Thanks for the warm welcome guys. What a friendly place I've found!
If I may, a question to the British members out there. As I mentioned earlier, I've been away from the game for some time, but having returned to the fold, am having to rediscover sources of tools and materials.
Back then, I used to be able to take the ferry across the Mersey from Liverpool over to the tannery in Birkenhead, where I was free to grub around among piles of skins and choose those I wanted. I was paying around £15-20 per hide in those days!! (If only it were the same today..)
Birkenhead Tannery is long gone, sadly, along with many others no doubt. A spot of internet research found me Clayton's Tannery in Chesterfield, Derbyshire as my nearest source to my home here in Chester- a couple of hours pleasant drive over the Pennines (except in the Winter!) It's a fabulous place that seems to deal with every leather imaginable and has a decent postal service too. i was somewhat shocked by their prices but I guess I'm years out-of-date on such things...
For buckles, sewing stuff, dyes etc I've so far been dealing with a saddlery suppliers in Knutsford- situated between Chesterfield and Chester, conveniently. Also very comprehensively stocked but, to my mind, also very expensive.
So, what recommendations can you offer regarding suppliers of these materials here in the UK? Are prices pretty much the same between companies- and will I just have to get used to them?
