What's This? Besides a red line

[JustWakinUp]

Hello everyone,

I posted a wallet a few days ago and someone mentioned my inlays needed some attention. I've come across another wallet makers stuff and found something quite interesting about it. Take a look at the image and let me know what your thoughts are about what I've pointed out.

The line is very defined and straight. The circle is perfect, so not done by hand. I thought thermograph at first but can't find any stencil paper that prints in red. So i'm interested in everyones thought process about this as this may help me tweek some things that need it.

Thanks in advance for taking the time to read this post.

[Drac]

it's either a red marker/pen they used to draw the guide lines, or they might have just used tracing film in a regular printer and rubbed the guide lines onto the leather since the ink won't stay on the film (I know coz I found out the hard way. d'oh!). it's actually easy to do a circle like that. either put the marker/pen in a compass and follow along the edge, or use the compass normally if you're gonna stitch through or over the center hole. I think there's also a tool that's sort of like a compass, but designed for going along the edge using a pen, marker, pencil.

[rdb]

It appears to me from these not so clear pictures, to be a red thread line. There are "in and out" shadows, and they don't quite correspond with the stitch line above, so they must be their own stitch line. Some say I was wrong once, but they must have been mistaken...lol

[JustWakinUp]

it's either a red marker/pen they used to draw the guide lines, or they might have just used tracing film in a regular printer and rubbed the guide lines onto the leather since the ink won't stay on the film (I know coz I found out the hard way. d'oh!). it's actually easy to do a circle like that. either put the marker/pen in a compass and follow along the edge, or use the compass normally if you're gonna stitch through or over the center hole. I think there's also a tool that's sort of like a compass, but designed for going along the edge using a pen, marker, pencil.

I tried printing a red circle on the tracing film then rubbing it off onto some black chrome tan. It doesn't rub off like you would think. It doesn't appear on the leather at all to be honest. I was able to rub it off on my hands though. Good thought, but didn't work. ( God i was soooo hopeful Drac, thanks)

[JohnD]

I agree with Drac. It looks to me to be a line drawn with a pen or sharpie. It may not even be red , just looks that way in contrast to the black of the leather when the light hits it?

John

Black Sharpie on black leather. sorry about the huge pics.

Edited September 30, 2008 by JohnD

[Windy]

If you blow up the image , you will

see that all the stitches have red

lines either under them or next to them.

I would venture to say they are hand

drawn since they follow the texture

of the leather up and down.

WINDY

Edited September 30, 2008 by Windy

[badLoveLeather]

What I like to use for perfect circles is usually a plastic lid off some can and I like using a soft lead/charcoal pencil with the end super round and soft. Try going to the art store and getting an EB leaded pencil. they work great on black leather. on lighter leathers I ise a stylus or some duller tool to leave an impression but not injure the skin in case my sewing is off. then again i sew all my stuff by hand at thispoint so its not as much of a problem.

[JustWakinUp]

Some of your thoughts I agree with, but I can't help but to think that it's a transfer of sorts. My opinion of it is this.

The print is made on some type of paper, that could either be heat transferable or rub transferable. I find it hard to

believe that this was traced by hand, the lines are all very symetrical and the same width throughout the design.

I'm wondering if the print was made on regular printing paper, then a transfer pen ( weird little gadget but cool none the less) was rubbed on it to transfer the ink to the leather. The other curious part is that, it appears to be somewhat permanent because the machine did not rub any of it off.

[Drac]

when I use a gel pen, it rubs off by hand but not from the machine. it could be a sewing transfer pen for material though. or it could be a marker or pen and the person thought they could follow the lines better. now I'm kinda curious about it too.

[TwinOaks]

It's a ghost/demon line, sent from the leather gods to punish leathercrafters who try to take shortcuts. It appears on the finished product magically, to ruin the piece, and frustrate the maker.

It looks like some type of marker to me. Purple would be my guess, and the black leather has obscured the bluer tints.

Edited October 1, 2008 by TwinOaks