Who's your favorite leather supplier?

[pepin1948]

If you prefer someone else, put it in a reply; otherwise, just choose one of the two. The poll is ANONYMOUS but if you reply, it will show any comments...

Edited June 27, 2006 by wildrose

[Tom Katzke]

Though question. We are mostly buying leather at this point so I went with other. We buy most of our supplies and tools from Hide Crafter. A few from others. We try to get what we need at the trade shows. Like to touch, look, and feel. Tom Katzke

If you prefer someone else, put it in a reply; otherwise, just choose one of the two. The poll is ANONYMOUS but if you reply, it will show any comments...

[pepin1948]

I agree completely about buying leather at shows (seeing pre-buying) - that's what I was doing almost exclusively for a while; 'til I was in DE and there was a Tandy in the Baltimore, MD region, about an hour from my home. Then I could buy leather there. Because I do alot of small projects, I don't need a 1st rate high quality hide. I did a dog collar from a donated piece of Wickett and Craig, and MAN was that the nicest leather I'd used yet...but I can't afford to buy what I would need to from them, and then pay shipping too.

[bruce johnson]

For leather,

Skirting - Siegel of California

Lining and Chap leather - Siegel of California

lighter weight tooling leather - Hide House in Napa

For tools,

Osborne - Siegel of California

Stamping tools - Hide Crafters, Barry King, Wayne Jueschke

French edgers/Round Bottom Edgers - Jeremiah Watt (Horseshoe Brand tools)

Sewing machine thread and supplies - Ferdco!!

Hardware - Weaver, Walsall, Tandy/TLF

Silver - Hansens Western Gear/Hansens Silver

Monel Stirrups - Trina Weber (Weber Stirrups)

Saddle Trees - Quality Manufacturing/Timberline

That is my short list!! - Bruce Johnson

[Admin]

For the times that you need one or a thousand hard-to-find whatevers, and you need it yesterday, call Kevin Hopkins at Springfield Leather.

http://www.springfieldleather.com/

and if he doesn't have it, he'll know where to get it.

Another independent retailer is Stonehedge Leather, located in San Diego, which is Phil LeDuc

(619) 223-4211

Since the "old" Tandys closed, I've bought half a dozen hides from Hidecrafters, and been satisfied. I think the key is to establish a relationship with your leather dealer. When I was a Tandy manager, I knew what my customers were doing with their leather, so picking out hides for them was easier. For example, I would put aside longer ones for people who made straps, I knew some customers liked brands (range markings!) and some people wouldn't tolerate them. If the customer gave me a little explanation, I could sometimes recommend a better deal or a better leather for the project. When you go to a leather retailer's store you can handle the hides and inspect them. If you need to buy through mail order, you need someone you can trust to "do you right". Once you find that person (or people) stick with them and tell all your friends.

Johanna

* I didn't vote in the poll because I haven't bought enough supplies in the last five years to justify having any opinion.

[rayne100]

Personally I like Weaver. That's were we get all of our leather. They are very good about giving us the biggest hides possible with the least amount of blemishes. Their suede dye lots are consistant from year to year,but every 4 years they change their lot color, so keep that in mind if you are hoarding colors to match up for more thatn three years.

They also get the supplies to us in a timely fashion and have a 30 day billing option for up to 2000.00 for most merchants.

Edited July 28, 2006 by rayne100

[Orange]

Beiler's Manufacturing and Supply

3025 Irishtown Rd.

Ronks,Pa 17572

(717) 768 0174

carries most anything, wickett & craig leather,hardware,s.b,c.b, s.s, sewing machines,punches,creasesrs.

call for catalog

Fred

[rdb]

I have had modest spending lately, just basics so far, but I have been lucky enough to live within 40 minutes of Zack White, and 45 min from a TLC.

I know the belt leather I have bought from Zack's has been top notch; smoother backs, snappy tooling, and clean tops.

The Bridle leather I got from there , may not be sedgewick, but it was real nice, soft as a babies ... , well, you know.

He has a good supply of horse hardware; stainless buckles, d rings, etc.

I haven't tried the tooling sides yet, but they look good. (He doesn't carry Herman oak anymore, although I did see two 4 oz Hermans sitting there.

The TLC in Raleigh is small but clean, and the Mgr./Asst mgr seem pretty nice. If you deal there, ask about what's on the clearance table. I picked up some good stuff cheap.

[whinewine]

Mostly I get from Tandy's in Delmont, PA (near Pittsburgh), but I'll make the drive to select what I need & I'll pick out my own leather (it's definitely not as nice as leather I could easily get in the '60s & '70s, but I try to get the best of the best of their specials) & play with the tools till I get the best ones out of the bins.

Otherwise, I really like Springfield Leather for odds & ends (they carry some nice exotics & have great specials & also carry hidecrafter & other lines of 'stuff'.

Siegels of California has great prices on their friday specials. I use their vegtan goat a lot.

Beilers also has good prices on Osborne tools & I think they make their own edger blades which you can insert into your own homemade handles. They're Amish/Mennonite, so no website & no Visa/Mastercard, but they do have catalogues & do answer the phones. They cater heavily to the Amish buggy set, but will certainly deal with the "English" too.

Edited December 11, 2007 by whinewine

[outcast]

Alcove Leather & Crafts.

65A West State Street

Newaygo, MI 49337

Toll free (877)887-9188

Steve

[Billy P]

You can order directly from Wicket&Craig just call 1-800-823-6397. That is their Tannery Warehouse and you can order 1 side on up. After 10 sides get a discount, but their prices are better than Tandy's price on Oak Leaf, which is their mid-grade of leather. You can check the them out on their web-site. I just typed in wicket-craig on google and got them. On their web site, which the prices may have changed some since they updated in Feb. 2007, but the prices were 8/10 oz tooling leather in russet or black was standard or best grade $6.30 sq ft., utility grade/mid grade $5.60 sq ft., and $4.89 for special grade. Backs for belts or whatever are .95 cent more and if you want thinner leather they will split it for you also. I tink the guy I talked too is named Glenn, but he told me that the Russet color is just a tan like TLF or Hidecrafters or the other's sell. I do know that some of /a lot of the ones we call the masters use the W&C and really don't want anything else. I haven't ordered from them yet myself, but the next belt/tooling leather I order will be from them. They are a lot cheaper than Tandy, Hidecrafters, etc. even at the wholesale prices I get for being in the guilds I'm in. Just my .02 worth, so if it helps someone it'll make me happy and if it doesn't it was free info anyway. Have a good one Billy P

[Rayban]

I voted Tandy because they are so conveniently located to me...just 10 minutes from my work....for just about everything I need cept leather....I use Wickett & Craig..can't imagine anything better.

[broncobuster]

Ive noticed that no one has mentioned Hide House in california. they have really nice hides in my opinion and real reasonable. you can buy one hide or as many as you want. i make chaps and i find there hides to be real nice to work with plus its the only place so far that offers the the metallics in a 3-4 or 4-5 oz that i use for rodeo chaps. the others just have the pigskin or 2-3 oz. they have just about everything from lamb to harness leather. they have another warehouse to that has the tools n conchos more of the hardware. i order from tandy, hidecrafters, and weaver just depends on what i need when.

http://www.hidehouse.com/.

[Randy Cornelius]

#1 When I want to order a good piece of leather for a project I will call Wickett & Craig, I have yet to get a bad piece of leather from them. It is also very consistant, the same leather tools the same way every hide you get no matter if it's been a month or a year since you ordered from them. As said before they will split to whatever thickness you want at no extra charge. They have 3 grades and I have used thier #3 and it was not that bad for the price. They have very large hides. Most I get are 25 sq ft or more. got one that was 29 sq ft one time. WOW!

#2 My all time favorite is to go shopping at Sheridan, there are so many vendors and people to shop with. The experiance you get from getting to touch, feel and look at the product and to talk to the people at the booths makes this my top favorite. You can go around to all the major leather dealers and get samples, go back to your room and tool the leather to give it a try. Sheridan Leather Outfitters also falls under this catigory as they are right there at the show and the store is just right down the street from the Hotel. Vandy is great to deal with, and good looking too!

#3 Seigel's , I have bought some of Seigel's saddle skirting when on sale and have been very satisfied and you cannot beat the free shipping. But they do not carry a good selection of lighter weight tooling leather. Thier sales people are not the most knowledgable. But never had a bad experiance.

#4 Springfield Leather, they have a little bit of everything and then some. If ever through Springfield Missouri be sure to stop and say HI to Kevin. Looking for a small piece of something give them a call Kevin is a pack rat and will come up with something. A lot of one of a kind items that once it's gone it's gone.

#5 Weaver Leather, they have some Friday specials and over stocks that are really good deals. They tend to be lower on shipping than others because they are in the midwest and close to me. Good selection and have Herman Oak and other imported skirting. #1 place to buy hardware.

#6 I have to memtion Thoroughbred Leather. Jeff is a really honest and Nice guy to deal with and he has always treated me right. The leather is top notch for imported. Prices make it a good value. He is one of the money people who bought out Hide Crafter. They now carry his leather there.

#7 Jerry Vanamberg Leathers for Shark, stingray and snake skins. Also a nice guy and honest to deal with. He comes to Sheridan so he is also up there under #2

I have never had a bad experiance with any of the above vendors and would reccomend them to anyone.

Well I am sure I have left out someone. I do shop around. If I have a certian project I will look for the best leather at the best price. Sorry this is so long.

Randy

[johnny7]

I shop at Zack Whites mostly because they are so close to me. Havepurchased from Tandys and Hidecrafters before and all was well. Pro craft tools from hidecrafter or crafttools from Tandys or hidecrafters is the next question. Which do you like better. I know there are better tools but for the new leather worker.

Johnny

[TomSwede]

Tjäderläder in Jädraås, Sweden

Ha ha, I would just love to hear some of you guys read that out loud.

The stock they carry is quite large considering how many people in Sweden that is (not) doing this so I think they deserv a mentioning.

Serviceminded and nice people in the shop, a big plus!

The questions they have to put up with from me, oh my, oh my. I even had them working overtime on a Friday!

Edited December 12, 2007 by TomSwede

[rdb]

If my translator is correct, Tjäderläderis is charging $16 a foot for belt leather!!!

I don't know how much a krona can buy, but that's a lot of Coronas!!!

[TomSwede]

Things in Sweden are way more expensive than US in general. I know that SLR camera equipment is about 50% more than you would pay in US and some years ago when I had the snowmobile we thought of renting a container and ship new ones from US, also about 50%. We have some very high taxes, for example snowmobiles have a special tax for being environmentally hazardous that is about 10% of selling price.

I think it also it would seem to you that we earn alot of money for our work wich in the end gets eaten up by higher prices off course.

I wonder what an papermachine operator working in shifts all year around would make, anyone??

My yearly income (wich is high even in Swedish standards) is 475 000 kronor through currency at this moment 6,41 kronor per dollar makes a total of 74 103$.

If I'm correct on this now maybe the price difference is evened out a bit.

90012 Remläder vegetabil natur prima hel 3,0-3,5 mm [Köp] 3,0-3,5 mm 114 Kr

That is veg beltleather natural colour Prime grade 1/7 off an inch (if I got the math right)and the price in dollar is 17,78$ per sq.ft.

Edited December 12, 2007 by TomSwede

[Michael Sheldon]

For general hardware and suede: Weaver

For bridle and veg-tan: Wickett and Craig

I buy miscellaneous stuff from Tandy and Hidecrafter plus a couple other smaller shops, but the vast majority of funds goes to the two above.

[rawhide1]

TomSwede

I'm not sure if this answers your ?'s. But about 8yrs ago before I got on the fire dept I worked for a box company on 3rd shift running a big die cutting press. I made about $24,000 a year plus free insurance. I still have family that works there in different postions. And I'd say pay ranges now from $20,000 to $40,000 a year plus they have to pay for their ins. Machine oper. on 3rd shift will make the most. Sorry about kinda hijaccking the thread. I use tandies if I need anything which is not much and their close. When I worked for a tack co. we used herman oak and weaver they were great people to work with and ya couldn't beat their quality. Mike

[Calleather]

I use Dave at Stevenson Paxson in Novato California. Nice people and always try to help! THey have Hermann Oak and WC in stock