Workin on some orders...

[bikermutt07]

I just started jls's pattern today for a friend. I think Aussie is saying to put relief lines on the inside of the spine. I'm going to try it on mine. That way when you fold them over you have created a relief on the inside.

[RockyAussie]

Hep that"s it. A controlled wrinkle instead. Looks way better.

[MADMAX22]

Looks good TX, did you by chance try folding in on them a little when you glued the inside layer to the outside layer. Probably wont help any (cant remember if it did or not), then once the glue is set do the stitch around the perimeter. I could be way off on this, its been a while since I did any type of journal item.

Rocky that is a good idea with the clicker setup like that.  

[RockyAussie]

Good point MADMAX22, I would always set my bridge area down on around a 90 degree rounded angle if doing this but it looks like the type of leather more so a problem to me. Any patterned leather would work better generally though. Re the clicker set up for line marking, I am doing a new one for 45mm (1 3/4") belts this week and will make up a how i did it pdf file and post. Previously I used a roller line marking machine and each one would take over a minute to do well and now they take between 15 and 20 seconds each.

[Boriqua]

CONGRATULATIONS on the orders!! Its nice when people are willing to pay for your handiwork. What will you do with the windfall? Did you get your first is it ready yet email?

alex

[YinTx]

I think I get it with the controlled wrinkle thing.  And I did give it a partial bend when I glued it, which just meant it stays partially bent now, and when I fold it the rest of the way... wrinkles.  The 1 oz liner is really working much better.  I will try to give one of the error versions some controlled wrinkles to see if I can rescue them.

Thanks for the congrats, Alex.  To be clear, this isn't my first order, I have sold some belts and purses and such in the past.  Just that this is the first time I have sold more than one of a particular item, and to more than two people!  Almost everything has been custom one off's, except for belts, up to now.  So finally get to make a "run" of a single design.  Still some customizing, with leather types and thread colors, etc.  I know some folks sell 3 an hour or day or even a week, I don't typically get that kind of traction.  More of the 1 every month or two, so I am happy folks are voting with their wallets and saying they like my work well enough to carry it instead of a cheap Wally world item or a more expensive Coach or Louis Vuitton, when they could more easily do either without waiting for me to build and deliver.

 

The "windfall" may go into a new round knife since I've discovered its the quality causing me to have to strop every 30 seconds, not my sharpening skills.  Not a big enough windfall for a clicker just yet, maybe down the road!  If a 100+ folks call with orders, I'll be lookin for one for sure!  not holding my breath just yet...  plus I'd have to quit my day job to do that many orders!

YinTx

[venator]

What do you use for the inside of the pockets?  Those look really wonderful.

[YinTx]

Venator,

I used pigskin for the pockets... wanted to use duck cloth, but ended up here for now.  Gets pretty thick with up to 8 layers of leather in certain places, and makes controlling the awl really difficult.  Last one I stitched the other day came out horrible, so depressing, the last line of stitching and pretty well ruined 2 weeks of work on one of them.  That set me back mentally, so I'm trying to regather my nerve to attempt again so I can get better results.

Thanks for the complement, hopefully I can get that last line of stitching nice enough to warrant it.  

YinTx

[bikermutt07]

So, I tried the controlled wrinkle. 5 vertical lines down the inside of the spine. It looked great too. Right up until I went to line up the pockets. That's when I realized I had the bottoms an 1/8 different from the top. Crap. I decided to try and burnish the whole area. The cruddy Tandy leather needed it anyway. I pulled out the tragacanth and went to work. The inside looks much better, but you can still see the lines faintly.

Just thought I would share.

[YinTx]

A bit more progress...  sorry bout the 'blurry, my camera has decided to go on the fritz.

 

YinTx