Billy P

Hey Bobby, again your work never ceases to amaze and inspire me, as well as others. The whole piece is beautiful, and the edges are just perfect. I recently made a piece that was laced useing two colors of lace, I was slicking the edge and my wife asked me why all the extra work that would not be seen. Itold her that I would know that it is there and from seeing work such as you do, it was the right way to finish the buckle. My edges are not like yours, but I'm working on them. I got to get some new glasses before I can carve much now, hope to get the app. in the next week or so. With my diabetes I can't just go anywhere and get the eyes done, so have to wait sometimes, LOL, they don't get in a hurry around here. Anyway really great work and I so enjoy seeing your beautiful pieces, thanks for sharing with us, I only wish I could see more of it. Billy P

I was watching a movie made in 1971 on Encore Western Channel, and it had Jack Palance using, it looked like some sort of chisel, to do a design on a saddle seat. It showed him bent over working and when the man goes in to see him it shows him working and then putting the tool on the bench/table in front of him. Just interesting how much authenticity (sp) they used to use in the movies. Billy P

I don't have a sewing machine, and have nerve damage in my right hand from diabetes. I am def. interested in anything that will make hand sewiong easier and faster. Billy P

Hey Ray, I liked all the stuff on You-Tube and your grandson is doing some good work with the camera. Thanks for sharing with us. Billy P

I got started with leatherworking about 1974. I bought some used stuff from a friend whose father worked for Mr. Zack White, who started Zack White Leather Co. I bought Crafttools from him, from Tandy, and I bought used tools where I could find them. Most of my tools are Craftools, but they are mostly from the 50's, 60's, and up to the later 70's, early 80's. I haven't bought a lot of tools since then. I want to up grade some things with Barry King tools as soon as I can. I am also going to try and get the basic set from Lonnie at Hackbarth, you can't beat the price or quality. That being said I will not sell my Craftools, to buy either of the other tools. Most of mine were the ones hand shaped and filed. I have 3 B701 bevelers and all are a different size, I have a 505 BW and a 505-1 BW. they are the same just a mirror image of each other. Like a right and left. The old Craftools are pretty good and mine make a good impression, but some of the new ones I've tried just aren't near as good. I feel like was stated in some of the other replies, get some Craftools and see if you are gonna stick with Leatherworking, if so, learn to use them and them upgrade some as you go along and grow in skill and knowledge. I have a Gold Card Advantage with Sringfield Leather and you can get some of the Craftools type stamps from them at a really good price. I saved enough on my first order to pay for the card the first time and when I renewed my membership I again save more than the renewal fee was, so money well spent both ways. Just my .02 of thoughts on this, and hope it helps some Billy P

Hey Mac, I am from Patrick, just south of Cheraw. You will find a lot of great people on this forum. I've been a member since pretty much it started, my membership # is 97. This is without a doubt the best leather working site in the world. I'll be in touch again. Billy P Billy Perdue

Like Bruce said, I use Pro-Carve some too. I read on here I think all kinds of stuff about casing, and I use warm water, a bit of Johnson's dish detergent and a little bit of Listerine Mouth wash, and never have a problem with mold on anything now. I don't know that this will help with the existing problem, but might help on other stuff. Billy P.

Hey Harvey, I called and talked to Mr. Louis about a month ago. He says yes sir they are in business, and gonna stay too. Billy P Maybe try again.

I bought a couple of bevelers off e-bay. I got them last Thursday, but haven't had the time to try them yet. The way they were described I thought they were some of the old Hidecrafter Pro-Line tools. They were new and fairly resonable, so I got them. I don't know anything about the U.S. brand of tools, but they have a lot biggers shaft, near the head than a conparable Crafttool. If you know about these tools I would appreciate any info on them. Also what companies sell them. Thanks in Advance, Billy P

A lot of people take the largest setter, that was used for the caps of, I think, line 14 or 16 belt and glove snaps. I know that Ron Ross was using one, at one time anyway. They were in the old Tandy set all snaps sets. I hope this might help someone. Billy P

Hello to all, I bought a cheap set of screwdrivers at Dollar General or Dollar Tree or some such store. I used the Dremal tool with a cut off disc and cut them off at an angle that looked good to me. Some grinding, polishing, and buffing and sharpening and I have a set of lifters with handles. Hope this helps Billy P

Hey Kevin, my best friend in leather and my mentor made the most beautiful leather plates you could imagin. He used that same Lion evr round, with the extender bar to cut out his leather for plates. Sadly he died 2 years ago, this past Christmas. He said that was the best to cut out the leather with, even if sometimes you might have to make several rounds with it. I hope this helps. Billy P

Hey Dylan, a few years ago, I ordered one of those Craftsman sides in 3/4 oz. When it came it had holes all over it about the size of a U.S. quarter(.25 cent) coin. I called and they said no problem they would send me another one. What they sent was the Tandy Live Oak, most expensive leather they had, plus a bill for another $47.00, to replace that bad hide. They knew that I am on a limited income and only do leather work as a hobby, so that extra cost hurt me too. Since then I haven't ordered much from them. I usually use SpringField Leather, S-T Leather, or Zach White. I do go to the Charlotte N.C. store on occasion, when I'm up that way, but I go in and pick out what I want/need. It wasn't the Charlotte store that did that to me, and they are mostly really good people up there. The other store has good people, but I felt that before they sent me something that cost almost twice as much, they should have called me and let me have the option, to get that or not. Just my .02 worth. Whatever, don't give up, because there a lot more suppliers out there. Billy P

Hey there Billy B. this is your little buddy from down in South Carolina, Billy P. Welcome to the Leatherworker.net. You'll find this a great site, with a lot of really helpful, friedly, people. Always a question and always and answer. take care and I'll talk at you later. Oh yeah, are you still in Charlotte? Billy P

Hey Ray, on a lot of my small quick stuff I quick case the leather with a sponge. What I do is wet it pretty good with the sponge and then let it dry some, until it almost comes back to it's natural color, then I put it up to my cheek and it will feel a little damp and cool, but not wet. This works for me when I am in a hurry. When I'm not I wet the leather pretty good all the way through, and put in a plastic bag in the fridge. Make sure not to put anything on the bag, as it might leave an unwanted mark on the cased leather. My son has CP also. He has no use of his left arm and hand, but Iused to let him help me when he was little. He lives in a (resident/assisted living) facility now. He got so big that his mom and I couldn't really take care of him, but we see him a lot and when we bring him home with us, he still will sit im little leather room and watch and I let him beat the stuff out of a scrap piece. Anyway like you've already been told, it doesn't come overnight, or easy. Practice until you can't practice and then practice some more. The trick is to love leather working enough, that you ain't gonna ecver quit, no matter what. Last night I went to a site about saddlemakers, bit and spur makers, and braiders. One old guy said he had so little artistic talent he couldn't draw his name, but he sure can do some pretty engraving and such. I am the same way, I can't draw straight line with a ruler, but I can sometimes turn out some leatherwork that is almost decent. I ain't ever gonna be as good as Bobby Park, Keith Seidel, Clay Banyai, and a lot of others on this forum, but I'll bet a bunch that as good as they and the rest of the people on here don't enjoy leatherwork anymore than I do. Been doing it on and off since abnout 74 or 75, and seen some hard times, but have never even considered selling my tools. My leather mentor, Larry Huston, died on Christmas Eve, two years ago. He told me as long as we have belt strip, a cement block, a couple of stamp, and a hammer of some sort, we can always get a meal. Always made sense to me. Bye for now and sorry about rambling on, good luck and hang in there. Billy P

Ferg, I just talked to Mr. Louis Henley, at Henley Manu. in La. He said to call him, they do have the beader blades and he is really nice to talk to. Tell him Billy from South Carolina said to call. The #is 1(318)631-3545. I hope this helps Billy P

Sim, most of the stuff I order I get from Kevin at Springfield Leather. I believe, as Ferg said, you'll be plesantly supprised. I have the wholesale account, and have found that it pays for itself pretty quick. I have neveer gotten anything that was not right from them. Billy P Ps/ They also carry most of the Tandy stuff and Hidecrafter, and at a better price. BRP

I have a bunch of sets of letters from 1/4" up to 1" mine mostly line up right, but like Holly said I start in the middle and work out. Another thing that I consider is mine are all old, none newer that the mid 70's and most older. We all know that back then they made things better that today, so that is probably a factor as well. One last thing too is all the letters are not the same size, ex. the I is a lot smaller than the W. Anyway hope this helps some Billy P

You might try Studio-N, he is a member of the forum and makes the delrin stamps with a laser cutter?. I am going to contact him about making me a stamp to use on some keyrings for a local festival here in my little town. He does good work and is really reasonably priced. Billy P

I have a couple of fine stlyus to trace patterns with, but for the last few years I use a trick that my dear departed friend Larry Huston told me to do. I have a few fine tipped, out of ink inkpens. After I make really sure that they are out of ink, I've found out like Larry said the ball point pens make some of the best tracing utensils out there. Just his idea, that he passed to me and I use it. I hope this helps someone. Billy P

Hey there Bad, you would e surprised at what some of the old free leather related catalogs can sell for now adays. Billy P

You can use carbon paper from an office supply and rub them just like on leather and then scale them as needed. I use them because I can hardly draw astraight line with a ruler. I don't use them alot, but I still use them. Billy P

I can only speak for me, but I call a lot of places on their 800 lines. If they don't have one they would have to be the only place that I could possibly get what I need. I am on a co-op with my phone and I get a good return on my capital gains each year. I am expecting about $900 this spring, for 2003. I do have a certain amount of time that is free long distance each month, usually I/we use that for her to call her mom and sister. I too use the pre-paid go phone and mostly use it for emergencies. I guess if the 800 no. is abusiness expence and it helps any on taxes it would be worth it to keep it. Just my $.02 worth. Billy P

dYou might try U-Braidit or leathercordsusa. Both have web sites and may be able to custom cut the lace for you. I hope this helps. Billy P

You might check out Leather cord usa on the net, they have 3/16 5mm lace in white for 50 meters for $54. I haven't ordered from them yet, but I have gotten some sample pieces and they seem to be okay. Billy P