new Belt

[shirleyz]

The color turned out really nice. Great Job.

ShirleyZ

[abn]

Shirley,

Thanks for the kind words, but I can't take any credit for the color. The new All-In-One stains make it so easy a caveman can do it.

Seriously, I hated spirit dyes. Mainly my fault -- I never made the effort to try different mixes or application techniques. I just used the provided dauber and slogged it on straight out of the bottle, and then the cussin' starts. :ranting: I got so downtrodden over my results that I went for about 12 months and the only color I'd use was black.

I think all of us have our strengths and weaknesses. For example, I'm a pretty good hand-stitcher. But I can't carve or color worth a damn. So, I look for the easy ways when I can!

Have a great weekend! -Alex

[freak]

Your work always looks very clean to me but, i gotta tell ya i'm always amazed at your stitching .I did a few practice runs about 6 months ago or so. I was all over the place. I just tried to hand stitch something tonite and i'm having a hard time keeping it tight and clean.

Are you using a dauber with the all-n-ones ? I like them, they cover well but when i do a mid-size job or something long like a belt i get "strikes" with the dauber .

When hand stitching are you using a horse and what size thread and needle are you using ?

OH, and i like that color. I think i need that color.

sign,

2 needles and no clue

[yaklady]

Your work always looks very clean to me but, i gotta tell ya i'm always amazed at your stitching .I did a few practice runs about 6 months ago or so. I was all over the place. I just tried to hand stitch something tonite and i'm having a hard time keeping it tight and clean.

Are you using a dauber with the all-n-ones ? I like them, they cover well but when i do a mid-size job or something long like a belt i get "strikes" with the dauber .

When hand stitching are you using a horse and what size thread and needle are you using ?

OH, and i like that color. I think i need that color.

sign,

2 needles and no clue

Hey Freak!

Have you ever tried using a hand stitching punch for making your holes? C.S. Osborne makes them. I got mine from Hide Crafters. Cut your stitching groove deep, make the holes with the punch, and as long as you pull the stitches the same direction each time, it's fool proof. They don't have a single punch, though, so I use a little scewdriver the same width when I need one. I have a terrible time with the awl, and was beginning to really dislike hand stitching. George Hurst put me onto this other method. It works for me, maybe it'll work for you.

Yak steaks for dinner tonight!

Kathy

[abn]

When hand stitching are you using a horse and what size thread and needle are you using ?

Freak, thanks for your kind remarks. Much appreciated.

I do handstitching in an unconventional way, so bear with me as I explain. The first thing I do is create a deep stitching groove. Within the groove, I use an Overstitch Wheel to produce an even row of marks. With the project flat on the bench, I strike a Stitching Awl with a mallet to produce the stitching holes. (Most books tell you to slant the diamond holes made by the awl for a stronger stitching line, but I keep the diamonds lined up straight up and down for the straightest line. Hope I'm explaining this well.) When doing the saddle stitch, I always start the stitch from the same side (normally the back of the project). I use Tandy nylon thread and regular old needles.

As you can see, this isn't the recommended way of hand stitching, and is probably slower than using a horse, but it works for me so I can't complain.

Are you using a dauber with the all-n-ones ? I like them, they cover well but when i do a mid-size job or something long like a belt i get "strikes" with the dauber .

I tried using a dauber with the All-In-Ones, but didn't like the results. Nowadays, I'm using a slightly damp paper towel to apply the finish, and a completely dry one to take off the excess.

As you mention, All-In-One is a finicky finish when doing large projects. The folks at Tandy told me to get it all on at once since you can't do a second coat. It seems all the second coat does is pull off the first one, and I can confirm that is indeed the case. The only problem is that I'm too clumsy to get that first coat on just right. So, this is what I do:

Do your first coat as best you can. Then remove a lot of it using a damp paper towel. You'll be left with what I call a base coat -- a much lighter and duller color than you really want, but definitely darker than the leather itself. Let this dry for a while, and then go back and very carefully apply a second coat with a scrap of white cotton t-shirt. For me, at least, this technique allowed me to get a more even color on a larger project.

Sure hope this information helps.

Regards, -Alex

[freak]

I think that helped A LOT . So you just use one needle and stitch one way and then fill coming back ?

Thanks for taking the time to write that up.

[abn]

So you just use one needle and stitch one way and then fill coming back ?

No, I saddle stitch with two needles, but I always start the stitch from the back of the project. I think the idea is to do each stitch exactly the same so they look more uniform.