March 2012 Challenge

[PL01]

Yeah, I'm at a point right now where I'd rather be putting product out then making a pile of random designs. So, anything I do has got to be able to be sold.

I'm the same, not one for waste. I didn't have a use for this knot, not until Sunday morning.

My little bundle of fluff was put down.

Mimmi

So I added this to it.

[Sylvia]

My little bundle of fluff was put down.

Mimmi

So sorry for your loss.... sometimes I think a loss of a pet can be worse than the loss of a family member or friend.

[chancey77]

I'm the same, not one for waste. I didn't have a use for this knot, not until Sunday morning.

My little bundle of fluff was put down.

That sucks! Sorry dude!

[Cyberthrasher]

Man, really sorry to hear that.

[PL01]

So sorry for your loss.... sometimes I think a loss of a pet can be worse than the loss of a family member or friend.

That sucks! Sorry dude!

Man, really sorry to hear that.

Thanks for that.

Time to get back to the Knots

[Domino]

This was my first attempt at braiding. It's one continous piece of thonging and I got the nice grey shades by doing it wrong and unpicking numerous times.. I really should have practiced with simpler stuff first!

I bought the thonging, so I've not used any tools.. Though I guess we should count the thong cutter and scissors, so I guess it's two

[Cyberthrasher]

This was my first attempt at braiding. It's one continous piece of thonging and I got the nice grey shades by doing it wrong and unpicking numerous times.. I really should have practiced with simpler stuff first!

I bought the thonging, so I've not used any tools.. Though I guess we should count the thong cutter and scissors, so I guess it's two

Great job!! That's the first non-carved piece we've had this month and it looks great.

[PL01]

This was my first attempt at braiding. It's one continous piece of thonging and I got the nice grey shades by doing it wrong and unpicking numerous times.. I really should have practiced with simpler stuff first!

I bought the thonging, so I've not used any tools.. Though I guess we should count the thong cutter and scissors, so I guess it's two

Nice one, somebody thinking outside the box

[Domino]

Glad you like my little entry

My swivel bevel blade turned up in the post this morning, so along with the hollow ground blade I got earlier in the week, I figured doing another entry for the challenge would be good practice in using them.. I dug through my offcuts looking for a sacrificial piece of leather and choose a long piece that's almost triangular. I knocked up a design to fit it in inkscape and am waiting for the printer ink to dry while the leather is casing.. Here's what I plan on doing..

[Sylvia]

I knocked up a design to fit it in inkscape and am waiting for the printer ink to dry while the leather is casing.. Here's what I plan on doing..

Dang! I gotta get better at inkscape.

[Domino]

Dang! I gotta get better at inkscape.

Dang! I gotta get better at leatherwork...

That did not go well... I'd pretty much finished before I figured out how to use the bevelling blade.. It seems to work better leant a lot further over than I did the majority with. It didn't start behaving until it was about 45 degrees to the leather.. Then suddenly it was bevelling smoothly with less pressure and I had more control over it.. If only I'd started with the small stuff!

Not much of a competition entry, but I certainly needed the practice

[PL01]

Not much of a competition entry, but I certainly needed the practice

Good job it's a challenge and not a competition

Keep at it

[Domino]

Good job it's a challenge and not a competition

Keep at it

Well. 6 hours learning braiding and nightmare figuring out new tools.. I was most challenged so do I win?

[Sylvia]

Domino:

You are getting better. These are just for fun and practice. They help us move outside of our comfort zones and let us discover new talents.

I think this turned out great... I even like the variance of the beveling... it almost echos the fore-shortening of the knot itself. (which makes sense if you think about it.)

Oh and so I don't have to angle my blade so much I took a file to mine and change the angle of the plastic. I'm not sure why they are so flat on the end as the come from the factory... but I've altered mine enough that I can use it straight up and down.

Edited March 26, 2012 by Sylvia

[Domino]

You are getting better. These are just for fun and practice. They help us move outside of our comfort zones and let us discover new talents.

I look forward to the day when I have a comfort zone

Oh and so I don't have to angle my blade so much I took a file to mine and change the angle of the plastic.

It's a bit hard to tell the exact modification from your picture, but it looks like you made the bevel steeper?

It's not leaning into and out of the bevel edge that made the difference, but leaning along it.

So there I would be bevelling towards the bike, pulling the blade along the edge rather than trying to push down into it.. There was a noticable point where the work shifted from my finger to my wrist when leaning the blade over like that..It literally felt like I'd been fighting the tool and suddenly found how to let it do the work.

[Sylvia]

I look forward to the day when I have a comfort zone

It's a bit hard to tell the exact modification from your picture, but it looks like you made the bevel steeper?

You will have a comfort zone eventually. I personally HATE to do basket weave and similar geometric stamps. I'm not fond of those darn 3d stamps either. lol So they are not in my comfort zone at all.

Yes, I file a the angle quite steep. Now I just jam the pointed end in into the cut and slide. No angles, no fuss... hardly any pressure.

[Cyberthrasher]

It's not leaning into and out of the bevel edge that made the difference, but leaning along it.

So there I would be bevelling towards the bike, pulling the blade along the edge rather than trying to push down into it.. There was a noticable point where the work shifted from my finger to my wrist when leaning the blade over like that..It literally felt like I'd been fighting the tool and suddenly found how to let it do the work.

Yeah, you'll want to use it just like your blade. Granted, your angle is pretty extreme compared to what I normally do (unless I'm in a tight spot), but that's me. It actually works a lot better with the leather noticeably wet without puddles. If it's dry enough to tool like normal - it's nowhere near wet enough. The key to remember is that there's no hammer to force the leather into shape, so you've got to press it into submission. Also, there's a sweet spot for the burnishing between bevel blade wet and tooling wet. I'm still trying to get better at finding it every time. From your picture (don't know if that's actually while you were working) all you're probably going to accomplish is sore hands from pressing too hard and skip marks from the beveler flying away from you (ask me how I know.....).

I think it comes with the shallow angle like that to really press down the open field of the design. But, I got myself another one that I can modify for really tight circles that the stock size will never get into cleanly - so obviously I'm not above modifications.

Edited March 27, 2012 by Cyberthrasher

[Domino]

Also, there's a sweet spot for the burnishing between bevel blade wet and tooling wet. I'm still trying to get better at finding it every time. From your picture (don't know if that's actually while you were working) all you're probably going to accomplish is sore hands from pressing too hard and skip marks from the beveler flying away from you

The picture was just posed later, it's not while I was working.. I did have noticable dampness while working, I'd already read the thread here on using it like that

Just to test, I went back later and redamped the piece and went over the bevels again with this angle, it was definately easier and gave better edges than my first attempt. I also did a few test cuts on some clean leather, and the difference there was pretty remarkable - the leather was less than normal tooling dampness, just a quick wet with a sponge, and I got 1mm depth bevel with burnishing easy as anything.. By leaning the flat on the blade slightly into the edge, I was getting a ramp in the open field of about 2mm with that depth..

It also worked with moving the saddle back into the nook of my finger so I could get a similar angle with pushing the tool, though I had less fine control that way. There's a sweet spot on the angle, too much and it starts trying to push the leather sideways, too little and it needs more downwards pressure, but when I hit the spot it just eats along the edge with similar pressure to cutting.. Only disadvantage I noticed was I tended to feed and rotate the leather to the knife more this way..

[Cyberthrasher]

Well, it sounds like you're well on your way to getting a handle on it then. I think everything else will just be trial and error to fine tune your technique with it.

[chancey77]

I have been working like a mad man this week...but just practice, practice that beveler...I lay it flat with the angle and just lightly let it ride the grove/cut line and then come back with more pressure applied if I am working towards myself, then just more pressure on the back side, and away from me more pressure towards me.

And I go over it until I am happy with the burnishing effect.

But it already has an angle, I only really tilt it when I am in a very tight spot, or just bust out the old hammer beveler...I have been doing so much with the sw.bvlr, that I just recently started going more for the ole' hammer one to get my smoothness technique back...t didn't take but a few minuets, but it is good to use both!!!

Especially since the hammer one doesn't give a dark burnish that I like on stuff that is going to remain more natural in color.

And you do get much more depth with the hammer beveler:) So if you are working something heavy 8+oz's it is good to use both!

My 2cnts:)

BTW!

3 days left on the Challenge:)

EVERYONE HAS DONE A GREAT JOB THIS MONTH!!!!!!

THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO PARTICIPATED!!!! I HOPE YOU ENJOYED IT AND LEARNED SOMETHING DURING THIS MONTH.

Edited March 28, 2012 by chancey77

[Sylvia]

EVERYONE HAS DONE A GREAT JOB THIS MONTH!!!!!!

THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO PARTICIPATED!!!! I HOPE YOU ENJOYED IT AND LEARNED SOMETHING DURING THIS MONTH.

What's planned for next month?

[chancey77]

WOKING ON SOME IDEAS...I WAS HOPING TWIN OAKS WOULD COME AND HELP OUT...HE HAS BEEN QUITE BUSY THIS LAST 2 MONTHS AND I HAVE NOT HEARD OR SEEN HIM ON HERE AT ALL...I AM SURPRISED:) OH WELL, WE HAVE TO CARRY THE TORCK UNTIL THE GRAND POOBAH RETURNS:)

[Sylvia]

I have an idea... since it's spring.

How about a basic 7 tools challenge that has us making trees? I think it would help the newer members develop other ideas beyond what they see in their basic books.

these are the tools I'm thinking. It's more than 3 but it might force us to think of these tools as more than just backgrounders, cams and veiners.

http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/en-usd/es/8170-00.aspx

Edited March 28, 2012 by Sylvia

[Cyberthrasher]

I have an idea... since it's spring.

How about a basic 7 tools challenge that has us making trees? I think it would help the newer members develop other ideas beyond what they see in their basic books.

these are the tools I'm thinking. It's more than 3 but it might force us to think of these tools as more than just backgrounders, cams and veiners.

http://www.tandyleat...es/8170-00.aspx

Hey - I have all those tools!!! To me they're more of a design and border kind of thing. So, I need to start using them to their ability more.

Oh yeah, Chancey, I'm glad to see you're using that old hammer beveler more often now.

I'm actually working on trying to build some consistency between the two. The skulls are all hammer beveled where everything else I've done since getting my swivel bevel has been done that way. I actually find I get darker burnishing with the hammer, but I think that's more of a "casing vs. amount of impact" issue that I need to work on some more.

[chancey77]

I have an idea... since it's spring.

How about a basic 7 tools challenge that has us making trees? I think it would help the newer members develop other ideas beyond what they see in their basic books.

these are the tools I'm thinking. It's more than 3 but it might force us to think of these tools as more than just backgrounders, cams and veiners.

http://www.tandyleat...es/8170-00.aspx

7 tools??????

Good God wormans where is the challenge in that?????? hahahahaha

Maybe the next challenge all you can use is a ice pick and a blind fold! Now there is a challenge and make a picture of the Thinking Man....hhahahahaha

OMG JUST KIDDING!!!!!!

I don't know...I think 7 is WAY TO MANY!!!!! How about you just say you can use whatever....I rarely use 10 including a hammer,ruler and wing divide,stylus,computer, as tools...if you want to count what they actually are:) Heck there is 5 we always give people anyway!

I don't know...seems a little to much, but maybe we take a vote!

IF YOU ARE FOR 7 TOOL CHALLENGE JUST WRITE 7 OR WHATEVER NUMBER 1,2,3... IN YOUR REPLY TO THIS. WE HAVE 3 DAYS TO TALLY THE VOTES.

THINGS NOT CONSIDERED TOOLS ARE:

Hammer,ruler and wing divide,stylus,computer, AS ALWAYS! THOSE ARE GIVEN FREELY ALREADY:)