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They look like these: http://www.tandyleather.eu/en-eur/home/department/hardware/rivets/1371-080.aspx The male part is the concho, and there's this star shaped form at the bottom. Looks like you just need an anvil and a hammer.
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Jan 30, 2014 08:41
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Pagan posted:Share some of your work, I'd like to see it. not a lot to share yet, got some major updates on my tools last fall and still trying to perfect the process. Im currently waiting for supplies to make the end product even better, BUT....    here's a card wallet. the other side is 4 card slots, all hand made. this is my daily wallet. I have about... 5 of these, different kinds, made for practice. don't have a lot of pictures, but I'll take some the next time!
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Jan 30, 2014 13:58
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Nice wallet. That's first on my list of projects once my sewing machine arrives. Tool question : I need a strap cutter. All I've seen is the Tandy Draw Gauge, which looks like an amazing way to cut yourself. But then I watched this video : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2Fl9oQn1uU Jump to the 1:50 mark, and it looks like he's using a little palm held thing to make straps. Any idea what that's called, or where to get it?
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Jan 31, 2014 16:28
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I don't know about the thing in the video, but I use this thing: http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/en-usd/product/craftool-strap-cutter-3080-00.aspx, which makes it impossible to cut yourself.
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Jan 31, 2014 16:33
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Pagan posted:Nice wallet. That's first on my list of projects once my sewing machine arrives. hand stitched... saddle stitch is stronger than machine stitch, machine stitch can unwind if the thread is broken AND hand stitched items can be repaired. downside, hand stitched is much harder to do perfect where machine stitch looks always great. Emushka fucked around with this message at 09:10 on Feb 2, 2014 |
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Feb 2, 2014 09:04
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Hello all, so I am not sure if this is exactly the right thread to post this but I think it is since it pertains to working with leather. So I have a leather jacket that I like to wear, but the issue is whenever I wear it the back part of the jacket sticks out and it looks like I'm wearing a short leather cape. It has laces in the back too. My question is, how can I get it to fit my form more when the jacket is open? (When the jacket is closed the back of it is pressed against my back). It's just when it is unzippered the back tends to stick out. Here is a picture for reference: This is the jacket when it is open (unzippered):  This is the jacket when it is zippered, notice how it fits my back  (please excuse my filthy mirror)So what can I do to have it fit my back like in the second picture but have it unzippered?
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Feb 12, 2014 18:15
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I'm gonna say that there's not much you can do there, unfortunately. Though I could just be thinking inside the box, I'm curious if anyone has any ideas. It looks like you just need to find a jacket that actually fits you. That one looks really really big on you from the pictures. However, depending on how thick the leather is, you could try taking it to a tailor so they can take it in to your actual measurements. Not sure if any tailors in your area are equipped with leather sewing machines, but it's definitely worth a shot. And they may be able to point you in the direction of a shop that does if they don't have the machines.
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Feb 13, 2014 03:36
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cloudy posted:I'm gonna say that there's not much you can do there, unfortunately. Though I could just be thinking inside the box, I'm curious if anyone has any ideas. There is a shop that sews patches onto my other leather, maybe they can do it. Thank you!
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Feb 13, 2014 16:38
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So, I'm looking for some steel (but not stainless steel) buckles to use for some leather restraints. I'm going to be treating them to be black so the specific type of metal is important. Any idea where I could find such a thing?
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Feb 26, 2014 20:16
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FISHMANPET posted:So, I'm looking for some steel (but not stainless steel) buckles to use for some leather restraints. I'm going to be treating them to be black so the specific type of metal is important. Any idea where I could find such a thing? You're probably going to have an interesting time if you don't have a shop make them for you. Most buckles I've seen for leather pieces come prefinished if they're not stainless. Options that aren't stainless tend to be nickel or brass plated. You can try http://www.hardwareelf.com as they have a bunch of stuff and might be able to do something custom for you if you ask, but otherwise it might be slim pickings, depending on what you need.
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Feb 27, 2014 04:30
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FISHMANPET posted:So, I'm looking for some steel (but not stainless steel) buckles to use for some leather restraints. I'm going to be treating them to be black so the specific type of metal is important. Any idea where I could find such a thing? Nickel and brass can both be treated with liver of sulfur (basically super-condensed hot springs) to turn black, so you're not just limited to steel. That having been said, the blackening steel process of "heat to red hot, quench in motor oil" is a lot more fun...
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Feb 27, 2014 22:47
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I want to avoid brass (and nickel, because things are usually just nickel coated brass) because I'm also planning on using these with latex rubber, and brass discolors latex.
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Feb 27, 2014 22:52
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FISHMANPET posted:I want to avoid brass (and nickel, because things are usually just nickel coated brass) because I'm also planning on using these with latex rubber, and brass discolors latex. And uncoated steel will discolor leather. Just found out. Turns it black.
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Mar 1, 2014 02:32
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I was looking at Saddleback leather product a couple weeks ago and thought that stuff was really cool looking, and the Leodis Leather channel on Youtube sealed the deal. Starter kit probably won't get here for a couple weeks but I can't wait to try! Ordered this starter kit: http://www.goodsjapan.jp/item/leather-craft-items-leathercra/craft-sha-leather-craft-kit-st/lid=29749092 and 10 pounds of upholstery scrap: http://www.amazon.com/Springfield-Leather-Companys-Assorted-Upholstery/dp/B00DQAHCE8 I was tempted to go with the 5 pound bag of veg tan scraps, but I wanted to make some wallets for practicing and the veg tan ranges from 6oz to 10oz I think, which seemed like it might be pretty thick. I might be wrong in assuming this, but the upholstery looked like it might be thinner and better suited. Plus it's dyed already which is nice to focus just on the cutting and stitching for now. It's also nice to know I'm recycling and not directly killing cows for a hobby I might wind up not even liking. What's the deal with cordovan shell leather? It looks super stiff and hard. Is that because of some sort of finish they use on it?
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Mar 10, 2014 06:20
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hayden. posted:What's the deal with cordovan shell leather? It looks super stiff and hard. Is that because of some sort of finish they use on it? Shell cordovan is so resilient just because of the structure of the part of the horsehide it comes from. There are very small areas on the butt of a horse called "shells" that have a unique fiber structure, only equine animals have it. So its not so much the tanning process that makes it so stiff, its just naturally how it occurs. Its very dense and it pretty much never breaks down. It's expensive too because its so resilient and also so rare. And in addition to that the tanning process takes like 6 months... So prices are understandably pretty steep. (Plus it can be so shiny. Soooo shiny) So it ends up mostly being used for high-end shoes. I wouldn't describe it as feeling hard perse, but it definitely holds its shape. I've been using it for making wallets which is also awesome because they'll essentially last forever (if my stitching holds up) AND get killer patinas. cloudy fucked around with this message at 07:05 on Mar 10, 2014 |
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Mar 10, 2014 07:01
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What do you think is the cost of leather material for a single wallet?
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Mar 10, 2014 16:28
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As far as I know Horween is the only Shell Cordovan producer in the US (so if you're not in the US prices may vary). I read online that Nick Horween says it's about $100 per square foot. So depending on how much shell you want to use in the wallet, and how big the wallet is... It could vary. They don't sell it by the foot though, you have to buy an entire shell which would be about $300 (a little more or less depending on the actual size of the piece you get).
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Mar 10, 2014 18:01
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I got my leather and leather tools yesterday. I'm having trouble cutting straight lines in the leather. The problem is that the relatively thin upholstery leather I'm using is somewhat elastic, so it pulls as it is being cut and makes wobbly uneven edges. Scissors help a bit but even marking a line and cutting on it is imperfect because I'm not cutting against an edge like I would with a ruler and razor. Should I maybe try to get a sharper utility razor? Also, using the gouging tool is even more difficult due to the elasticity, I've just sort of given up on it. It starts off where I want it and within an inch or two veers off the edge of the leather. Trying to pull the leather taught doesn't seem to help much. I have a single piece of thicker veg tan and it works beautifully on that, though.
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Mar 15, 2014 21:05
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So I might as well share this site I found, in my quest for black hardware: http://www.strapworks.com/default.asp They've got anodized black pieces, but they'll also powder coat just about anything, and it turns out they sell buckles as well! So I've got some black buckles on their way to me along with a few other pieces of hardware, to make my completely black cuff set. Next up I'm going to try and get some red powder coated stuff and make a red cuff set.
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Mar 15, 2014 21:45
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hayden. posted:Upholstery leather problems Like you, I also started out with a bag of upholstery leather scraps, and I encountered the same problems. When it comes to gouging, I am not even sure if that is necessary when working with that type of leather, as it is squishy enough for the stitching to not really need a space to lie in, though I may be wrong. When it came to actually cutting the leather, the only solution I found that would actually create clean cuts was a rotary cutter, but that only really works for straight lines, rather than curves or small details. You might also try putting masking tape on both sides of the leather so that you end up cutting through the masking tape as you make your cut, as it could curb the elasticity a bit. You can also just allow your cuts to be a little jagged at first, and then just go back and clean them up with scissors and sandpaper after stitching. However, I honestly do not know if there is any surefire way to get pretty edges on non veg-tanned leather, especially since you can't burnish them.
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Mar 16, 2014 00:08
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hayden. posted:I got my leather and leather tools yesterday. I'm having trouble cutting straight lines in the leather. The problem is that the relatively thin upholstery leather I'm using is somewhat elastic, so it pulls as it is being cut and makes wobbly uneven edges. Scissors help a bit but even marking a line and cutting on it is imperfect because I'm not cutting against an edge like I would with a ruler and razor. Should I maybe try to get a sharper utility razor? Use a rotary cutter for straight lines, good scissors for curves. You can also find rulers that have a felt backing. A felt backed ruler is essential for leatherwork, as almost any leather will slide when you try to cut it. Gouging and edge burnishing on this type of leather is a waste of time. You can't carve it, groove it, anything. It's meant to be sewed and / or glued. If you think of upholstered furniture, you never see the edges. It's always tucked under, hemmed, or inside a welt. You're attempting to use techniques for one particular style of leather that is just straight up incompatible with it. I got my sewing machine in a while ago, just haven't gotten around to taking pictures of it. But having something that can sew is awesome.   Still getting the hang of it; I think I'm going to take a regular sewing class at Joann's or something, just so I can get better at it.
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Mar 16, 2014 00:57
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Thanks for the feedback guys, I guess I'll get some veg tan scraps. I've had a hell of time getting nice even stitching on the upholstery leather too, and I guess it makes sense that the stuff I see leatherworkers doing by hand is always veg tan. On my single piece of veg tan I do have I practiced some stitching and it came out wonderfully. Also watching a video on proper saddle stitching helps - I started off with two separate strings and two needles, having fun trying to figure it out on my own. Not having any experience with sewing or leatherworking, I don't think it would have ever occurred to have a needle at either end of the same thread.
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Mar 16, 2014 07:45
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Aloha folks. Well, im in a little different boat than some of you with the reason i jumped into this. I have a ranch with lots of horse tack and will soon be in the need to do some serious repairs/rebuilds on some saddles of mine. Been interested in knife pouches, spur straps and things for awhile, but its about to get a whole lot more intense with some saddle repairs. Starting next month im doing a complete teardown and rebuild on a roping saddle of mine. I dont know if you guys would be interested but ill keep it up to date with some pictures and posts. Thinking im gonna do mostly roughout fenders and stirrups. Im really excited and really nervous at the same time. I live out in the middle of the pacific, so everything is mail order and keep your fingers crossed its the right stuff for the job. Jealous of you goons who get to drive to Tandys and get some hands on advice  Shooting for a finished product like this: http://imgur.com/5vOjFnH Paniolo808 fucked around with this message at 01:38 on Mar 20, 2014 |
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Mar 20, 2014 01:29
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This might be a little strange, but I like seeing other people's workspaces, and I enjoy sharing mine. In my day job, I shoot panoramic virtual tours for businesses, so I figured I'd do one of my workspace. Here it is in HTML5 : http://warhams.dangerbearing.com/images/leatherworkshop/index.html And in Flash http://warhams.dangerbearing.com/images/leatherworkshop/leather-4726%20Panorama.html My hosting, lets you see the room I've got setup. On one hand, it's a little cluttered, but on the other, everything has a place. It's almost an evolutionary process; as I find myself putting tools down in the same area, I try to make a home for that tool. I figure if the place I use it is too far from the place I store it, it'll never get put away. I have been having fun with that sewing machine. You can see a pic of it next to a "normal" sewing machine...  I'm still learning it's finicky parts, though. The thread gets caught easily, even when it's threaded properly, and if there's anything wrong, it snaps a giant needle. A giant, expensive needle that can only be ordered from a handful of places. But it sews fast and sews well. I did a black leather belt and decided to add white decorative stitching around the edge. Something that would have taken days by hand took about 10 minutes with the machine.
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Mar 20, 2014 21:41
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Paniolo808 posted:Aloha folks. Well, im in a little different boat than some of you with the reason i jumped into this. I have a ranch with lots of horse tack and will soon be in the need to do some serious repairs/rebuilds on some saddles of mine. Been interested in knife pouches, spur straps and things for awhile, but its about to get a whole lot more intense with some saddle repairs. Starting next month im doing a complete teardown and rebuild on a roping saddle of mine. I dont know if you guys would be interested but ill keep it up to date with some pictures and posts. Thinking im gonna do mostly roughout fenders and stirrups. Im really excited and really nervous at the same time. I live out in the middle of the pacific, so everything is mail order and keep your fingers crossed its the right stuff for the job. Jealous of you goons who get to drive to Tandys and get some hands on advice Please share. I think saddle making would be awesome (that video I posted earlier of the saddlery in England almost like porn to me) Starting with repairs seems like a good idea. On the leatherworking forum I frequent, a common thread is "how do I make a living at this?" A few people got their start by repairing things for horse racing tracks, so there might be money in it if you like it and get good at it.
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Mar 20, 2014 21:53
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Pagan posted:Use a rotary cutter for straight lines, good scissors for curves. You can also find rulers that have a felt backing. A felt backed ruler is essential for leatherwork, as almost any leather will slide when you try to cut it. Edge burnishing in the sense as traditional vegetable tanned leather - correct. cannot be done like that. traditional european leatherworking methods works though, but that's different kind of leatherworking. 1:22 onward has a glimpse of this. basically it's special paint mixed with a wax component that is melted into the edge in multiple layers to seal the edge. finished with beeswax/buffing and other finishes depending on preference. fashion house hermes is known for this technique, but most of the european fashion houses use this too. if you look at my pictures above, the wallet is chrome tanned leather only in multiple layers. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAfSfnykXfo
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Mar 26, 2014 13:46
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I'm running into a design issue, and I'm wondering if anyone in here has advice. I'm making collars with rolled edges. All hosting is mine. Step 1 : Lay out the pattern on a piece of sturdy leather  Step 2 : Glue that to a piece of garment leather  Step 3 : Cut collar into shape Step 4: Lay a strip of garment leather, good side down, onto the garment leather side of the collar. Stitch.  Step 5 : Apply adhesive to back of collar, and roll strips into place.   And this is where I tun into problems. I take a piece of fabric that's already been cut and hemmed into shape. I put it on the back of the collar, and then try to run another line of stitching snugged right up against the edges. But it's way too easy to make a mistake...  In this example, the foot of the machine was right on the edge of strap that runs down the middle, and it shifted just as the needle came down. Other times, the stitching doesn't "grab" the fabric on the back, and I have a loose spot.. However, I can't figure out a way to finish the edges without doing another round of stitching. I considered gluing the fabric to the back, and gluing the edges of the collar over it, but my concern there is that, in time, the glue will weaken. A stitch lasts a lot longer. Plus, when the fabric part does work out, it looks great; no exposed edges, everything is either seamed or hemmed or whatnot.
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Mar 27, 2014 22:50
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maybe you're overthinking and overdesignin this? there isn't much "leatherworking" in a classical sense in the collar anymore. maybe the sewing/needlework community could be a better help?
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Mar 29, 2014 11:42
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Probably the first of several new-to-this-hobby questions: are there any accepted guidelines for the storage of tanned hides until use in a project? Lay flat, humidity, what-do-you-mean-you-don't-have-a-hide-aquarium-you-scrub?
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Mar 29, 2014 22:55
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Pagan posted:
Having a bit of a hard time understanding exactly what you're trying to do... But here's my suggestion. Maybe it will give you an idea on how to go forward even if I'm not understanding it correctly! Sew anything you need to sew separately on the back first, where you don't want a stitch to show on the front. Then glue down everything you need in the appropriate places, wrapping your big piece around the front. Then do a final stitch wherever you wanted it. Basically you're just using the glue to hold down whatever you need while you stitch it all with a single stitch. I would advise against using only glue (and no stitch) to hold anything together. Alternatively you might be able to achieve this with no glue and only using clips to hold stuff in place, but I'm not sure exactly how everything is laid out, so your mileage may vary.
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Mar 29, 2014 23:04
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18 Character Limit posted:Probably the first of several new-to-this-hobby questions: are there any accepted guidelines for the storage of tanned hides until use in a project? Lay flat, humidity, what-do-you-mean-you-don't-have-a-hide-aquarium-you-scrub? Store it by hanging it. Let it breathe, and it'll be fine for a decade or so.
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Mar 29, 2014 23:23
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Sir Cornelius posted:Store it by hanging it. Let it breathe, and it'll be fine for a decade or so. and do not store in super dry, a little humidity so that the leather doesn't dry out.
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Mar 31, 2014 10:48
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Does anybody know of a good source for vegetable-tanned leather in New York City? The only place that I have found so far that sells veg-tan is a shoe supply store in the village that only sells "wholesale to the trade only," not retail. I don't necessarily care much about finding a place to purchase tools, thread, dyes, etc., since I can just get those fairly easily online, but I am less-than-enthusiastic about ordering, say, a double shoulders sight unseen.
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Apr 1, 2014 01:52
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Goofus Giraffe posted:Does anybody know of a good source for vegetable-tanned leather in New York City? The only place that I have found so far that sells veg-tan is a shoe supply store in the village that only sells "wholesale to the trade only," not retail. I don't necessarily care much about finding a place to purchase tools, thread, dyes, etc., since I can just get those fairly easily online, but I am less-than-enthusiastic about ordering, say, a double shoulders sight unseen. I'm sure there are places; I've always heard that if it's not for sale in NYC, it's not for sale anywhere. But, as someone who's done mail order, the quality is fantastic. Most tanneries will send you some samples, too. http://springfieldleather.com/ is good, they have an excellent selection, good prices, and a good website. But I'm sure there are tanneries in or around the city.
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Apr 1, 2014 04:12
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Thanks Pagan for the info in PMs. Heading to Tandy Leather tomorrow which luckily is only a 15mins drive. Going to pickup some scrap stuff and maybe a few pig hydes to make a wallet or two or maybe a huge mess, I don't know yet. In my minds eye I know what I'll be going for, implementation wise we'll have to wait and see. For sewing leather wallets, what hand tools do I even need? I don't see myself doing any stamping or shaving as the weight of the leather I'm wanting to go with is rather light. I'll post some post production pics. I'm just starting out in leather sewing but I've wanted to do it for awhile. I just picked up a Juki 1541 and accidentally got a Brudan Beat IV in the same day, here's a pic of how it is setup currently  Got this prepared in Embird tonight to be stitched out tomorrow, scale is big but it'll eventually come down to 130mm or some such. I'd stitch it out tonight but the embroider sounds like a very large and angry typewriter so for the neighbors sake I'll wait until the waking hours.  I've seen a lot of art over the years and the things the folks are making in this thread is right up there with some of the best. I'm excited to get started. [edit] 20min drive actually and a 200 dollar bill, I'm altogether quite pleased 
Bitter Beard fucked around with this message at 20:15 on Apr 1, 2014 |
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Apr 1, 2014 14:52
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Almost finished with an etsy order; this customer wanted the "Flames of Hell" rig carried by Charlie Prince in 3:10 to Yuma. Fortunately, Tandy carries the pattern... I still have some detail and finishing work to do, but I think it's looking good.
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Apr 17, 2014 14:01
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Is there anything protecting the back of the rivet from wearing against the gun?
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Apr 18, 2014 03:10
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hayden. posted:Is there anything protecting the back of the rivet from wearing against the gun? Yes, the whole thing is lined with pigskin. I had the same though when I looked at the pattern instructions, so I took care of that. The pigskin is attached with glue and the stitches add another layer of strength.
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Apr 18, 2014 21:46
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Awesome thread so far. I was just struck by the idea of leatherworking this morning and checked to see if there was a thread in DIY. Read the whole thing between jobs at work. I'm glad the cost of entry is so low (realistically less than $150 for starter tools and some dyes / wax). Fortunately, I'm in a hackerspace/makerspace (http://nesit.org/) with a few people who are into cosplaying and crafting anything wearable. I think I can get at least a couple other people to chip in to get the space set up with some decent tools. If / when we get an area of the shop set up for leatherworking, I'll post some pics.
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Apr 24, 2014 18:42
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I made a new wallet today. Wanted something that'd hold all of my cards, had some sort of closure, but did not use any hardware. I didn't want to make a regular ol' envelope style cardholder, so I gave it a little stitched-down tab that holds it shut, instead. Closed:  Open:  Edit: I changed the design so that it would have welts extending nearly all the way around, allowing the wallet to hold coins, too. I also gave the bottom of the wallet a sharper curve, as before it was rounding out the wallet too much and giving it kind of a potbelly. Now it looks like this: Closed:  Open: 
Goofus Giraffe fucked around with this message at 08:42 on May 3, 2014 |
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Apr 26, 2014 03:46
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