I don't need a stitching awl. I've never needed one. I forgot I bought a single prong pricking iron. That's my awl. Don't know what I was thinking. I did splurge on another maul. Weaver branded maul in 32oz. Weaver uses Barry King for the supplier. They just stamp their name on it. (*Edit: I found an original 32oz Barry King maul at, "Rocky Mountain Leather Supply". Amazon almost got me for an extra $19.)

Anyway, here's how you strop a scalpel blade. Felt wheel, die grinder, and Simichrome.

Two edgers showed up. Don't need either one on the belt. There was a note in the box about #3 being on backorder. Gave them a call and substituted the #3 for a #4. ⅛ bevel. I'm also playing around dying the billets chocolate. Making this belt a two tone. In the picture is a custom made oblong hole punch. I shaped it specifically for the buckles I made.

Practice makes perfect. Punching from either side. Seeing what I'm up against before punching holes in a billet. Test of chocolate dye on top of saddle tan. Both billets have been cut out.

This thing is waking me up at night. The Angel on my right says, you're doing it wrong. The devil on the left says, don't look at me. Ain't got nothing to do with it.

Why I'm I lining the billets? Especially the buckle billet? Lining it serves no purpose. The tongue needs lined for the luxury feel. But the buckle billet doesn't. Both billets are getting thinned on the ends. So nothing catches on a pants loop while putting it on. So, while cinched, the billets lay flat. Doesn't look bulky.

So today, I get to make another buckle billet. Unlined. I'm glad I ordered extra strap because I'm going to need it. Wait till you see how I, 'skive' the billet ends. It involves a belt sander. I'm not good enough to control a skiving knife through a couple inches long of taper. But...a Belt sander will do it.

My brain is fighting me because it knows. It'll take about 3-4 hours to saddle stitch one single billet. Another two to stitch one to the main strap.

Working leather can be a fist fight.

Taking my time cutting the curves. My scaple handle is one of those, where'd I get this? Couldn't tell you. It just showed up one day. It says, "Storz-USA N-4135" on the side. Tough little thing. There's been times I'd swear I'd end up bending it, but nope.

Here's what needs to happen. Cuts never come out perfect. So you need to smooth up the curves. Adjust measurement. Each billet will have an estimated 6 hours labor, each one. 150grit to shape it. 220 and up to smooth.

I need to dye it tan so it'll match the shade of chocolate as the tongue billet.

While I'm sitting here sanding. Here's one application of chocolate dye, with an airbrush, over tan. Dried overnight. If I spray the billets I'm using. I'll do two applications of dye. This is Angelus brand. Alcohol based dye. I have some Fiebings oil dye in the mail. I'll test the color to the Angelus. Dobber and sprayed.

Angelus chocolate dye to the fiebing's pro dye in chocolate. The dark spot is Fiebings and it was done by dobber. There's also airbrushed places of both. Fiening's almost looks black but it's just dark chocolate brown. Angelus has more reds. I believe I'm going with the Fiebing's. But not as heavy on the application.

What's slowing me down is waiting on the #4 edger. It's supposed to an ⅛" edger. Without it in hand and seeing how much it removes. I can't run a groove stitch. I need to see where I can run the groove in relation to the edge, that's been edged.

Once I receive the edger, then I can move along to getting this done. I'm super close to finishing my belt. I'm just waiting on Ron's tools. Both billets still need edged, holes poked, dyed, stitched, burnished, and sealed.

Lots of things are due today. Some things I need, others are not right now. Hopefully, one item can be the high dollar edger I bought. That comes with no tracking number, you'll get it when you get it surprise. It was the 26th when I talked to them on the phone. So it should be here anytime now.

One item ordered was a 5 count, set of, "Round Berry Concho" in 1¼". Esty buy. And some of Y'all were right. The shipping is ridiculous. Not even Amazon tries to get you that bad.

Purchased from this guy. First purchase so I don't know if they're what I'm expecting or what. We'll both see when they arrive.


https://www.etsy.com/listing/875317823/bright-silver-round-berry-concho-berry?

I think I figured out how this guy got the color he did. There's only a couple of leather dye makers. Angelus and Fiebing's. The saddle pictured in the link isn't Angelus. So it's gotta be Fiebing.

I don't know for sure, but the closest shade I can get is Fiebing chocolate, rubbed with Fiebing's dark brown, 'Antique Finish'. Either that or it's a custom mix he did himself. Maybe he added a brown dye to the chocolate (?)


https://txsaddlery.com/products/chocolate-saddle

Wallet practice. I've never made things with the Horween leather before now. This is the plum colored. I bought brown thread. I'm going to incorporate veg tanned on the flap. Open hole snap button. Better cut out then what's pictured.

Protype #1.

Still waiting on the #4 edger. I've called them again and still no tracking number. Even though I made one I'm still waiting on the new and fancy.

My new 32oz maul showed up. I needed something heavy to drive a 9 prong pricking iron. This time it's still a Barry King but it's stamped, "Rocky MTN"( Rocky Mountain Leather Supply). I sure wish it just said Barry King but whatever. Interesting is the lock washers on each one. The small 16oz is pure BK and has an engraved brass lock washer on the end. Next is the Weaver 24oz and it looks stainless. Rocky Mountain has copper.

I'm having a beer to celebrate. I need the edger to show up.

Would you sell me this belt? If so, how much $?

I need a size 48 please

No.

So help me if this isn't the last one I ever make. It'll be #3 and every time, it's the same venture of stress and annoyance. Now y'all know why custom things made with the best have a 6 month lead time and that's using a stitching machine. For which I don't have nor am I buying one.

I need that damn edger to show up. I'm tired of checking the mailbox.

Mail arrived and no edger. I give Ron's Tool Company a call. I need the tracking number.


The individual on the phone explains the package was in the process of being returned to them. Couldn't deliver it. But another hundred dollar edger was put in the mail yesterday. I was given a tracking number this time. Verified the address. Original order was placed Dec 16th. Arrived the 26th. One edger short on backorder. Modified the order to get the #4 edger. Then today I find out what's going on. Or more like what this guy told me.


Five more days wait for it to arrive for the third time. Oh Boy, am I never buying from Ron's Tools again. I get the vibe they've been stalling because everything is on backorder. It's not our fault, it's the mailman's deal. He's sending it back but he's gonna deliver the second one.


What a bunch of horsechit. Never again.