Been asked to make simple knife sheaths. Please help..

[SUP]

@fredk, that is a good idea - using a stop watch to time a process. I am still getting into the groove of it, so probably am slower too.

And I am worried about agreeing to do something at a lower price than the price of the leather. When he gets back to me, let me see what he says. Since I have no idea what type of knives they are, I am not going to give a price until I see them. Through this thread, I have some idea of how to price, so if he does not agree to it, I will pass.  

@Alzilla, that is astonishing! I see the reviews but never thought of  checking the percentages and their calculations. They say newer, good reviews get more weightage. So if a seller has 25 bad reviews, and can get 5 friends to give good reviews, the score remains high. It should be like credit scores - bad ones remain for 7 years. That would stop bad sellers in their tracks.

 Many of the reviews, if you read them carefully, are for other items in the sellers shop. They put all the reviews together for all the items if they have good reviews for one item, so it looks like every item has great reviews. They also allow reviews from people who received items free in return for reviews - very suspect. 

Now this is another thing to watch out for. 

Life was simpler when I could just go to a neighbourhood store to get what I need. Did not need to check ratings then. it was either good, or bad. 

 

 

 

 

[fredk]

off track, but in the UK Amazon have been caught falsifying feedback ratings and they are now under attack to put it right. In some cases, which are known as the 'Mystery Scarf', Amazon sellers have sent out cheap scarves to unsuspecting 'buyers' on Amazon, then the seller enters a 100% or 5 star rating on behalf of the 'buyer' in order to boost their reputation. When the 'buyer' contacts Amazon about the scarf they are told it was sent to them in error and for them to just keep it

Its commonly done by sellers in @Doc Reaper 's favourite country,  Ch . . . . . 

[Dwight]

Well . . . I do have two machines . . .one is a Tippmmann Boss . . . and a Cowboy 4500.  Thousand bucks for the Boss . . . around 3500 for the Cowboy

The Boss will some day go on the auction block . . . and they will be getting a good machine.

I've had a few squabbles with it . . . but it always worked out . . . could not tell you the belts, holsters, and other stuff it has made in the 20+ years I've had it.  I did just enough hand sewing to know I was not doing that for any length of time.

And as far as starting a business . . . there is no big deal on that . . . at least in Ohio.  I can make and sell 199 items per year . . . and the only one thing I have to handle is defining the  "profit" made from the 199 items and including it on my  long form federal income tax.  And that is handled for a hundred bucks using Turbotax.  

More than 199 items . . . I have to have a vendor's license . . . collect sales tax . . . file a tax report twice a year . . . but even that is no big deal.  

Now if you get big enough for employees . . . that's a whole "nother ball game.

May God bless,

Dwight

[SUP]

@Fredk, why am I not surprised? Come to think of it, I did once receive a pair of socks I did not order and that is the answer I received from Amazon!  Not happened again. I guess there are more than sufficient people the world over to not have to repeat us in the con.

Thank you @Dwight. I did not know that. I will have to check how it is here in Georgia.  About machines, my husband  thinks I should investigate getting one, not for a business but for ease of making the things I want - I have arthritis so he worries my hands will ache. My investigations take  a couple of months at least, before I finally decide. In this thread itself, I have got some ideas and brand names, including the ones you mentioned above. I will check the prices on eBay and Facebook Marketplace and new as well. Let's see. The fun is in the investigation as well.

 

Edited June 4, 2023 by SUP

[billybopp]

As for Amazon reviews, I never did trust the numbers other than a starting point for more review - even if the calculations are correct!   Read the actual reviews with a critical eye.  Some sellers have indeed been caught pumping up their own reviews at times, but even ordinary reviews can be very revealing.  I try to look at both positive and negative feedback. Different folks have different definitions of what a good/bad item is too!!

Some made up examples like those I've seen:

"Received this item fifteen minutes ago, a whole day earlier than I expected!  Five stars" ... Tells you NOTHING about the item itself.  

"I plugged it in and the lights came on.  Five stars."  ... Yeah, but does it work?  Does it do what it's supposed to?  Who knows!

"I've been using this for over a month and it does everything it should do and is very nice looking.  Five stars."  ... Now that's a decent review that is worth one in the plus column.

"I just got this thing and the shade of green is two shades different from what the picture showed.  One star."  ... Who in their right mind buys a thing looking for a very specific color using internet pictures?  And how is it otherwise??

"UPS lost my package.  One Star." .... Seriously???   I've seen it!!

- Bill

[Northmount]

43 minutes ago, billybopp said:

As for Amazon reviews

@SUP

I have looked up Amazon reviews on a lot of items.  In many cases, there are multiple types and models of stuff all being reviewed in one category, so for the most part, the reviews are useless.

 

[fredk]

Back onto subject; I too have a Tippmann Boss. But I've not yet used it in anger. Two things I can't get my head around is that its a lock-stitch and uses much thinner thread than wot I use for hand sewing. I suppose the lockstitch could be ok and using the Boss would be quicker but I'm rather stupid in thinking that my hand sewing saddle stitch is superior and somehow the lockstitch with thinner thread would make my 'hand-made' items inferior and just 'not as good'    

However - I have some items I want to make in thick leather so I'm going 'half-way house' with the Boss. I'll use it to make the holes for me to saddle stitch. Clever, eh, ? I bet none of youse ever thought of doing that!     

[kgg]

2 hours ago, SUP said:

About machines, my husband  thinks I should investigate getting one, not for a business but for ease of making the things I want - I have arthritis so he worries my hands will ache.

I would definitely investigate getting a machine particularly since hand stitching will probably aggravate your arthritis. My mother use to love to sew all sorts of garments, hand knitted everything from socks to heavy real wool sweaters and use sign language for her day job. When she turned about 50 her arthritis got so bad she could hardly sign anymore let allow sew or knit. My advice is put the needles down and get a sewing machine to reduce the stress on your hands.

Determine what items you would like to sew and what items you eventually would like to sew and purchase a motorized sewing machine accordingly. I think the one armed bandits like the Tippmann Boss ($1000 - $1575 USD) , Cowboy Outlaw ($1400 USD) and the Master Tool Cub by Weaver ($2000 USD) will also aggravate your arthritis but not as bad as hand stitching will eventually.

1 hour ago, billybopp said:

As for Amazon reviews,

I look at the bottom rating reviews for items, the ones giving the bottom end reviews. I think those probably give a more accurate view of what to expect.

kgg

[SUP]

@kgg, I gather the 3 machines you mentioned are manual ones? The motorized ones will be much more expensive. I know I have heard of Consew but there are so many of them. Also I believe Singer has some sturdy ones.. are they sturdy enough for leatherwork?

I only plan to make bags, footwear, knife sheaths - simple ones. I know I will not make saddles, chaps etc.

I have been looking up Consew to start. On their site, there are so many options, it is bewildering. Are there specific requirements that are a must when selecting a machine?

I think I need to investigate the threads here about sewing machines. 

The thing is, hand stitching leather is, for me, a relaxing activity. The fragrance of the leather, the waxed thread, my large stitching horse, the rhythmic movements of stitching .. I do it when I am tired and it rejuvenates me. So a machine might take away all that. But needs must, I suppose. 

@Fredk, great idea to use it for holes for stitching. Sometimes that is more time consuming and a bit of a pain.

Edited June 4, 2023 by SUP

[AlZilla]

3 hours ago, SUP said:

About machines, my husband  thinks I should investigate getting one, not for a business but for ease of making the things I want

My friend, you are now standing at the top of a slippery slope.  Here's how it goes... For so much money you can get machine X that will do what you need. But look, for another couple hundred, you can get machine Y that does another thing you might need.  You're this far, so what about another little bit for machine Z?  The hook for me was a 16" cylinder arm, you know, just in case I ever want to make a western style gun belt, so I have enough room to turn it.

It took me the better part of a day to disassemble that giant sewing machine, drag it up the narrow, steep stairs and reassemble it all...

Yes indeed. I'm ready to make that gun belt now ...

Now, I want an Outlaw so I can set up a mobile workshop! Not that I have anywhere to go sew leather, but wouldn't it be cool?