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Main Boards => The Bowyer's Bench => Topic started by: Dick in Seattle on May 12, 2011, 08:00:00 PM

Title: Not a bow, but a fun project - Pix Added
Post by: Dick in Seattle on May 12, 2011, 08:00:00 PM
I made a leather bow case yesterday out of a bunch of scraps my wife had from a boat job... pieced them together to get what I needed.  Used my big industrial Pfaff treadle.  That came out well and today I was looking at the left over left overs and thinking and got an idea.  I cut two 36" strips and sewed them together to get double thickness, rough side out on one side and smooth on the other, and made me a nice razor strop.  Worked some medium and some mild abrasives into the the surfaces and had me a knife sharpening session.   A little work with the stones and finish off with the strop and whee!   Sharp knives!   I hung it on a cabinet end in the shop and I can touch up an edge right now!   I've got fancy sharpening machines, but this is neat and quick, plus I get to remember my grandpa stropping his straight razor.       :)
Title: Re: Not a bow, but a fun project - Pix Added
Post by: Jeff Smith on May 12, 2011, 08:15:00 PM
Waste not want not. Good job
Title: Re: Not a bow, but a fun project - Pix Added
Post by: red hill on May 12, 2011, 08:18:00 PM
Dick, the only razor strope I ever saw was the one my daddy used on my backside! One of my younger brothers did away with it at some point.  Wish we still had it now that daddy's gone.
Funny how bad things live on as fond memories.
 :bigsmyl:  
Stan
Title: Re: Not a bow, but a fun project - Pix Added
Post by: George Tsoukalas on May 12, 2011, 09:03:00 PM
Sounds like you had a fun day. Jawge
Title: Re: Not a bow, but a fun project - Pix Added
Post by: hova on May 13, 2011, 06:20:00 PM
thats awesome. i found my old german double sharpening stone today , only to find about a fifth of it missing... i broke it as cleanly as i could , but of course it shorted on me.

worked up the drawknife that was given to me by a member with the good piece , and its niiiice. i need to really clean up the back and get the pits out , but its millions better.


im so jealous of that treadle ,dick. ive sold probably a hundred of em on fleabay , along with a million singers , and i finally get a wife that sews , and i havent seen a single one worth getting.


good on ya foor using left over left overs. im never eating at your place unless its hunting camp.

:lol:

ps : somehow in all your excitement you forgot pics...i dont think the mods will allow that a second time...
-hov
Title: Re: Not a bow, but a fun project - Pix Added
Post by: hova on May 13, 2011, 08:02:00 PM
thats awesome. i found my old german double sharpening stone today , only to find about a fifth of it missing... i broke it as cleanly as i could , but of course it shorted on me.

worked up the drawknife that was given to me by a member with the good piece , and its niiiice. i need to really clean up the back and get the pits out , but its millions better.


im so jealous of that treadle ,dick. ive sold probably a hundred of em on fleabay , along with a million singers , and i finally get a wife that sews , and i havent seen a single one worth getting.


good on ya foor using left over left overs. im never eating at your place unless its hunting camp.

:lol:

ps : somehow in all your excitement you forgot pics...i dont think the mods will allow that a second time...
-hov
Title: Re: Not a bow, but a fun project - Pix Added
Post by: Dick in Seattle on May 13, 2011, 08:24:00 PM
Ask and ye shall receive...

Here are two shots of the bow case and one of my Pfaff 134 industrial.   The machine head is circa 1950, probably out of a clothing factory.  It's mounted on a circa 1920's Singer industrial treadle.   It doesn't look all that big all by itself, but if you see it next to a standard sewing machine, you realize it's a fair sized monster.

(http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h186/CaptainDick/bowcase2.jpg)


(http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h186/CaptainDick/bowcase1.jpg)


(http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h186/CaptainDick/pfaff134.jpg)
Title: Re: Not a bow, but a fun project - Pix Added
Post by: Grey Taylor on May 14, 2011, 04:38:00 AM
I'm not sure I've ever seen an industrial treadle machine. That's very cool.
Did that head originally come with a motor and then get adapted to the treadle?

Guy
Title: Re: Not a bow, but a fun project - Pix Added
Post by: legends1 on May 14, 2011, 01:29:00 PM
That looks really nice  :)
Title: Re: Not a bow, but a fun project - Pix Added
Post by: Dick in Seattle on May 14, 2011, 02:25:00 PM
Guy, yes, the machine was a motorized head.  I still have the power stand for it, which my wife uses at times.   It works in either stand but I can't get the control with the motor that I can with a treadle.   I had an old singer 31-20 industrial treadle.  The Pfaff is the same basid machine, but updated and with better action, so I use it.
Title: Re: Not a bow, but a fun project - Pix Added
Post by: Grey Taylor on May 14, 2011, 04:39:00 PM
Thanks for the info, Dick. That is very interesting.
Man, if I found one of those in my area I'd snap it up in a second. I have a Mitsubishi industrial but a treadle powered industrial would be just way too cool.
I know what you mean about control. Some of the clutches on industrial machines are touchy, to say the least. The best I've found are on newer computerized machines, but they aren't cheap.

Guy