Topics Needed

[johnggrg]

Been comming back here several times a week to see if anyone has made a new post. No one has. Does no one have ANYTHING to ask or show or anything?????????????????

I know I am not the only one to notice this. I would like to learn some more from all the talant we have here. Show us your new project or explain something or anything. Come one people has to be something you want to see or read about here.

Sorry don't mean to rant. John

[bison]

Hi John,

Honestly I never even knew this part of the forum existed! I usually post in Critique my work. I do mostly books, etc, so this is a good place for me, now I know it's here. I'm putting up a few images of some things I've done in the past few months. Let me know what you think. The first one is made using the raw edge of a 7-8 oz veg tanned leather. My customers like the rustic look. It is filled with 70# artist drawing paper and the paper is hand sewn into the leather. The second is a custom executive portfolio. The client specified the design. I used the European tanned leather on that one. It holds an 8.5 x 11 notebook on the inside, and also has a place for extra papers and business cards inside. The third image shows that. The fourth image is made from oiled/stoned leather, with contrasting details and a tooled medallion on the front. It's a large artist sketch book and has over 200 pages of 70# paper hand sewn into it. The final portfolio was a Christmas gift for my son-in-law. He's currently stationed at the Air Force Institute of Technology studying computer/space technology. I thought he might need a little something to take notes on.

Dave

[johnggrg]

Bison thanks for posting. Looks great!! all of them. Like the way you incorperated the air force symbol on the cover very nice. Keep posting this area needs it. Thanks again. John

[bison]

Well, thanks for the nudge John!

[dragonspit]

John,

I understand and also come here quite a bit and disappointed when there isnt anything new. Keep in mind, there are 15 pages of previous stuff and a lot of it really nice to. But I cant complain as I have not been diligent in posting as well, so how can I whine. I am a newb as well. I have done all of 3 things since starting leather, a tandy wallet, an office type notepad holder I did mostly to practice tooling and assembling that type of thng. someone saw it, asked me to make another and I have. I am 90% complete. I promised when I was done I would post and will. however, right now I tried my smart phone camera and cant get the images small enough to post here. I plan on taking pictures this weekend and see if I cant load all this stuff better. Once I get that done i will. I have another new request for a Bible cover. already have most of the design worked out....in my head.

Dave,

Awesome, i mean really nice stuff. Envious. I have a question if you dont mind. On the first piece, some of the line work on the very outside, doesnt look like a standard swivel knife cut, more like a double beveled line only. How did you do that? I have seen it and thought it was simply a cut, then a double edge beveler. well I tried that and it dont look anything like that. or maybe, I just need to practice more. I would like to be able to do some line work like that.

second, the color on the executive portfolio, what is that? its so lush and just freakn nice. I want that color, actually I think the bible cover would look really nice. but I dont have a very big selection of dyes or stains. and for that matter, I really need to start to understand dyes and stains. there is a whole section here devoted to it, but you could spend months just reading it all. I wonder if there is anything that simplifies what each is, what they do, how to thin, if to thin or change the color. its endless.

ok, lunch time over, but John i watch this all the time. maybe we just need to be more diligent. to be honest, some of the other areas I am interested in are similar. You get posts sporadically and sometimes in runs. but only the general topics are constant. takes many of us time to make anything, specially us new guys, sloooooooow.

Bob

[johnggrg]

Bison and Dragonspit thank you both for your replies. As for all the other pages. I read them all already. Sponge still not full. Besides I really enjoy seeing all the great stuff people make here and in all the other areas. Lots of talant and skill here. You just don't know what you will see next. John

[dragonspit]

Bison and Dragonspit thank you both for your replies. As for all the other pages. I read them all already. Sponge still not full. Besides I really enjoy seeing all the great stuff people make here and in all the other areas. Lots of talant and skill here. You just don't know what you will see next. John

yeah, i know what you mean. I keep going back to the pages hoping I missed some thing cool, lol. You really dont know what you will see next. we have all heard the phrase there is more ways than one to skin a cat, here ya get to see the same items, done so differently. I have already learned, sometimes, you just gotta go with it, and damn the torpedos, or the right way, or,....whatever, just do it and live with it.

[bison]

Hi Bob,

Thanks for the kind words. The first one is based on a Craftaid, that I did inverted beveling on. I cut the lines with the swivel knife then beveled in towards line on both sides. I takes a little practice. I did the same on the outside border on the executive portfolio. On that one for the color, I started with saddle tan thinned 2:1, then followed with British Tan at 2:1, then Light Brown, 2:1, Acrylic Resolene applied with a damp sponge several thin coats as resist, then Dark Brown antique (I used the Tandy gel stuff), then buff with sheepskin/wool, then final coat of AR, buff, and then Leather Balm with Atom wax. The only way I know how to get the finish I want is to try it out on a piece of scrap from the same piece of leather I'm using to make the book, since they all seem to take it just a bit differently. But I have all sorts of scraps in my Dye bin that have all different dyes on them and I've marked what they are with a sharpie. Keep on working at it. It is very rewarding.

Dave

John,

I understand and also come here quite a bit and disappointed when there isnt anything new. Keep in mind, there are 15 pages of previous stuff and a lot of it really nice to. But I cant complain as I have not been diligent in posting as well, so how can I whine. I am a newb as well. I have done all of 3 things since starting leather, a tandy wallet, an office type notepad holder I did mostly to practice tooling and assembling that type of thng. someone saw it, asked me to make another and I have. I am 90% complete. I promised when I was done I would post and will. however, right now I tried my smart phone camera and cant get the images small enough to post here. I plan on taking pictures this weekend and see if I cant load all this stuff better. Once I get that done i will. I have another new request for a Bible cover. already have most of the design worked out....in my head.

Dave,

Awesome, i mean really nice stuff. Envious. I have a question if you dont mind. On the first piece, some of the line work on the very outside, doesnt look like a standard swivel knife cut, more like a double beveled line only. How did you do that? I have seen it and thought it was simply a cut, then a double edge beveler. well I tried that and it dont look anything like that. or maybe, I just need to practice more. I would like to be able to do some line work like that.

second, the color on the executive portfolio, what is that? its so lush and just freakn nice. I want that color, actually I think the bible cover would look really nice. but I dont have a very big selection of dyes or stains. and for that matter, I really need to start to understand dyes and stains. there is a whole section here devoted to it, but you could spend months just reading it all. I wonder if there is anything that simplifies what each is, what they do, how to thin, if to thin or change the color. its endless.

ok, lunch time over, but John i watch this all the time. maybe we just need to be more diligent. to be honest, some of the other areas I am interested in are similar. You get posts sporadically and sometimes in runs. but only the general topics are constant. takes many of us time to make anything, specially us new guys, sloooooooow.

Bob

[dragonspit]

Hi Bob,

Thanks for the kind words. The first one is based on a Craftaid, that I did inverted beveling on. I cut the lines with the swivel knife then beveled in towards line on both sides. I takes a little practice. I did the same on the outside border on the executive portfolio. On that one for the color, I started with saddle tan thinned 2:1, then followed with British Tan at 2:1, then Light Brown, 2:1, Acrylic Resolene applied with a damp sponge several thin coats as resist, then Dark Brown antique (I used the Tandy gel stuff), then buff with sheepskin/wool, then final coat of AR, buff, and then Leather Balm with Atom wax. The only way I know how to get the finish I want is to try it out on a piece of scrap from the same piece of leather I'm using to make the book, since they all seem to take it just a bit differently. But I have all sorts of scraps in my Dye bin that have all different dyes on them and I've marked what they are with a sharpie. Keep on working at it. It is very rewarding.

Dave

thanks for the help, its awesome. Im afraid I got the bug a bit with this stuff, I am always thinking about next and what and onward. So, you used dye's, but you thinned them, what did you thin them with? and what is acrylic resolene, well, I will go search that, sure its out here somewhere. anyway I do appreciate it. I finished my project, will take it home, take pictures and try to upload when I am home this weekend.

Bob

[dragonspit]

test. if this works decent I'll put up all 4 picks on a new post.

thats not to bad, lighting could be better. I will start a new post later today.

Edited March 8, 2011 by dragonspit

[bison]

That's pretty sharp! I like the layout of the interior. The only comment I would have is to make sure you use a stitch groover to set a nice straight line for your stitches.

I use the Feibings pro oil dyes. they're not oil-based, so not sure why they named them that, but I thin with denatured alchohol. A/R is sold at Tandys, Springfield, etc. It is an acrylic finish that can be used as a resist, and as a finish to provide protection from scratches, water, etc.

[dragonspit]

That's pretty sharp! I like the layout of the interior. The only comment I would have is to make sure you use a stitch groover to set a nice straight line for your stitches.

I use the Feibings pro oil dyes. they're not oil-based, so not sure why they named them that, but I thin with denatured alchohol. A/R is sold at Tandys, Springfield, etc. It is an acrylic finish that can be used as a resist, and as a finish to provide protection from scratches, water, etc.

Embarrassed to say, I used grooved a stitch line. maybe I needed to go deeper. and I ran over it with a wheel and hammer when done, as per Al's book. I did struggle with a new thread. it broke a couple of times, which was unusual for me, but I will note my likes and dislikes on my next post.

thanx for the info on the dyes, I am going to do something different for the next project.