How much detail can go on 2 or 3 oz leather?

[Regis]

When you carve on 2 or 3 oz leather do you pick a subject or scene that you can use a silhouette or outline with only cut details? Or, can you actually get lots of detail as you can on 6oz or larger leather?

I've been carving/learning on 5-6 oz leather and am beginning to get the hang of shaping. I have a small project that calls for 2oz. It's a small purse to hold Blackberry, lipstick, & credit card and very light weight is crucial. And, I can sew 2-3oz on my home machine.

Thanks for any suggestions.

Regis

[ClayB]

When you carve on 2 or 3 oz leather do you pick a subject or scene that you can use a silhouette or outline with only cut details? Or, can you actually get lots of detail as you can on 6oz or larger leather?

I've been carving/learning on 5-6 oz leather and am beginning to get the hang of shaping. I have a small project that calls for 2oz. It's a small purse to hold Blackberry, lipstick, & credit card and very light weight is crucial. And, I can sew 2-3oz on my home machine.

Thanks for any suggestions.

Regis

Regis,

You can carve on 2-3 oz leather but you have to be careful, especially when using the swivel knife so you don't cut through the leather. You might not get as deep of stamp impressions as you would on thicker leather. If you glue the leather to a piece of cardboard ( I use the stuff off of empty cereal boxes) it will allow you to get deeper impressions and also keep the leather from stretching out of shape. Using rubber cement will allow you to remove the cardboard when you are done carving.

Clay

[Justis Cases]

Regis,

You can carve on 2-3 oz leather but you have to be careful, especially when using the swivel knife so you don't cut through the leather. You might not get as deep of stamp impressions as you would on thicker leather. If you glue the leather to a piece of cardboard ( I use the stuff off of empty cereal boxes) it will allow you to get deeper impressions and also keep the leather from stretching out of shape. Using rubber cement will allow you to remove the cardboard when you are done carving.

Clay

Hi Clay,

Well, I guess you do have to be a bit careful, but it can be done. Below pic is E.Sheridan tooled on 3 oz Wickett & Craig by a good friend of mine.

Good quality packaging tape works much better than the cerial box.....try it sometime.

Edited March 8, 2007 by Justis Cases

[pepin1948]

You also talked about sewing it on your home machine: I've sewn suede on mine, but I wouldn't try leather. I know you can buy special needles for it though, so perhaps it's worth a try...

Edited March 9, 2007 by wildrose

[Regis]

I have sewn 2-3 oz leather on my home mmachine, with walking foot and leather needle. I don't think I'd try more than 2 layers of 3 oz though.

Also, I have tried the paking tape and it seems to work just fine.

Regis

[Oscar B]

I carve on 2 to 3 for some projects. I have also used 1 1/2 tooling pig.

Watch knife cuts, and use lighter tooling hits. This is a picture on a small kids clutch. On 2 oz