Tools & Supplies
First I must apologise for the long delay in adding any posts to this Blog. It was manly due to poor health last year which culminated in a severe heart attack last February. This necessitated heart surgery in the form of two separate operations to implant double Stent’s in the two main arteries I had further minor heart attacks during both operations. (The joys of growing old!!.)
Consequently I have been hard pushed to keep up with administering my site, dealing with inquiries & adding new site members. Since the end of May & this has also resulted in a further delay in finishing my 4th Manual on “Bag Making”
I have been reading some of the nice comments made about this Blog & would like to thank all of you for those kind words & also for Bookmarking it. Someone was asking if I did all the work on my site myself? The answer is yes as this is more of a service than a business, the income from it only supplements my pension. If anyone wishes to contact me there are contact facilities provided on my site I prefer that to direct emails as it poses a problem for spammers.
Right I have deviated somewhat from recent additions to Hale & Co Page at http://www.theleatherconnection.com/ We have progressed from that sparse & tentative entry, to a full tool kit offer base on my recommendations. This is offered by Hale & Co at a discount, naturally as these tools are top class, (mostly made in Sheffield) they are still expensive. I have also listed them individually with pictures so that Artisans can purchase individually, (don’t forget in some areas the purchase of tools can be set against Tax).
I said that this was a kit of tools but I should have mentioned that there are still some gaps in the list & The Sheffield Tool Manufacturer is striving to reintroduce all the missing ones that are within his scope. However there are some tools, or should I say equipment that need to be completely resurrected. Stitching Clamps for instance, yes before someone points it out Stitching Clamps are still made but these are heavy cumbersome things cut from solid blocks of wood & nothing like the old ones that I inherited from my Great Grandfather. They were steamed & bent into shape from much thinner wood.
A source of supply for the Buck Fat is imminent & I might have a source for Bees Wax (or I would if the owner of the Bee Farm in Suffolk had given me his correct phone number). He must have been imbibing at the Festive Board heavier than I thought. I am also still struggling to get supplies of Hand Stitching Thread. There is a supplier listed on my site but they are not very responsive to emails at present, more on this when I manage to reach the right contact.
Other Blogs & Sites, there is already an existing Blog on the Big Daddy Blog Landing page which covers my research into the origins of Homo Sapiens with regards to his use of Leather. Find that one here: http://tinyurl.com/2haf9j I am also about to launch
a new mini site or Blog on Google Page Creator. Titled “Make It With Leather” This one is aimed at those who are interested in learning to become a Leather Artisan, more about this when it launches.
I have also started a Yahoo group at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/burhidesleathergroup This has being joined by some of the Manual Owners who have been using my Leather Instruction Manuals over the past few years as well as some of the newer Manual owners. This group is not however restricted to Manual Users & anyone can join in & ask questions, some of these members of the group are skilled Artisans themselves & can answer questions relating to their own specific field of Leather expertise. For instance two are Saddlers & one of them is also a leading exponent on Leather surface Decoration. Drop by & take a look at their profiles.
Consequently I have been hard pushed to keep up with administering my site, dealing with inquiries & adding new site members. Since the end of May & this has also resulted in a further delay in finishing my 4th Manual on “Bag Making”
I have been reading some of the nice comments made about this Blog & would like to thank all of you for those kind words & also for Bookmarking it. Someone was asking if I did all the work on my site myself? The answer is yes as this is more of a service than a business, the income from it only supplements my pension. If anyone wishes to contact me there are contact facilities provided on my site I prefer that to direct emails as it poses a problem for spammers.
Right I have deviated somewhat from recent additions to Hale & Co Page at http://www.theleatherconnection.com/ We have progressed from that sparse & tentative entry, to a full tool kit offer base on my recommendations. This is offered by Hale & Co at a discount, naturally as these tools are top class, (mostly made in Sheffield) they are still expensive. I have also listed them individually with pictures so that Artisans can purchase individually, (don’t forget in some areas the purchase of tools can be set against Tax).
I said that this was a kit of tools but I should have mentioned that there are still some gaps in the list & The Sheffield Tool Manufacturer is striving to reintroduce all the missing ones that are within his scope. However there are some tools, or should I say equipment that need to be completely resurrected. Stitching Clamps for instance, yes before someone points it out Stitching Clamps are still made but these are heavy cumbersome things cut from solid blocks of wood & nothing like the old ones that I inherited from my Great Grandfather. They were steamed & bent into shape from much thinner wood.
A source of supply for the Buck Fat is imminent & I might have a source for Bees Wax (or I would if the owner of the Bee Farm in Suffolk had given me his correct phone number). He must have been imbibing at the Festive Board heavier than I thought. I am also still struggling to get supplies of Hand Stitching Thread. There is a supplier listed on my site but they are not very responsive to emails at present, more on this when I manage to reach the right contact.
Other Blogs & Sites, there is already an existing Blog on the Big Daddy Blog Landing page which covers my research into the origins of Homo Sapiens with regards to his use of Leather. Find that one here: http://tinyurl.com/2haf9j I am also about to launch
a new mini site or Blog on Google Page Creator. Titled “Make It With Leather” This one is aimed at those who are interested in learning to become a Leather Artisan, more about this when it launches.
I have also started a Yahoo group at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/burhidesleathergroup This has being joined by some of the Manual Owners who have been using my Leather Instruction Manuals over the past few years as well as some of the newer Manual owners. This group is not however restricted to Manual Users & anyone can join in & ask questions, some of these members of the group are skilled Artisans themselves & can answer questions relating to their own specific field of Leather expertise. For instance two are Saddlers & one of them is also a leading exponent on Leather surface Decoration. Drop by & take a look at their profiles.
posted by Francis at 7:14 AM
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