Cheap Beginner Solutions And Experienced Craftsman

[chancey77]

So when I moved to Finland it became a bit harder to locate parts that I wanted especially quality buckles and D/C Rings...

So I started hunting out all the recycling and second hand stores sifting through all the piles and piles of old purses and carry bags.

Most of which are priced 2-5 bucks. Grab a pile go to the register and tell them I will buy all these bags for 20 bucks maybe like 15 bags or what ever I can low ball them down to. Usually the are just happy to be rid of them!

Commercially made purses especially name brands sometimes have much better quality rings and clips than you can find at any specialty house. Also you can get a lot of leather bags and use them for say insides of wallets or re use linings, I was amazed that spending only 20 buck I probably saved my self 100's of dollars in materials and have buckles and clasps and rings I would never have just bought any other way.

Just something I thought I would share to people looking for alternatives and trying to save some cash!

So hit Goodwill or what ever secondhand stores you have locally and see what you can dig up!

Sometimes there is even some tooled purses you can pimp out or just add some simple creativity to or cut a piece out and use in your own from scratch piece!

Happy Hunting!

[ramrod]

yup - some good ideas. nice thread.

i just re-dyed a friend's bag for her. it was a nice black one with a tiny bit of wear. i looked it over real well and noticed it was a coach - and it had great hardware. i asked where she got it. she said at a garage sale for - wait for it - 5 bucks. i gotta remember that next time i need linings or clasps or whatevers.

[Sylvia]

So when I moved to Finland it became a bit harder to locate parts that I wanted especially quality buckles and D/C Rings...

So I started hunting out all the recycling and second hand stores sifting through all the piles and piles of old purses and carry bags.

Most of which are priced 2-5 bucks. Grab a pile go to the register and tell them I will buy all these bags for 20 bucks maybe like 15 bags or what ever I can low ball them down to. Usually the are just happy to be rid of them!

Commercially made purses especially name brands sometimes have much better quality rings and clips than you can find at any specialty house. Also you can get a lot of leather bags and use them for say insides of wallets or re use linings, I was amazed that spending only 20 buck I probably saved my self 100's of dollars in materials and have buckles and clasps and rings I would never have just bought any other way.

Just something I thought I would share to people looking for alternatives and trying to save some cash!

So hit Goodwill or what ever secondhand stores you have locally and see what you can dig up!

Sometimes there is even some tooled purses you can pimp out or just add some simple creativity to or cut a piece out and use in your own from scratch piece!

Happy Hunting!

Good idea, but I've noticed that sometimes the d-rings and clasps show wear so I would recommend taking time to look the purses and belts over very well. Another thing one can do is find second hand leather jackets usually they are soiled pretty badly but the amount of leather found in some of these is astounding and also good for wallet linings.

[chancey77]

Things I look for mainly are purses and bags with brass or antique brass parts, although I do take my fare share of stuff with silver/gold hardware, my main interest is brass. Brass wears very well, and I never see D/C rings in bad shape! It is always worn out springs on some of the belt loop clips, also you can find a fair amount of stuff with brass links/chain which is always cool.

Some of the purses have really nice clasps that have backings that un screw so they are recyclable as well.

I have just noticed a lot of beginners here getting sticker shock at Tandy and other normal markets, and thought I would post this for a great recycled way to find entry points into leather crafts.

Jackets also have a lot of material, but usually cost between 20-70 dollars, so that is why I mention bags and cases. Much cheeper when you buy in bulk...don't be afraid to haggle with the manager...after all 2nd hand stores did get all that stuff for free, and by clearing space for them you are doing them a favor of taking stuff that has been sitting a while...

I know that every woman I have ever been with; has had a lot of purses that rarely get used , so the chances of bags and hardware being broken is considerably less then if you buy stuff that was made for men...

We wear thinks until the just can't be used anymore, so that is why there is always less stuff for men at 2nd hand stores.

[JRLeather2]

I always check out the second hand stores for hardware and the such.

I also keep an eye out for curbside leather furniture, have made quite a few projects out of "curb-cycled" furniture.

This teddy bear was made out of an old recliner I scored for free on Craigs List.....

[chancey77]

I always check out the second hand stores for hardware and the such.

I also keep an eye out for curbside leather furniture, have made quite a few projects out of "curb-cycled" furniture.

This teddy bear was made out of an old recliner I scored for free on Craigs List.....

COOL!!!!!!!

I DIG FREE STUFF!!!!!!

[Cyberthrasher]

Excellent ideas. I was actually just thinking about this today trying to decide if there's any of that old stuff lying around that I could rob. Unfortunately, my wife isn't your standard purse lady. But, I know lots of people who are.

[chancey77]

Excellent ideas. I was actually just thinking about this today trying to decide if there's any of that old stuff lying around that I could rob. Unfortunately, my wife isn't your standard purse lady. But, I know lots of people who are.

You can definitely find some real good stuff to use inside your tool roll for 1-2 dollars. Since you have the 8/9 oz shoulders for the outsides find something to recycle for the interior.

[BIGGUNDOCTOR]

I bought a storage locker at an auction years ago that had a bunch of purses in it. I pulled the hardware, and cut them up for future use. I hadn't thought about furniture, or jackets for material.

The one that I wish I had thought about earlier was the 1,200# show steer I put under the front of my Dodge 1tton a couple of years ago. It had a beautiful solid black winter coat. I talked to the owner later, and he told me it just got buried with the rest after butchering that night.

[chancey77]

I bought a storage locker at an auction years ago that had a bunch of purses in it. I pulled the hardware, and cut them up for future use. I hadn't thought about furniture, or jackets for material.

The one that I wish I had thought about earlier was the 1,200# show steer I put under the front of my Dodge 1tton a couple of years ago. It had a beautiful solid black winter coat. I talked to the owner later, and he told me it just got buried with the rest after butchering that night.

WOW! Did you get any pictures of the Dodge??? What a waste of a hide!

I like to also fid old wooden cutting boards and strange old kitchen tools from the 40's,50's to use those on projects as well, the more cut up the boards are the better. I just got about 6-10 of them all different sizes and shapes, 1 even had some old hemp rope handles on it, it is about 8"x8" and will make a cool sign on someones boat after I make a leather name plaque or picture to furniture spot nail it to.

[BIGGUNDOCTOR]

Nothing to really take a picture of. The steer had been just killed by a van going the other direction, and in the dark I didn't see it till it was too late, as another cars headlights were blinding me. All I saw was a big black object across my lane. My truck is a 4x4 so it sits a little higher than a 2 wheel drive. It basically rolled the steer under the front end, and lifted the front end up. When I opened the door I saw the head by the front tire. After Metro showed up to take the report I backed off of it. The only damage to my truck was a bent center link causing a tight steering issue, but I was able to drive it the rest of the way home. No body damage other than a bent license plate.

Yea, I wish I had thought about having them save the hide for me. Never saw a cow hide with hair that thick before. I knew they existed, but had never seen one up close, and personal.

[DoubleC]

So when I moved to Finland it became a bit harder to locate parts that I wanted especially quality buckles and D/C Rings...

So I started hunting out all the recycling and second hand stores sifting through all the piles and piles of old purses and carry bags.

Most of which are priced 2-5 bucks. Grab a pile go to the register and tell them I will buy all these bags for 20 bucks maybe like 15 bags or what ever I can low ball them down to. Usually the are just happy to be rid of them!

Commercially made purses especially name brands sometimes have much better quality rings and clips than you can find at any specialty house. Also you can get a lot of leather bags and use them for say insides of wallets or re use linings, I was amazed that spending only 20 buck I probably saved my self 100's of dollars in materials and have buckles and clasps and rings I would never have just bought any other way.

Just something I thought I would share to people looking for alternatives and trying to save some cash!

So hit Goodwill or what ever secondhand stores you have locally and see what you can dig up!

Sometimes there is even some tooled purses you can pimp out or just add some simple creativity to or cut a piece out and use in your own from scratch piece!

Happy Hunting!

Chancey, You never cease to amaze me. I buy my clothes at the mission, twice a year......replace winter stuff I need and summer too. I wear a new pair of LL bean Boots to the barn I got for 5 bucks. When I sold vintage jewelry etc. online got most of that at the humane society thrift store. I even got a 5 buck FULL LENGTH leather coat there I was going to cut up to make a computer, keyboard, and monitor cover out of. However it fit the friend that was with me and she wouldn't give it back, LOL. Never once thought about this stuff for leather. Cheryl

[chancey77]

Bam! Now you can go to the thrift shop with a new set of eye balls:) Happy hunting:) BTW. I just posted my Feb 2012 challenge, or at least all I have time to do to it for now until I get all my real work under control:) It would be great if you give it a go! This months Challenge is snowflakes..

Chancey, You never cease to amaze me. I buy my clothes at the mission, twice a year......replace winter stuff I need and summer too. I wear a new pair of LL bean Boots to the barn I got for 5 bucks. When I sold vintage jewelry etc. online got most of that at the humane society thrift store. I even got a 5 buck FULL LENGTH leather coat there I was going to cut up to make a computer, keyboard, and monitor cover out of. However it fit the friend that was with me and she wouldn't give it back, LOL. Never once thought about this stuff for leather. Cheryl

Bam! Now you can go to the thrift shop with a new set of eye balls:) Happy hunting:) BTW. I just posted my Feb 2012 challenge, or at least all I have time to do to it for now until I get all my real work under control:) It would be great if you give it a go! This months Challenge is snowflakes..