New To Leatherworking And Need Some Guidance

[Keeper of Tradition]

I am relatively new to leatherworking. I used to do a lot of small projects when we had a local Tandy store here in West Palm Beach, 1993. I come from a long line of leatherworkers. My great Uncle Benny made all the regular and parade tack for the Detroit Mounted Police. He died when I was young, but I remember going to his shop and seeing all the saddles/tack and photos of the police and parades. Anyhow I have been working on tooling and a few small projects, but looking for a guild or someone who offers instruction. There was a guild a few years back out in Okeechobee, but I can't seem to locate any information. I am trying to get my too young sons exposed to this craft, as they have shown interest and I've made them some projects. Any suggestions? Secondly, I have leather from Tandy from years back and other more recent leather/projects. I can't seem to get a consistent mm reading that compares to the ounces. Also some 2-3 oz leather is more firm that my 4 oz leather. As I have to online/mailorder anything from where I live, I want to make sure I get the right leaher for the project.

Kinda long message and I have many others, but don't want to inundate.

Thank you

[TwinOaks]

First of all, welcome to Leatherworker.net!

Your experience of leathers having varying thicknesses/ firmness is called the 'hand' or the 'temper' of the leather, and is a result of the tanning process. It's something you either pick, or ask for when ordering.

Ounces of leather directly equates to 64th's of an inch of leather, i.e. 4oz = 4/64ths". From there, it's just a English to metric conversion.

Most projects can be made with veg-tanned leather, but sometimes you'll want "bag" or "chap" leather, which is chrome tanned and much softer. Please note that any type of case or sheath for metal items should use veg-tan, as the chromium salts used in chrome tanned leather can cause corrosion.

As for locals near you....put up a post with your location in the title....such as "anyone near ________" , then give it a little while for people to see it. We've got members on every continent (maybe not Antarctica).

When you order your leather, try to call and talk to a person and tell them what your project will be. That way that person can make some recommendations for what they have available.

[zuludog]

This company's website has some good tutorials on basic techniques, and also a conversion table for leather thickness measurements

http://www.bowstock.co.uk

An 'iron' is 1/48'' and is an obsolescent measurement used mainly in the British footwear industry

1" = 25,4 mm and 1 oz (per square foot) leather = 1/64" So you can see that as you convert between ounces, fractions of an inch, and millimetres there is scope for rounding up or down. That's why oz & mm equivalents are approximate and may vary slightly between different sources

You could give more accurate equivalents, but that would require longer numbers, and would be cumbersome to use; those you see in books & tables are good enough

To encourage your children I suggest that you get each of them their own set of tools, at least the basic stuff. That will encourage them to look after them, pride of ownership, enthusiasm, avoiding squabbles & arguments, that sort of thing.

Then look out for their developing tastes & interests in the various aspects of leatherwork, and try to develop that; they don't have to be the same. Remember too, that their enthusiasm and interest may wane sometimes or stop altogether, and forcing things would set them even more against it, and their relationship with you.

Is there a leather museum or something similar, or a large saddlers near you? A visit there could be good. Even though a saddler has a business to run they probably wouldn't mind a short visit if you phoned first and asked nicely.

[Keeper of Tradition]

Thank you Zuludog and TwinOaks. I appreciate the suggestions and guidance. As far as leatherwork or saddlery goes ... it is pathetic where I am located. I live in an equestrian community and 15 minutes from Palm Beach Polo Grounds, home of the largest if not the largest equestrian festival in the US. The big Rodeo show in Okeechobee is about 50 miles due west of me. Yet there are not leather shops except Woodys. He repairs and sells riding boots, but is not real encouraging to anyone in the hobby. Anyhow, thank you all many blessings and Merry Christmas.