ON FRIDAYMARCH 15, DEBBIE COLLINS MANAGER OF THETANDY LEATHER STOREINVITED DRAPER AND I TO DEMONSTRATE LEATHER
WORK, DURING THEIR YEARLY TWO DAY SALE
AND OPEN HOUSE.WE TOOK QUESTIONS FROM
THE COSTUMERS AND IT KEPT US BOTH VERY BUSY, WE MET MANY INTERESTING PEOPLE.
RON AND BRENDA PARSONS,
ACTIVE GUILD MEMBERSCAME UPFOR SEVERAL HOURS ON SATURDAY TO HELP WITH
THE DEMONSTRATIONS.
THERE WERE MANY QUESTIONS
FROM SEVERAL PEOPLE ABOUT COLORINGAND
FINISHING TECHNIQUES, AS WELL AS FINISHING THE EDGES OF THE LEATHER, STITCHING, ANTIQUING, NATURE TANNEDBLOCK DYING, AND GENERAL LEATHER CARVING.
TWO GIRLS CAME UP FROM WEST VIRGINIA; TERRI
WEEKLYANDTANYA POSTLETHWAIT. TERRIOWNS A SADDLE SHOP.THEYCOMEUP TO TANDY ONCE A MONTH FOR
SUPPLIES.
DEBBIE, AND HERSTORE SALES ASSOCIATES DAVE AND NANCY, HAVE
A GREAT SENSE OF HUMOR.AFTER THE STORE
CLOSED FRIDAY NIGHT, THE FIVE OF US WENT OUT ANDHAD DINNER AT A LOCAL RESTAURANT. IN THE MAIN
DINING ROOM WAS A STUFFED1,000 POUND
GRIZZLY BEAR. MOUNTED ON ALL FOURS
ENCLOSED IN A GLASSCASE. THE OWNER HAD SHOT THE BEAR IN CANADA
IN 2001.
FORTWO DAYS, WEDIDWHAT WE LOVE, DEMONSTRATING
ON HOW TO WORK WITHLEATHER.SEEING ALL THOSEPEOPLE SO EXCITED ABOUT WORKING WITH LEATHER
MADE IT ALL WORTHWHILE. I JUST WANT TO TELL EVERYBODY, WHAT A GREAT TIME DRAPER
AND IHAD, SPENDING TWO DAYSAT THE STORE WITH DEBBIE, DAVE, AND MARY.
ALWAYS
YOURFRIEND,KEVIN
KEVIN COHN TALKING WITH TERRIANDTANYA-SEETEXT
DEBBIE, TERRI,AND TANYA
THEMARCH 18GUILDMEETING.
THE MARCH GUILD MEETING WAS VERY INFORMATIVE. CHRIS OPENED THE MEETING
WITH TOPIC OF “STRIPPING A HIDE.”DRAPER
THEN PROCEEDED DISCUSSING THE BASICS OF STRIPPING A HIDE FOR ABOUT TWENTY
MINUTES.
TWO ACTIVE MEMBERS OF THE GUILD, BLAINE
SHORTANDJOE JOHNSON, HAVE BEEN STRIPPING HIDES MOST
OF THEIR LIVES.THEMEETING REALLY TOOK OFF WHENTHEY DISCUSSEDTHE FINER POINTS OF STRIPPING A HIDE AND
OTHER CLEVER TRICKS THEY HAVE LEARNED OVER THE YEARS. IT IS UNBELIEVABLE
THE KNOWLEDGE THESE FELLOWS HAVE.(THEN
JOE JOHNSON CLEVERLY DEMONSTRATED THE DISADVANTAGES AND DIFFICULTYOF TRYING TO CUT OLD, DRIED OUT LEATHER, THAT
HAD BEEN IN STORAGE FOR MANY YEARS.)SOME OF THE MEMBERS HAD A CHANCE TO PRACTICE WITH ASTRAP CUTTER, FOR THE FIRST TIME. IT SEEMED
AS THOUGH EVERYONE THERE GOT IN THE DISCUSSION.
TO CONCLUDE THE MEETING, DRAPER STRESSED THE DANGER OF USING THE OLD
FASHIONED OPEN BLADE“DRAW
GAUGE” WHEN STRIPPING A HIDE. TO QUOTE MYSELF, “I MET A GIRL IN THE
MID 1960’S WHO ACCIDENTALLY SLICED HER WRIST WITH A DRAW GAUGE. IT TOOK ABOUT A
YEAR BEFORESHE COULD USE HER HAND AGAIN
(BECAUSE TENDONS WERE INVOLVED, THE CAST, HEALING, REHAB, PRACTICING STRIPPING
AGAIN, AND SO ON).I WILL NEVER FORGET
IT.
I MADE A PROMISE TO ALL
OURGUILD MEMBERS, IF YOU HAVE A OLD “DRAW GAUGE”,(TANDY PART # 3084 ORHIDECRAFTER PART# 1214OR EQUIVALENT) AND YOU ARE WILLING TOTHROW AWAY, IWILL BUY YOU A NEW, SAFE“STRAP
CUTTER” (TANDY PART # 3080 – HIDE CRAFTER PART # 1215)AND
GIVE IT TO YOU WITH MY BEST WISHES.
JUST TELL ME YOU HAVE DONE SO……DRAPER/ EDITOR
April 18 thru 22 2007 Central Indiana Leathercrafters
CILebrate Make It in
Leather
Seminars,
Workshops, Demos and Competition
ClarionHotel
& ConferenceCenter
2930 Waterfront
Parkway W. Drive
Indianapolis, IN46214 317 299-8400
Ask
for Spring Leather Show Rate
$69.00 per night greater discount if you stay 4 or
5 nights.
WE SHOULD TRY TO SUPPORT
THE CENTRAL INDIANA LEATHERCRAFTERSGUILD, AS THEY HAVE SUPPORTED US SO MUCH
IN THE PAST. THE TRIP IS A LITTLE OVER 5 HOURS ONE WAY, FROM PITTSBURGH, AND IT
WOULD BE GREAT IF WE COULD CREATE A CAR POOL.
IF YOU PLAN TO GO,let KEVIN
KOHN know(412) 821-8025.
