Shop Talk! March 2017

T H E L E AT H E R R E TA I L E R S ’ & M A N U FACT U R E R S ’ J O U R N A L

FAMILY-RUN TEXAS CUSTOM DIES KEEPS ON GROWING Lisa Sorrell: Timing a Sewing Machine

MARCH 2 0 1 7

Coblentz’s Reputation for Quality Leads to Expansion

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W W W . P RO L E P T I C. NE T

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THE LEATHER RETAILERS’ & MANUFACTURERS’ JOURNAL

MARCH 2017

FEATURES 30 Coblentz Handmade: Reputation for Quality Leads to Expansion

37 Gingerich Leather

If you have extreme sewing needs, this heavy-duty machine delivers with a wide range of high tech features that ensure this machine excels in stitch length, foot stroke and sewing speed.

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4 Laugh Lines 7 Hide Report 16 Goods & Services 26 Lisa Sorrell 48 News, Notes & Queries 56 Classifieds 2 MARCH 2017

Weaver 205 Sewing Machine

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Adler 867 ECO Sewing Machine

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This ECO style machine features two needles that can be spaced up to 2" apart.

Read Shop Talk! online with links to advertisers and online information. www.proleptic.net

As close to the original 205-370 Adler that we could find, this machine features an extra-long 16" arm with lots of attachments and extras.

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SHOP TALK! MARCH 2017 3

Spring Ahead

LAUGH LINES It’s All About Time!

The History of Daylight Saving Time (from Wikipedia) Modern DST was proposed by the New Zealand entomologist George Hudson whose shiftwork gave him leisure time to collect insects and led him to value the daylight hours after work. In 1895 he presented a paper to the Wellington Philosophical Society proposing a two-hour time shift, and, after considerable interest was expressed in Christchurch, he followed up with another paper in 1898.

Many publications credit DST’s creation to the prominent English builder and outdoorsman William Willett who independently conceived of DST in 1905 during a pre-breakfast ride when he observed with dismay how many Londoners slept through a large part of a summer’s day. An avid golfer, he also disliked cutting short his round of golf at dusk. His solution was to advance the clock

during the summer months, a proposal he published two years later in 1907. The proposal was taken up by the Liberal Member of Parliament (MP) Robert Pearce, who introduced the first Daylight Saving Bill to the House of Commons on February 12, 1908, but was not passed into law.

Starting on April 30, 1916, the German Empire and its World War I ally, Austria-Hungary, were the first to use DST (Sommerzeit) as a way to conserve coal during wartime.

Britain, most of its allies, and many European neutrals soon followed suit. Russia and a few other countries waited until the next year and the United States adopted it in 1918.

Broadly speaking, Daylight Saving Time was abandoned in the years after the war with some notable exceptions including Canada, the UK, France, and Ireland. However, it was brought back for periods of time in many different places during the following decades and most commonly during World War II. It became widely adopted, particularly in North America and Europe, during the 1970s as a result of the 1970s energy crisis.

There was no standardization of peace

March 12,2017! time DST in the United States until 1966. In May 1965, St. Paul, Minnesota, and Minneapolis, Minnesota, where on different times when the capital city decided to join most of the nation by using DST while Minneapolis opted to follow the later date set by state law. In the mid-1980s, Clorox (parent of Kingsford Charcoal) and 7-Eleven provided the primary funding for the Daylight Saving Time Coalition behind the 1987 increase in the months during which DST was in effect, and both Idaho Senators voted for it based on the premise that during DST fast food restaurants sell more french fries which are made from Idaho potatoes.

Still, there is no federal law in the US mandating the use of Daylight Saving Time, and whole states may legally choose not to observe the time change, such as Arizona.

If your watch is broken, why can’t you go FIshing?

Because you don’t have the time.

A social worker asked a colleague, “What time is it?” Who replied, “Sorry, don’t know. I don’t have a watch.”

“Never mind. It doesn’t matter,” said the social worker. “The main thing is that we talked about it.”

On some air bases the Air Force is on one side of the field and civilian aircraft use the other side of the field with the control tower in the middle. One day the tower received a call from an aircraft asking, “What time is it?” And the tower responded, “Who’s calling?” To which the pilot replied, “What difference does it make?”

“It makes a lot of difference,” air controller replied. For example: 1. If it’s an American Airlines’ flight, it’s 3 o’clock.

2. If it’s an Air Force aircraft, it’s 1500 hours.

3. If it’s a Navy aircraft, it’s 6 bells.

4. If it’s an Army aircraft, the big hand is on the 12 and the little hand is on the 3.

5. If it’s a Marine Corps aircraft, it’s Thursday afternoon and 120 minutes to Happy Hour.

A blonde asked someone what time it was and they told her that it was 4:45. The blonde, with a puzzled look on her face replied, “You know, it’s the weirdest thing. I’ve been asking people that question all day and each time I get a different answer.”

Lost time is never found again.

— Benjamin Franklin

How did it get so late so soon?

It’s night before it’s afternoon.

December is here before it’s June.

My goodness how time has flewn.

How did it get so late so soon?

—Dr. Seuss

The future is something which everyone

reaches at the rate of sixty minutes an hour, whatever he does, whoever he is.

—C. S. Lewis

Time heals what reason cannot.—Seneca

I wasted time, and now doth time waste me….

— William Shakespeare, Richard II

Time gives good advice.

(El tiempo da buen consejo.)

—Spanish proverb

Time wounds all heels.—Anon.

6 MARCH 2017

SHOP TALK!

A stitch in time saves nine Editor’s Note: While looking up the origin of the saying, “A stitch in time saves nine,” I stumbled across the following explanation which, while I cannot offer it as a definitive or authoritative derivation, I did find it interesting and hope you will as well.

The saying comes from a French proverb dating from the early 1700’s and seems to have a nautical origin. Apparently, nine pounds of shot were used to weigh down the shroud of someone being buried at sea. The last stitch was passed through both the cloth shroud and the flesh of the corpse to make sure that the body did not break free from the shroud. Otherwise, if it did, the nine pounds of shot would be wasted.

ABSURD EXPLANATION? [After some consideration, this explanation seems patently absurd. There is no way that I can imagine how a shroud that’s been sewn up around a body could come loose—unless someone did a terrible job. And then nine pounds of shot doesn’t seem like enough weight to sink a body and keep it sunk. Plus it would be a waste of shot—which may or may not have been a concern to the sailors onboard.

So this fanciful explanation does not get my vote. I’m sticking with the saying being understood as an injunction against procrastination—better to take care of problems when they first happen rather than wait, ie: repair that tear when it first happens rather than wait until it gets bigger and requires more attention.]

It is a fact that this adage first appeared in a 1732 book of English proverbs by Thomas Fuller and was first cited in the United States in the 1787 “Journal of Tour of North America in 1796-1791” by Francis Bally.

YOU R GLOBA L PE RSPE CTIV E

The Hide Report

In this month’s selection of articles there are a couple of analyses of proposed foreign trade policies of the current US administration. There is no intention here to advocate any trade position one way or the other. Shop Talk! is simply passing along the comments of trade analysists which you may or may not agree with, but, for our part, there is no underlying political agenda or message.

Let me also remark on the general nature of the stories chosen for this section. We select only a very few stories out of many possible choices. We tend to choose stories which are upbeat while admitting that there are as many stories of companies losing money during any given quarter as there are of companies making money. It’s not our intention of painting an unrealistically rosy picture that’s misleading. If there were an important story which contain bad news then we most certainly would run it; in most cases, however, a company will cry about experiencing a downturn one month and then brag about how it’s recovered the next month.

We also choose stories which we hope will help paint a picture of what the leather industry is

doing globally so you become aware of how we are, in one sense, really all connected. By showing what other people are doing in faraway places like Pakistan, Spain, and Vietnam, we hope that you’ll get a better sense of the overall state of the global economy and realize that, for now at least, it’s in very, very good shape. Almost everywhere you turn, you see growth, employment, and a general betterment in the standard of living.

Enjoy.

FOOTWEAR INDUSTRY DISAPPOINTED IN US TPP WITHDRAWAL Matt Priest, President and CEO of the footwear industry’s trade association, Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America (FDRA), issued the following statement after the current US president signed an executive order withdrawing the United States from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP): While not a surprise, we are extremely disappointed that the US has withdrawn from the Trans-Pacific Partnership because of the significant lost opportunity for American footwear consumers and

SHOP TALK! MARCH 2017 7

The Hide Report

The Hide Report businesses. This 12-nation agreement involved key markets for the US footwear industry, including Vietnam and Japan, and would have saved US footwear companies and consumers more than a half a billion dollars a year. FDRA will continue to support efforts for US bilateral free trade agreements with these nations, and we stand ready to work with the President on trade agreements that will deliver real value for American footwear consumers and strengthen US footwear companies.

Sourcing shifts: strained relationships could cause shifts in sourcing. If China were to cut the number of hides it purchases from the US, it would have a substantial impact— for the United States as well as the countries that would benefit from a shift in China’s buying habits. Also, countries will be cutting favorable one-on-one trade deals. Can industry sourcing respond rapidly enough to take advantage of shifting alliances? Vietnam is already the second largest producer of footwear that comes into the United States.

INEVITABLE CHANGES IN GLOBAL TRADE

Tanning: few tanneries are left in the U.S. Hides are exported, processed, and returned as finished products in one form or another. Will that leather face a tariff when it comes back to American shores, as a material or as a finished product? If so, will designers and brands increasingly turn away from leather?

(Editor’s note: these comments represent theoretical speculation and should be read as such.)

Just as the first domino to fall sets off a long and dramatic chain of toppling tiles, swift trade policy shifts by the new US president will set off a cascade of change in global trade. Whether those changes are good for the US as a whole are the issue we want to discuss here: rather, what could this changes mean for the leather industry supply chain?

Fewer hides: if an unfavorable trade climate affects meat exports, the cattle supply could be affected, hence fewer hides and higher prices. Cattle farmers are already decrying the end of TPP and the lower tariffs it promised. The National Beef and Poultry Association says that ranchers are already losing $400,000 a day from the absence of the TPP.

Pricing: in 2015, market conditions drove up leather prices and led many footwear makers to forgo leather for cheaper synthetic alternatives. This time around, tariffs, taxes, and global trade discord could do the same.

CATTLE BUYERS WEEKLY FORECAST ON 2017 SLAUGHTER Beef processors will see an estimated one million head increase in total cattle slaughter this year versus last year and 861,000 head increase next year. This will increase plant utilization rates to their continued on page 11

HORWEEN ’S LONG HISTORY BEHIND NFL FOOTBALLS (ASSOCIATED PRESS The following is used with permission from hidenet. com, the premier source for information regarding the worldwide hide and leather markets.

Skip Horween’s great-grandmother wanted nothing to do with football. In fact, her two sons were so petrified that she would find out that they were playing the sport, they decided to play under assumed names. That’s how it came to be that Arnold and Ralph “McMahon,” both standouts on the Harvard football team a century ago, managed to play for the Chicago Cardinals in the early days of professional football. And in a roundabout way, it’s how their family, immigrants from the Ukraine who opened a Chicago tannery in 1905, would come to provide the leather for NFL game balls used today.

“The story is really astounding,” said Mike Halpert, whose Philadelphia Hide Brokerage Corp., has provided the Horween Leather Co. with raw materials for years. Not just astounding but quintessentially American.

DEEP ROOTS Leather brokers like Halpert acquire rawl products from livestock producers, mostly in the Midwest, and those hides— in this case Heavy Native Steer Hides— are shipped to Chicago. There, the Horween family begins turning it into the supple leather made to the NFL’s exact specifications, a laborious process that takes place at the historic, nondescript tannery on N. Elston Ave. “We have deep roots here,” Skip Horween said with a hint of pride.

For good reason: when he started at the factory in 1978, there were about 250 tanneries in the US. But many of them have moved overseas, where regulations are fewer and labor is cheaper. Others consolidated and still more closed entirely. Now, there are about two dozen tanneries left.

“Lots of people aren’t around anymore,” Horween said. “We’re one of the last ones.”

8 MARCH 2017

SHOP TALK!

Factories in other countries might be able to produce cheaper leather, but it would hardly be the same quality and ultimately that is why the Horween family has survived: their leather is sought after by shoemakers such as Alden and watchmakers such as Shinola.

JUST ONE JOB Once the leather is tanned and finished with its unique pebble texture, it is then loaded onto a truck bound for Ada, OH, population 5900, about 130 of whom work in the Wilson plant. Their only job there is to make footballs. Thousands of them.

Editor’s Note: For those folks who have been around for 20-25 years, you might remember Jon Katz, one of the owners of Randall Machinery when it was located in New York City, before it was bought by the company now known as Campbell-Randall which is located in Conroe, TX. Jon was always quick to brag that all the footballs used by the NFL were sewn on his Union Lockstitch sewing machines and that his company had a repairman who was responsible for servicing the machines at the Wilson plant. We hope that Wilson Sporting Goods still uses Union Locks which are sold and serviced by the folks at Campbell-Randall who provide machines to sewing operations worldwide.

Please see their ad in this issue.

Also—a great source for Horween leathers, which include several tannages of latigo as well as horse butts and front, is Maverick Leather. Please see their ad in this issue and give them a call for a complete list of leathers available from Horween. Who knows—they might even have some of Horween’s famous football leather on hand which ought to make up some handsome bags or English girths.

SHOP TALK! MARCH 2017 9

The Hide Report

MARCH 2017 MARKET IN REVIEW Selection

continued from page 8 highest level in many years.

Weight (lbs.)

December

January

February

weights vary month to month

(early)

(early)

(early)

Price Last February

Heavy Texas Steers

66-68

$71-72

$69-70

$71-72

$60-63

Heavy Texas Steers (Hvy)

74-76

$75-75.75

$73-73.50

$65-67

Branded Steers

66-68

$64-65

$62-63

$65-66

$56-57

Branded Steers (Hvy)

74-76

$74-75

$71-73

$71-73

$62-63

Colorado Steers

66-68

$64-65

$61.50-62

$65-65.50

$51-53

Butt Branded Steers

66-68

$74.50-76

$73-74.50

$72-74.50

$68-69

Butt Branded Steers (Hvy)

74-76

$81-82

$76-77

$76-77

$75-76

Higher utilization rates last fall helped reduce per head slaughter and fabrication costs and led to record operating margins in October 2016. Lower costs will also be a factor in 2017 and 2018. These demand though will remain the key in determining margins in the face of record overall production of red meat and poultry this year and next year.

The industry currently has 3000 head less of daily slaughter capacity than it did at the start of 2015,

Heavy Native Steers (Hvy)

74-76

$81-82

$78-79

$77-78.50

$77-78

according to CBW data.

Heavy Native Heifers

52-54

$59-60

$57.50-58

$58-59

$55-59

Branded Heifers

52-54

$56-57

$56-57

$52-53

$53-55

Heavy Native Cows

52-54

$43-44

$43-44

$44-46

$44-45

Branded Cows

52-54

$35.50-36.50

$35-36.50

$36.50-38

$34-35

Holstein Dairy Cows

52-54

$53-55

$54-55

$55-56

$57

100-110

$52-59

$52-59

$52-59

$49-51

Native Bulls

$72-73.50

(early)

Total capacity is 125,500 head per day, the lowest in the modern history of the industry. This nearly 20,000 head per day lower than the peak of 145,000 head per day in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Capacity utilization then was around 80%. Capacity utilization last year (based on running plants an average of 265 days) was 92%.

FRENCH LEATHER INDUSTRY SENDS PROPOSALS TO PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES

Horween Seconds Hermann Oak Wickett & Craig Illini “Bighorn” Latigo Bag & Chap Leather Kangaroo Skins & Lace Horse Butt Strips Double Shoulders Belt Blanks Follow us on Instagram and Facebook for Daily Deals!

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www.maverickleathercompany.com 10 MARCH 2017

SHOP TALK!

Le Conseil National du Cuir sent a proposal to the candidates in the French presidential election, setting forth the industry’s agenda and policy directions. Here we have some excerpts of the organizations letter.

The French leather industry is one of the beacons of the “Made in France” label— which generated some €9.3 billion of exports in 2016 and is a strategic sector of activity for France.

The world leader in calf leather and exotic leather, third largest exporter of leather goods and raw hides in the world, fourth largest exporter of leather articles taking all categories into account, the industry includes 9,400 companies, employees 130,000 people, and generates a turnover of €25 billion.…

SHOP TALK! MARCH 2017 11

The Hide Report

The Hide Report French calf is of exceptional quality and has made France one of the world leaders in the sector.

Yet, less than 20% of French skins are tanned into leather that meets the quality criteria of the luxury industry. Over the last twenty-five years, the number of French calf skins available to the industry has been halved, while the demand never ceases to increase.

The situation is not only due to a decline in meat consumption in France (4% per year) but also to mechanical injuries suffered during the livestock raising period, certain conditions of transport, and the presence of parasites including ringworm. These defects mean that the hides are unsuitable for the production of first choice leathers.

HERMES SALES RISE 7.6% ON YEAR ON LEATHER GOODS French luxury goods house Hermes International said revenue in the fourth quarter of 2016 rose 7.6%, fueled by strong sales in its mainstay leather goods business. The leather goods and saddlery segment, which account for 50% of group sales, drove the growth with sales up 14% to €2.6 billion, while other divisions performed well except for silk products and watches which were quite sluggish (down by 1% and 3%, respectively).

POSITIVE SIGNS FOR ITALIAN TANNING INDUSTRY

China’s worker wages are rising about 7-8% each year and they have a shrinking working age population.

The Italian tanning industry saw a slight decline in 2016 but nothing dramatic. The market shows signs of stabilizing and some interesting possibilities are opening up for 2017, says a 2016 report by the Unione Nazionale Industra Conciaria (National Union of the Tanning Industry), which evaluated the data relating to the first nine months of 2016 as a “natural consequence of the international economic situation.” In other words, Italian tanners recorded a 4% decline in the value of exports which was in line with the overall slowdown. However, according to the UNIC, one of the main objectives of industry is sustainability, a theme to which the Italian tanning industry has been strongly committed over the years: from 2003 to 2015 water consumption has been reduced by 18% and energy consumption by 19%.

China is making big moves on automation and large-scale deployment of robotics. In 2014, President Xi Jinping talked about a robotics revolution.

China has been the number one buyer of industrial robots since 2013. However, China lags behind other nations in terms of robots per worker….

CHINA TO SPEND TRILLIONS ON AUTOMATION While the USA has been extremely concerned about losing jobs (particularly manufacturing jobs to China), China performed a survey of businesses in the American Chamber of Commerce in Beijing and found that 25% had moved or were planning to move their businesses out of China. Half are going to other Asian countries and 40% to America, Canada or Mexico.

The current global leader in industrial robotic automation is South Korea. South Korea’s robotic density exceeds the global average by a good sevenfold (478 units), followed by Japan (314 units), and Germany (292 units). At 164 units, the US currently occupies seven place in the world.

At 36 units per 100,000 employees or about half the global average figure, China is currently in 28th place.

This is roughly on par with Portugal and Indonesia.

However, about five years ago China embarked on an

historically unparalleled game of catch-up aimed at changing the status quo and already it is the world’s largest sales and growth market for industrial robots.

HIGH SPEED SHOE FACTORY PROJECT IN PORTUGAL The modernization of footwear factories seeks to make them more flexible, enabling them to produce orders more quickly. To this end, the Portuguese footwear industry has launched the High Speed Shoe Factory Project. Through this initiative, the aim is to transform factories so that they can produce a customized shoe in less than 24 hours. The project already works successfully in the factory that the Portuguese firm Kyaia has in Paredes de Coura. This model delivers its shoes in a period of one to two days, thanks to what has been called “unit production,” that is one pair at a time, the type of production oriented to an online sale of small orders.

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12 MARCH 2017

SHOP TALK!

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The Hide Report

My Buyer’s Guide!

Reach 16,000 shops,

™

EVERY

manufacturers & retailers •Tack Shop • Western Store • Belt Maker • Saddle Manufacturer • Bag Maker • Harness Shop • Maker of Leather Goods in U.S.

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My Buyer’s Guide!

COACH PROFIT JUMPS TO $906 MILLION Coach reported its 2017 Q2 results for the period end ending on December 31, 2016. The company was very pleased with this holiday performance, “particularly in light of the challenging and volatile global retail environment,” said Victor Luis, Chief Executive Officer of Coach, Inc. Net sales for the quarter increased 4% to $1.32 billion, with the Coach brand totalling $1.20 billion and the Stuart Weitzman brand totaling $118 million. The Coach Brent increased 2% while the Stuart Weitzman brand increased 26%. North America Coach brand direct sales increased 5% and aggregate comparable sales increased 3%. This performance offset the planned North American department store decline of 30%. International brand sales rose 3%, driven by positive comparable store sales in mainland China, and its European business grew at a double digit rate in total and comparable store sales.

ShoTan LEATHER 800-251-7288 Veg Tanned - Upholstery Skirting

Smooth Grain Shoulders - Suedes Culuttas Exotics - Drum Dyed Harness - Latigo

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SUPER LEATHER SALE!

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$112 $111 $107 $103 $103 Cowhide Ostrich Asst Colors Cowhide Gator Asst Colors Cowhide Elephant Asst Colors Suede Leather- Assorted

$5.95 ft $6.25 ft $6.50 ft $3.95 ft

ASSORTED HARDWARE CLOSEOUT!

$5.75 $5.95 $6.10 $1.50

CALL!

Upholstery and Chap Leather Assorted Colors Lt Grey Lt Green Royal Blue Lavender Orange Red Rust All - $3.95 ft 14 MARCH 2017

SHOP TALK!

SHOP TALK! MARCH 2017 15

Goods & Services MARCH 2017

Everyone knows that the folks at Mid-River Sales make all sorts of great pads for driving horses—of course you did. But did you know they also make lap robes? They do! As well as calf robes, and harness bags to carry your gear in. So get a catalog and find out more about the many different products available from Mid-River. Contact: 10348 County Road 18 Middlebury, IN 46540 (574) 825-9253 ext. 1 Windy Knoll Sewing is also a good source for pads and blankets, and they also do a lot of custom sewing of lots and lots of different products like totes and other types of carryalls. So if you need something made (boot carriers, rope carriers, saddle covers) you might want to contact Windy Knoll at 70 Little Britain Rd., Nottingham, PA 19362, (717) 529-7506 ext. 1.

Manufacturers, Importers, and Distributors—that’s how the folks at El Paso Saddleblanket describe themselves and if you’ve ever been in their warehouse in El Paso, TX, you know what a huge and diversified operation that EPS is. You can see their complete product line at www.ElPasoSaddleblanket.com, and they also mail out catalogs throughout the year which are around 60 pp.

El Pasos is about everything Southwestern and I mean EVERYTHING! That includes bedspreads, rugs, pillows, purses, scarves, blankets, pullovers, purses, tote bags, backpacks, travel bags, placemats, throws, wall hangings, runners, baskets, jewelry, and, of course, saddle blankets! Contact: 6935 Commerce Ave. El Paso, TX 79915 (800) 351-7847 www.ElPasoSaddleblanket.com You never know but you might like to find out more about Farming Magazine which is a quarterly. The magazine caters to folks who have small family farms as well as those who are serious gardeners and may raise a few cows, hogs, and chickens in the side. Good magazine for bee keepers. Companies like Bowman

Goods & Services Harness and Coblentz Collar advertise in the magazine since there should be a percentage of readers who are using horses to farm. You might want to advertise as well—or at least let any interested customer know about such a handy source of information. Get a copy so customers can flip through it when they visit your shop or store. Contact: PO Box 85 Mt. Hope, OH 44660-0085 (800) 915-0042 contact@farmingmagazine.net One of the very best resources for businesses of any sort or size has got to be Plain Communities Business Exchange—you name it, they’ve probably got it. I’m taking bulldozers, sharpening services, air powered equipment, business services, buggies, lighting systems, doors, floors, hardware, packaging tools and supplies, etc. Dozens of products of every description and dozens of business services on offer—like answering and Internet services. Whether you’re plain or fancy, you’re going to love Plain Communities.

Get a copy and see for yourself what a treasure trove of

828.665.7060 828.665.7067 fax 1.877.665.7060 order line bucklebarnusa@charter.net www.bucklebarnusa.com

BUCKLE BARN USA 145 Vanderbilt Terrace Asheville, NC 28806

16 MARCH 2017

SHOP TALK!

information PCBE is.You never know what good ideas it might give you that will help to improve your business.

Contact: P O Box 520 Millersburg, PA 17061 (717) 362-1118 editor@plaincommunities.com A catalog that every store, shop, and manufacturer really should be familiar with is the one from Uline.

Their catalog weighs in around 700 pp. and it has about every shipping supply that man has ever created and then some. Of course, they have a lot more than boxes and tape. For example, they sell pallet trucks, basket trucks, storage cabinets, bins, safety products, janitorial supplies, retail shopping bags, drums, gloves, knives, tables, work tables, and MORE! And one thing that we’ve always found true with Uline—they ship immediately. We often get our orders the very next day. So they are fast and really good to deal with Contact: 12575 Uline Dr. Pleasant Prairie, WI 53158 (800) 295-5510 www.uline.com

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$5 POSTAGE REFUNDED WITH FIRST ORDER SHOP TALK! MARCH 2017 17

Goods & Services

Have you seen it? The new 202 pp. catalog from TANDY LEATHER FACTORY? Wow. Always super.

Always new, interesting, and useful products. Not much bling this year or Steampunk—that’s soooooo yesterday. This year it’s more thoughtful pastels and attention to detail.

Now you know that TLF has so much to offer the hobbyist and small shop owner, and they have something for everyone from boot makers to saddle makers. But one thing you might not know is that they also service very large accounts—manufacturers who buy pallet loads at a time. So if you’re needing big quantities of hardware, supplies, or leather, why not give Tandy Leather a call?

Goods & Services

Overall length 5 ¾”. Handle is flat on two sides for better gripping.

Blade is diamond shaped.

If you do much hand stitching, then you are going to want to get yourself a couple of their diamond chisels with angled teeth. They have one, two, four, eight, and ten prong models that make 9, 8, and 7 spi.

There’s a handy punch for rounding corners. Here’s their Pro Leathercraft Hammer:

It’s pretty wicked looking!

If you’re a carver, you might want one TLF’s new fine detail blade which is only 1/8” wide:

TLF has a new, inexpensive leather thickness gauge made out of wood. If you need a maker’s stamp made, then TLF can do that for you which will also fit their Pro Hand Press.

Tandy Leather Factory has dozens and dozens of leather stamps not everyone carries, traditional as well as very modern and their collection is always SHOP TALK!

DieCo

FREE SHIPPING on all orders placed in March!

Can also be used to set fasteners and used with their Press Die Stamp Set.

18 MARCH 2017

• Swivel Knives • Stamping Tools • Sharpening Tools • • Blades • Beader Blades • Lacing Punches •

Precision Clicker Dies at an Affordable Price

They carry Kydex for holsters and sheathes. Lots of thread and sinew for hand sewing. There’s a natural jute in 1, 2, and 3 mm that might be dandy filler for welts. TLF has different sizes and colors of thread for sewing machines.

Here’s a new curved stitching awl—

Of course, there are always a lot of bag kits from which to choose like this handsome Expedition Briefcase Kit: There are kits for about anything you want to make as well as dozen of patterns and how-to books. Here’s a leather stapler for making up keepers:

So let’s look at their catalog-There’s a pretty nice selection of veg tanned leather in many different weights and colors. There’s this ¾ oz. milled single shoulder with a nice pebble finish that looks interesting—what could you make with that? Some nice bison sides in 5 oz. Lots of chrome, oil tanned with nice pull-up, latigo, goat, deer, sheepskin, pig, snake, and lamb. They have prints— alligator, croc, python, etc. And more. Lots of suede as well in lots of colors. Strong selection for chap and bag makers.

changing and growing.

ASK FOR A QUOTE

• Quick Turn-Around Time • ¾ or 1¼ Material • Strong Bracing

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Hillside Harness Hardware

4205 Township Road 629 • Millersburg, OH 44654

SHOP TALK! MARCH 2017 19

Goods & Services There are stainless steel staples available which you have to set by hand. Lots and lots and lots of buckle sets with loops and tips. They carry the nice clipped corner buckles in different finishes in 1 ½”. Lots of interesting conchos:

The Hide Report Several new items include bracelet clasps, links, and connectors which are very stylish—

TLF has a lot of little items like that which can really give your products a finished looks—clasps, attachments, lanyards, snaps, etc.

Do you need an air compressor and lines and sprayers to get the look of a professional sprat job?

No—you don’t! There’s

CBW ranks Western as Canada’s largest feeding the reusable Preval Power operation with 100,000 head of seating capacity Unit. in three feedlots at High River, Mossleigh, and Strathmore.

And they do a nice job! that does Western began operationsFriends, in 1958 at hardly Strathmore TandyinLeather with 975 head of capacity a fewFactory’s pens. It new catalog justice but quickly became known as the pioneer of modern the idea. commercial cattle feeding you in get Canada as It’s it grew. packed full of Western hired current CEO Dave Plett goodies as general that you’ll be happy to manager in 1986. The following year, it began know about and which shipping cattle to US packers. It then became you’ll find mighty handy a major supplier of cattle to Cargill’s High River to have on your bench—so get a copy of their new plant after opened catalog anditenjoy!

It’sina June dandy1989. and very handy!

Western gained reputation applying And make also sure to get onaTLF’s mailing listforbecause the cattle feeding for they latest still outtechnologies flyers that listtoa variety of specialsand you’ll instituting a value-based pricing grid for cattle. want to know about. Contact: Western’s large presence in cattle feeding will 1900 SE Loop 820 leave producers forced to find other outlets for Ft. Worth, TX 76140 their calves and feeder cattle. In turn, Cargill and www.tandyleather.com JBS Canada (with its plant not far away at Brooks) have to turn to other feedlots in the province for their life cattle supplies.

Goods & Services USHSLA SESSION ADDRESSES CRITICAL TOPICS The hide supply availability, traceability, and credit markets were some of the topics addressed at the annual meeting of the US Hide, Skin and Leather Association meeting which was held in Chicago during the first week of October.

Kevin Good, senior market analyst and manager of corporate accounts for CattleFax, presented the “Situation and Outlook of the US Cattle Heard: Will Expansion Continue?” Overall, Good noted that in 2016, the herd is definitely bigger. For 2017, he forecast that it will continue to expand but at a slower rate. The moisture situation is good, feed is cheap, and producers have a good cash situation. By 2018, however, Good said that he expects beef herd size to be flat or two slightly decline. On the dairy cow side, herd size will be flat going forward.

This year, the herd is still expanding but at a bit slower pace. In early October, beef cow slaughter was up 11% and in the past few weeks it was up 20% Good noted. The dairy cow herd is stable. In North America, Mexican beef cows have picked up lately with increasing feeding and packing capacity. In Canada, the herd has been flat and declined in recent years.

Globally, there are fewer beef cattle, down 7%, and more dairy cows which are up 5%. Good said that a 2 to 3% increase in slaughter over the next two years is a conservative estimate. Also, capacity is likely to be an issue in the years to come: it will be a bigger seasonal problem from May to September every year….

Current Course Dates

March 27-31, 2017: Intro to Making Bridle/Saddle Course Bridle Level Courses March 31 to April 2, 2017: Intro to SMS Course April 3-7, 2017: Bench & Onsite Course Saddle Level Courses

20 MARCH 2017

SHOP TALK!

8 NOVEMBER 2016

SHOP TALK!

SHOP TALK! MARCH 2017 21

USED TOOLS & EQUIPMENT FOR SALE All tools sold “as-is.” No returns.

Proleptic, Inc., P.O. Box 17817, Asheville, NC 28816 | 828.505.8474 | www.proleptic.net | shoptalk@proleptic.net Dividers. 6”.

Good condition. $18.50 + SH. (Also have 3 more prs. 6” dividers, different makes, etc. All in good condition.

Ea. for $18.50 + SH. Also one pr. 7” dividers in fair condition for $15.50 + SH.)

C. S. Osborne stitch groover. 5 ½” OA. Bridge over swing arm has been repaired. Good condition. $28 + SH.

PE OPL E PROD U CTS PL AC E S

Boot & Shoe News

Single tube punch. No. 7 (13/64”).

Single tube punch. No spring. No. 8 New anvil. Good condition. $22 + SH. (1/4”). Good condition. $22 + SH. Rawhide maul. 3 lbs. 12 oz. Hickory handle. 10” OA. 3” dia. head.

New. $78.50 + SH. (5 pcs.

Note: mauls may differ slightly in weight, design of handle, and color of head.)

1 5/8” round end strap punch.

ADCO. VGC. $22 + SH. (4 pcs.) Also have 1 5/8” round punch. ADCO. VGC. $20 + SH. (4 pcs.)

Rawhide maul. 3 lbs.

9 oz. Hickory handle. 9 ¼” OA. 3 3/8” dia. head. New. $78.50 + SH.

Beveler. Makes up to 1 ¾” bevel.

Adjustable. New blade. VGC. $250 + SH.

SSIA TO BOARD QUEEN MARY FOR 2017 CONVENTION, JULY 22-23 The 2017 SSIA annual con­vention will be held in Long Beach, CA. Always lots of very useful, very practical seminars cum trade show where you can see the different new products that a variety of suppliers from all over the world have on display. Don’t miss it!

The dates are July 22-23, 2017, at The Queen Mary, 1126 Queens Hwy., Long Beach, CA 90802, (877) T

22 MARCH 2017

SHOP TALK!

342-0742 for reservations. Mention the SSIA and book your room early to take advantage of the discounted rate.

For additional information, visit the SSIA website at www.ssia.info.

CHECKOUT THE CLASSIFIEDS Several good looking shoe and boot shops are for sale this month in our Classifieds section, so be sure to give them a look! You’ll be glad you did.

SHOP TALK! MARCH 2017 23

GETTING STARTED

I needed to do a little hand stitching recently which I haven’t done in a while and knew—from past painful experience—that my hands can get pretty sore after a while. So I figured I’d make a couple of leather finger guards like I’ve seen saddle makers in England use. Very handy and they both protect your fingers and give you a bit better grip.

That is until I ran across these gloves! Wow— these are cheap nitrite covered gloves I found at Lowe’s that are just great for hand sewing. The covering is tacky enough to allow me to grip my needles so they don’t turn or slip—but not too tacky. Very nice. AND the gloves are thin enough and tight enough so that I still have a lot of feel in my hands as to where the needles are going and how hard I’m pulling on the thread.

So these gloves have worked out real well and I’m doing the best—and quickest—hand sewing that I’ve ever done. As long as I remember to double spike my thread! There’s a lot less dropping of the needle, and the grip allows me to be both faster as well as more accurate as to where I’m placing my needles.

Try it—you might really enjoy the improved grip that nitrite covered gloves can give you.

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24 MARCH 2017

SHOP TALK!

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SHOP TALK! MARCH 2017 25

Boot & Shoe News

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by Lisa Sorrell, Sorrell Notions & Findings I believe that anyone who owns and uses a leather sewing machine should be able to time it. “Timing” refers to the relationship between the up-anddown movement of the needle and the rotation of the shuttle, which is the part of the machine that holds the bobbin.

It can be difficult to find a sewing machine manual for vintage sewing machines, and the “English” manuals for the Chinese machines are hilariously unhelpful. My favorite bit of advice from one of my new sewing machine manuals is “If the machine is out of time, call your local sewing machine repairman.” Unfortunately, knowledgeable sewing machine repair people aren’t as common as they used to be.

SEEING THE SIGNS The obvious sign that your machine is not timed properly is skipped stitches.An immediate cause for a machine to be out of time can be distorting the needle (usually as you try to navigate a curve) and breaking it by hitting the needle plate. If the needle hits the needle plate hard enough it can knock the machine out of time.

To check the timing on your machine, remove the throat plate, lower the needle to its lowest point and then raise it 3/32”. At this point the tip of the shuttle hook should be in the center of the needle and 1/16” above the eye.

26 MARCH 2017

SHOP TALK!

Many machines have two lines scored onto the needle bar.

The top line should just barely be visible when the needle is at its lowest point, and the second line is 3/32” below it. If your machine has these markings, raise the needle so that this second line is just visible, before the needle bar goes all the way up into the machine. It’s at this point that the tip of the shuttle hook should be in the center of the needle and 1/16” above the eye.

These machines all work on the same basic principle.

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Boot & Shoe News There’s a long bar underneath the machine that connects the feed wheel mechanism with the bobbin/shuttle area.

This bar has a gear at the end, directly under the bobbin area. There’s another bar that extends down from the shuttle. It also has a gear on the end. These two gears touch. When you push the pedal it turns the first long bar; as it turns it rotates the gear on the bar extending up the shuttle, allowing it to turn.

To change the timing of a machine, loosen the gear on the long bar. This gear is held in place by two screws. Loosen both and slide the gear down the bar and away from the shuttle gear. Now you can reposition the shuttle as needed so that it lines up correctly with the needle. Make sure the needle is in the proper position—all the way down and then 3/32” back up.

COMING INTO VIEW On some machines, the feed gear and the shuttle gear are immediately visible when looking under the machine.

On other machines the gears are within a metal case, and the screws to loosen the gear are only visible through a single hole in the case. With this arrangement, you’ll need to rotate the gear until a screw comes into view, loosen it, and rotate again to find the second screw.

If your needle bar does not have markings, or if they’re in the wrong place, you’ll need to improvise. I keep a fine point Sharpie in my machine drawer along with a tiny strip of poster board that I’ve trimmed to exactly 3/32” wide.When I’ve lowered the needle bar to its lowest point I position the poster board strip right up against the bottom collar holding the needle bar and make a mark on the needle bar at the bottom of the poster board strip. This enables me to raise the needle bar to the mark I’ve made with the confidence that I’m raising it exactly the required 3/32”.

The needle bar moves up and down within a collar, and it requires a drop of oil occasionally to continue doing so smoothly. Because of the oil, you can’t simply mark on the needle bar with a Sharpie and expect the mark to stay forever. The mark wears off quickly as the needle bar moves up and down.

28 MARCH 2017

SHOP TALK!

Once the gears are separated, you can rotate the shuttle until the point of the hook is exactly in the center of the needle. When you see that the needle bar and the point of the shuttle hook are aligned properly with each other, move the gear on the long bar back into place against the shuttle gear and re-tighten the screws. When you’re tightening the screw holding the bottom gear to the long bar underneath, it’s helpful to keep one hand on the shuttle system, holding it in place as you tighten the screw. This eliminates the possibility of it rotating slightly when you tighten the screw.

I will admit that it’s difficult to both hold the shuttle in the correct place and tighten the screws on the gear; this is the part where you’ll feel you need three hands.

At this point the only way to confirm you’ve timed the machine correctly is to sew something. Don’t despair if you don’t get it timed correctly the first time. When I first began timing my own machines I’d often have to time and re-time and re-time about 10-12 tries before it would finally be right. It’s frustrating, but it’s a part of the process of learning your machine until you intimately know the machine’s every whim and mood.

USED TOOLS & EQUIPMENT FOR SALE All tools sold “as-is.” No returns.

A Christmas Riddle

Proleptic, Inc., P.O. Box 17817, Asheville, NC 28816 | 828.505.8474 | www.proleptic.net | shoptalk@proleptic.net

Bronze 1”

nce upon a time, a perfect man and a perfect woman met. After a perfect courtship, they had a perfect wedding. Their life was, of course, perfect.

O

wide embossUnfortunately, the diving conditions deteriorated and ing rollers the perfect couple and Santa had an accident.

Only one with 1” ID. All of them survived.

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One snowy, storm Christmas Eve, this perfect couple was driving their perfect car along a winding road when they noticed someone at the side of the road in distress.

Smucker Rein Rounder. New. 15 holes. 3/16”– Being 5/8”. $200the + SHperfect couple, they stopped to help.

Who was the survivor?

ea. + SH.

The perfect woman survived. She’s the only one who really existed in the first place. Everyone knows that there is no Santa Apparently Beiler Mfg. &Claus, Supply and there is no such thing as a A. Oak leaf & acorns D. Fish with carving 39900 Hand Press. Good condition. B. Horse & mountains perfect man.

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There stood Santa Claus with bundle toys. Good Strap End Punches Condition. Embosses up to 1 ½” strap. Comes with magnetic tubular river C. Southwestern F. Horse’s head with Not wanting to disappoint any children on the eve of So, there’s no+perfect manpattern and no Santa Claus, the flowers & leaves driverifand anvil. $114 SH 50% off — English & Uses rollers with 1” ID. $400 + SH Christmas, theRound perfect couple loaded Santa and his toys Point 1/2”–2” perfect woman must have been driving. This explains into their SUV.New. Soon they Enamel Some maywere have driving along, delivering why there wasMini-Punch an accident. doorknob slight pitting.

Set. 6 tubes, toys all over the world. handle, and wrench. New. 3/32”—3/16”. $6.50 ea. + SH. (10 pcs.)

bouncer. 6” OA. Cocoabola handle.

VGC. $28.50 + SH.

A very merry Christmas and a prosperous (and healthy!) 2015 from all of us here at Shop Talk! to each and everyone of you out there!

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!!

Red Dog lip knife. 7” OA. New $5 + SH. (2 pcs.)

Red Dog beveled knife. 6 ¼” OA. New. $5 + SH.

Editor’s note: ALWAYS start the timing process with a NEW needle. In fact, sometimes just changing out needles can “solve” whatever problem you may be having with skipped stitches so that’s a good place to start before making any adjustments.

Sorrell Notions & Findings 217 E. Oklahoma Ave. Guthrie, OK 73044 (405) 282-5464 www.sorrellnotionsandfindings.com Please note: Proleptic, Inc. has over 1,000 manuals for older and obsolete sewing machines and other types of leather working machines like clickers on file and for sale. If we don’t have the exact manual you need, we’ll do our best to refer you to someone who does.

You may see a complete listing of manuals online at www.proleptic.net. Or call (828) 505-8474 or e-mail: shoptalk@proleptic.net.

8 |

December 2014

SHOP TALK! MARCH 2017 29 Shop Talk!

Coblentz’s Reputation for Quality Leads to Expansion

by Jennifer Fulford, Staff Writer

T

he famous Field of Dreams quote, “If you build it, he will come,” may apply to the Coblentz enterprises in Millersburg, OH. In this case, he doesn’t refer to Shoeless Joe Jackson but to customers who want the real deal—real leather goods made in America by hand. The Coblentz family— grandfather, father, brother, wives, sons, daughters—pride themselves on making quality leather products that customers want. Word has gotten out.

SHOP TALK!

For an operation that makes

TOURIST DRAW

Coblentz (an undisclosed figure),

Both are a tourist draw for visitors to Holmes County in central Ohio who come to soak up Amish culture. Visitors can view the leather shop from an observation window inside the retail store. Coblentz, his wife, Naomi, and five children are Amish, as is every single one of the dozen or so employees. But Marion doesn’t flaunt his religion as a selling point. Here, the focus is on making high quality leather products—horse collars, belts, bags, wallets, hats, and accessories for men and women. Producing top quality leather work is the most important thing for Marion and has been ever since his dad started the business in 1975.

and sells as many belts as not one of those belts is worn by anyone who works there.

The Amish don’t wear belts.

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The line has four extensions and a fax number.

That’s enough to keep the orders coming in.

“If you have quality, people will find you even without Internet.”

English & Round Punches

Coblentz uses Wickett & Craig leather tanned in Curwensville, PA, to make all his products.

And the business makes an astonishing number of them if the retail display of belts and wallets is any indication

Length Max 4-5/8”

“We stock between maybe three to four thousand belts,” he says. “So the walls are pretty well plastered with leather belts. And we’ll also have a couple thousand, maybe three thousand, wallets in stock. So when you walk in, there’s definitely the leather aroma. And

3/8”, 1/2”, 5/8”, 3/4”, 7/8”, 1” 1-1/8”, 1-1/4”, 1-1/2”, 1-3/4”, 2”

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7/8” - 1-1/4”

41

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Each

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30 MARCH 2017

time at work. The retail store, named Coblentz Handmade USA, is attached to the shop.

/

Marion, age 45 and the second generation of his family to run Coblentz Collar, spends a lot of

“Right now, we are swamped with work, so we don’t really need a lot more work,” he says, talking from his landline at the store.

/

“We’ve always had a small showroom for the horse collars,” says Marion Coblentz, owner, “but the actual showroom for the belts was opened five years ago. Started out as half the size and three years ago we doubled the size of the showroom. And now we really should double the size again.”

And since then, business has expanded without much modern marketing besides a few well placed ads. The odd thing is: Coblentz, being an Amish-run operation, doesn’t have a website, a cell phone, or a computer with Internet access. The business model evolved without mainstream technology and, in Marion’s estimations, it wasn’t necessary to be successful.

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SHOP TALK! MARCH 2017 31

there’s leather everywhere.”

One other thing: For an operation that makes and sells as many belts as Coblentz (an undisclosed figure), not one of those belts is worn by anyone who works there. The Amish don’t wear belts.

“We wear homemade clothing, and there are no belt loops,” Marion says matter-of-factly.

MEAT AND POTATOES

All ironies aside, this is a well-oiled business.

Besides the retail store in Ohio, the meat and potatoes of the business is wholesale, Marion explains. What started as primarily a collar business has refocused to making personal leather goods. Collars are still a big part of operations and are shipped to every state and fourteen different countries. The company also

Pro Concho Turner & Pro II Remove & Install decorative conchos quickly.

makes private labeled belts for other retailers. The main vehicle driving sales is a 53 page catalogue of products, both wholesale and retail.

(Maybe vehicle isn’t the right word because no one in the shop drives to work. A few come by bike or horse drawn buggy. An occasional Amish run taxi is hailed.)

The foundation of Coblentz is collars, and five workers are dedicated to making collars in the shop. The product is differentiated by the way the collars are constructed. Instead of shredded straw, the collars are padded with long straw.

This maintains their quality, says Marion.

MORE SUPPORT

“The long straw gives the collar more support, and with the long straw, if you happen to get a small hole, you are not losing straw,” according to Marion.

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Nowadays, farmers are scarcer customers but others are replacing them: hobbyists, horse show people, and competition carriage drivers.

The collar market has shifted as a result. A few collars are on display in the retail store, but, by and large, they’re just conversation starters.

Belts are the best sellers, constructed of 10/12 oz. leather, 3/16 of an inch thick. No fillers continued on page 40

32 MARCH 2017

SHOP TALK!

FAMILY-RUN DIEMAKI NG COMPANY KEEPS ON GROWI NG

by Lynn Ascrizzi, Senior Staff Writer Let’s say you’ve come up with a nifty design for a leather billfold. Or you’ve got a great idea for a personalized Western-style smartphone case. Whatever it is, now you want to manufacture that item faster, more efficiently, and on a larger scale.

Your next step is to find a die maker to make a steel cutting die that matches each segment of the product you’re fabricating. Those dies are then placed on a piece of leather (or fabric or rubber or plastic or cork), slid underneath the head of a clicker, and then (watch out for those fingers!) THUMP! After the pieces are clicked, your product—in this instance, your billfold or phone cases—is ready to be sewn together.

“Cutting dies are like cookie cutters,” said Heather Kinnick, co-owner, with her husband Kirk Kinnick, of Texas Custom Dies, based in Mansfield, Texas.

They founded the business in 1999. “My role is to talk to customers, handle their issues and teach them about dies. We talk people through the process, from start to finish.”

The biggest percentage of their work comes from leather businesses, such as saddle and tack manufacturers, and many other related enterprises. But in the last few years, they’ve been creating dies for all sorts of materials and projects.

“We do make dies for cutting fabric and plastic.

There aren’t a whole lot of fabric manufacturers in the U.S., but we’ve made dies for things like canvas and even blue jeans, diapers, nun’s hats (headdresses), billfolds, envelopes, and alphabet letters that can be cut on leather or fabric. We can get die requests for stuff that we don’t even know what they’re going to use them for. We just make the shape of the die that they want,” Heather explained.

“We’ve made some pretty cool stuff, like a cross logo for jackets and other items to be used by ‘Counting Cars,’ ” she pointed out, referring to the popular cable TV show about classic cars and motorcycles that are restored, customized, and sold for profit. “They asked us to make a die for the most intricate cross we’ve ever made.”

Most of their customers send them patterns of the dies they want manufactured and some send SHOP TALK! MARCH 2017 33

A book every leatherworker should own.

poster board templates. The company also offers standard, in-stock patterns. Their catalog is available by calling their office, by e-mailing them, or by checking out their website (www.usacuttingdie.com).

BEHIND EVERY GREAT PROJECT THERE’S A GREAT MACHINE

The Kinnick’s stick-to-it teamwork is a big part of

“ We talk people through the process, from start to finish. We have so many ‘newbies,’ people who have an idea. We help them get from the idea to an end product. We help them figure out the best way to manufacture it.”

$44

—Heather Kinnick, co-owner Texas Custom Dies

Best saddle making book written to date.

Cowboys Complete Saddle Making by John Hopper

Western Saddles • Strap Goods • Halters Bridles· Hobbles· Pack Equipment· Chaps Breast Collars· Hunting Equipment & More

• 1 OO's of Pictures, Patterns & Measurements • Step-by-Step Instructions I 376 pp. Soft Cover

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34 MARCH 2017

SHOP TALK!

what keeps the business rolling. As with any family-run company, working well together takes a certain kind of candor combined with a generosity of spirit. “We made quite a transition from the first six years. We did it alone,” Heather recalled. “Not that we didn’t get on each other’s nerves. We don’t always agree!”

Without hesitation, Kirk shared what he considered to be his most successful business decision: “To listen to my wife. She is more the business mind, and I’m the artistic person behind the scene,” he said, referring to his die making in the workshop.

Today, they no longer run the business alone.

Currently, their company has seven full-time employees besides themselves. They operate out of two adjacent work spaces located in a Mansfield industrial area. The largest space was purchased about eight years ago. Their expansion reflects how their manufacturing business has been steadily growing since its inception, one that moved easily past the 2008 recession and is still thriving.

“From the beginning, we’ve never gone backwards.

We’ve stayed the same in 2008, a year that we didn't go backwards or go forwards,” Heather, 46, said. “Business is promoted mostly by word of

continued on page 42

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La Sellerie du Thymerais The spirit of the Old West is alive and well— in France!! Here are some beautiful holsters made by our good friends at La Sellerie du Thymerais who are located at 18 rue, Nogent Le Roi, 28170 Chateauneuf en Thymerais, France, e-mail: selleriethymerais@orange.fr, www.selleriegb-28.com. Enjoy!

Complementing Businesses—

STRONGER TOGETHER

By Liisa Andreassen When Gingerich Leather acquired Buffalo Billfold and Belts back in August 2014, it was a somewhat serendipitous event.

“The first time we talked to Ronald Snider, the owner of Buffalo Billfold and Belts, was about a year prior to the purchase,” says Tim Miller, owner and president Gingerich Leather. “In fact, we learned about the potential opportunity in Shop Talk! magazine.”

Snider was ready to sell and Miller was ready to buy.

A WELL-MADE MATCH “I felt I was ready to slow down and was tired of the busyness that came with owning a business with employees. The sale came about through Jim Weaver at Weaver Leather, who had known I was looking to sell, and told Tim about my business. We then followed up and came to a sales agreement,” Snider says.

Snider first started Buffalo Billfolds in 1991 in a small shop in Pennsylvania. The business continued to grow and they began to sell retail

through their website, YourTack.com. They also sold wholesale to a number of businesses throughout the U.S. When Miller purchased the business, he purchased everything except the retail website, YourTack, and listings on Amazon, Ebay and Etsy.

Currently, Snider continues to maintain the retail websites, daily, and is still involved with Gingerich Leather.

“I’ve also begun buying, fixing and selling different leather machinery from auctions in order to stay busy,” Snider says. “My future plans don’t look much different from what I’m doing now. I plan to continue working on the websites and learning more about the online retail business.”

This works out perfectly for Gingerich Leather as they don’t maintain a website, but prefer to wholesale inventory to a third-party seller – YourTack – which in turn sells to retailers. Direct orders can be made from Gingerich’s catalog, which is usually published once a year.

Always Relevant SHOP TALK! MARCH 2017 37

Initially, when Gingerich Leather started out in 2006, it sold replica, Indian-style saddlebags for motorcyclists. In 2009, it started making private label belts and gun holsters for a local company. This is when the company really started to flourish, but then leveled out so Miller started to look for ways to grow again.

In 2014, Miller decided to add more products to ensure his six-person staff was kept busy and launched a small line of belts and wallets. By January 2014, they had a catalog.

SEEING THE POTENTIAL “At the same time we started our own line, we were going back and forth with Ron,” Miller says. “Back then it didn’t seem possible to buy the business, but after thinking about doing something long enough and wanting it badly

enough, you end up doing it anyway. Partly, because I thought there was a lot of potential in merging the two lines and partly because it was exciting.”

Miller says that one of the best things about buying the business has been the friendship forged with Snider and all the other people they got to know after acquiring the business.

STRONG CUSTOMERS Currently, Gingerich’s greatest group of customers are mom and pop western stores, high-end gift and leather stores and a few catalog and online accounts.

There are a few small changes in the works for the 2017 catalog and there will also be new printed boxes for the wallets. Additionally, new displays for belts and wallets will complete the

collection to set up a new display buying program for new accounts or current customers that want to expand their selection of the line.

There will also be new buckle styles in the 2017 catalog – mostly on dress belts. “We’re trying to give them a cleaner, more modern look,” Miller says. Miller adds that he feels blessed to have 10 hardworking employees who devote their energy into making such high-quality products.

OTHER CHANGES AHEAD What else is ahead for Gingerich? The company’s goal is to stock a complete inventory of their cataloged items so they can ship average orders the same or next business day. Stocking 80+ styles and variations of belts will be a two- to three-year process, so they can absorb inventory cost over time.

All products manufactured by Gingerich and sold

by YourTack.com are made in the U.S. That’s a fact that both companies are proud to share.

“To date, the branded ‘Buffalo Billfold’ line has proven to be extremely popular,” Miller says.

Both Miller and Snider are excited for what the future has to bring.

Tim Miller 260-768-7074 Gingerich Leather 4435 W 200 N LaGrange, IN 46761 http://www.getthatwholesale.com/ expanded/gingerich.html Ron Snider 814-422-8955 YourTack.com (same address as above)

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*Premium South American Skirting, Bridle & Harness *Large assortment of Oil Tanned and Chap Sides *Full color range of Upholstery and Garment Leathers

127-25 Metropolitan Avenue  Kew Gardens, NY 11415 Ph: (718) 441-2226  Fx: (718) 441-2299  email: sales@msokol.com 38 MARCH 2017

SHOP TALK!

SHOP TALK! MARCH 2017 39

Coblentz continued from page 32

“Under normal use, you’ll never wear one out.

Whereas the importers will take a piece of leather like that, and they will split it down into fifteen to twenty thin layers, and they’ll put cardboard or paper or whatever else they have in the center,” he say. “The look good and they feel good when they are new, but they do not hold up.”

The entire business, more than 4,000 sq. ft., sits on sixteen acres about four miles east of Berlin, OH, a tourist destination. The store, the shop, and a barn occupy the same land.

The family home is located there, too. Marion took over from his dad, Robert, 71, about ten years ago and his dad continues to sharpen knives and manage local sales. Mike, Marion’s younger brother, has been working in the shop for as long as anyone can remember and runs another business called Coblentz Supply which sells horse collar pads and harness pads.

Though neither of the businesses are online, a local wholesale customer runs Coblentz Leather (coblentzleather. com) that sells virtually every leather product that

40 MARCH 2017

SHOP TALK!

Coblentz Handmade USA makes, with permission, of course. It’s just another outlet for sales. Retail prices are moderate for the market, with belts starting at just under $30. And because they are 100 percent leather, each belt should last a lifetime, says Marion.

In the last few years, he and his daughter Karen have been designing new products, such as briefcases and ladies handbags. The R&D process is a family affair, starting with mockups circulated around the lunch table.

Once a good design is agreed upon, the product goes into production. Onto the Union Lockstitch sewing machines it goes and soon afterward, out the door.

For more information about Coblentz Handmade USA, call (330) 893-3858 or fax (330) 893-1166. Visit at 3348 US Hwy 62, Millersburg, OH 44654, 7 am–4:30 pm weekdays and Saturdays 9 am–3 pm.

Catalogues are free.

SHOP TALK! MARCH 2017 41

continued from page 34 mouth. It’s the number one way we’ve grown over the years. We grow 10% per year,” she estimated.

“We have good steady growth.”

Foreign competition is stiff, but they have learned that providing high quality products win the day.

“We can’t compete with China,” Kirk said. “Their dies are cheap and made of horrible quality. If people want to risk buying outside the U.S., they

“ I even make dies for customers who buy all kinds of stuff from China, but they still don’t buy their dies from them. They know the quality won’t be right. They buy from us.”

—Kirk Kinnick, co-owner Texas Custom Dies can do so. They [Chinese manufacturers] don’t take things back, generally speaking. It’s too expensive to ship things back.”

“If you buy something from China, and it’s wrong, and if they agree to take it back, it’s expensive.

There’s not much recourse to get it right if it’s wrong. There’s a huge disadvantage in buying outside the U.S.,” Heather said. Their company, however, serves multiple customers from Australia and other places outside the U.S. “For them, it’s worth it—to have high quality dies.”

“I even make dies for customers who buy all kinds of stuff from China, but they still don’t buy their dies from them,” Kirk added. “They know the quality won’t be right. They buy from us. . . . It’s like they can’t get the product in the time they want to get it.

They get put off and put off. The other stuff—from Mexico—the quality they’re looking for is not there.

But, they’ve signed a contract. They have to buy it.”

Their die company sells all over the United States.

“Obviously, Texas is a huge, number one source for sales,” Heather said. “We make a lot of sales in Florida, California, Wyoming, Illinois, Indiana, New Jerse, and New York.” Sales made abroad also include Canada, England, Denmark, and Puerto Rico.

42 MARCH 2017

SHOP TALK!

them. We talk people through the process, from start to finish. We have so many newbies—people who have an idea. We help them get from the idea to an end product. We help them figure out the best way to manufacture it.”

Roughly 97% of their business comes from U.S. sales; 99% of sales are made by phone. A few sales are made in person, for instance, at a leather trade show or from customers walking into their shop.

About 40% of orders come via regular mail and about 60% via e-mail.

A WINNING FORMULA Part Texas Custom Dies' success is a result of the Kinnicks' personalized customer service plus their efforts to keep turn-around as short as possible.

“We’re running about a week behind on standard orders—on shipping stuff out—but we do rush orders too, in a couple of days,” said Heather. “Our competition can do the same thing, sometimes running farther behind. It keeps us busier than

Customers want to have a product that they’ll know will work, she added. “We have to ‘R&D’ it. It’s hard to alter a cutter [once it’s made]. It needs to look like and to be the exact thing they need. . . . Honestly, we take the extra time to make sure the customer understands what we’re doing. We well inform them.”

A good price point also attracts customers. “A die can start at $45 or sometimes less. Sometimes a die might cost $4,000. The average die is in the $45 to $65 range, depending upon what the die is,” she said.

A KNACK FOR BENDING STEEL The die company’s commitment to producing high quality products decidedly boosts sales and customer satisfaction. Kirk, 50, spends most of his time working in the larger workshop area.

“Over the years, we’ve tried different types of steel and different methods of bracing,” he said. “We think we’ve come up with the best techniques for the die to hold its shape. If everyone who uses our dies works on a flat surface and does not abuse the die, our cutters should last a lifetime. A basic cutter should cut hundreds of thousands of pieces.”

To him, bending steel to shape a cutter is an art form. “I’m actually manufacturing the cutting dies, manipulating the steel into shape. The machines will only bend a certain amount, and you have to do the rest. Our dies work with all clickers. They’re made to work with any type of press.”

Bending steel appears to be a skill that the Kinnick’s 15-year-old son, Gabriel, has inherited. “He helped out this past summer, and seems to be a natural at bending—shaping the cutter,” his mom said. “It’s one of the hardest things we do [bending steel]. It takes an artistic eye. You have to be detail oriented.

That’s not my skill, my department.” The Kinnick’s daughter, Grace, age 12, also helps out during the summer with office work.

“I want my son to get into robotic engineering,” Kirk said. “He can always be here if he wants to work SHOP TALK! MARCH 2017 43

here. Our daughter is testing out in the top 1%. I’d like her to get into bioengineering.”

Besides die cutters, the company also manufactures and sells an inexpensive shop press for about $500, made by modifying a bearing press.

“We cut off the bar that pushes out the bearings and replace the bar with a flat plate. The fabric or leather that you want to cut goes on a cutting board made from a plastic kitchen cutting board that won’t damage the cutting dies. Then, you jack the press down with a lever and the plate pushes the die right through the piece you want to cut—against the cutting board. When you release pressure on the jack, a springs pull it up—and there’s the part,” he said.

Texas Custom Dies Heather & Kirk Kinnick 400 Industrial Blvd., Ste. #102 Mansfield, TX 76063 1-817-563-2315; 1-888-755-9025 hktxcd@aol.com www.usacuttingdie.com

Thankful They Ignored That Lawyer's Advice Kirk and Heather Kinnick launched Texas Custom Dies in 1999, five years after they married. Kirk gre up in Pittsburg, PA, “a little steel town,” he said. “I never thought I’d be working in steel.”

Heather was raised in Cedar Hill, TX, about 16 miles from downtown Dallas.

The couple met while working at a hotel to pay their way through college. He was studying engineering at the University of Texas at Arlington; she was working at the hotel’s front desk while studying to be an X-ray technician.

They married in 1994, a year and a half later.

STEPPING UP At the time, Kirk was working as a maintenance manager for Tandy Manufacturing, in Fort Worth.

His job was to keep the company’s clickers and sewing machines in good working order.

When the shop’s supervisor and die engineer retired, Kirk stepped into his position. “Tandy Manufacturing didn’t make and sell dies then.

They made leather goods, and that’s what they sold,” Heather recalled.

Then, Tandy Manufacturing announced plans to close shop. The business shut down in 1999 and was bought by The Leather Factory. In 2000, the business name was changed to Tandy® Leather.

“We had six months before his final day,” Heather said. “The company laid everybody off, except Kirk. They asked him to work full-time, to get the equipment ready for sale. Tandy sold Kirk and me the die shop equipment.”

The Kinnicks used that six-month grace period to launch their own custom die business. “We had this gift from God, really, to get the business up and running. I marketed like no other. We started making dies and found a bunch of companies that needed dies, while Kirk was still working at Tandy,” she said.

44 MARCH 2017

SHOP TALK!

As it turned out, the transition went smoothly. “It was a blessing. Not that it’s never been nerve wracking, but mostly, it's been good sailing.

Kirk knows the equipment, the ideas, how the equipment works…. He's been on the user end of

the dies and the die maker. He was right there, watching them in action and saw what they did.

He learned how to make the dies to withstand the stress that manufacturers put on them,” she said.

As their startup enterprise grew, they purchased a small die company based in Milwaukee, home of legendary motorcycle “ A lawyer told us maker Harleythat die cutting is Davison. “The guy [die shop a dying business— owner] was that it’s going to solely making cutting dies zero—don’t buy for Harley. it….”

Then Harley decided to make products in Mexico. Since he had all his eggs in one basket, he went out of business,” Kirk said.

The Kinnicks bought out his equipment, including a metal bending machine.

In 2009, they purchased Big Sky Die & Tool, an old company with a long and interesting history, based in Gwinn, MI. “We didn’t listen to the lawyer and bought them and their customer list,” Heather said. “A lawyer told us that die cutting is a dying business—that it’s going to zero—don’t buy it,” Kirk added. “It was not great advice,” she said.

In fact, from the start, their business has never stopped growing.

Then, in 2015, they bought out a very well-known die maker, Kaspar Tool & Die Co. of Shiner, TX, not far from San Antonio. “We bought all their equipment,” she said.

From the start, they put in a tremendous effort to get their business moving. “In the olden days, I worked 12 to 16 hours per day,” Kirk reflected.

With growing success and hiring help, he’s been able to make his schedule a lot less grueling.

“Now, it’s roughly eight hours per day, five days a week. As customers need, I’ll work eight to 10 hours—whatever it takes to get orders out.

Typically, during the holidays, it’s a slow time. But in the second week of January, when it hits hard, we don’t look up from work until July 4.”

SHOP TALK! MARCH 2017 45

Quality Leather Goods From Our Family to Tour Family

SUN BIAS, INC.

INDUSTRIAL SEWING SERVICES 1718 N. 1ST. STREET ** MILWAUKEE, WI. 53212 Serving the needle trades 90 years.

POLYPROPYLENE WEBBING Firsts & Seconds. 28 colors on Firsts 59/60” NYLON FABRICS Firsts & Seconds Urethane Coated. 60 colors on 1000-Denier & many other fabrics.

Manufacturers Of:

All kinds of horse collars for work, pleasure, and show.

• Waist Belts • Purses • Wallets • Bracelets

• Possible Pouches • Hats • Dog Collars • Dog Leashes

• Door Bells • Key Chains • Custom Leather Work • Plus Much More!

Coblentz Collar Ltd.

3348 U.S. 62 • Millersburg OH 44654 Ph: 330-893-3858 • Fax: 330-893-1166 Hours: M-F 7:00-4:30 • Sat 9:00-3:00 • Closed Sun Visa-Mastercard Accepted Please Call or Write for our new 54-page Leathergoods Catalog and/or 32-page Horse Collar Catalog.

HOOK & LOOP Sew on 1/4” to 6”, some widths in 35 colors.

P. S. (Stick on) 5/8”-5” Rubber & Acrylic.

SPECIAL Hook/Loop. Call for prices ELASTICS Woven H D 1” thru 3” & Ex H D, also knitted & braided types.

PLASTIC & METAL HARDWARE for webbing & miscellaneous items Grommets Washers 3 colors & Snaps 39 cap colors.

Firewood Bundle Webbing Handles Automated Hot/Sear Cutting on webbing, Elastics and Hook & Loop. For no-fray ends use Hot cutting on webbing for belt tip ends.

2-1/4” Electric Webbing & Rope Cutters for cut it yourself.

Self-Locking Nylon Ties (Cable Ties) 4” thru 15”.

BIAS or STRAIGHT CUT fabric binding tape slitting SINGLE & DOUBLE folded Bias Tapes * 200+ colors.

CORD EDGE PIPING 200+ colors & Asst. Cord Fillers for horse blankets.

Up to 200 Catalog color pages available.

Save paper order as needed from our catalog index pages and the latest changes by e-mail in the same day to sales@sunbias.com (or USPS mail takes longer) TOLL FREE NATION WIDE 1-800-425-4747 • FAX 1-414-265-5353

MOST IN STOCK MATERIALS ARE SHIPPED WITHIN 24 HOURS. MASTER CARD,*VISA,*DISCOVER & E-CHECKS

For What It’s Worth (Editor’s Note) For the past year we’ve been doing a lot more marketing on social media and gotten some response—not great but worth the effort. There are a whole lot of folks just coming into the business and they’re starting with the basics, things like belts and bags, the stuff we all made at one time. And they’re cutting their leather out by hand most of time with some sort of knife which may or may not be sharp enough. Of course, while cutting leather with a knife is tedious work, it does educate a person’s hands as far as how leather feels when they manipulate it and that’s really important.

Now at some point beginners stop being beginners and start thinking about “production”. They need to make their products faster and then they discover clickers and clicker does—WOW! But WHOA—they are expensive and way beyond their budget.

No problem. There may be cheaper solutions.

For example—there are mallet dies which actually need to be struck with a heavy maul if you can find one. Mine weighs 10lbs.

This picture shows a couple mallet dies that were made by Texas Custom Dies and work well. The larger, rusty die on the left is

for cutting out blinders, and people don’t do that much today since it takes a lot of whacking and they can probably buy them wholesale cheaper than make the blinds themselves.

If you cutting out a part smaller than, say, 4” x 4” maybe a mallet die would work, but at some point dies get too big to use with a maul. Of course, you can get a series of small dies made which would allow you to cut out a larger piece, or have a small die made up for a particular section or corner, etc.

A really good alternative is get the dies you need made and have SOMEONE ELSE do the clicking. There are lots of shops that offer that service. Texas Custom Dies might be able to give you a reference. And Shop Talk! is always happy to suggest someone.

46 MARCH 2017

SHOP TALK!

OK—let’s say you’re getting serious but you really can’t afford a clicker—even though they have gotten a lot more affordable over the years and SMALLER (and quieter) so they are easier to handle. The old clickers are cheap but it takes a flatbed wrecker to move one. Honest.

Weaver Leather (800) 9328371 makes two real nice hand operated clickers. One has a bed that measures 8 3/8” x 11 7/8” ($995). A larger model has a bed that measures 12” x 24” ($1,995). Granted, you may have to take several bites to do the complete cut but that’s doable.

These are heavy pieces of equipment and they are very well made. And they’ll pay for themselves way faster than you might think.

There is a cheaper alternative but doesn’t work quite as well but it’ll work nonetheless. Here’s an arbor press which you can get from a place like Harbor Freight or Northern Tools.

You’ll have to get a steel plate made out of at least ¼” steel— heavier would be better. Then you need a clicking surface made from something like wood or a sheet of polyurethane.

Some sort of cutting board and it will need to be flat and remain rigid as you apply pressure to the top of the die. Maybe glue a piece of poly to a board or get another piece of steel cut which you can place underneath the cutting board.

This sort of set up is quite limited but, depending on what you’re cutting, it may be a good solution for your shop.

Enjoy.

SHOP TALK! MARCH 2017 47

News, Notes & Queries

M ARC H 201 7

News, Notes & Queries

ELI A. BEACHY

On March 27-31, there is an Intro to Making Bridle/

Eli passed away this past November 24, 2016. He was 80 years old and was the founder of Beachy’s Nylon Harness Shop which his son Moses still operates. Our condolences to the Beachy family.

ENGLISH BRIDLE MAKING CLASSES & MORE at the North American School of Saddlery which is run

by Annette Gavin at Hastilow Saddlery/USA Saddery.

(800) 766-5334, www.smoke-fire.com. It’s a very handy

and starting to put our used tools, equipment,

and complete source of information.

and machines online at www.proleptic.net. We’ll

45TH ANNUAL CARRIAGE MAKERS’ GET-

be posting 50-100 lots most of the time, and the selection will always be changing so if you don’t see

TOGETHER

what you want, then check back with us a little later.

This is an event that I never miss because there’s more fightin’ and fussin’ than Christmas dinner at Arkansas

PERIOD ACCOUTREMENT

Hillbilly’s house. A lot more! Those buggy makers know

Saddle Course and then on March 31-April 2, there’s

If you make period gear—stuff likes boots, bags, or

how to party! It’ll be on July 14 at Jerusalem Carriage in

an Intro to Society of Master Saddler’s course. On

belts—or if you have customers who are reenactors

Penn Yan, NY, where the founder of The Harness Shop

April 3-7, there is a Bench & Onsite Course being

and looking for period gear, a good place to buy

News (now Shop Talk!) lives—hello, Leroy!

offered.

and sell is Smoke & Fire News. Smoke & Fire covers

For all the details, please contact: Shannon Lehman at (717) 294-6757, e-mail: saddleryschool@gmail.com, www.SaddlerySchool.com.

There are a couple real nice classes coming up this spring

and about crushed us. So—we are slimming down

For all the details you can call Everette at the buggy

about every period you can imagine, from ancient

shop in Dayton, VA—(540) 879-9260. Everette likes to

to late 20th century, including the Civil War and

be called real early before he gets too busy so it’s

the American Revolution. Good listings of festivals,

OK to call any time after 5 AM. Or real late at night

faires, reenactments, and rendezvouses.

after 11 PM. And while you’re at it, you might as well

USED TOOLS ONLINE

If you’d like to advertise in the publication or subscribe,

congratulate Everette on celebrating his 50th year in

Honestly, the BIG TOOL SALE got a little TOO BIG

please contact: 27 N. River Rd., Waterville, OH 43566,

business! Wow!!

AUCTION

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TRADE SHOW

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Western Leather & Equipment Trade Show & Auction March 20-21, 2017, French Lick Resort Event Center, IN

AUCTION

TRADE SHOW

Consign Today! Machinery, Leather, Tools, Hardware, Supplies, Finished Goods.

Tables available to vendors.

Call to reserve space.

Visit our website at www.moserleatherco.com. Click “Western Leather & Equipment Show” SPECIAL $119 HOTEL RATE CODE: 0317WLE. Call the French Lick Resort at (812) 936-9300 COMMISSION RATES AS LOW AS 13% | BOOTH RENTALS STARTING AS LOW AS $150 For listing updates and photos, go to www.auctionzip.com & enter Auctioneer8433 or call Jim Cox at (513) 889-0500 and we will fax or e-mail you an updated listing.

Just Consigned…Hermann Oak Leather, Standard River ½” automatic spot setter, pr. United Carr Automatic Line 24 dot snap setters, tubular rivet standup auto feed riveter, Goud & Ackermann Edger with stand and motor, Singer 114W10 with stand and motor, Juki LU562 with reverse includes table and motor, Singer Class 69 Box X tacker with motor and stand, Adler 30-1 long arm patcher, kick press base, Singer cylinder arm, Pearson sewing machine, table mounted edge embosser, post rivet machines, button kick press, assorted hand tools, table mounted lace cutter, creaser, cutting dies, saddle trees, hardware, and much more! There will also be some floor models of Cobra machines for sale at the Moser booth including 14” splitter, Cobra Class 3 sewing machine, etc. Come on out—lots of other things always show up!!

AUCTION

48 MARCH 2017

SHOP TALK!

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TRADE SHOW

SHOP TALK! MARCH 2017 49

News, Notes & Queries

News, Notes & Queries 50TH ANNUAL TOOL SALE & ANTIQUE AUCTION This is probably the biggest antique tool auction in the US—it’s huge and attracts a lot of serious collectors. The event will be held March 24-25, at the Radisson Inn, Camp Hill, PA. For all the details, contact Brown Tool Auctions at (800) 248-8114.

FYI—The Fine Tool Journal normally carries an Absentee Tool Auction in each issue. Most of the items are for woodworking but there are often a few leather

46TH ANNUAL SPRING CARRIAGE

and shoe making tools. Contact: P O Box 737, Watervliet, MI 49098, (269) 463-8255, www.finetoolj.com.

STRANGE SADDLES, STRANGE HARNESS

It’s always good! It’s the annual Martin’s Spring Auction

DIE BOTSCHAFT ANYONE?

Here are a couple pictures we got from J. R. Miller

of antiques, coaches, carriages, sleighs, and other horse

This is a weekly newspaper serving Old Order Amish

at J. R.’s Custom Saddlery who bought the saddle

and Mennonite communities throughout the US and

thinking it was pre-Civil War but now isn’t certain.

April 28-29 at the Lebanon Fairgrounds, 80 Rocherty

elsewhere. It might be some place you’d like to advertise

Can anyone help? You can call J. R. at (330) 893-

Rd., Lebanon, PA. You may contact Martin Auctioneers

if you are making harness, pads, blankets, and collars.

4610 (home) and (330) 473-0831 (cell).

AUCTION

related items. It’s great! And it’s scheduled to be held

Now show us what you have!!

Please contact Shop Talk! at P O Box 17817, Asheville, NC 28816, (828) 505-8474, e-mail: shoptalk@proleptic. net. Thanks.

at (717) 354-6671, www.martinauctioneers.com.

50 MARCH 2017

SHOP TALK!

SHOP TALK! MARCH 2017 51

News, Notes & Queries

News, Notes & Queries

Contact: 420 Weaver Rd., Millersburg, PA 17061, (866)

Please contact: Shop Talk!, P O Box 17817, Asheville,

647-4285.

NC 28816, (828) 505-8474, e-mail: shoptalk@

SOMEWHERE NEAR APPLE CREEK, OH

The new address for Frontier Gunleather is 71418

proleptic.net.

Highway 11, Rancho Mirage, CA 92270. Phone stays the

We recently received this photo

84TH ANNUAL MEETING OF EAIA

same. New e-mail: sales@frontiergunleather.com.

and we’ve been assured that it is a

The Early American Industries Association will

Rural Heritage’s new address is: P O Box 2067, Cedar

factual and actual photograph of

be meeting this year at Old Sturbridge Village

Rapids, IA 52406. Their physical is 619 Greenfield St.,

snow being plowed somewhere

in Sturbridge, MA, May 17-20. Activities include

NE, Cedar Rapids 52402, phone (319) 362-3027.

near Apple Creek. Why not.

tours, demonstrations, seminars, and tool trad-ing.

Seems reasonable to us.

Members only. For all the details, please contact:

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO KNOW?

P O Box 524, Hebron, MD 21830.

We’re working on a series of shop tips geared more

RED RYDER SADDLE DRAWING

for the beginning leather worker and want to know

Tickets are $10 ea., eleven for $100. Drawing will be held

anything you’d like to find out more about. Doesn’t

May 20, 2017. Saddle replica to the one used by movie

matter what it is—questions can deal with leather,

idol Red Ryder in the ‘40s. Made by Ronnie Aycoth of

tools, supplies, how-to, and business. Whatever you

North Carolina and features a 16” seat, double rigging,

have a question about just let us know and thanks!

and covered stirrups. Has eight sterling silver flowers

52 MARCH 2017

1421 Boyle Rd., Hamilton, OH 45013.

SHOP TALK!

on corners and comes with bridle, reins, breast collar,

Mud Creek Leather, 10033 County Road 34, Goshen,

saddle blanket, and custom made saddle stand. It is a

IN 46528, (574) 642-3930

museum quality collectible and it is being offered by Happy Trails Children’s Foundation, 10755 Apple Valley

WHEN YOU MOVE…

Rd., Apple Valley, CA 92308, (760) 240-3330, www.

Before you move, please send us your NEW address

happytrails.org.

because the Post Office does not forward Shop Talk!

ON THE MOVE. . .

So if you move and are no longer receiving your magazine, there may be a very good reason why! So

Moser Leather Co. has a new address—for billing

let us know please—P O Box 17817, Asheville, NC 28816,

please use 1905 Sunset Dr. Their warehouse is at

e-mail: shoptalk@proleptic.net, (828) 505-8474. Thanks!

SHOP TALK! MARCH 2017 53

News, Notes & Queries

MARK YOUR CALENDAR!

ON THE LOOKOUT…

MARCH 20-210

Urias Schrock at Schrock’s Harness Supply, 1785 N.

Trade Show and Auction French Lick, IN Moser Leather Co. (513) 889-0500 Rocky Mountain Leather Trade Show Sheridan, WY Leather Crafters & Saddlers Journal (888) 289-6409 www.leathercraftersjournal.com JUNE 14-150

Weaver Consignment Auction Mount Hope, OH, 44660 (800)-WEAVER-1

for Neva-Clog staples as well as staple wire used by a Model A Landis Power Stapler. Please contact

48th Harness Makers' Get-Together and Consignment Auction Hillside Harness Hardware Millersburg, OH, 44654

We proudly offer options to suit just about everyone!

From Remnants to Pre-cut Pieces! Shoulders to Sides! Odd Lot Selections to Regular Stock Lines! And everything in between!

FOR SALE Friends, I’ve made the decision to step away from the business in the next couple of months and my hope is before that happens I’ll be able to find a buyer. Now the business has been good for us and remains very steady and, better yet, I plan to make the purchase very affordable for the right person. So if you’re someone with the skills and determination

JULY 20-210

Like... Oil Tanned Leather!

Wren Dr., Medford, WI 54451, is needing a source

Urias if you can help.

MAY 19-21 240

There’s more to Springfield Leather than Dumb Dogs!

and would like an excellent at-home business,

Rem

nan

ts

No matter what project you have in mind, we’re sure to have the oil tanned leather you’ll need to get the job done!

Heck, we’ll even CUT it for you!

Who DOES that?

s e c ie P t u

-c e r P

please drop me a line at danpreston3@gmail.com.

Thanks.

Sides

Springfield Leather offers Wholesale Pricing!

SLC has ALWAYS offered Wholesale Pricing options to our customers. Schools, Camps, Youth Groups, Institutions, Businesses, Resellers, Members of the Military and Veterans are AUTOMATICALLY eligible for Wholesale Pricing! If you don’t have a business, you can purchase a Wholesale Membership at an EXTREMELY reasonable rate! To get set up with Wholesale Pricing, just give us a call and we’ll get you fixed up in no time!

Don’t worry...We still have plenty of Dumb Dogs!

Springfield Leather Company

1463 S. Glenstone Springfield, MO 65808 1-800-668-8518 www.springfieldleather.com 54 MARCH 2017

SHOP TALK!

CLASSIFIEDS

BU Y, SE LL OR TRA D E

CLASSIFIEDS

Classified ad rates are $26.50 for the first 20 words and $.65 cents for each additional word. Words (or groups of letters) fewer than three characters are not counted when calculating the cost of the ad. Street addresses are counted as one word. City, state, country, and zip or postal code are combined and counted as one word.

Enclose payment when submitting ads. Ads received without pay-

ment will be held until payment is made. Ads must be received no later than the fifth of the month prior to the month you wish the ad to run (e.g. ads for the February issue must be in our office by January 5). Typed or neatly printed ads are preferred. We are not responsible for mistakes due to handwriting. Faxed ads must be typed and are accepted with MasterCard,VISA or Discover only.

WANTED

FOR SALE

LOOKING FOR WHOLESALE OUTLET to sell whips—36”-78”. Also poppers. Please contact: Eli A. Miller with Buckeye Whip at (330) 6746779 or send mail to 2053 Township Road 112, Millersburg, OH 44654. (8/17)

NYLON HALTERS all sizes mini to draft. Also-nylon webbing by the roll 5/8” to 2” in lots of different weights. Pebble weave edged nylon.

Also—mini and draft nylon harness. Free wholesale catalog. Contact: Stauffer’s Harness Shop, 5940 Dry Bone Rd., Hillsboro, OH 45133, (740) 634-2659.

WANTED: New subscribers from Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, and South Dakota. Now is the time to renew! Give us a call at (828) 5058474, e-mail: shoptalk@proleptic.net or visit www.proleptic.net.

EXPERIENCED LEATHER WORKER for manufacturing, custom production, and saddle repair. Pay based on experience and training required. Located in beautiful Central Texas.

Please e-mail resume to: ludwigandmarglin@ gmail.com. (R&B)

DS C LASS I F I E EST B U Y !

AR E OU R B

uyers... otential b p f o ’s 0 0 0 Reach 1, 0 !! le as $26.5 for as litt

list of all inventory, please call (256) 597-2001.

Wish to sell entire inventory together.

HITCHING POST SUPPLY has horsehair and mohair cinch cord available in natural and dyed colors. For use in pottery, braiding, hitching, and more. Instructional books and DVDs at www.hitchingpostsupply.com, Call or e-mail Hitching Post Supply for new wholesale and retail catalogs at vickie@ hitchingpostsupply.com, (800) 689-9971 or (360) 668-2349 (outside USA).

COMPLETE LEATHER GOODS FACTORY EQUIPMENT for sale. As total unit.

Manufacturing achinery/supplies for anything expect footwear. Call Sam at (352) 216-2098.

SHOP TALK!

INSTALL & REMOVE CHICAGO SCREWS QUICKLY & EASILY in the shop or on the trail. $16.95 + $4 S&H. Call for wholesale pricing.

Contact: JP’s Bridle & Equine Tool, 26266 E. County Road 700 N., Easton, IL 62633.

(309) 562-7266. E-mail: jp-equinetacktool@ casscomm.com, www.jptacktool.com.

FOR ALL YOUR LEATHER NEEDS. Call Moser Leather (800) 874-1167 or (513) 889-0500. You can visit our website at www.moserleatherco. com. Polyboard clicker blocks for your clicker

405 FM 3083 RD., CONROE, TX 77301 USA TEL: 936-539-1400 ~ FAX: 936-539-1411

WALLETS AND BI-FOLDS for sale: black and brown. Excellent quality. $4.75 ea. $57/ doz. Can mix. Contact: Don Livingston, 3092 Ravenwood Dr., Greensburg, PA 15601, (724) 219-3400.

WHOLESALE HARNESS SUPPLIES: Brahma web, nylon webbing, BioSheet, PVC belting, Healzall, and much more! Please check out our new Countryside Carefree Collars in three styles, Feather Flex, Super Flex, and Super Curved. We also stock a full line of harness hdw., and harness parts. Ask for free supply catalog. Contact: Countryside Manufacturing, 504 S. Humbert St., Milton, IA 52570 or call (641) 656-4246 between 8 and 9 am.

SADDLE BUSINESS: Machinery and inventory for sale. Hydraulic press, USMC splitter. For full

56 MARCH 2017

KREBS SKIVER BLADES new. $200 plus S & H. Made in U.S. Double tempered. Contact: Proleptic, Inc., P O Box 17817, Asheville, NC 28816, (828) 505-8474, shoptalk@proleptic. net.

WWW.CAMPBELL-RANDALL.COM

1-800-327-9420

SALES@CAMPBELL-RANDALL.COM

CLASSIFIEDS or workbench in assorted sizes. United Carr Automatic Line 24 snap setting machines for sale. Please inquire.

Turnkey operation, great location, and only shoe repair in town. Repairman planning to retire. Potential for purchase of building. Call (541) 548-2506 (Mon.-Friday).

FOR SALE: THE PRO-CONCHO TURNER: The only one in the U.S. Makes removal of decorative conchos a snap! Used with electric drill. Take the fuss and bother out of a difficult job with the Pro-Concho Turner!

Saves time, makes money! Rubber gripper protects the concho and makes removal or installation easy. Only $29.00 plus $3.95 S&H, 6-inch steel shank, and rubber gripper. Ready to use! Contact: Proleptic, Inc., P.O. Box 17817, Asheville, NC 28816, (828) 505-8474, e-mail: shoptalk@proleptic.net.

The “Word of the Day” is: debacle

58 MARCH 2017

SHOP TALK!

supply needs. Friendly, helpful staff at (507) 932-3795.

FOR SALE: Well established (60+ years) Central Oregon Shoe Repair and Retail store featuring wide variety of shoe and leather care products, Z-coil shoes, Red Wing boots, Minnetonka Moccasins, and Birkenstocks.

SHOE SHOP FOR SALE. Machinery was very well kept. Looks close to new. Landis K (including new needles), Landis 88, Landis 25 leather cutter, Nosecone 12 Autosoler, heel wheel Autosoler, Jack Master 4-in1, finished Autosoler (extra cutters, etc. included), metal and wood lasts, shoe jack, metal and wood shoe trees, shoe press, Wolverine foot measurer. All machines have electric motors. Also 100’s of new shoe heels and soles, different types of hand riveters, lots more small items that go with shoes. All for $3,200. If interested, contact: Crist Shetler, 19396 Six Mile Rd., Stanwood, MI 49346.

FOR SALE: LANDIS 1 TREADLE MACHINE in working condition. Includes manual, accessories, extra bobbins, and custom bobbin winder. Contact: L.J. Leatherworks, 2362 E. State Rd. 218, Berne, IN 46711 or call (260) 8499683.

WHOLESALE 7-FOOT LEAD ROPES 5/8” polypropylene (Derby) with NP bull snap and plant or BP bolt snap and plant. Price: 1-11 @ $3.85 ea. / 12-49 @ $3.75 ea. / 50-99 @ $3.50 ea. / 100+ @ $3.35 ea. We accept Visa and MasterCard. Wagler’s Wholesale. (812) 6368200.

The most complete leather-working tool reference available. $37.50 Free Shipping in the US through 4/10/2017

Order your Copy Today: Proleptic Inc

P.O. Box 17817, Asheville, NC 28816 | 828-505-8474 www. proleptic.net | shoptalk@proleptic.net

ENGLISH SADDLE REPAIR

• Disassembling the Saddle • Replacing Billets • Fixing a Broken Tree • Sewing on Panels • And More Repairs You Can Do

$21.50 +S/H

BRIDLEWORK

A Step-By-Step Guide

How to make almost everything for English riding as well as driving bridles. Complete with Size Charts for Quick Reference.

270pp. $36.00 $18.00 +s/h

/

Available in single or double needles, standard, long arm, flatbed, postbed, cylinder arm.

Contact: Bob Kovar, Toledo Industrial Sewing Machine, 3631 Marine Rd., Toledo, OH 43609, (866) 362-7397 or (419) 380-8540. (12/17) www. theleatherguy.org for all your leather, tool, and

and the Tools of the Allied Trades by R. A. Salaman: paperback, 350+ pp.

Useful infor-mation for harness and saddlemakers, shoe and boot makers, hat and glove makers, book binders and more.

BUSINESS FOR SALE: Davis Custom Boot. All equipment included. Asking $8,950 or best offer. Located at 1209 E. 11th St., Quanah, TX 79252. Contact for more information: (940) 839-6537.

FOR SALE: PRICING GUIDE: "How to Establish Prices for the Saddle Maker and Leather Worker.” Only $39.95 plus $4.50 S&H. Contact: (828) 505-8474. (12/17) FOR SALE: New and used Adler, Brother, Consew, Juki, Pfaff, Singer machines for sewing bio-plastic, canvas, leather and nylon.

Dictionary of Leatherworking Tools, c. 1700-1950

Proleptic, Inc. • P.O. Box 17817 • Asheville, NC 28816 (828) 505-8474 • Email: shoptalk@proleptic.net

www.proleptic.net

SHOP TALK! MARCH 2017 59

ADVERTISERS INDEX American Leather Direct........................24

Hide House, The.........................................13

Precision Saddle Tree..............................27

Beiler’s Mfg. & Supply..............................54

Hillside Harness Hardware..........................

Proleptic, Inc................20, 22, 29, 31, 32,

BioThane........................ inside front cover

........................................................back cover

............................................34, 59, back cover

Bowden Saddle Tree.................................52

IHS ELP, LLC................................................14

RJF Leather.................................................21

Brayer............................................................48

International Sheepskin.........................44

Raphael Sewing.........................................35

Brodhead Collar Shop..............................50

Kalico Products..........................................58

Renia.............................................................11

Buckeye Engraving...................................44

Kelly-Larson Sales....................................10

Sew What?..................................................22

Buckle Barn USA........................................17

Keystone Leather.....................................21

Shelton-Reynolds, Inc.............................15

Buggy Builder’s Bulletin..........................21

Landis Sales & Service...........................14

Shetler’s Collar Shop...............................54

Campbell-Randall......................................57

Leather Crafters Journal, The...............50

ShoTan..........................................................15

Chino Tack...................................................44

Leather Machine Co., The............................

Small Farmer’s Journal............................44

Chuck Smith Tools....................................19

...........................................inside back cover

Smoke & Fire Co........................................21

Chupp Blacksmith Shop.........................46

Ludwig & Marglin.......................................43

Sorrell Notions & Findings........................8

Chupp Brothers Wholesale....................15

Maine Thread..............................................22

SouthStar Supply......................................43

Coblentz Collar...........................................46

Mark Staton Co..........................................12

Springfield Leather...................................55

Danny Marlin Knives....................................8

Maverick Leather......................................10

Steel Stamps, Inc.....................................15

DieCo.............................................................19

Mid-River Sales..........................................48

Sun Bias, Inc................................................46

Dietec...........................................................20

Milton Sokol................................................39

Sweat Pad Shop....................................... 16

E.C. Leather.................................................20

Moser Leather...........................................49

Tandy Leather Factory.............................25

Fairview Country Sales...........................22

Mules and More.........................................54

Texas Custom Dies...................................42

Fiebing Leather..........................................24

N & A Harness Shop.................................51

Toledo Sewing...............................................1

Fine Tool Journal........................................54

NASS.............................................................21

Troyer's Harness Shop............................40

Gfeller Casemakers, Inc..........................21

Nettles Country Store.............................48

Wayne Jueschke.......................................40

Goliger Leather Co....................................13

Ohio Plastics Belting Co.........................16

Weaver Leather............................................3

Hadlock & Fox............................................29

Ohio Travel Bag...........................................46

Western Mule.............................................44

Hanson Western Gear................................7

Orion..............................................................38

Wickett & Craig..........................................41

Hermann Oak Leather..............................53

Perfectex Plus, LLC.....................................7

Advertising

Deadline for advertising copy is the 5th of the month prior to the month of publication. Invoices are due upon receipt. 6 or 12-month prepaid advertising contracts receive a 5% discount.

Classified Ads

20 words or less $26.50 Additional words (each) $ .65

Display Ads

Shop Talk! published by Proleptic, Inc. P.O. Box 17817 Asheville, NC 28816 (828) 505-8474 shoptalk@proleptic.net www.proleptic.net 60 MARCH 2017

SHOP TALK!

Full Page $502.00 Half Page $280.00 Quarter Page $152.00 $81.00 Eighth Page (Color and guaranteed placement additional)

Setup Charge

$60 per hour with a $18 minimum.

Line art may be inserted at no additional charge. $10 per photo.

Inserts

$399 for one page­— Maximum trim size: 8-1/4” X 10-3/4” $45 each additional page.

Event flyers must be inserted 60 days in advance. All inserts must be shipped directly to printer.

Reduce - Reuse - Recycle Recycling old magazines, catalogs, and newspapers is one of the easiest ways to help the environment. To increase the supply of recoverable wood fiber and to reduce the demand on regional landfills, Shop Talk! urges its readers to support recycling efforts in their communities.

Shop Talk! is printed with only vegetable-based inks.

SHOP TALK! MARCH 2017 61

MARCH 2017 P.O. BOX 17817, ASHEVILLE, NC 28816

Check your renewal date today!

828.505.8474 | fax 828.505.8476 | proleptic.net

CHANGE SERVICE REQUESTED

12 Monthly Issues $36 Canada & Mexico $39 US Other Countries $54 US

ALWAYS FIRST WITH THE NEWS!

Distributors of Quality Hardware Distributors of Quality for the & Supplies Hardware & Harness, SuppliesTack, Saddlery, Pet Industries for the and Harness, Tack,

X

Saddlery & Pet Industries • BioThane Coated Large enough to serve Webbing you. . .

Small enough to need you!

• Thoroughbred Leather

• Quality Stainless Steel and Brass Saddlery Hardware • Fiebing Products • WahlClippers • Fortex & Fortiflex Products • Nylon Webbing • Leather and BioThane Harness Parts plus much more

Large enough to serve you…

Small enough to need you!

We manufacture our own line of leather We will be hosting the riding and training tack.

48th Annual Harness Makers’ We alsoGet-Together do custom leather and nylon work. & Auction on July 20th & 21st 2017

Plan now to attend!

4205 Township Road 629 Millersburg, OH 44654 FAX: (330) 698-3200 Request your free catalog today!