Chief31794 Report post Posted September 19, 2014 Finally got some free time in the shop to work with the sewing machine I bought from Cowboy Bob. So far I love it, it would have taken me a long time to hand stitch this belt, I needed a belt and needed to work with the machine to develop some skill, so here tis'. Chief Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hi Im Joe Report post Posted September 19, 2014 Looks great! I love that tooling design. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rohn Report post Posted September 19, 2014 Great job on the tooling Chief. Belt looks wonderful! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chief31794 Report post Posted September 19, 2014 Looks great! I love that tooling design. Thanks, yes that's always been a favorite of mine as well. Great job on the tooling Chief. Belt looks wonderful! Thanks, Chief Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Colt W Knight Report post Posted September 19, 2014 Nice stamping. I was going to buy one of those nice Cowboy machines, but I had some things come up that ate away my sewing machine fund. I hope to get saved back up and buy one by January. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chief31794 Report post Posted September 20, 2014 Nice stamping. I was going to buy one of those nice Cowboy machines, but I had some things come up that ate away my sewing machine fund. I hope to get saved back up and buy one by January. I know what you mean, I had a Boss, it sewed okay but I'm not as coordinated as I should be and holding the material with one hand while cycling the handle with the other didn't work well for me. I sold it to a knife maker here locally and put some with it and got the 3200, I never sewed or had a need to sew anything near the 3/4" level that I had on the Boss, so it didn't seem like a big deal to go with the 3200 and so far it hasn't. I'm really liking it. Chief Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Allan1972 Report post Posted September 20, 2014 Really like the basket weave pattern on that belt…... nice job. Man I need a sewing machine, my left shoulder is developing issues from pulling thread when sewing guitar straps/belts. About 5 labour intensive hours of hand sewing per. To be able to set up, test, and stitch in under an hour without the wear and tear on the body would be nice, just don't do enough volume to justify the expense. Allan Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Grizz1 Report post Posted September 20, 2014 how did you achieve that basket weave look ? it looks really nice ! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Eddie1968 Report post Posted September 20, 2014 Nice work there Mr Chief. Just started sewing with a machine myself. Not a cowboy but something similar. Starting to learn the ins and outs of how to set up for different leathers and thicknesses. Long way to go but I am liking it. What size needle and thread are you using on the belts? Eddie Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chief31794 Report post Posted September 20, 2014 Really like the basket weave pattern on that belt…... nice job. Man I need a sewing machine, my left shoulder is developing issues from pulling thread when sewing guitar straps/belts. About 5 labour intensive hours of hand sewing per. To be able to set up, test, and stitch in under an hour without the wear and tear on the body would be nice, just don't do enough volume to justify the expense. Allan Allan, Thanks, same issues I had, this belt took no more than 15 minutes to thread the machine, run a test, and then sew the belt. I'm getting too old to pull waxed thread for over 5-6 hours for a belt or guitar strap. how did you achieve that basket weave look ? it looks really nice ! Grizz1, I picked that up some time ago, I believe it was a Tandy mail out, or maybe a video, or something, however it is really easy to do. I make a light center line, then very lightly estimate the first position on each side, then make the second lightly and adjust them to get them to line up with each other and the center line. I believe someone said that Tandy has a book that has it as well, I'll look around and let you know. Nice work there Mr Chief. Just started sewing with a machine myself. Not a cowboy but something similar. Starting to learn the ins and outs of how to set up for different leathers and thicknesses. Long way to go but I am liking it. What size needle and thread are you using on the belts? Eddie Eddie, This is 277 thread and a #25 needle. Thanks all, Chief Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
74inchshovel Report post Posted September 20, 2014 Very nice! I love clean well crafted items and this sure fits the bill. Might I ask one thing though? Where did you get the black thread? Seems the only black I can find is not compatible with my boss. Again, nice job. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chief31794 Report post Posted September 20, 2014 This thread is brown, however, I buy thread from "The Thread Exchange", this is 277 and is the same thread I used on my Boss as well. I have Black and it works really well on both as well. Chief Very nice! I love clean well crafted items and this sure fits the bill. Might I ask one thing though? Where did you get the black thread? Seems the only black I can find is not compatible with my boss. Again, nice job. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Grizz1 Report post Posted September 20, 2014 ok, thanx Chief ! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Grizz1 Report post Posted September 20, 2014 after looking closer at it, I remember the technique. very nice belt, and very nice stitching ! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chief31794 Report post Posted September 25, 2014 after looking closer at it, I remember the technique. very nice belt, and very nice stitching ! Thanks, I've always liked that technique as well. Chief Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
25b Report post Posted October 11, 2014 (edited) I believe someone said that Tandy has a book that has it as well, I'll look around and let you know. Any idea which book has this technique in it? I've looked through the ones I have and cannot find it... Edited October 11, 2014 by 25b Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
msdeluca Report post Posted October 11, 2014 Great pattern Chief... excellent execution. Is your buckle stainless and, if so, where did you source it? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chief31794 Report post Posted October 11, 2014 Any idea which book has this technique in it? I've looked through the ones I have and cannot find it... I have no idea, I've been doing it for decades, it's quite simple. Maybe I'll put a video of the technique out on You Tube, I'll post a link out here when i do, probably be a week or so, I'm backed up in the shop. Great pattern Chief... excellent execution. Is your buckle stainless and, if so, where did you source it? Thank you, the buckle is not stainless, it is actually a Tandy buckle, I don't buy a lot from Tandy but some of their buckles, even though made in China are really quite good. This is a buckle I keep in stock, it is Tandy # 1550-02, the 1550-01 is brass and the -02 is nickel covered brass. I've used them for years, they give good service, look good and don't cost much. I offer belts with high end buckles but most people like these. Chief Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
25b Report post Posted October 11, 2014 I have no idea, I've been doing it for decades, it's quite simple. Maybe I'll put a video of the technique out on You Tube, I'll post a link out here when i do, probably be a week or so, I'm backed up in the shop. Oh, ok. You'd just said before that someone said it was in one of Tandy's books and that you were going to look around for it. I was just hoping you were able to locate what book it was in. I tried it the way you described with my basketweave tool and the pattern doesn't really come out looking quite the same...not as deeply embossed I guess. Oh well. Thanks anyway. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chief31794 Report post Posted October 11, 2014 Oh, ok. You'd just said before that someone said it was in one of Tandy's books and that you were going to look around for it. I was just hoping you were able to locate what book it was in. I tried it the way you described with my basketweave tool and the pattern doesn't really come out looking quite the same...not as deeply embossed I guess. Oh well. Thanks anyway. I looked and couldn't find it, it may have even come out as a technique in a magazine or something over the years, can't remember that or a lot of other things anymore, I'll definitely do a video, it's pretty easy to do, the only tricky part is getting it started but once you see how that's done, it is simple. I'll be back in the shop monday and have some orders backed up but I'll try to do a video early next week. Sorry for the confusion. Chief Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chief31794 Report post Posted October 14, 2014 Oh, ok. You'd just said before that someone said it was in one of Tandy's books and that you were going to look around for it. I was just hoping you were able to locate what book it was in. I tried it the way you described with my basketweave tool and the pattern doesn't really come out looking quite the same...not as deeply embossed I guess. Oh well. Thanks anyway. I have posted a video on youtube on how to achieve the arrowhead pattern. It can be accessed from here. http://youtu.be/L3r71MNPm20 Chief Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
25b Report post Posted October 14, 2014 (edited) Thanks very much for making that video. I will go check it out! Ok, it makes a lot more sense now. I think my angle wasn't right when I tried it earlier. Can you please explain how you got the really high relief on the finished belt vs. the relatively low relief on the one you did in the video? I cannot understand how you got the finished belt impressions to really stand out and be embossed that deeply in the leather...mine come out rather flat unless I really pound with the maul... Edited October 14, 2014 by 25b Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billybopp Report post Posted October 14, 2014 Well done, Chief! Thank you. Bill Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chief31794 Report post Posted October 15, 2014 (edited) Thanks very much for making that video. I will go check it out! Ok, it makes a lot more sense now. I think my angle wasn't right when I tried it earlier. Can you please explain how you got the really high relief on the finished belt vs. the relatively low relief on the one you did in the video? I cannot understand how you got the finished belt impressions to really stand out and be embossed that deeply in the leather...mine come out rather flat unless I really pound with the maul... Good quality leather, dampen, wait, (I didn't let the piece in the video dry quite enough), good hard surface to tool on and good tools, then the depressions are highlighted by antiquing, I'm not sure what else you mean, the one in the video would look about the same as the belt if I dyed and finished it. If your depressions aren't deep enough looking it could be that your leather isn't quite wet enough before you let it start drying, if the depressions don't seem as "crisp" then your leather is either too wet or your tools don't make a good impression. I've tried some of the newer Tandy Stamps (Say made in the past 15-20 years, and they don't make good impressions.) Hope that helps, Chief Edited October 15, 2014 by Chief31794 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
25b Report post Posted October 15, 2014 Yeah, I'm using a Barry King BW tool so I don't think it's the tool...and I tool on a marble slab, so not that either. I'm not sure what was unclear about what I was saying...the impressions on the finished belt have a deep, 3-D looking impression whereas the ones in the video looked very flat. I guess it is just the dampness of the leather, like you said. On the finished belt, it almost looks as if you beveled the tooling to get it to stand out more. I'll try again later and see if I can get it to look right. Thanks for making the video. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
