Leathersmiths.....show us yer stuff, (#1) THIS THREAD IS NOW CLOSED

[ChuckBurrows]

Howdy Bob - I reckon I'm not the only night owl - I'm trying to get the muscles to stop twinging after a 12 hour day in the shop at 90°...

That carving is our makers mark for this type work when/where my regular stamp isn't always possible/appropriate to use......it's made up of the Tau (my wife's choice) and the lazy eight - the lazy eight (aka infinity sign) is a symbol used by the metis (I'm mixed blood heritage)

On this belt I used two legged spots with a spot setter (the commercial hand spot setters are pretty crappy, designed all wrong IMO - I've been trying to get a tool maker to build some to my design, but so far things haven't gelled) rather than tacks - it gives a similar effect, but you don't lose them as easy as tacks - most of the original tacked stuff I've seen has some lost tacks.....IIRC there's about 250-300 1/4" and 3/8" spots on the belt.......I lay out the basic pattern before dying then just eye ball ........ not quite laser beam eyes but after a few thousand you get pretty good I reckon...I've done a couple of belts with 5-600 tacks - lots of pounding!!

SWAG: coco butter??

Nope - try again..........

[Mogorilla]

Those are awesome Chuck!!   I am going to mirror Kid's guess and say Coffee as well.  It has the same color as my desk top, which also colored with coffee.

[Marshal Will Wingam]

Another master;iece, chuck. I love the beadwork on this one. I see more of those great antler buttons. They really add character to the whole piece. Interesting straps, too. It looks like those could serve to hang it on a belt or allow you to button on a shoulder strap. Nice touch. Thanks for showing us all sides of it. That's nice to see. Outstanding.

Since I can't think of anything brown that begins with "C", other than chocolate, I'll probably side with the coffee guesses. I must admit, I hadn't thought of coffee myself so can't lay claim to the idea.

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

      Beautiful work Chuck, and I'm glad to hear you're feeling better, you just can't keep a Cowboy down for long.

                                                                   take care pard

                                                                          tEN wOLVES 

[ChuckBurrows]

Kid C gets the kewpie doll! coffe it tis - been using it for years on buckskin and this is the first I;ve tried it on other types and BTW it works great on bark/veg tan - I'm getting a nice even true brown, which I don't alwasy get with walnut, and it's faster than walnut - a couple of hours and voila! Gonna get some dark roast and try it next.......make it strong like cowboy coffee about 1/2 and 1/2.........

and I can relax this AM somewhat - I always sweat overseas shipments and this AM got an email from the gent and he got his pouch safe and sound and even better loves it....

Marshall will - yep I like the "rings" too for the loops since they can even be made convertible, but sometimes, dependent on the customer's choice, they get sewn on solid....

[Mogorilla]

I soaked a rawhide dog bone in strong coffee.  Those things are really bleached out and the resulting piece looked more to the rawhide I wanted.    Being a major Coffeholic, I think it is perfect for everything!!!!!

[knucklehead]

Kid Cavalier,

of all the holsters posted on this wire that i have looked at, your new holster is WOW.

there are some great looking holsters on this wire.

Your new holster just stood out from the rest of them 

[Kid Cavalier]

Knucklehead,
Thanks, that's high praise. I wish I could keep it but it'll go to a customer.
I'm still shootin out of the holsters I made seven years ago.

Working on a 7 1/2" now.  It'll be a doosie.

Kid

[Ace Lungger]

 :)CB,
AWESOME, I love the flare that you have for recreating the past Truley a Master Peice of art, If I was to try something like that, it wouldn't be on it's way to Sweden, it would be on it's way to the trash can
Kid, i wastn't leaving you out, your work is allways Fantastic!!

But because of you guy's, you give a lot of us the drive to improve our work!  I never expect to be able to do that kinda stuff, my only hope is to get good enough to sell a few Rigs here and there! My back is never going to get better the surgeons tell me, so I look at it different than a lot do! You guys make your living from your Talent, and I am humble when anyone helps me out!
You guys have given me a reason to want to get up out of this bed no matter how much I hurt and try and get something done!
Like I posted here the other day, it takes me a long time to get a Rig done, and it should take me longer, so that I don't make mistakes!

I want to Thank ALL of you Pards, for being a inpersation to me
(sorry about my spelling, it hasn't allways been this bad)

Later
ACE

[HorsePen Henry]

Chuck, that coffee stain turned out real nice. I'm gonna have ta try that out. Like ya said, it's cheaper than what I have been using. I especially like that percussion rig with all the spots. Thanks for the pictures...

X Horse Pen

[Black Powder]

Mr. Burrows, if you're not tired of hearin', I ain't tired of sayin' it: great work!.  I just love lookin' at your work and how it's presented.

And you others: I am like that 6 year getting Rocky Colovito's autograph.  I'm just so appreciative of your gifts.

I'm not a leather crafter, but I've been as passionate in other pursuits, so I can relate.  Everyones' expression of creativity and commitment to both craft and era cannot be taken lightly.  I am truly wow'd.  Who'd a thunk?

This is one darn fine topic.

BP

[ChuckBurrows]

Thankee all - I like looking at "stuff" too - whether original or current work, even after 47 years doing "this" I get inspred by other folks work.....

Here's that tomahawk I mentioned earlier - not cowboy but definitely western.......
Side one of the drop.....

Side two.........


What I intended the piece to portray
it's a three "generation" tomahawk....An 18th Century maple handled eastern tomahawk with brass fittings that went west, the braintan grip and small beaded "flares" were added circa 1830's (they are based on a Missouri Warhawk carried by the Mandan Chief, Mato-Tope in a painting by Bodmer in 1834), then the northern plains style beaded drop, with hawk bells and tin cone tinklers was added circa 1855-60.
The head is sealed with a braintan gasket like many originals making it smokable. The end plug and mouthpiece are made from deer antler - the mouthpiece is hidden by the rear beaded flare, which can be folded back to smoke.
The drop and grip are braintain and are coffee dyed (I never could stand the stuff other than with a shot or two of JD or Bushmills!) so I reckon I finally found a good use!

The two knives are:
The one the left has a coyote jawbone grip, the right hand is a bear jawbone grip - both have buffalo rawhide wraps. The hair dangle on the bear jawbone is human - courtesy of my wife, Linda, who did the floral beadwork on the drop.....the sheaths are in the works......

Hope ya'll enjoy the look see.......and as always the real thing is better than the pics.......the odor alone adds a lot.......

Anyone in the Lexington, KY area, August 15-16th,2008 should check out the CLA - Contemporary Longrifle - show - this piecealong with a whole bunch of stuff (291 tables and counting) will be on display there (But not me I will be nose to the ole grindstone......

[Johnny McCrae]

Howdy Chuck,

As always, looking at your work is like going to a fine Western Art Gallery. Many thanks for sharing your talents with us.

[Marshal Will Wingam]

Doggoned awesome, Chuck. You always manage pull another beauty out for us. Fascinating beadwork on the drop. I really like how both sides are very different. Thanks for the pics.

[Don101]

Chuck i must admit being a reenactor i dont believe in ageing stuff that i use on purpose as it will through normal use, but i do love what you are doing and am slowly becoming a fan of your style of work, it just looks and i bet feels right thanks for showing the pics, Don

[Mogorilla]

Great stuff Chuck.   Can I ask where you get the trade silver/pewter cross?   I have been looking for some.  I was in Phoenix and went to the Heard Museum.  They had a great Navajho belt bag circa 1880-1890 that had a similar cross and large silver spots.   sketched it out and then have had trouble finding the cross.

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

          Beautiful work Chuck, that must have taken some time to put together, How much time does it take to turn a piece like this, your level of work is so perfect, I know you don't like that word , but for pards like be it's the only word I can come up with, You and some of the other Pards here on the forum like Ace says gives the rest of us Newbees something to shoot for. you uper level Craftsmen do what to us seems impossible and make it happen.
                 Like the others I look forward to seeing all the new things you've Made and what  the rest of you pards are making too.


                                                                      tEN wOLVES 

[David Carrico]

I just finished a pair of step-ins for a show I'm working on about cattle drives. They will be used in a scene where cowboys come to town to buy new duds. These are made from original patterns and dies from F.A. Meanea Company that I acquired earlier this year.

[Ace Lungger]

Chuck,
Not much i can ad to what has been said! AWESOME recreation of a 1800' peice that would of belong to a Chief as I think you stated! The amazing thing is your forsite into a project and then just doing it!
I am very great full that you share your work with us, it gives me the desire to reach be oned the norm! As I am a newbie, with I look at work like yours and everyone else's, I try to let it sink in!

DC, I have been wanting to try some other area of leather work, ( I like those pants) I just don't have the funding to venture out and buy a lot od different leathers to play with. I am in hopes of some day getting good enough to sell my goods so that I might be able to go the extra mile and buy the hides and ect. that I need to do so!

Thanks all for sharing
ACE

[HorsePen Henry]

Here's an update on my Paterson rig. I think I am done now with this project. Maybe.







I took pictures of it from left ta right.

X Horse Pen