G'day, I'm givenago at doing a makers stamp. Has anyone 'gone before me' I'd love some advice on what is good or not / what makes a stamp good. Both seem to work and leave an impression.

Donno what to say appart from, I'm trying to show off my work, 'warts n all'. Good 1 - It's got lining 2 - I think my stitching is getting better 3 - edge paint, applied after sanding - (no wax) 4 - I like the colors I chose Bad 1 - I forgot to add the crease 2 - the edge paint doesnt flow to the edge fully 3 - My finish up stitches cross over (dam) 4 - the lining has bubbled Overall I'm pleased with my effort. (and doubly so, because my wife has 'captured' this for a present for a birthday) Comments and feedback welcome and appreicated.

G'day peeps, My trial for my sunglasses case. It's just $h!^^ leather, but I wanted to have a go before I move onto more expensive leather. I'm happy with how this looks (for a trial). I'm happy with how my stitching is getting along. It's lined... and the lining all kinda 'just works'. The waxed edging I recokon is great! the leather lined clip is fun to do, and looks a million bucks. I've seen some of 'youse' do really sick edging... any tips? cause mine kinda suck. It's got a waxed edge, so could I use edge paint on that... also I've got vedge tanned on the outside and chrome tanned on the inside (for the liner), I reckon that's a mistake for 'main event'. Criticism and feedback welcome and invited.

The past few weeks I've had an interesting time. It started with the video - "how to sharpen ya knives". and finished with... oh... that's what makes a good knife, I'll go and buy one (and it was $^!t) it wouldn't hold an edge, it would flex, it was difficult for my 'big hands' to hold... so I thought I'll go and make one... how hard can it be! Turns out there are lots more resources near me for knife making than leather working! - so I thought I might share my proud work. Knife# 1 - A lathe parting blank just plain HSS tool steel. it was like $10AUD - it chips way to easily! - so I moved on. 4 n 5 - Damascus Steel, with a tempered core. so I wanted these to be a skiving knife, but I missed the important part. The CORE is tempered! - so when I put a skiving shape it would never stay sharp for too long. they are now by day to day cutting knives. (and are nice to hold, although I wish I had made the a little longer, but they are good for me). 2 n 3 - ABE-L steel and I could get the bland pre-tempered, now this stuff is GREAT. These are 'fun' to sharpen, but once they are sharp they will cut a politicians idea. Now I have a proper stropping board, some great knives, and already when I cut from a template the results are nicer, the curves are smoother, it’s more comfortable. Oh and I had an accident along the way, I know how to sharpen a knife now! I NEVER thought a good knife could make SO much of a difference. Onward now onward to making a sunglasses case! - woohoo!

I got a bit of veg tanned leather and did my test sample / practice again. This is the results. On the whole I'm pretty happy with my work. Afew things I learnt... don't start ya stitch run on a corner... im not sure how to hide these stitch marks yet, but I guess it's practice. Something looks a bit odd on one of the edges,I'm not sure about that. Feedback welcome and wanted. (Cheers!)

Hi. I've done some samples. It's a trial of the first few videos. I used beeswax with my fixed 2mm creasing tool. I used a few different types of thread. I only have 3mm spi french pricking irons... Overall I'm happy with my work. It's really cheep leather (on purpose it IS skill building) Would anyone like so share some pointers. A few things I see, 1 -a few stitches look askewish. 2- the edge crease doesn't look verry defined. Btw 8 ran 9ut of thread on sample 2... whatever, I wasn't going to fix it on a sample.