Fiddlegirl89 Report post Posted April 26, 2011 OK...for the past few months, I've been doing leatherwork for a guy who helped me out a lot in getting started. He bought me a bunch of high-quality tools, and the idea was for me to buy them from him when I started making a little money. Well, last week we had a nasty business split, and he came and took everything I haven't paid him for. So, now I am in need of a round knife, draw knife, an english point end punch, and a 1 1/2 inch straight slit punch. He said I'd never be able to find these at a high enough quality, but frankly, I don't believe him. He found them, somehow! My brother is a blacksmith, so he is looking into making the punches I need. That still leaves me needing the round knife and draw knife. Any ideas? I looked at Springfield, but I don't really know enough about choosing the tools. Can you help?! I am SO GLAD I bought the sewing machine as soon as he brought it to me!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Luke Hatley Report post Posted April 26, 2011 Take a look at one of the Advertisers on the L W... Osbourne would be a good place to buy, also look at some of the items Bruce Johnson has for sale.Good Luck. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bootsmt Report post Posted April 26, 2011 Hale and co has quality tools from England. You can find some of them on ebay in the store section under haleandco. If you have a problem call me at 406-260-1179 or email me at frankenglishcustomboots@yahoo.com. I don't have his bussiness number with me at the moment. Don't buy from the ebay site you want to call him directly. He is working on his web site. You just have to type in your search on ebay to see the tools. Frank OK...for the past few months, I've been doing leatherwork for a guy who helped me out a lot in getting started. He bought me a bunch of high-quality tools, and the idea was for me to buy them from him when I started making a little money. Well, last week we had a nasty business split, and he came and took everything I haven't paid him for. So, now I am in need of a round knife, draw knife, an english point end punch, and a 1 1/2 inch straight slit punch. He said I'd never be able to find these at a high enough quality, but frankly, I don't believe him. He found them, somehow! My brother is a blacksmith, so he is looking into making the punches I need. That still leaves me needing the round knife and draw knife. Any ideas? I looked at Springfield, but I don't really know enough about choosing the tools. Can you help?! I am SO GLAD I bought the sewing machine as soon as he brought it to me!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dirtclod Report post Posted April 26, 2011 What brand of tools did you use ? If you remember that would be good place to start looking for a supplier or ebay. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bruce johnson Report post Posted April 27, 2011 Take a look at one of the Advertisers on the L W... Osbourne would be a good place to buy, also look at some of the items Bruce Johnson has for sale.Good Luck. Thanks for the nod Luke. I appreciate it. I do have round knives, draw gauges, English points, and slot punches on my site. I have some more I got in the last few weeks I haven't got to yet also. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
roo4u Report post Posted April 27, 2011 wow...took your tools, thats cold. i dont think you will have any trouble finding good tools. do check the site luke recommended...and other than that most places sell osbourne tools. i would be careful about buying anything with an edge from ebay....its too easy to really mess up the edge on those punches. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Fiddlegirl89 Report post Posted April 27, 2011 Thanks so much for the help and ideas, everyone! I couldn't find anything by Hale and Co on Ebay, but I started looking at tools there (hadn't thought of that before...I love Ebay!) and I'm going to spend so much money! I love older tools! As far as the brands I was using, I'm pretty sure they were Osbornes. The guy never talked much about where to find the tools...he made it sound a lot harder than I've found it to be. I already bid on a few tools...an Osborne round knife and an Osborne draw guage. They both look pretty rough, but I can clean them up and I think (or at least, my Dad and brother are sure) they'll look real spiffy by the time we're done with them! I looked at your tools, Mr. Johnson, and they are so impressive! The items I'm bidding on are some of the ones on your website, so I can't wait to get mine shiny and clean! Yeah...cold, and I've found a few other choice words to describe him, but...that's over now. Thanks again! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
infomage Report post Posted April 27, 2011 Just remember what goes around comes around. I try tomake it a practice to never wish someone anything i would not want for myself.Sooner or later i hope it starts paying off. tlong Think Positive Be Positive Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
roo4u Report post Posted April 28, 2011 its ok...she doesnt have to wish him ill....because what you do comes back to bite you and karma has big teeth and never forgets! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
helmethead Report post Posted April 28, 2011 If you have a tax # or have someone that would order for you, could try Weaver. If you go to leathersupply.com you can look at their catalog. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Fiddlegirl89 Report post Posted April 28, 2011 Oh, I'm not wishing him ill at all. I'm just glad I don't have to deal with him! I do have a friend with a tack shop who orders from Weaver, so I'll look at that as well. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Fiddlegirl89 Report post Posted April 29, 2011 Ok...I didn't know what kind of mallet I had, but I found it after a bit of googling! It was the Osborne Split-Head Rawhide Mallet. I see it's pretty doggone expensive, so I guess my question is, is it worth it, or is there a more inexpensive option that would be just as good? Here's a link to an Osborne one for sale on Ebay: http://compare.ebay.com/like/120638552436?var=lv<yp=AllFixedPriceItemTypes&var=sbar&rvr_id=228377816630&crlp=1_263602_309572&UA=%3F*I8&GUID=4676ccb412f0a0265297cd57ff691df4&itemid=120638552436&ff4=263602_309572 Maybe it would work to buy a more inexpensive one for now and upgrade later? And if so, can anyone recommend a good rawhide mallet? It would help if I knew anything about shopping for rawhide mallets...lol! I'm learning a lot as I go! Thanks! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dirtclod Report post Posted April 29, 2011 If you get a good maul you will throw rocks at the mallet. I know because i used a malletl just like for a couple of years then got a maul daylight and dark difference. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BearMan Report post Posted April 29, 2011 Hi Kayla, What will you be using the Maul/Mallet for? Are you doing tooling,,, or for driving punches? If you need something in-expensive to drive punches with,,, places like Lowes, Home Depot,,, or a local Hardware store carries a replaceable face poly type mallet, that would work just fine for that. They cost about $13.00. One brand is: VAUGHAN 12 Oz. Soft Face Hammer Something like that would get you by, until you could get something better. Here is a link to Lowes, with a picture: http://www.lowes.com/pd_348341-414-SF12_4294857565_4294937087_?productId=3333072&Ns=p_product_prd_lis_ord_nbr|0||p_product_quantity_sold|1&pl=1¤tURL=%2Fpl_Hammers%2BSledges_4294857565_4294937087_%3FNs%3Dp_product_prd_lis_ord_nbr%7C0%7C%7Cp_product_quantity_sold%7C1%26page%3D3 If you're needing something to do tooling with,,, a Maul is the best way to go. Hope this helps,,, Ed the"BearMan" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Fiddlegirl89 Report post Posted April 29, 2011 For now, I'll just be punching...english points on the ends, and slits sometimes. I'd like to try my hand at tooling at some point, but I don't know how...yet. Not knowing how to do something doesn't usually stop me for too long, though! Thanks for the info! I see that you make Bible cases...my Dad has really been wanting to make Bible cases for a while. I made mine several years ago, but it isn't really any good. I'm the only one in the family who knows anything at all about leatherwork, and I don't know that much, so it's going to be interesting! I'm looking forward to figuring out how to make new things... I realize that the price on tools shouldn't be the big deal, because high quality is best...but, my budget for getting started again is pretty small, and I'd like to save as much for leather as I can. It will be a while before I'm selling enough to get out of the hole! So, for now, I'm trying to balance quality with price! Thanks again! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bootsmt Report post Posted May 1, 2011 Hale and co is no longer on ebay, he has his site up( still tweeking it) he sells Barnsley leather tools. His site is www.haleandco.com and the site to view all his tools is www.bonanza.com under sellr name haleandco. His bussiness phone number is on both sites, suggest you speak to him in person, he very knowledgable and old school about leather work. Frank Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Fiddlegirl89 Report post Posted May 13, 2011 Well, in the past couple of weeks, I've been a little too Ebay-happy! The way I figure, I can get tools that look a little rough and clean them up. So, that's what I did/am doing! So far, I've gotten a round knife, mallet, another fid, and 3 draw gauges. The draw gauges are where I went a little crazy...! Here are a few pictures of 2 of the draw gauges. I don't have pictures of the third that I bought from Ebay...just got it today and I haven't cleaned it up at all. The all metal draw gauge was one I found at a local antique shop for a steal. Before/mid-cleaning... I didn't get a lot of pictures before I shined them up nicely. So here they are all cleaned up. I was able to get all the rulers shined up nicely as well. They look a LOT better than they did when I got them! \ Anyway, I'm excited about getting the tools I need, and I'm loving these tools already! It's been great to have all of the gauges here, so I can decide which one feels best for me. My plan is to decide for good which one I want to keep and turn around and sell the others. These are all C.S. Osborne, marked with the Newark, NJ stamp. The third draw gauge (the one I received today) is rosewood and silver, with the silver running down the middle. I'm going to celan it up and get pictues of it as well, but I'm not keeping it...I think I've decided to keep the more coppery looking one of the two above. (The second picture up^ and the one in the middle in the picture of all three.) What do you think...am I crazy?! That's what my family thinks.... Thanks so much for y'all's help! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dirtclod Report post Posted May 13, 2011 (edited) They cleaned up real nice. But sometimes cleaning a old tool or anything else ruins the value if you want to resell them to a collector. The rosewood handled ones are he oldest. Guy i used to work for uses blades for utility knife i belive in his strap cutter if you don't to try sharpening the other blades. Edited May 13, 2011 by dirtclod Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
