This week's twofer

Looking good, I need to get some W&C or Herman Oak. I know you and I are east coasters, where are you getting your leather from if ya dont mind. Started making some belts and need a better grade leather.
 
pugs75 said:
Looking good, I need to get some W&C or Herman Oak. I know you and I are east coasters, where are you getting your leather from if ya dont mind. Started making some belts and need a better grade leather.
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I'm ordering direct from W&C. The price is not really that much higher (if at all) than what you're probably already paying for inferior hides. Haven't tried the Herman Oak, but I know a lot of folks like it.
 
Very nice stamping Amy. Yeah that Wickett and Craig rocks.
 
Horsewright said:
Very nice stamping Amy. Yeah that Wickett and Craig rocks.
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Thanks Dave. I finally invested in a couple of B.K. tools, and suddenly the mystery of basket weave wasn't so mysterious after all. It's amazing how much difference a good tool really does make.
 
Good deal. That small a stamp is tough too. Tough to keep it from wandering. Nice work.
 
Very nice!
I just started a project on a double knife sheath and I'm going for a neatsfoot oil finish. I did some test samples and find that the leather stains with dirt easily. Is there anything else you put on it to keep it from staining or do I need to let the oil soak in and bake in the sun first? I also tried resolene which was nice for the outside but the inside fuzzy side looked like hazy garbage..
 
Thanks! M Maineiac1 . I did not put these into the sun, as I was just looking for a subtle difference in the tooled areas. (which is the only place I put the neatsfoot oil). If I had been looking for a more dramatic difference I'd have definitely put them in the sun to assist with darkening. (and maybe the oiled areas will darken some more over time? Not sure about that). As for finish, I use Snow Proof on all of my work to help protect and waterproof--but that only goes on the outside. These were finished on the inside with Tan-kote (just started back doing that again) but I have some Tokonole on order that I'm going to try on the inside on my next work. Some of the others here on the forum can chime in with their preferred finishes--a lot of times it boils down to personal preference and we all kind of do things the same but different.
 
I've been using BagKote by Fiebings as a finish now for some decades. I put it on after the oil has set some, usually the next day. I lightly oil the whole project by the way. The oils purpose is a conditioner. Its putting life back into the leather that we've taken out getting it wet, cased, stamped, molded, shaped, baked and generally abused during the making of our project. It is not a finish. It will add a little color but its a conditioner as is say Sno Seal.

The kind of shows that we do tend to be dusty affairs with horses running around or in breezy locales. Its important to have a decent finish on your leather work in these conditions. With the BagKote dirt and dust tend to just brush off.

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Just regular life can be dusty and dirty for us too. I've been happy with BagKote as a finish. It goes on all smooth leather items that are made out of veg tan leather.

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I like BagKote because it creates a protective finish that leaves your leather looking like leather and not dipped in liquid plastic.

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As needed I can apply conditioner over the BagKote during the life of an object.

We also use Sheridan Resist and Finish by Bee Natural. We use this when a more waterproof finish is needed, such as on our coasters that are gonna get drinks put on them. That big leather supply outfit that starts with a W that shall not be named says that this is the most waterproof leather finish they have ever tested and used. It works well for us but is more glossy than the BagKote.
 
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