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This is good stuff, and I thank you for it. I'm trying to teach myself leather stitching, and it's slow going. Can anyone talk about mating edges in leather? I've done a couple of backpacks, but I'm really not happy with how the 90-degree edges turn out. Might also be a result of using cheap chrome-tanned leather. Also, what's the name of the rotary spiky tool? I am so making a trip to Tandy once you tell me; marking out every quarter-inch with a scratch tool is the biggest pain in the rear end. e: oh yes, does the water-treatment method of paper pattern transfer work on chrome-tanned leather? I thought water was just for tooling marks, so I haven't tried it at all. TheNothingNew fucked around with this message at 06:01 on Apr 20, 2012 |
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Apr 20, 2012 05:59
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That's the bunny, thank you. I think I'm not going basic enough: anyone recommend a beginner's website or something? Tandy has some videos, but while the old guy is adorable, they assume a certain base knowledge that I don't have.
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Apr 20, 2012 16:52
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Pagan posted:Are they veg tan? Probably not. I've never tried boiling other types of leather, so I don't know. Try boiling a piece, and if it hardens up after it dries, then you're good to go! I can speak on this a little, having ruined a pair of gloves (chrome tanned, I assume) that I was attempting to shrink just a bit. Chrome tan (assuming that is what they were, pretty safe assumption) shrinks very quickly without attaining a useful hardness. Note also that if you intend to try something as dumb as I did, "a few seconds" seriously means one or two seconds at a time. I dunked the gloves I had in boiling water for eight seconds, and they went from slightly too large to "appropriately sized for an eight-year-old, maybe." Wish I'd kept them, or taken before and after pictures, might have made a decent demonstration. And yeah, they only got a little stiff, not blow-deflecting hard like you'd want for armor. Still, if you're just using old belts, give it a shot.
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May 7, 2012 21:03
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Confession for the thread: I cannot reliably tell chrome-tanned leather from veg-tanned leather. Any tips on that?Amykinz posted:Thanks for the heads-up. I understand you have to make a 'groove' for the thread to sit, and need an awl for punching holes for the sewing. The bodices I plan to make just are shapes laced together, no actual sewing. So I'd just need something to cut the leather, and metal eyelets to keep the holes sturdy. And later on I can look at tooling the leather for decoration. We aren't trying to be discouraging, but there's a lot more to leatherworking than first appears, and it's all expensive; it's best to understand that right out of the gate. Okay, no sewing, just cutting shapes and lacing them together via eyeletted holes. poo poo you'll need: 1. Cutting board/mat/whathaveyou. Plastic or wood. I went to a restaurant supply store and bought the biggest plastic cutting board they had. You don't need to go that big, so maybe check Goodwill or something. 2. Something to cut with. A utility knife works fine, provided you aren't doing any swooping curves or anything. Straight lines. Get a Stanley that uses those heavy-duty trapezoidal blades. Then buy some extra blades, because you're gonna need them. All of this is still way cheaper than buying a specialist leather-cutting knife. 3. Actual leather. Pagan has the right of it, I think: 8-to-10-ounce leather, maybe doubled if you need extra rigidity. Leather is priced by the foot (generally), but sold by the piece. Example Tandy link: http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/en-usd/home/department/Leather/Tooling-Sides/9157-78.aspx This is an 8-9-oz. tooling side, a little under $7/square foot. Expensive but doable, right? But the minimum order is an entire side, ~27 feet. So, $190. Plus whatever shipping ends up being. Oh, and a note on ordering: if you order from the Tandy website, the order actually ships from your local store (saves on shipping), so if you'd prefer to talk to someone, call up your store and place your order with them. I have spent way too much time (and money) in my local store in the last couple months. 4. A scratch awl or something that can fake it, to trace around your pattern onto the leather, and mark where your holes will be. 5. A leather punch, to put holes in your leather of the appropriate size. 6. Eyelets to fit those punched-out areas. 7. An eyelet setter, to actually lock the eyelets in place. 8. A rubber or plastic mallet, for the punch and the setter. 9. Leather lace to actually lace things together. 10. Something to do your tooling with (someone earlier recommended a spoon, I think?). 11. Sandpaper and a piece of canvas, to finish the edges a bit. Cut leather is surprisingly sharp. 12. A finishing compound, to help keep water off. Obviously, you'd need to have your tooling work done before applying the finishing compound. Think that's it. Did I miss anything?
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Aug 17, 2012 17:48
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angrytech posted:So once I burn through the starter kit, how would I actually go about ordering more leather? I see that the Tandy website has an entire "Leather" section, but it looks like they're selling whole cows in there, and I'd only be looking for something a few square feet. Steel ruler, both for measuring and to act as a straight-edge to cut against.
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Aug 21, 2012 07:46
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ItalicSquirrels posted:I used a kit to make a dice-bag, but my girlfriend said that she wanted it green so I dyed it green. Now I'm getting a little haze of green on my hands whenever I handle it. Is the dye just not dry? Or should I spend some time rubbing it with newspaper or a soft cloth to try and rub off some of the stuff? Apparently what you want is an acrylic sealant. Something like this: http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/en-usd/search/searchresults/2270-01.aspx I think. Sorry, coloring is something I haven't delved into yet.
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Oct 19, 2012 18:47
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Baron Fuzzlewhack posted:Do I absolutely need a sealer? Would sealing the "fresh" side help reduce the "shedding" a bit? Yes. A sealer will help prevent bleeding of the dye, which is especially necessary for something that's going to be in (sweaty) hands. Sealing the rough side helps a bit. I've found that burnishing the rough side helps as well - dampen the rough side and rub it down with a bone folder. Best answer is to inspect your leather before purchase and buy leather with a clean backside. Oiling the leather will make it more supple. Not 100% on this, but pretty sure you should do this after dying it. Dying's not something I know much about, though. Oil will darken uncolored leather - how much depends on which oil. Colored, I don't know. If you don't mind my asking, what are you using for paper, and what's your binding method? I'm using 75-pound drawing paper and the longstitch method. I'm not stitching names in, though; that's a good angle.
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Dec 28, 2012 03:07
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Looks pretty good. Definitely digging the wood-grain look. For the stitching-holes, make yourself a template, so you only have to get them perfect once. Here's one of mine in 3-ounce veg-tan. Just waxed, no oil or color. Looks kind of boring without, now. 
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Dec 28, 2012 06:47
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That thread is a forest green, looks a bit off because my camera is lovely. I got sick of a lack of options for leather thread, so I buy heavy coat/button thread and wax it by hand with a bigass chunk of beeswax. Not as strong as purpose-built, but good enough to hold some paper in. I do double-up, though; otherwise it cuts through the paper when I pull the thread tight. The wax is just a topcoat/finisher. Gives a nice semi-shine to the project. http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/en-usd/home/department/leather-dye/leather-finish/2180-117.aspx That stuff. Doesn't change the color of the leather very much - I don't think it soaks in very well. Does not add flexibility to the leather; that shape is the result of creasing by hand, prior to wax application. If you buff it after it dries you get a bit of a shine. Don't buy their daubers; cotton rounds for makeup removal work just fine and are way cheaper. Might be a good idea to wear latex gloves, but I don't. Oh, yeah, a warning from the lady who runs my local Tandy: Neatsfoot oil will eat stitching. Apparently. Very much a newbie myself. The coloring stuff is fascinating to me; I'm just not there yet.
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Dec 29, 2012 17:48
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Tea Bone posted:I've just got done with the wallet that comes with the Tandy deluxe starter kit. It was alot of fun and I was surprised at how quickly I picked it up. A few questions though, do I need to treat the leather with anything once it's been stained? The dvd/booklet doesn't say much about that. Which hands do people use for tooling? I've been using my dominant (right) hand for the mallet and left hand for holding the tool, it makes walking the tool smoothly difficult but holding the mallet in my left hand seems alot more awkward. Lastly the Tandy site is kind of intimidating with its range of leathers, whats a good piece to get that I can use for multiple projects? Should I buy leather for each individual project? I don't have answers for your other questions, though I hope someone does - I'm just starting staining myself, and proceeding blindly. I can tackle the last one - you really don't want to buy a piece of leather for each individual project, and that is exactly what you are going to have to do. Leather isn't sold by the yard, like in a fabric store; it's sold by the side, or by the cut. So you're going to end up with quite a lot of leather, and you need to make certain that it is the right kind of leather. What is right is going to depend on what you want to do with it. So, what are you planning?
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Feb 20, 2013 19:39
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Linear Ouroboros posted:I wrote that up off the cuff and poorly, but I'm realising if anyone has any interest in an infodump, I can seriously post basically what I teach in my classes. I'll just take some time to edit it up a little. But this is what I do for a living, so I have a bit of knowledge on hand. gently caress yes, please. Oh, and to add: acrylic finishes tend to destroy the natural leather smell, which is a big part of leather goods for some folk.
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Feb 25, 2013 06:29
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Morris posted:What's a good option for introductory punches and snap/rivet setters? Are the Springfield Leather (Craftool or Osborne I guess, doesn't say) ones any good? I've scoured leatherworker.net and all I can find is references to mail-order catalogs (they still have those?), and "Tandy is junk rabble rabble China! Tandy=Craftool. I get what they're saying about the China-made stuff being poo poo (just had a diamond-hole punch break on me, whee pot-metal tools), but for a beginner they're fine. If you were intent on spending on quality now, I've heard good things about Joseph Dixon (http://www.josephdixon.co.uk/products.asp). Not sure how they are about shipping to the states, though. Punches and rivet-setters - plan ahead and buy the multi-functional one from the start. Punch: http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/en-usd/home/department/tools/punches/3003-00.aspx Setter: http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/en-usd/search/searchresults/8105-00.aspx (making certain that those are what you need, obviously) Dunno about Osborne tools. And of course mail-order catalogs exist; they make for fine shitter-readin'. McBeth posted:That's a kind of a hole punch, you put it where you want a hole in paper or cardboard and twist it around and it bores a hole with the excess coming out the side opening. Except presumably for leather, so the process is a little different. 1. Place leather on cutting board or other hard surface you don't mind damaging. 2. Find where you want a hole. 3. Place the hole-punch open-side down against the leather. 4. Smack the other end of the punch with a hammer (wood, plastic, rubber, or rawhide; a metal hammer will damage the punch pretty quickly). 5. Remove punch, witness pretty new hole. Heh, google image search's best guess for the picture was "mechanical pencil". I can see where they're coming from.
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Feb 28, 2013 18:52
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Linear Ouroboros posted:I have seen plenty of people using poly/plastic dollar store cutting boards and they work great. This right here. I bought one of Tandy's (super-expensive) 6-inch square boards, and the drat thing warped somehow. Bizarre. So to replace it I went to a restaurant supply store and bought the biggest board I could find, 24" x 18". Was around $30, and it stands up just fine to punching and cutting. Next one'll be the size of my table, to better facilitate cutting out templates. Ah, someday...
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Mar 1, 2013 07:31
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ZarathustraFollower posted:So I have a weird leather care/possible replacement question. My gf is restoring an old belt driven printing press. We don't know how old the belt is (press is from 1927 at the latest, and former owner got the belt with it over 20 years ago) but it seems in good shape. She soaked it with neeksfoot oil to start with, but I'm wondering what else would be best for long term care. It'll connect the flywheel to the electric motor on the machine. If we took it to someone who knew what they were doing (Baltimore, so Richmond would be possible) could someone make a new one if needed? So long as it isn't stiff, cracking, or tearing, leave it be. That said, take measurements and make plans for replacement now, rather than after something goes wrong.
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Jul 2, 2013 07:23
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The additionally pro thing to do is to make a groove partway through the leather on your stitching line, then take a hammer to the stitches after you're done. Makes for a nice, level stitching, looks good. Requires waxed thread, as said. You want cheap waxed thread? Double up some unflavored floss. Pre-waxed nylon thread, super cheap.
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Jul 28, 2013 03:58
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Pagan posted:Start with paper. Anything from posterboard to shopping bags, maybe with a tiny bit of extra room. You don't want anything too loose, either. A plastic bag introduces too much space. I like to use several layers of cling-wrap instead. Obviously, that's less sturdy than a bag, so there's a tradeoff. dodatron, keep in mind that leather will relax a bit over time. Super tight now might end up being properly snug after a month or two.
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Jul 30, 2013 16:32
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The hammering you saw was (or should have been) not with an awl, but with either a leather punch or a stitching chisel, probably the latter. So: http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/en-usd/home/department/tools/stitching-lacing-tools/88043-535.aspx They're not as neat as an awl, but can speed up the process if you're doing straight lines in any volume and you buy one of these: http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/en-usd/home/department/tools/stitching-lacing-tools/3009-00.aspx Though I recommend finding someone other than Tandy to buy from, if you go this route. I bought a 4-prong, and it was made of such crap metal that one of the prongs tore off from regular use. That wouldn't be such an issue, but it bent out of line first, so my stitching didn't line up from one piece to the companion one.
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Aug 17, 2013 17:41
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Baron Fuzzlewhack posted:It was definitely an awl, since I've seen the same person use a chisel (four-pronged like the one mentioned). Obviously it's not ideal to hammer an awl, which is why I was asking. Just working with what I've got. Diamond cross-section, yeah.
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Aug 18, 2013 06:02
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I don't have to tell you, but you've got some gorgeous work there, Linear Ouroboros. Shop talk time: I do what you do, but part-time and not nearly as well. If you don't mind a couple of questions: 1. Coptic binding vs. Longstitch binding. I use longstitch because I hate the spine being open like that. However, everyone else I've seen does Coptic, and I'm wondering if there's a reason I've missed. Care to comment? 2. What do you use to wet-shape the facemasks on? Last time I went looking, the only thing I could find was some guy on youtube making straight-up Commedia del'Arte masks on a hundred-year-old wooden head with replaceable noses. Obviously something like that is out of my ability to purchase, so I'm wondering what you use. 3. Do you do your own embroidery? It's fantastic.
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Aug 26, 2013 16:57
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I'm pretty sure that I dismissed Coptic binding when I was looking techniques up in the first place because of just what you say: it's voodoo. Still, the point is well-made, and I think I need to revisit my techniques now that I have a better understanding of materials. Thanks for the info, and yeah, if you want to do a tutorial on anything, it'll have at least one avid reader.
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Aug 27, 2013 04:37
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McBeth posted:Keith Smith has a series of bookbinding books which are really good resources. Also youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ue52htX3j0k Thanks.
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Aug 30, 2013 00:10
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Baron Fuzzlewhack posted:When back-stitching, I know piercing the thread when coming through a hole is a huge no-no in bookbinding. If I'm doing a back-stitch with really tiny holes on a piece of leather, should I avoid piercing the thread, or does it matter much? Seems difficult no to, but not impossible. Best to avoid, but the reason for avoidance is that you cannot effectively tighten your stitching once you've pierced the other thread. However, since you are backstitching, that should already be tight, and so it probably doesn't matter so much. I try to make the effort not to, but eh.
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Aug 31, 2013 01:29
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TopherCStone posted:How about stitching leather on a sewing machine? We have one in the house, a Brother, but I'm not really sure how to use it. My fingers are usually sore after a long day of manipulating paper and then practicing guitar, so hand stitching is actually painful for me Pretty much out of the question unless you are working with chrome-tanned "fashion-weight" leather, or your sewing machine predates World War 2 by a good bit. Your hands will toughen with time. Then you'll get distracted and they'll soften without you noticing, and then you get to start over again. Wee.
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Sep 5, 2013 05:39
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Baron Fuzzlewhack posted:This is actually something I was wondering about. Should I just be wetting the fold or the entire piece? How wet should I get it, soaked or just enough as if I were going to tool it? Wet the entire piece, otherwise you'll end up with a tide-mark where the wetness ends. I would think it needs to be soaked through to bend properly, but you might play around with a partial wetting, not sure there. Neatsfoot oil will dissolve your stitches over time. It also doesn't provide a topcoat like the Atom-wax does, and it won't shine. The darkening that neatsfoot oil does is intentional; it's part of the reason people use it. A v-groove (not sure what the name is) is for folds, like a 90-degree angle or something. Here, I don't think it's doing much; the leather will soften on the fold with use. Eventually.
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Sep 6, 2013 00:31
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Baron Fuzzlewhack posted:This is all great information, thanks guys! Basically what Mr. Mailman said, but here's a video of a guy comparing several leather finishes. I should warn you that his videos tend to be very long, this one you can skip to about 35 minutes once you get how he's working the comparison. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyTg_hfpNUM
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Sep 7, 2013 01:37
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I'll do some testing on scrap pieces with what I have and see what works best.
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Baron Fuzzlewhack posted:Yeah, and truthfully I don't much like the smell of the leather after the oil has been rubbed in. Either I over-oiled my test piece, or neatsfoot really kills the typical "leather" smell. I'll go with one of the other suggestions. When your piece uses leather lacing, instead. Keep in mind that the "eating stitches" line is me repeating what the Tandy store owner told me, and may be wrong. I have no outside confirmation of same.
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Sep 9, 2013 04:47
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Pagan posted:Share some of your work, I'd like to see it. Likewise. Veg-tan leather has a certain cache to it, which is I think why it draws new folks in. That, and the ability to color and carve it. I haven't played with chrome-tan much, but it seems more like cloth in how it's handled. Also machine-sewable without spending tons of money on a specialist device. Speaking of which,Pagan, you're looking for a leather-sewing machine. Mitchell Leather (http://www.mitchell-leather.com) are close to me and gave me a tour of their workshop, including multiple rows of sewing machines, mostly Pfaff & Singer I think. Not one was made after WW2 that I could see. So you might consider expanding your search, if you can find something older that fits your needs.
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Jan 26, 2014 18:56
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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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Google Butt posted:I'm about to order some Tan Kote, wondering what you guys use for top finishes? Atom Wax Google Butt posted:Yeah I was gonna call around to some countertop places first. Supposedly headstone places will sell chipped pieces quite cheaply. I suggest searching goodwill shops until you find a side table with a marble top - that's where mine's from. 16" x 20", half-inch thick.
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Jun 2, 2014 05:27
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Google Butt posted:Thanks. What's the difference in finish between the Resolene and Atom wax? Not 100%, but I'm told Resolene smells. Atom wax smells like nothing much. Ah, found the video. Guy's slow but it's a nice review of the various finishes. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyTg_hfpNUM
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Jun 2, 2014 05:39
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Bitter Beard posted:Should you put some sort of finish on a wallet? I never even thought about that. If it gets dry, though, put some oil on it. Wait, aren't you using chrome-tanned leather? That doesn't need a finish, so far as I know.
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Jun 3, 2014 05:20
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FISHMANPET posted:There's a fabric warehouse in my area (called SR Harris) which is a warehouse sized fabric discounter (everything is 50% off retail price). They also have huge chunks of leather. I have no idea if they're any good, but if you've got a similar business in your area take a look maybe? This and Bitter Beard's ideas are fine but need an addendum: leather is tanned in a couple of different ways. The two main versions are chrome tanning and vegetable tanning. Vegetable tanning is the version that you can tool and dye and finish and shape. Chrome tanned leather is the version used for jackets and furniture and fashion bags, but cannot really be altered from its current state. Each have their place, but you need to have the correct expectations going in.
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Jul 12, 2014 01:44
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This looks pretty good: http://www.leatherlearn.com/ this is more history & theory: http://leatherworkingreverend.wordpress.com/the-reverend-hys-bigge-booke-of-leather/ and there's this one: http://www.leatherpros.net/forums/content.php Hoo boy do I need to do some bookmark culling.
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Aug 17, 2014 08:10
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Sammyz posted:I've seen the kit, I think it's a bit chintzy for me to really bother with, you just lace it up, no real effort involved AND they look dumb. I am more worried about the patterning/cutting anyway so without that aspect I don't think it'd help much. If you intend to wear them outside of the home, I would recommend at least double up on the sole. Sidewalks are surprisingly hard. The paper bag mockup is a good idea; I used some felt squares I had kicking around.
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Jan 8, 2015 03:51
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Adequate Panther posted:There's some fantastic work going on in here. Good job guys! Anyways, I'm new to this leather working thing and am interested in getting into it. But I'm not really looking to make garments or the like, more like an interest in placing fantasy maps on really neat looking pieces. Etching or carving and the hanging them on my wall. The thing is, iI have no idea what weight of leather, or what tools would be appropriate. I'd use a 3 to 5-ounce vegetable tanned leather. Anything heavier will just hang like a wood plank, and I think you want something with a bit of a scroll-like effect. A swivel knife is your basic tool, good enough for simple lines. Follow that up with stamping, let it dry, then give a topcoat before hanging. Coloring optional. Be sure to look up proper leather casing before you start, as damp leather will take carving & stamping much better than dry. Tools: swivel knife, some texture stamps, wooden mallet. Marble for stamping on, or something similar. I've been using a plastic cutting board, but it isn't ideal and it marks up the back side of the leather. Another option might be wood burning tools, if you have access to some. A friend mentioned wanting to try that, but it hasn't happened yet and I've no idea how it would work out. In this case I think you would skip the casing. Might smell, though.
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Jan 13, 2015 06:35
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Emushka posted:Black ostrich watch strap, 20mm wide. Never worked with poultry skin of any kind, how is it? Also, what are you using for padding at the thick ends?
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Mar 10, 2015 01:17
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Digging the padding. Keeps the final shape from being boring. Looks good. Thank you kindly, especially for the pre-process shot.
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Mar 11, 2015 02:58
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Some good looking work! Mind talking about your boiled leather process/outcome/whatever else? Sounds interesting but I haven't gotten up the courage.
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Mar 21, 2015 03:56
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Pagan posted:I'm pretty happy overall. I think I need to work on making my stamps smoother and more even, but overall I'm pretty pleased. Looks good. I think a certain roughness around the edges is a strength of the worked leather style. Shows it's handmade.
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Jun 12, 2015 00:58
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Kangaroo leather is very thin, butsupposedly the strongest leather for its thickness. I haven't used it, but I have a pair of motorcycle gloves with kangaroo palms. You're right that you don't want a single thickness for your straps, they'll roll up and cut into the feet before long. Doubling it over doesn't really resolve the issue. What I'd try is to make them in a similar manner to a purse handle. http://sewplicity.com/2014/04/attach-rolled-leather-handles/ Go through the images in there, it'll give you the right idea. Basically it's a rope center that you wrap the leather around then sew the edges together. Keep the seam on the outside, else it'll rub into the foot. Search for "rolled leather handle" to get more ideas. Anyway, that's what I'd do. Hope it helps.
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Nov 18, 2015 06:22
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