Tooled Purse

[hidepounder]

Here is a project recently finished for the gear show in Elko. Made of 5/6 oz Hermann Oak and lined with 2/3 oz. Panels and bottom of gusset all have 4 mil styrene stiffeners.Shoulder strap lining, gusset exterior and interior lining all are finger carved. Sewn with 69 nylon thread. Sterling silver is from Silver King in CA . All critiques welcomed as always.

[MarkB]

Bob

Very Nice Thanks for sharing it with us. Your work makes me try harder.

Mark

[Houlihan]

Here is a project recently finished for the gear show in Elko. Made of 5/6 oz Hermann Oak and lined with 2/3 oz. Panels and bottom of gusset all have 4 mil styrene stiffeners.Shoulder strap lining, gusset exterior and interior lining all are finger carved. Sewn with 69 nylon thread. Sterling silver is from Silver King in CA . All critiques welcomed as always.

Bob

That is some of your best work yet, thanks for sharing. I hope to be half as good someday.

Wes

[BondoBobCustomSaddles]

Bob,

As always, I love to look at your work. It only serves to make me work to get to the next level with my tooling. Thanks loads for sharing, wish you were located up here in this area so we could collaborate on a saddle together!

Bob

[Ferg]

Here is a project recently finished for the gear show in Elko. Made of 5/6 oz Hermann Oak and lined with 2/3 oz. Panels and bottom of gusset all have 4 mil styrene stiffeners.Shoulder strap lining, gusset exterior and interior lining all are finger carved. Sewn with 69 nylon thread. Sterling silver is from Silver King in CA . All critiques welcomed as always.

Bob,

I choke up every time I see another of your creations. I sit and study your work and cannot believe the attention to detail. I shall not live long enough to become

the Leather artist you have become.

Thanks again for your kindness when answering my many questions.

ferg

[wvcraftsman]

Well, since your asking for crtiques, here it goes....

1.

2.

3.

I can keep going if needed.

Seriously, as always Bob, your work is simply amazing!!!

[Shelly]

Hi Bob -

Beautiful work, as always - just when we think you have reached the top, you surpass yourself!! I do have a few questions - you mentioned that you used #69 nylon thread - what machine are you sewing it on - only the interior, or all parts, including the outside panels? How many stitches per inch?

I would love to make a trip to AZ and come learn something from you! Wish I still lived there sometimes...I was raised in the Phoenix area, and moved to NM in 1986, then to OK for 3 years, in 1995, now in Mineral Wells, since 1998....this area reminds me more of AZ than any other, just don't have the saguaros, barrel cacti, etc - we do have some cactus. Lots more humidity, so that's the trade-off for having grass!

Thanks!

Shelly

[DaveJohnson]

Great piece Bob - agree with all the previous comments on the quality, detail and inspirational value - the swivel knife detail is to be envied !! But I can hear you saying "it comes with hours and hours of practice" !!

Thank you for sharing and inspiring once again.

Just one question - with the dyed and burnished top front panel edge in contact with the natural inner lining of the flap, do you get a coloration line on the inside of the flap over time, or is there a way of sealing and preventing this ?

Cheers Dave

[Glock21]

That is simply stunning! Very inspirational to me as a newcomer to this form of art. I will probably never be that good with a swivel kniofe but I will try hard!!!

Here is a project recently finished for the gear show in Elko. Made of 5/6 oz Hermann Oak and lined with 2/3 oz. Panels and bottom of gusset all have 4 mil styrene stiffeners.Shoulder strap lining, gusset exterior and interior lining all are finger carved. Sewn with 69 nylon thread. Sterling silver is from Silver King in CA . All critiques welcomed as always.

[JustKate]

Well, since your asking for crtiques, here it goes....

1.

2.

3.

I can keep going if needed.

Seriously, as always Bob, your work is simply amazing!!!

Kate

[dragonspit]

what can one say. its simply beautiful work, as always.

[Crystal]

Another goregeous bag! And I believe I see the buckle holes on the "spot".

Oh, I dream of doing work this nice.

Crystal

[bkingery]

UHHHH Critique what Bob. I think you should just tell us what part of perfection YOU think is wrong with it and then the rest of us will try our best to do half as good as that.

I bow to you sir. :notworthy: :notworthy: . I truly am not worthy.

Peace and Love

Bryan

[arbalet12]

Beautiful work

[Helda Huginkiss]

WOW!!! That is awesome. Thank you for sharing your pictures and your expertise with us.

[Chief31794]

I don't understand this at all Bob, I carve just like you, swivel knife in right hand, stamps in left with maul in right, but yet the end result isn't quite the same by like about a million miles. This is some of the best work I've ever seen and I've been to the Stohlman Museum. I know people might think this is sacrilage but to me I think your work is head and shoulders above anyone else including Al Stohlman's. Absolutely beautiful!!!! I've never seen anyone as good with a swivel knife as you.

Ken

[pepin1948]

Probably, Bob, you are the best in the world...I´m not the only who has this opinion...

Congratulations

[rcsaddles]

Beautiful work, Bob. When I grow up, I want to be able to tool half that good.

[pete]

Beautiful work as always!

Question- if you don't mind.

What kind (color, wt. brand) of leather do you use for this project? I have a whole slew of oils that I need as the leathers all have some differences. The last batch was so "white" that I had to use my old reliable neats+chocolate dye mix after tooling just to give it some color. And is that med. brown paste?

Also- did you use a double beader to make the tracks on each side of the beads, or do you cut the lines , bevel, and use a single beader.

Thanks for the great work. You are an inspiration!

pete

Edited January 21, 2011 by pete

[bead]

Excellent job.

[hidepounder]

Thanks everybody for all the great compliments. It's heartwarming to know your friends appreciate your efforts and it inspires me to do a better job!

Bobby

[BIGGUNDOCTOR]

Beautiful work, even though I have never been a huge fan of this style of carving. It is usually too busy for my taste, but you make it look good. How long does it take you to make something like this?

The swivel knife work reminds me of the engravings done on guns, or automotive pinstriping. I had not seen this technique until joining this forum. It adds a nice touch to the piece. How does it hold up to wear, and tear from use? Does it open up any, or collect goobers like dust, etc?

[joquarter]

Just one word: Beautiful.

[hidepounder]

Beautiful work, even though I have never been a huge fan of this style of carving. It is usually too busy for my taste, but you make it look good. How long does it take you to make something like this?

The swivel knife work reminds me of the engravings done on guns, or automotive pinstriping. I had not seen this technique until joining this forum. It adds a nice touch to the piece. How does it hold up to wear, and tear from use? Does it open up any, or collect goobers like dust, etc?

I don't want to say how many hours I have in this because it's embarrassing, LOL! I can tell you however that making the interiors on these items is very slow because I skive and turn every single edge by hand and line every piece. The finger cutting holds up very well and will collect a little dust as all carving does. Thanks for your comments.

Bobby

[roanypony]

Here is a project recently finished for the gear show in Elko. Made of 5/6 oz Hermann Oak and lined with 2/3 oz. Panels and bottom of gusset all have 4 mil styrene stiffeners.Shoulder strap lining, gusset exterior and interior lining all are finger carved. Sewn with 69 nylon thread. Sterling silver is from Silver King in CA . All critiques welcomed as always.

I absolutely love this! Nice job. I would only hope to be able to do work as nice as yours some day.

Malary