Hi there Did you purchase and try them out? Seems they can beat the 4Z in some aspects as you don’t have to keep purchasing new handles each time ! This was something which turned me off slightly with 4Z. I spoke to the seller from Rcidos and told them it would be great if they can add round tip prongs too. They responded they will look into it, and asked me to contact them next week, most probably but due to the virus issue they are facing. They had an olive shaped prong too, but don’t know if they are suitable for stitching flipping inside out leather bags.

@Glenn Delmotte Thanks for answering ! The probably I will have to give it a miss .

@Glenn Delmotte Thanks a million Glenn! Is the hassle due to the blade or the way the system is set up? If the pull is due to the blade, It won’t cost me much to have a professional make something suitable for the Leather to guild thru smoothly, but if the pull is due to how the machine is set up, that’s another thing and might have to think harder about it...

@Terry Millard Thanks for explaining what truing means! well then, I also trued and sanded 😆 My problem was not getting a perfect neat circle with the piping. I reckon it was because of uneven pricking and stitching running thru 3 layers of leather.

@Fadi Thanks for sharing your personal opinion. I take no offense at all . Like you mentioned people have different ways of approaching things. I do realize this is not Quora. But searching for answers has helped me a lot . I don’t think there is any thing wrong in asking your questions in any forum, and am not worried if anyone even realizes I asked my question on any platform. The internet is a place to learn and ask. Many a times you don’t get a response straight away. Sometimes it takes time. Eventually you find your answer some where on the net ! For example If I do not get an answer here I get it else where. Just like I got my answer on embossing leather with some tips from @olena.wills and from 2 YouTube clips and then shared it on the thread , just Incase someone needs it. As you mentioned probably you have a different way of doing things and prefer learning from more self errors... I prefer the *minimal*error method. I already researched,thought and even made the bag, thru research online,and finding a YouTube clip that does upholstery. I was just wanting some assistance from someone who has done it a different way, that’s it . I am just the type who keeps searching until I find, so instead of making an error twice , I can minimize it to one time . For those who are interested in piping here are some other few links I found recently and some older: https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.reddit.com/r/Leathercraft/comments/7jufxn/how_to_do_piping_on_bag_edges/ This is from one of my favorite humble masters I came across on YouTube without any cord inside: https://youtu.be/3oD4BU1tmds Here is a one done for upholstery, but teaches you where to cut and join it in the ends: https://youtu.be/IVbqjQP9H1Y and ofcourse the link which @olena.wills provided above ! Once I try piping the second time I can give my own experience on it. Enjoy!These for now !

@Fadi I am very new to leather work :) don’t have anything much to show for now. Nothing on Instagram until I at least finish 5 leather goods ! ( you get the drift by now 😆) I have already tried one method, and I wasn’t really satisfied with the results. The issue is I can’t really afford to just test and toss as I am on very very tight budget, so whatever I make I either gift it or make to sell. I try making a sample on faux leather before hand, but the texture of faux leather and how it curves is very different from genuine leather. For example someone shared a small tip about turn around bags which was huge!!! The tip was as small as creating stitches wider apart and using an awl instead of a pricking Iron. Just this small tip helps cut down frustration time so much specially when you are tight on time. So small tips help me cut down mistakes drastically...with minimum wastage . I already shared one wristlet I made in the show your work section and you commented on it :)

@Glenn Delmotte I was wondering is it the razor that is causing you trouble when trying to skive with that machine and causes a pull?if it is mainly the razor, I will ask a professional leather tools maker if he can make me a mini blade that looks like the tip of a skiving knife and I can insert that instead of a razor which may cause a pull on the leather ...look forward to the pics you mentioned when you get the time !

Is this diamond chisel ?

@Fadi what a funny forum 😆 Actually with the very limited resources and budget I had in comparison to many, I guess the alien didn’t do that bad for the first try! I used crappy scrap cow leather, antiqued it to cover up the defects in the edges and came up with a design that would compliment the not so cool leather and tools. The stitches came out pretty neat for the first time too, although not that obvious in the pic. It was straight neat stitch with no angle.( diamond pricking iron) I used the 1mm waxed thread, the only thread I knew and grabbed but kept in mind the design to compliment the thickness of the thread. So I came up with a tribal kilim design to decorate the crappy piece of leather which was not so cheap for me at the time either and even ruining that piece of crappy leather would have been a waste for me... Having said that I have not made much leather work in the past few months, just browsing YouTube and Instagram mainly. I tried to emphasize on my creative side rather than technique for the first time, and just enjoy the process...

@olena.wills @Fadi After doing some research with the right key words, I came across 2 YouTube’s which could be used in combination or depending on the image you want to emboss. You can use foam or silicone etc to hold the shape. Now the cat is out of the bag as humans says 😂 I am willing to share the mystery behind it for all those interested! There is not one way but a couple of ways to do it. Just combine the techniques! Here are the YouTube’s after searching in depth: https://youtu.be/9BVvabTCNjk https://youtu.be/rI98-Zddw3Y There is one on veg tan also, but my primary concern was how to create embossed effect on chrome tanned leather ... Enjoy 😬

@Maru TuchiWhat a great post! @Fadi what is the name of your brand?

Isn’t skiving in odd spots a nuisance? For example I have a round bag I want to construct and what to skive right in the middle of the leather to make a zipper opening so I can fold the sides instead of edge paint. I mainly struggle skiving tricky areas, not so much edges...

@austrian leather freakDo you use any cord/rope inside your piping/welt ?Or nothing inside the piping?

@Fadi I was wondering wouldn’t a foam be better as you first recommend?

Personally I respect the stance you took. It could hurt your business in one way, but there are other opportunities that fill the gap. I believe you have to be be true to your core beliefs... Best

You mean for veg tan leather not chrome tan, right? Any images of your work with molotow empty markers?

@Glenn Delmotte Thanks a lot for the info and suggesting to share more photos. Shipping and handling would be costly from Europe to the States, but if the buy/sell forum takes off I think plenty can benefit from one another ! I will have to asks the blades man I know if he can make me something. If I do eventually buy this unit and use it with a custom blade will let you know about it , if you still own it :)

@Philip A buy/sell forum would be really helpful for both new and seasoned crafters. Those who are new and on tight budget can buy tools from seasoned crafters and those seasoned can use the extra bucks to by more professionals tools.

@Glenn Delmotte Thank you for explaining. I actually meant that would it be possible to insert something similar to a blade in the slot? I mean having something custom made like a hybrid between a blade and razor. Like the tip of a skiving knife? Saving up for a bell skiver will take me ages plus I don’t have any space in my tiny room! I hope very soon someone invent a hand held shaver like electric skiver instead of this dinosaur bell ! I want to skive odd shapes apart from straps . would you like to sell that useless pairing machine? If in the states I might be willing to buy it from you... Dont worry I know you warned me 😆

I don’t know why humans have to make something so heavy and bulky to make something so much lighter. Human logic takes time to progress... sigh. The Japanese spieces have to come up with the mini hand held electric skivers then the bell slivers can be used as a vintage decoration 😆