Cattleman Report post Posted August 3 37 minutes ago, SUP said: I can imagine. All that hard work and the beautiful results. It is heirloom quality. I hope so... If its properly cared for it should out live the owner. Luckily they are people that know how to take care of leather items. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Aventurine Report post Posted August 3 Really good work. I think I'd modify that pattern to center the flower hearts a little better but you made it look good in spite of it!! Great definition. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JDFred Report post Posted August 3 Turned out really nice. The ride along was neat. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MarshalWill Report post Posted August 3 Outstanding! That is a fine example of a good idea carried out properly. Lookin' good! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cattleman Report post Posted August 3 1 hour ago, MarshalWill said: Outstanding! That is a fine example of a good idea carried out properly. Lookin' good! Thank you. I cant take credit for the patterns though. With the exception of the modifications to the tooling pattern, the patterns were created by Don Gonzales Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MarshalWill Report post Posted August 3 48 minutes ago, Cattleman said: Thank you. I cant take credit for the patterns though. With the exception of the modifications to the tooling pattern, the patterns were created by Don Gonzales Well, then Kudos to you both. It takes good craftsmanship to get a good end product, though, so that gets credited to you. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Brokenolmarine Report post Posted September 12 (edited) Very nice... I had no idea what custom work brings. I've been making original tooled leather custom work for family as gifts for several years and they all take it for granted. Edited September 12 by Brokenolmarine Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Herbie Report post Posted September 12 Very nice work! Something I can aspire to! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cattleman Report post Posted September 13 On 9/11/2024 at 8:01 PM, Brokenolmarine said: Very nice... I had no idea what custom work brings. I've been making original tooled leather custom work for family as gifts for several years and they all take it for granted. Thank You. I do items for family as gifts as well. My dad has a rifle sling I made him for christmas 2 years ago. It would have been in the $300 range as a custom order. My brother-in-law jas a pocket knife belt sheath I made last Christmas, it would have been around $100. This purse is by far the biggest ticket item I've made to date. But I've done several wallets of various types that range in price from $100 to $300, a few belts in the $200 range, and several knife sheaths from $75 to $150. Custom work can indeed bring a pretty penny. But more often than not, someone really likes something I've made and wants to place an order... Until I give them a quote, then they get all huffy and start talking about how they can get it on etsy or some other place for alot less. I tell them all the same thing, "You're not buying the leather, or even my time. You're buying the art and the quality." Sometimes they reconsider after I explain some things, other times I know its just a waste of my time to try so I send them on thier way with, "If you change your mind you know how to find me." Ive never had a customer complain about the final product, or the price once they have the item in thier hands. And many of my customers have become return clients that order something from me once or twice a year. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cattleman Report post Posted September 13 On 9/11/2024 at 9:26 PM, Herbie said: Very nice work! Something I can aspire to! Thank you, but I'm still aspiring myself. Believe it or not ive only been doing leather work for about 4 years. Completely self taught, with many hours of watching true masters either in person or on YouTube. It all started with a simple belt I made my young son out of chap leather. I had posted some pictures on trucking forum, that I'm a member of, where someone noticed the very even hand stitching. They wanted a good heavy duty working mans belt, I offered to make it in exchange for some materials. From there its just gone up, slowly but steadily. Apply yourself and you can make anything you set your mind to. I love to see customers eyes light up when I can personally hand them thier finished order. And then when they give me feed back like, "I'll never buy another belt from a store again. Yours is just so much more comfortable." Or, "I will use this until I'm gone, then my son will have it... Probably until he's gone. You really do make a quality product." Thats what I strive for... A usable product that will will become something that is passed down. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MarshalWill Report post Posted September 13 10 hours ago, Cattleman said: Apply yourself and you can make anything you set your mind to. I love to see customers eyes light up when I can personally hand them thier finished order. And then when they give me feed back like, "I'll never buy another belt from a store again. Yours is just so much more comfortable." Or, "I will use this until I'm gone, then my son will have it... Probably until he's gone. You really do make a quality product." Thats what I strive for... A usable product that will will become something that is passed down. This is what quality leather is about. It's the real reward. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
JH837 Report post Posted Saturday at 07:21 PM @Cattleman First of all you did an AMAZING JOB Tooling and making this Purse!!!! I just bought this pattern pack from DG and I’m about to start making it for my wife for our anniversary as a gift but I will be hand sewing it as I don’t have a sewing machine. Tandy manager told me I can always bring a project in and she will be happy to let me use the demo machine but I just feel like bettering my hand stitching as I enjoy it and will not be able to afford a machine for a long time anyways so I may as well keep focusing on bettering my saddle stitch technique so I’m consistent with the results. What weight did you use for the main body panels 9/10oz? I have some 9/10 and also some 6/7 and plan on using 10 for the rear panel with flap and front panel and then I was going to use the 6/7 on pocket sections and I have some nice 5/6 pebbled grain chrome tan dark brown with a lighter brown pull up that’s somewhat waxy I was thinking I’d use for the gusset. It looks like you used veg tan for gusset as well am I correct? Your build turned out so so nice and it will definitely last many many decades when cared for and I’m sure the customers wife will absolutely treasure that purse !! I really hope i can accomplish results even half as nice as you did. My main concern is having the proper moisture content when I start cutting my lines in. I wet the leather grain and flesh side until water doesn’t absorb very fast on grain side then I let it sit until color starts to get back to somewhat original color then put in a sealed bag in the fridge overnight and then take it out and let it sit until it’s fully back to its normal color and put it up to my cheek and when it is dry to the touch but cold from the moisture inside I start working on it but still my cuts at first look like it’s too wet so I’m kind of nervous about the casing but the tooling not so much just going to do the best I can and be happy with the results yet strive to keep getting better each time I carve. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cattleman Report post Posted Monday at 04:47 PM On 12/7/2024 at 12:21 PM, JH837 said: @Cattleman First of all you did an AMAZING JOB Tooling and making this Purse!!!! I just bought this pattern pack from DG and I’m about to start making it for my wife for our anniversary as a gift but I will be hand sewing it as I don’t have a sewing machine. Tandy manager told me I can always bring a project in and she will be happy to let me use the demo machine but I just feel like bettering my hand stitching as I enjoy it and will not be able to afford a machine for a long time anyways so I may as well keep focusing on bettering my saddle stitch technique so I’m consistent with the results. What weight did you use for the main body panels 9/10oz? I have some 9/10 and also some 6/7 and plan on using 10 for the rear panel with flap and front panel and then I was going to use the 6/7 on pocket sections and I have some nice 5/6 pebbled grain chrome tan dark brown with a lighter brown pull up that’s somewhat waxy I was thinking I’d use for the gusset. It looks like you used veg tan for gusset as well am I correct? Your build turned out so so nice and it will definitely last many many decades when cared for and I’m sure the customers wife will absolutely treasure that purse !! I really hope i can accomplish results even half as nice as you did. My main concern is having the proper moisture content when I start cutting my lines in. I wet the leather grain and flesh side until water doesn’t absorb very fast on grain side then I let it sit until color starts to get back to somewhat original color then put in a sealed bag in the fridge overnight and then take it out and let it sit until it’s fully back to its normal color and put it up to my cheek and when it is dry to the touch but cold from the moisture inside I start working on it but still my cuts at first look like it’s too wet so I’m kind of nervous about the casing but the tooling not so much just going to do the best I can and be happy with the results yet strive to keep getting better each time I carve. I used 6/7 oz veg tan for all the body and pockets. The gusset and lining is out of 6/7 chap leather. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
