1st finished project in over 20 years

[zman7458]

just finished this and I have to say I think I enjoy this more now than I did way back when. I've been trying to remember how old I was when I quit playing with leather and I want to say around 20 years old, so I guess its been more like 30 years. my how time flies, it seems like only yesterday. well anyway, I hope you like it, but if you see something I can do to improve please be free with any advise you have to offer. I did the edges in double cordovan, I would like to have done the round/mexican basketweave, but I chickened out at the last minute. I need to see some more of how you pro's do that before I'll feel confident enough to attempt it. perhaps my next project.

[lindatt]

beautiful work..lYou've still got it!!! Linda

[Ian]

That braid looks primo - the whole thing looks great

[zman7458]

beautiful work..lYou've still got it!!! Linda

thanks Linda, I would like to think so anyhow. it really makes me itch to get on with my bigger projects, but little baby steps at first right?

That braid looks primo - the whole thing looks great

thank you Ian. I was worried that the brading might throw me, but I muddled through and only got stumped at the very end where they meet. I re did that several times before I got it right.

[Spider]

Zman, this is awesome. Wow. So first I have to get as good as you then I could take a break and then I can continue like you and still be awesome. WOW NICE

[walletman]

hi its very good

[Tae]

Wow that is AWESOME!

I have a stylistic q though: why did you choose the right side to have a black border and not the left?

[zman7458]

Zman, this is awesome. Wow. So first I have to get as good as you then I could take a break and then I can continue like you and still be awesome. WOW NICE

thanks Spider, that means alot comming from you. I love your stuff, my minds eye could use the skew that yours has (grin). as for talent I don't think you have to worry about that from what I've seen.

hi its very good

thanks for the compliment Walletman.

[zman7458]

Wow that is AWESOME!

I have a stylistic q though: why did you choose the right side to have a black border and not the left?

thanks Tae, you have to look really really close , but the border (you mean the ring right?) is actually burgundy. I was using a 50 percent wash to get a lighter color, but it kept comming out uneven and in the process of elimnating streaks it turned too dark on me. I wanted the burgundy to sit next to the redish color of the background. the background of the dragons are both the same color, but the matting changed the tone of the one on the back. I did this project to test out how the dyes are affected by different tooling and application techniques. sometimes that works out good, other times not so much.

[David]

Zman,

Good looking job....by all means give the basketweave or round braid a try. None of this stuff is rocket science....it is just time consuming. Get Tandy's booklet How to Lace, item no. 6004-00 I think it is about $5. It explains it well, a little practice on some scrap and you'll be doing it in no time.

Dave Theobald

[zman7458]

Zman,

Good looking job....by all means give the basketweave or round braid a try. None of this stuff is rocket science....it is just time consuming. Get Tandy's booklet How to Lace, item no. 6004-00 I think it is about $5. It explains it well, a little practice on some scrap and you'll be doing it in no time.

Dave Theobald

Thanks David, no not rocket science. if it were though, you would be at NASA right now. thanks to your braiding/lacing the magnify button on my mouse is worn to a nubbin. yep, thats the book I have, and if I'm not mistaken its the exact same book I used almost 30 years ago. one thing I don't agree with Mr. Stohlman is the splicing technique he shows. if you pull your ends down between layers it always makes a slight bulge that is barely visible but visible none the less. I like to lace over my tails, I start lacing over the next peice about 5 to 6 stitches back, and make sure it is laying flat on top of the seam. other than that it is an excellant how to guide tho.

[Myriam]

Beautiful work, zman!

30 years of not working leather, eh? I don't believe it

[Pip]

really beautiful work and welcome back after 30 years

[zman7458]

Beautiful work, zman!30 years of not working leather, eh? I don't believe it

thank you Myriam. 'tis true I haven't played with leather for 30 years, but I have and I guess always will ba a craftsman. in the interum I've played with hand made cabinetry (my pop was a cabinetmaker), all kinds of woodworking, metalworking (actually carving with a dremel), cake decorating ( a long story, but I wound up being an instructor for about a year with Wilton), photography (actually I've been an amatuer shutterbug since 14 years old) and on and on, but I always knew I would come back to leathercraft. it's just too darn fun not to.

really beautiful work and welcome back after 30 years

thanks Pip, its good to be back.

[bustedlifter]

Looks good, kind of like riding a bicycle. Is that a V-Rod I see ?

[zman7458]

Looks good, kind of like riding a bicycle. Is that a V-Rod I see ?

thanks and yessir and yessir it is, its the reason (or should that be excuse) I came back to leatherwork. I paid 800 bucks for a set of plain black saddlebags with the Harley name on them and after a recent trajedy I found that what I thought was a leather seat turned out to be vinyl. so I've decided to rip the Harley bags of their frame and redo both the seat and bags to match. lol don't get me started on motorcycles tho or this will quickly become a vrod forum. phil

[bustedlifter]

They make some bags for Harley not to far from where I live in fabulous Homer, IL. Those V-Rods are a little too new for me, I prefer the shovels and older ones.

[TomSwede]

Lookie lookie here, now this book cover is really beautiful! Love those dragons, they look super when left untouched leather.

Nice brading on the edges too, I like!

Looking forward to see whatever else stuff you will come up with!

Tom

[zman7458]

Those V-Rods are a little too new for me, I prefer the shovels and older ones.

I can relate, I was actually looking for a regular (air cooled) Harley the day I walked in and saw what I consider to be a rolling peice of art sittin' on the showroom floor. the smooth lines and contrast of chrome on jet black plus the low sleek profile still makes my heart race just looking at her, then factor in the fact that I can kick the snot out of anything slower than a rice rocket... . but I do still love the normal Harleys and will most likely have one sittin next to my vrod in a few years. I definately have a soft spot for the old school bikes, bobbers, choppers, rockers all have something to turn my head. I just happen to have fell for the vrod. matter of fact I don't think there is a make or model that I won't stop what I'm doing to watch and listen to it roll by.

Lookie lookie here, now this book cover is really beautiful! Love those dragons, they look super when left untouched leather.Nice brading on the edges too, I like! Looking forward to see whatever else stuff you will come up with!Tom

Thanks Tom, I'm seriously considering an expanding porftolio, just gotta figure the thing out and find something to tool on it.

Edited April 10, 2008 by zman7458

[TomSwede]

Figuring things out is the hardest part and making templates and such. Should I charge for that time no one would buy anything from me, lol.

As soon as all thinking is done a project can come together faster than a fart in the wind.

I wave my stuff around alot in front of friends and that way I get portfolio orders where I have an order for something specific but getting quite free hands on what to tool, lacing, sewing and stuff and they get a pricecut instead. Making new stuff (learning), building up portfolio and get some money to pay off some of the vast amount of money it takes to get a decent shop up on two feet. That's not so bad.

Tom

[zman7458]

Figuring things out is the hardest part and making templates and such. Should I charge for that time no one would buy anything from me, lol.

As soon as all thinking is done a project can come together faster than a fart in the wind.

I wave my stuff around alot in front of friends and that way I get portfolio orders where I have an order for something specific but getting quite free hands on what to tool, lacing, sewing and stuff and they get a pricecut instead. Making new stuff (learning), building up portfolio and get some money to pay off some of the vast amount of money it takes to get a decent shop up on two feet. That's not so bad.

Tom

I know what you mean Tom, but I'm strictly a hobbiest. I do crafts to relax after work not for work. I'll leave that to you pro's. what I meant to say was that my next project will be an expanding portfolio, I'm probably calling it the wrong name. its like an expandable file folder, but with individual sections for different files and a flap. like a brief case, but not as rigid and boxy

[Myriam]

thank you Myriam. 'tis true I haven't played with leather for 30 years, but I have and I guess always will ba a craftsman. in the interum I've played with hand made cabinetry (my pop was a cabinetmaker), all kinds of woodworking, metalworking (actually carving with a dremel), cake decorating ( a long story, but I wound up being an instructor for about a year with Wilton), photography (actually I've been an amatuer shutterbug since 14 years old) and on and on, but I always knew I would come back to leathercraft. it's just too darn fun not to.thanks Pip, its good to be back.

Wow, neat experience. I'd like to try my hand at metalworking one day. Sure would be nice being able to create my own conchos and such. I have so many ideas in my head, just not enough time and money to make 'em all!

[zman7458]

Wow, neat experience. I'd like to try my hand at metalworking one day. Sure would be nice being able to create my own conchos and such. I have so many ideas in my head, just not enough time and money to make 'em all!

it's similar to leather. a different set of tools and alot of time spent behind a magnifying glass. I found carving metal to be a little less forgiving than leather. its really not very expensive to get into a scroll saw, some jewlers files and a dremel with a few basic burrs and your set. oh and a lighted magnifying glass on a arm is a must, but I use that alot with my over 40 eyes (chuckle).

[Gremlin]

1st one in 20 years?? Sure don't look like it. That is amazing work. *VERY* well done.

[TomSwede]

I know what you mean Tom, but I'm strictly a hobbiest. I do crafts to relax after work not for work. I'll leave that to you pro's. what I meant to say was that my next project will be an expanding portfolio, I'm probably calling it the wrong name. its like an expandable file folder, but with individual sections for different files and a flap. like a brief case, but not as rigid and boxy

Oh an expandable portfolio! I just saw the word portfolio and thought "working on my portfolio".

I also consider myself an hobbyist but it sure would be nice to live of this. Papermill work is just plain boring but I'm very well paid with it so hard to break out (+ I'm very low on education). I just love to work with leather and can't really see myself get tired of that.

Tom