Mablung

Yep. There are some threads (no pun intended) around here about making hand sewing wax.

Do you use a true cobbler’s hammer or something else? Best thing I have for pounding my glued pieces is a wooden mallet from a free kit I got. Mallet isn’t heavy, but I swing it pretty hard. The videos I’ve watched of people making shoes show them really pounding on things with a steel cobbler’s hammer, though.

Got a serious contact high (?) from using Barge in my basement one time. Terrible idea. Now it gets used in my garage. Thinking I'm going to add in a respirator, as you mentioned. That stuff is really effective, but wicked.

Aven’s question reminded me that my Tanner’s Bond doesn’t hold shoe soles on nearly as well as Barge does. That might make the difference, too.

Would also be helpful to know the pay rate and how materials are provided.

Very, very nice. I like it. Giving me the bug again to make a nice collar for my dog. The nylon one she wears currently is serviceable, but it lacks panache.

You certainly used the contact cement the right way, then. Sheesh, a 1/4" midsole does seem thick. Of course, Nick's Boots are pretty substantial, so I guess that fits. I'm working on an idea for a pair of boots myself, so I'll remember that neoprene rubber is likely the best candidate.

Huh, neat. I need to make a cover for my sermon notebook that actually fits, so I may go look for and filch that pattern. The Leathercraft Library has tons of useful patterns.

My first thought was to print it at high resolution, then trace the major lines on tracing film, just because that’s the extent of my personal technical ability and available resources. Then use a modeling spoon to add the subtleties, using the picture as a guide. Of course, that works only if one has the necessary artistic ability.

Prayers for your daughter! That’s quite something, to be in the hospital for that long. Must have been a serious issue. Glad she’s back home, on the mend.

I'm thinking we should just measure everything in fractions of astronomical units.

On the whole, the thing ought to be solid, and it really looks good. There’s nothing objectively wrong with doing it the way you did. It’ll work just fine. Don’t sweat it and let your buddy tell you the good, the bad, and the ugly about it, then tinker with it later.

I wouldn’t bother removing the rivet, if it goes through the welt. Then again, I usually end up building a new version if I don’t like the previous one. I’d just leave the rivet as it is and maybe design it a bit differently on the next iteration to stitch the belt loop, instead of relying on the rivet.

Was the surface of the outsole that mated with the midsole roughed? If it was still smooth, you'll have some adhesion problems. Sometimes the cement will soak too far into the rough side of the leather, too, preventing good adhesion. Did you wait until the cement was tacky, no longer wet but no longer totally dry? Too far toward either end, and it won't adhere properly.

Good copy on the fold---if it helps retain the blade better, no reason to get rid of it. Personally, I'd get rid of the rivet since there's a welt, since it just isn't necessary and messes with the visual flow. As to your stamping, I think it looks quite uniform and quite good---I meant more that that style of stamping just isn't my style (I'm kinda stuffy re: style). It was executed well, though, as was the antiquing.

Apparently no one thought to ask your son ahead of time if he spoke (I assume) English? Probably just brought the interpreter as a matter of course in order to avoid further annoyances and delays, if they were to find he did not speak English, but one would think they would ask first.

Does it have a welt? If so, I would skip the rivet. I know Stohlman says to put a rivet in to prevent the knife from cutting the stitching, but that will dull the blade, even a soft metal like copper. If it doesn’t have a welt, I’d put one in and skip the rivet. I’m not huge on the partial envelopment of the handle at the top, but that’s personal preference on aesthetics. It LOOKS like it might interfere with establishing a grip, but I might be misjudging that. Otherwise, good work. Everything appears well-proportioned and the stitching is good and straight. I like the color, too. I can go either way on the stamping.

I like it. The concho is a nice touch.

Ahh, that makes far more sense.

I've got his question as well. I love my Husky/German Shepherd mix, but she's quite enough to handle on her own.

A turbo encabulator.

Ah, I gotcha. I bought a prefinished blade blank. What sort of equipment do you use to cut the billets? I assume you're getting it already heat-treated, since you didn't mention heat-treating in your process of work.

What do you think of the edge and grind? The one I have didn't have a final edge, which the guy who sold it to me at a craft fair told me was purposeful so that the end user could sharpen it as he liked. I did notice the primary bevel grind and secondary bevel grind both were a little off-center and the secondary bevel is thicker at the base of the blade than at the tip, which has made sharpening the secondary bevel a touch challenging.

That is fantastic! I’ve got a small Alabama Damascus Steel knife, and I love it. No nice grips on it, but one day I’ll make a good set. That sheath is beautiful.

Lovely work. Your work brings some different things to the table on this forum, as not many people play around with paints or pictures in the way you do. I always enjoy looking at it, and this stuff is no exception. Great work.