The Crispin Colloquy

Hi All,

I'm looking for a finder that carries side welt and top bead. Called the number I had for Plains Leather in Lubbock ,TX but it's no longer a working number. I need a number of colors. Thanks Mike.

Mike,

Try Texas Leather Trim at (817) 535-5883 and fax (817) 535-8643.

Matt,
I already did but they have a min order of 50 to 75 yards. Which is a little much for me right now because I need a number of colors. Thanks Mike

mike,
call panhandle leather, they carry texas leather trim in what ever quantities you want. 800-537-3945
good luck
Shane

Shane,
Thanks for the info. Called and got 70 yrds of the colors I needed on the way. Thanks much, great guys to work with.

Mike

Okay, here's a challenge: I'm trying to find a new source...it's always somebody going out of production/business just when you think you've found that "dream" leather, right.

I'm looking for a source, here or abroad, for a 100% veg., full-grain, calf or kip uppers leather, 2 to 2.5 mm [around 5 oz.] in a good London Tan color, or lighter tan-tobacco brown for un-lined work. Think British Army officers' field boots circa 1914, the ones that burnish-up to that deep transparent shine. Anything like that floating around out there? Jan? Janne?

Al,
That is a challenge! I am looking for that myself all the time. I suppose you have tried the veg. tanned London Tan calf from Dennis Kellett? It is not the thickness you require, but may be he can make you some. I have only made shoes and ancle boots out of it, so no experience in crimping the vamp. The colour seems to let go quite easily when burnished due to the pigment on the surface, I suppose. Ther might be a good idea to send a mail to Crack in Northampton. They are willing to get what ever is available on the european market depending on your volume. Janne has located a quality which I will try out on boots, which is called Juchten. It is black in colour, but may be the producer can sell some without colouring. I will also try out some reindeer leather from Kero in northern Sweden. I received some samples some time ago and it had the butter like feeling, but is probably too loose when worked with. They have anyway the right thickness and colour for you, I would guess. Besides calfleather, I have found a supplier in Australia making veg tanned Kangaroo in thickness 1 mm. I have to buy 100 skins, so those of you interested can share a part here. I will ask for sample cuttings soon.
I am sorry Al, but it was not very much help for you. As I said, I am looking for it all the time myself!

Until next time
JPM

Jan,

Thanks for such a thorough reply. Sad to say Dennis Kellett has retired, and ceased production back in December/January. Tony Crack in N'ton is one possibility, but he's not always eager to do trans Atlantic, especially for small quantities--I might need only 12 skins a year maximum.

Ah, "Juchten". That's the old-fashioned "Russia leather" isn't it? Birch-bark tannage with that birch-oil dressing? Should be a naked finish, whatever color. Can you send me some cuttings, prices, and who to contact to buy?

I had some from Italy about 10 years ago [imported through Pierce & Bro., NY], but it's about all used up, as is Pierce & Bro., I think *sigh*.

You'll be happy to note, I think I found some of that Swedish Burgundy pitch I was looking for last year. Just got 10 pounds in to try. I can't recall the firm's name just now [it's all downtown at the shop]--Arno???--something like that. As soon as I can, I'll post the firm's name, etc. It's very soft pitch, so it should be very forgiving as one adds the rosin--might not even need much if any softeners like oil, tallow, beeswax. It has that strong smoky-tar smell too *yummy*.

Al,
I'm afraid I don't know where to find a leather like the one you are looking for.
About the "Juchten" leather JPM mentioned about, I saw that Götz have it in a brown nuance too. Maybe the tanner could make it in whatever colour requested. The Juchten I bought was made by a Swiss tanner which is no longer in business. The most of my shop is still in boxes so I can not send you a sample of it but it is similar to the sample of waxed calf you sent me last year.
JEM

Janne,

Thanks for the Goetz tip. I'll try them. Your shop is all boxed up? You moving into another shop? Did I miss something?

I'll hopefully be taking the building a new shop plunge this year too, so I'll keep you all posted.

BTW, I hope everybody out West and in the Mid-West is okay. The weather the past week or so has been awful. All we've got here in Tidewater Virginia is gray skies, dead calm humid air, and an occasional sprinkle. Very spooky. Like the calm before the storm, but it's lasted for days, and no storms [yet]. They did have a small twister over on Southside, around Franklin, VA I think, but nothing else to speak of.

DW, Al, et all,

I would like to find one of the skiving knives that doesn't have the handle
on it. The one that looks like a blade only and is about 7 in long. Gotz
has them but I don't care to order from them because of the
hassle............TR

Tex,

O. Baltor has them...but they'll be double (or maybe more than if you ordered direct). Saderma has the Norwegian "fish" knife. I call it a fish knife because it's got a little shark stamped onto the handle end of the blade. they're about 12 inches long and curve side to side as well as along the length. Very nice knives, but I don't know that I've ever seen or heard of a brand. With the "fish" knife, you'll want to pull skive, though.

Tight Stitches
DWFII--Member HCC

Ok...my turn. I am looking for some alligator throats--black, American Alligator Company tanned, desert finish, and as wide and clear as is possible. Ordinarily I order my skins with wide clear throats and they come in that way. I can usually cut my counter covers from the throats. But this last shipment, one of the throats was a little small and the other had holes. So I am going to be doing some fancy dancing to get both vamps and countercovers out of two 33-34cm skins. If anyone can help I'd sure appreciate it.

Tight Stitches
DWFII--Member HCC

DW,

I had never tried one till I used Janne's in Sweden and that was all he had. It seemed to work ok. I am mostly interested in the good steel they have. I do pull skive but it seemed to work for that too..I know someone here in Texas has them because a lot of the Mexican craftsmen use them. I just don't know what they are called? I can't find Saderma on the net......TR

DW,

What about cutting them from the tails? Not wide enough?. I am making myself a pair from some tails in three pieces. You will have to come to WF to see them.......TR

Tex,

All I have for Saderma is their phone number: (323) 461.4861. O. Baltor's number is: (800) 622.5867...and I forgot to mention that McPherson's of Seattle will order anything from the Goetz catalog that you want (at reasonable prices) but be prepared to wait.

I have two of the fish knives and I like them. I push skive on a domed surface so I don't use them much but because of the way they are shaped, pull skiving on a flat piece of glass is really a pleasure and nearly as controlled as with the skiving dome.Both Baltor and McPhersons only carry the Tina knives, however. If I were pull skiving, I'd definitely favour the fish knives--they come in two widths...half inch and three quarter, I believe.

Tails...well I'm considering that. The tails are wide enough but I love the tiles in the throat. If I could make the whole boot out of throats, I would. I can get alligator skins big enough to cut vamps from the throat...least I think I can...but then I'd be throwing away the whole rest of the skin. That's an expensive pair of boots. Seriously though, I don't like the leather in the tails for boots. I don't like the looks of it and I think it's a bit coarse. Like I say, I've used it for counter covers in the past but prefer not to.

Tight Stitches
DWFII--Member HCC

DW,

Richard Gelstin just told me he had some of the knives so My problem of source is solved. I will let you know how they work later.......TR

Al,
We have moved up north in Sweden and all my stuff is in boxes in a garage. Hopefully will I have a new shop later on this year. Meantime am I employed by a small shoe factory and my job is to help them with design.

D.W,
The "fish" knife you are talking about is the old E.A. Berg model. The Berg company where sold to another Swedish company, BACHO, who make the knives these days in Norway. The shark was the E.A. Berg logotype, you will find it on most all of their tools.

Tex,
I think the knife you used in my shop was a Tina knife. That is a German knife which is not so curved as the Berg.

Janne,

I recall you saying you were doing some consulting work for a shoe company, yes, but not that you'd moved or closed you other workshop. Good luck with that endeavor. I hope it's a profitable and educational one.

The best bare-blade, "fish knife" type skivers I have are marked "Don Carlos". Got a bunch of them on clearance from a Goetz dealer some 15 years ago. Anybody know "Don Carlos" knives? They seem to be fine steel, better than the Tina knives, but they do require a bit of initial sharpening to get them up to snuff, where the Tina's seem pretty good right out of the wrapper.

BTW, I pull [or push] skive depending on where I am on a piece, but usually start out pulling until "skived into a corner". I do it on a flat slab of marble set into a wooden frame. I did get a sweet Fortuna-clone [Consew] bell-knife skiver several years back, and use it about half the time, but it's so ticklish to adjust, it's easier often to just use the old knife. I guess if I had to skive 3,000 pairs, all made from the same leather, the bell-knife skiver would see more use, but I ain't quite there yet.

Janne,

Thank you for that. I have wondered for years what the brand was. Not an earth-shattering question, I know, but it nags at you, if you know what I mean. Now I don't have to call them "fish" knives anymore and have "Molly Malone" pop into my head every time I mention them.

Tight Stitches
DWFII--Member HCC

All,

Well, I need a little help...again. I need a place to buy boxes for my completed boots. I bought several a few years ago from a man in Amarillo, but they are gone. Any help is appreciated.

Good Bootmaking,

Riley

Riley,

You are in the Dallas Ft Worth area and you are asking us where to get boxes? "Uline" is right there in your backyard somewhere. They aren't boot boxes but they will do to ship in and you can get about any size for about a buck. If you want regular boot boxes you will have to buy yourself a box company to get them!.....TR

Tex,

Everyone hasn't been around the boot business for a hundred years, like you have, I've never heard of "Uline", but I expect I can find 'em. Thanks for the info!

Riley

Hi Uline's number is 1.800.295.5510
Good luck
Larry Waller

Al,
Sorry for the late reply.
I will soon receive some Juchten skins from my supplier. I do not have the exact addresse here by my computer, but the name of the company is Peter Gutmann in Heidelberg, Germany. I will also ask for a cutting with naked finish and we will see what happens.

Al, Janne, others,
Would you be interested in sharing one hundred skins of Veg.tanned kangaroo? $35,- each skin pluss expences. Each skin is about 0.5 sq. meter.
It is one hundred skins each color, I assume. Does it sound like a good deal? Comments please?

Until next time
JPM