SUP

A slight detour from the topic but once, long ago, when I was still in college, I was washing my hands and suddenly noticed bleeding on the base of my palm. It pricked a bit and I finally pulled out a cover-slip about 1 inch by 1/2 inch across! It was embedded in my palm and I have no idea how it got there! Surely I would have noticed a wound large enough to embed it and then to heal over. An absolute mystery to me, even today 40 years later! Anyone else have such mysterious happenings?

Thimbles! Why didn't I think of that? First thing I am ordering those leather thimbles! It will be a relief. Thank you Sheilajeanne. I strop my knives whenever I use them and sharpen as needed. That is another addictive thing about leatherworking - the knives and how many I am sorely tempted to buy! Not sure how to sharpen an awl though, Littlef. I am sure there will be a thread about it somewhere on this site. I will look it up. I might also need to improve my chiseling technique. I have been thinking about it and it is possible the chisel holes are not straight and therefore the problem with the awl as well. Yes, TomeE. I try to let the cuts bleed - they do anyway! but if it is very deep, I have discovered that if I immediately hold it closed and bandage it up, it dries and heals very fast. Not much pain or swelling either. So healing time, even for a deep slice is down to about 3 days. Have such a cut now and I can barely see the scar. And opening boxes Tugadude? I had no idea how to do it until I worked in an Amazon warehouse for 6 months some years ago. Now I do it like a pro and show anyone around too!

Bruce says the makers mark is continental European for sure. I need to look into it some more.

Thank you. You are both absolutely right! My husband keeps telling me the same thing each time he sees droplets of blood around the place. The thing is, I go in with good intentions and then forget! I cut myself usually when hand sewing - poke myself with the awl or needle, or like I mentioned above, when trying sheaths on the tools. I have not cut myself when actually cutting leather yet! All those precautions I have read from all of you - I spend all my free time on this site to learn as much as I can - it is the unexpected where I cut myself. But I am learning.

Since I started leatherworking, I have cut myself so many times! After the first 3-4 times, when I went around with numerous band-aids on my hands, I went and got an anti-tetanus. My house is overflowing with band-aids and triple antibiotic creams! Currently I am waiting for deep cuts on my thumb and fore-finger to heal - pretty deep because I sliced it with a sharpening thingy for serrated knives, while trying on a sheath for it. Does everyone go through this or am I particularly clumsy? I suspect the latter!

Thank you. I will do that.

This brand mark appears on a saddler's knife. Does anyone know which company this is? I have also uploaded a photograph of the knife.

This is wonderful! I want to make a belt for my husband and was wondering how to go about it and this really helps! Thank you!

Thank you. I will report to a moderator about it.

Put this question here because I do not now where else to put it. Why do so many links on this site lead to one with Chinese/Japanese or some other east Asian characters with flashing lights etc.? At least 4 different ones today, in the last 15 minutes. Specifically I was reading posts from 2014-2015.

I have seen several people wonder about reducing photograph file sizes and I thought I would post some information about that. Pardon me if I am posting something already known. There are many options but I have found the easiest one is Irfanview. I have used it for years, over several laptops, and it is very easy to use. It is a free download and I have not had any problems with viruses either. The files I use are always .png. As far as I know, it does not accept .doc files. I think there is a paid version as well, but I have never needed it. Used it yesterday to post information about my stitching horse, with photographs.

I enjoy hand stitching. I enjoy working on the stitching horse or keeping the clams separate and sitting on a sofa while I work. It is a personal thing. What each of us enjoys, i different is it not? The world would be so boring if we were all the same. e.g. I do not much enjoy cooking but my hubby loves it! (lucky me!). And Billybopp and Tugadude, you are right.. Something fun can become tedious if it becomes a profession. On a different note, the stitching horse design is indeed exquisitely simple. It is a thing of beauty and I enjoy looking at it as much as I enjoy working on it. A bit besotted with it right now! LOL

I roll my leather around those long cardboard rolls that fabric is sold from, in fabric stores. I got my first ones at an estate sale - people bought the fabric and left the rolls behind. These really help in the rolling and prevents the innermost layer from creasing. It also allows me to keep the rolls upright and takes up less space. I keep the cardboard roll more exposed on one side and place the rolls upright supported on that side, in a dark closet. No plastic but I wrap the whole lot in an old, cotton sheet. I sprinkle dried neem leaves to protect from insects and a couple of packets of desiccants to manage humidity (very humid where I live) The neem leaves do not stain and do not leave an unpleasant odor. I also use some cedar wood sachets. One can never be too careful!

Thank you for letting me know that, Tugadude. Pasting the pictures again. Finally, the tongs I used to make a temp stitching pony. I hope these remain!

Yes. It does take a bit of space but it is so convenient to use. I like to use chrome tanned leather and that I cannot stitch holding it in my hand. Anything larger than a tiny coin purse does not fit in the tabletop stitching pony, and that, with difficulty. You know, earlier, I made one for myself, using a pair of steel tongs to which I attached some flat pieces of wood with leather on the surface. The tongs were not the type to use on food but on utensils - I got them from an Indian store - we use them to get vessels out of pressure cookers these days - called 'pakkad' in Hindi. It can be easily held between the knees when stitching. I stopped using it because again, it was a little small, but if you find larger tongs, that might work and not take up so much space. Mine looks something like this. The jaws need to be forced apart or closed, so no need to hold the jaws together actively. Before that, I used plain wooden tongs with again, flat pieces of wood with leather attached. Got the tongs in Ikea. Those I held together with my knees. rather like French clams - also helped me decide against French clams once and for all! Tiring to actively hold the jaws together for long periods. Unfortunately, I dismantled both, so cannot show them being used as stitching ponies.

Thank you, tsunkasapa. Yes. It opens with the wooden lever, Klara. You push the lever down and the jaws open. Push it up parallel to the ground and the jaws close and hold tight.

Yes that is so true! It is relaxing and satisfying.

I bought this yesterday from Facebook marketplace. Love it! The stitching arms are detachable from the seat and just long enough to use when sitting on a chair. So very easy to use, on or off its seat. There is a wooden lever to control the arms and hold the leather in place. I am loathe to do anything to it but I need to attach some leather to the insides of the arms to protect the leather being stitched. I plan to do so with some water soluble glue because I do not want it to be permanent. In case anyone wants to buy one, there are at least 3 other sellers offering similar items on Facebook marketplace as of yesterday. I was lucky that this was being offered close to where I stay else shipping might be a bit of an expense.

If you have mold spots, even inactive, it might be a good idea to remove the underlying mold before you do anything else. Otherwise, it will just come back. I have used some of the recoloring creams and they work fine. I recolored some shoes and jackets that were faded. The colors were mainly black and browns. The color has not faded or washed away as yet. With careful application, the colors do not transfer when wet either. I did condition after the application. I used the ones by Startso World from Amazon. It sometimes comes with a mink conditioner. I have not tried lighter colors but there is no reason why they should be any different. Only question is whether they will cover the spots and stains.

Thank you! Tugadude, I did not know what it is. I just have had it for so long, I forgot where I got it from. Will look at the process and hopefully learn something. Hey Dwight, I have seen braided belts and they look really nice. Completely forgot about them when thinking of this bracelet. I think I will find tutorials for that as well. I have several more new things to learn! Thank you both!

I have had this for a long time and only today noticed it is leather with silver-work. Does anyone have an idea how to make something like this? I would love to make another one. Would really appreciate any guidance.

Hmm. I seem to have bad luck with Tandy. One store in CA, the single employee working the shift did not come out from the back room for 15 minutes while we waited. Then, she refused to give me any information at all.. I was very new then and needed information on what to buy for a book cover I planned to make. I finally had to leave without buying anything. Fast forward to GA, the manager is so busy trying to sell, she tries to push the most expensive items even after I told her I was a noob and did not want to spend too much until I was sure it was what I wanted to do. . At a basic construction class, she provided a thin awl with thick needles, made us do a double knot on the thread which was thick, so it would just not go through the holes we made with the diamond chisels, even after re-punching with the awl. Even the men in the class had trouble pushing the thread through and mine actually tore twice due to the force needed. I finally took the project home, used thinner needles and a thicker awl and completed the project. Her information on antiquing was incomplete even though several of us asked her about it - we were putting an antique finish on the class project - so my first 2 items ended a dull brown because I followed her instruction on how to do it. Another employee tried to make me take a used jar of leather conditioner - he kept pushing a specific jar at me as I tried to get another one. I got a little suspicious and opened it - it had fingerprints in it! I kept it away and got a new one - opened and checked. He did not even look embarrassed at being caught! 2 other employees there are fine. They do not try to push the most expensive items and are actually helpful. In fact, in another class, when I asked how to make lace, one of them taught me without trying to make me buy a lace maker. The other good employee provided all the information needed to repair an old case and provided a small piece of leather to do it. He did not even charge me for the leather! The 2 employees are the ones I look for, if I need to go back there. Unfortunately, when the manager is around, she is the one who comes forward and runs around so enthusiastically that after a while, I wonder if she is on something. With her, I cannot ask anything and expect useful information because her answers are always angled at making a sale. I know that their job is to sell, but if they took the customer's needs into consideration, they would have had long term customers. Now, I just came home, called Springfield leather and received all the information I needed and great leather as well, at great prices. A long rant! For those who read it all, thank you for your patience!

That they be comfortable!

Vests have their uses - especially those with lots of pockets. I found one in a consignment shop and wear it all the time when I go to estate sales and flea markets. I can carry everything in my zippered pockets and can be hands free. Better than stuffing everything in my jeans pockets or carrying a handbag. Probably will need a lighter one for summer though but this works through the fall and spring.

Beautiful. Very elegant. I would like the pattern too please.