Billy P

David, I really like the Jesus seat. You do some really nice work. I hope my upholstry friend and I will get to doing some for the locals around here soon. I'm trying to get my stuff moved into my spare room in the house right now. I can't see keeping on paying extra on electric bill for my little shop when I can actually get more done in the house anyway. I thought the shop was a good idea at the time, but live and learn I guess. Anyway again very nice and when/if we get some stuff for around here I may be trying to pick your brain for help. We have a good number of people doing custom, one off, bike seats and I know I can use all the help, instruction I can get. I hope Beeza is having a good time at the Smoke-Out. It's about 90 miles from me, but I was not able to go this year. Hoping for next year though. kindest regards Billy P

Very nice seat, I just hope one day, LOL. I like it all Billy P

Hey everbody, my friend, who does upholstry work covered a motorcycle seat about 2 weeks ago. The person who got the seat called him today and told hm that the seatcover had bunched up on him. I guess you could them BUTT PUCKERS, LOL. Anyway he used an alligator print leather that he got from Churchill Barton at Brettuns village. The leather is fine, but I am suspecting that it was too thin/lightweight to cover the top of the seat with, probably a 3/4 oz leather. I suggested that he might could get a piece of maybe 4/5 or 5/6 oz leather and contact cement or Barge cement the thinner cover to a piece of that and then sew the 2 pieces when he recovers the seat. I asked if he had glued the leather to the foam seat padding, but he had also used some of the gel pad seat material and was not able to do it that way. He and I are trying to get started doing some custom seats together and any advice/help on getting this thing fixed will be greatly appreciated by both of us. With sincere appreciation for any and all help/ ideas Billy P

To answer both dsenette, and you too Johanna, Steve, my friend is adding it ot his website. I can only work on a limited basis so I will be working with/through him. I am unable to take on something really time consuming right now. Johanna what you put up is exactly what I am looking for. Many, Many, Thanks Billy P

Hi everbody, my friend does upholstry work and he and I are wanting to do some bike seats together. He already has a website, SouthernRides.net and has asked me to give a brief description about leather carving/tooling to put there along with some pictures of some of my work. I do most things from traditional floral carving to custom work such as some of our forum members do. I realize that I'm not very good at expressing things and could use any help and would really appreciate any ideas from everyone. Many Thanks in Advance Billy Perdue

Pete, I am like you. I've often wondered the same thing. When I first started working with leather, I just dove in. No money, no books, and not much sense either. I was working a job and staying in a fog, most of the time anyway, and just didn't know. Now I am still not sure of a standard. I do know that the thicker the leather, the bigger the # edger to use. Most of the time when I use the edger I end up with an almost sharp edge in the middle of the thickness of the belt, purse, or whatever it is that I'm working on. I hope someone can answer this question for both of us. Especially in a way that we can understand really well. Just a few comments for moral support and also to find out myself. Regards Billy P

Nice work, Frank. You have the touch, and I hope to be getting in touch with you soon about helping me try the 2-Shews technique. Really nice. Later Billy P

I would be interested in a contest, while I've worked with leather for a few years, I'm still pretty much an amateur. If you all get together on the format and pattern I'll try to enter something. The critque from more knowledgeable leathercarvers, would be more than worth the effort not even counting the fun of doing the project. I am like the wolf, as far as traveling goes. My wife has severe spinal problems, no disc left in her lower back, plus I have a really bad case of diabetes and diabetic neurothopy so we don't usually be able to get too far from home. Sometimes it's tough just to go to the grocery store and around to pay bills,LOL. Anyway count me in and I'll try to enter and help if I can Billy P

If a pereson just wants a side or shoulders or what ever in a lesser amount, they can order directly from Wickett and Craig. They have a place just for smaller quanities, I believe the ph# is 1-800-TANNERY, if this is not the right phone no. let me know and I'll look further. Regards Billy P

Johanna, thanks for doing all the work that you do for the forum. Sometimes when a person does what you do it seems a thankless job. I shudder to think about how much of your time, you've put into this forum. I don't get on as much as I should or probably could at times, but I am sincerely grateful for it being here and I always enjoy it when I do login. Recently I've be going through a lot of depression, health problems, mainly diabetes, making me feel so rundown and tired all the time has had me where I am hardly doing anything at all. I have some projects to do, but can not seem to find the energy to do them. Anyway thanks for the forum and for your work on it. One other thing also thank the ones in the backgrond that help you with wome of the stuff, while I may not know them I know that they are there and again! MANY THANKS TO YOU ALL, WHO EVER YOU MAY BE. Billy P

Nice work Pete, if I can ever find a pattern for them I might try one of those stirrup purses myself. I'll bet the wife really likes that one. Again really nice. Regards Billy P

Some of the forum members asked me to post some pictures of my work, so I'm gonna try. Here are a couple of pictures I did in the past. All comments/critique are welcome and appreciated, as I have a lot more to learn about leatherwork.

I really like the watch band Holly. Makes me realize how badly I need to make a couple for my watches,LOL not enough time to get it all done sometimes. Plus being older, disabled, fatter, and lazier than I used to be doesn't help either. Yours really looks good though. Regards Billy P

Hi Regis, even though I've been doing leather work for a few years, since about 1974, until the Hidecrafters sale on VHS tapes I had never seen anybody use a swivel knife before. At least that knew more than I did. Everybody else had just done a little bit of stuff because I was doing it. The rest of the guys didn't love the leatherwork like I did and soon fell bye the wayside. I got George Hurst's chapter 1 beginning western carving, and a couple of more, all I can afford right now, LOL. I'm on disability and have a few things out that I ain't got my money for yet. That is gonna be a thing of the past now, I've learned the hard way to get my money up front. Anyway you are really right, there is nothing like seeing it done to help you know what's what. One seeing it done is worth a lot of books and pictures, no matter who they are by. I just waht to say hang in there, the longer you do leatherwork the better you get and the more fun it is. It really gets to be a lifestyle/way of life that you never want to be without. The kids might grow up and leave the nest, the wife/husband may decide to leave, or friends may not call, but as long as you got a little leather you can still do something and have fun doing it anyway. For me leatherworking probably doew as much to help my blood pressure and my diabetes as most of the medicine the Dr. gives me. Enoug said for now, just my dimes worth and keep on doing it. Billy P.

I hadn't used my scanner since the early part of January. I went to scan a design, that I wanted to enlarge for a project. When I hit the scan button it would not scan to the computer, it will copy, print from the computer, and I guess do every thing else it's supposed to do. What could have changed? When I usually hit scan, the HP Image Zone Plus opens and it scans to that, then I can enlarge or reduce as needed. I haven't changed any settings, at least that I know of. Any help will be greatly appreciated and Thanks in Advance for and help/suggestions on this problem. Until Later Billy P

You can check with Phil Leduc at Stonehedge Leather. He's a good guy and he may be able to help you. Phil's # is (619) 223-4211. If you give him a call tell him that Larry's friend in South Carolina, Billy told you about him. I'm not in any way associated with Phil, just have a really good mutual friend. Billy P.