I put a light coat over the cracks. Interestingly, got rub off. One section about as big as the tip of my index finger showed resistance, which is what had for everything but the cracks. Could put some on the inside of the fold and see. Should add that I suspect the finish rubbed off in my back pocket, but don't know.

Yes. It was veg tan. Got two checkbook covers out of it. First I dyed using Fiebing's ProDye and sealed with Resolene (tm). That one was a gift for a woman, who keeps it in her purse. Don't know if it had any shrinking.

Made this checkbook cover a little over a year ago. 8/9 oz outside with 3/4oz inside pockets, dyed with vinegaroon, finished with Mop N Glow. Leather is relatively inexpensive, My skill level doesn't justify the high quality stuff. Outer cover had started cracking; inner pockets didn't. Today noticed the 8/9 oz leather is shrinking, more pronounced where the pockets don't provide support. It's to the point that the bend portion is noticeably narrower and the corners of the pockets are peaking out from the outer leather. I carry the checkbook in my back pocket. It's in the Southern US and subject to sweat and heat. What can I do to prevent this with future checkbook covers?

The checkbook cover I dyed with vinegaroon and Mop N Glow is showing cracking on one of the panels. Don't think it's the Mop N Glow because I used that heavily on a belt to try to correct bleed through issued (brown dye), and the finish cracking there is a fine crackle type in the finish itself. These are a deeper crack in the leather, similar to shoes leather cracking. Curiously, there's no cracking at the bend, and it's only on one side of checkbook cover. I like vinegaroon to the point that it was going to be my go-to, but is cracking leather a problem with it?

I think we may have had gusts to around 110 mph / 177 kph. A few times heard a "freight train" sound associated with tornados. I think our sustained winds were about 80 mph / 129 kph. Our power was out just a few hours shy of a week, and we're one of the fortunate ones. Where I work has 60% back on. We're fine, with damage to the house so minor it can't really be considered such. Would like to say that leatherworking has taken a distant back seat but am thinking of a sheath for my club ax. May look into a new one since the one I have is between three and four decades old and shows the wear of sharpening. A sharp ax saves work, and while it raises a sweat, it doesn't need gasoline or charging.

Anderson, SC? Have been there a few times, the last time in 1980, coming in from Hartwell, GA. That makes me think of Elberton, GA, and the granite there. At first glance, thought the photo was of a monument company lot, then noticed the granite in sheets. Think that most granite countertop material in the US is imported. Thanks to the replies, think I'll go with the synthetic quartzite.

The closest granite countertop place is about an hour away, and they're working when I am. Closer to a monument company, but don't know how well I can handle a slab of granite 3 to 4 inches thick. I agree that scrap countertop granite would be the way to go.

I think the nearest Tandy store is a four hour drive one way. A Weaver Leather Supply store isn't even on radar. Tools specifically for leather craft are only available through order. Leather is the same way. The closest I've come to local leather for craft is a bag of "Genuine Leather" scraps seen at a thrift store (I checked the thrift and antique stores first in looking for leather working tools). My skill level doesn't rate leather other than the cheap stuff.

Am going to have to order one or the other. The synthetic quartzite is 1" / 2.54 cm thick and the marble is 1.5" / 3.81 cm. Have seen one marble top on an antique dresser and it seemed to hold up well, but seem to recall it stained and that it can react to acids. OTOH, the slab I'm looking at is thicker. Marble will adversely react with acids to the point that acid rain eroded marble sculpture, but is this a significant concern?

Note: This is not to start a bashing thread. I am looking at ordering from Springfield Leather, Tandy, and Weaver for hardware, tools, and maybe a dye. What are the general pros and cons of each?

A slab for tooling, I understand. What, though, should I put under it to protect both the bottom surface and what I put it on? First thought: old towel. Second thought: cardboard. Third thought: Poundo board. The latter raises another question: Poundo board on top of slab to protect it when punching, i understand. I'm currently using old magazines and a plastic cutting board on a synthetic countertop surface, but wondering if the cutting board could mar the slab under impact.

A knife that belonged to John "Liver-Eating" Johnson is on display a the Buffalo Bill Museum in Cody, Wyoming. Here is one photo of it: https://www.greatfallstribune.com/story/outdoors/2017/09/12/legend-liver-eating-johnson-keeps-getting-taller/657762001/ Unfortunately, for this topic, it's not the best. There's a much better one on another forum. Don't know if posting it would be a violation of board policy, so holding off on that for now. If you do a search on "Why Bowie gets all the love and not Hudson Bay" that might bring it up. The tooling is interesting, but the back is what I'm trying to figure out. Unfortunately, the back isn't visible in the first link. I'm not seeing how it was carried. From the other link, the knife was made by Wade and Butcher about 1850. At the top, where today we'd put a piece of leather with a snap to secure the handle, the front view shows what may or may not be the base of three rivets, one toward the sheath and two toward the top, in a way that implies a belt loop. The back, though, doesn't show rivets, but instead seems to have another piece of leather with stitching that follows the stitching on the outside of the sheath. Right at the bottom of this seems to be two small loop holes sewn into the leather, as though a leather lace or something like that could be run through it, but it doesn't show the widening you'd expect if Johnson had done so. Any thoughts? Have seen photos of knife sheaths from around 1860 that were designed with belt loops like we'd see today, but this looks significantly different. Thanks in advance.

Second attempt at a reply. If there's a double post, that's why. Thanks. Studying period carry is always fun. I was looking at some period carry for inspiration. I doubt any period sheath had a thumb break. I think the frog stud on waistband was used where and when cummerbunds were common. I had thought of making a Civil War period sheath after finding a Pakistani blade made like or close to a Milledgeville (Georgia) pattern. That sheath would have been the simplest as it had no strap retention and a leather piece sewn onto the back for a belt to pass through. Apparently this piece would tear off, as there are some Civil War sheaths that look owner modified by cutting two slits in the leather for a belt to pass through. Granted that's a common and cheap way to make a belt mount, but the instances I saw looked like they might have been done in the field. Unfortunately, the blade I was looking at seemed to be flared toward the point and what passed for a rat tang left something to be desired. If I did that one it, it would be for display only.

I did, first simply sticking inside my waist band. One period way of carrying a bowie was IWB with the frog stud resting on top. Clothing styles were different then and likely offered more security to the sheath. Came to the conclusion that this form of carry wasn't that secure. Main problem with my test was the blade being unsecured other than from waistband pressure. The ability to pivot makes it not as stiff and unwieldy. Same principle as on those big handheld radios we used to have that fit in a pivot attached to your belt. Pivoting let it move with the body. Other than that, it wasn't uncomfortable because it could pivot. The problem is a clip isn't going to pivot much if at all. That's going to make it stiffer. Unfortunately, haven't come up with anything better. The modern pivot clips are for outside the waistband or belt and more bulky. Have thought about a sort of dangle method to both secure it and allow it to pivot, but don't know. All that is where the original frog stud idea came in where I could experiment without making a series of new sheaths, but now think that scheme may be unworkable. Not the frog part, but for securing inside the belt. Only idea I could come up with was to somehow modify a clip into a frog that attached to the waistband with the frog stud passing though it. The idea would be to let it pivot. but still keep it secure. But the key word here is "somehow modify.." Never had a clear idea on how. I haven't been skinny in years, but I am over 6' / 1.8m tall.