Veg Tan Question From A Beginer

[engtrk]

Hello everyone. I am in need of some help finding a certain type of leather. I need veg tanned leather that is smooth on both sides instead of just one. I am making a firefighter helmet shield but my customer doesn't want two pieces sewn together, and I carve my logo in the back. Does anybody sell leather smooth on both sides, or is there a way for me to smooth the rough side out myself so it can be tooled?

Thanks in advance for any help!

[Les No6]

Just slick the back as you do with edges there's a tool for this called a glass slicker but you can use something similar made of bone hard wood or even plastic here's a video

no need to use gum a little saddle soap or soap helps its also better if you soak the leather the leave in a plastic bag over night, which is better for tooling and molding also.

[Chief31794]

Short answer, No. Veg Tan Leather has a flesh side and a grain side. In order to have smooth on both sides, you would have to laminate two pieces together back to back. If you use good quality contact cement it will be plenty strong enough for your purpose without sewing it and after you sand and finish the edges, you want be able to tell that it's two pieces. Simply buy leather 1/2 the thickness you need and glue two of the pieces back to back Iin other words if you're currently using 8/9 oz leather buy 4/5 oz and laminate it. If it is a small quantity you need, Springfield Leather Company will sell it to you in as little as 2 sq ft pieces. I normally glue enough together so that I can then cut the piece I need out of the doubled leather.

Hope that helps,

Chief

[engtrk]

les- so if i slick the back will i be able to tool it afterwards?

Chief- i understand what you are saying. i had thought of that but i wasnt sure if the glue would hold up after a few hot fires and have the two pieces start seperating.

thank you both for your replys!

[benlilly1]

Les No6, thanks for the video. I learned something. Engtrk, I bet it will tool. Just might look slightly different.

[Northmount]

There have been posts about tooling rough out. Do a search and see what you find.

Most contact cements soften when heated. (That's how you remove laminates without damaging the surface they are glued to.) You should do a test to see how it behaves. Glue a couple pieces together, flesh side to flesh side, press it down tight so you get good adhesion all across. I use a roller. Leave an edge unglued so you can get some leverage to try pulling it apart. Leave sit after gluing for a few days. The cement continues to cure for a few days and adhesion improves. Then try heating with a heat gun and see how much it softens and if you can pull it apart. Don't need to heat so hot that the leather shrivels up. By testing, you will know how it is going to behave. (If you have an oven with a low enough minimum temperature setting, you can use it and have a better idea of the temperatures you are dealing with.)

Tom

[A and T Leather]

Springfield sells a product called leather weld kinda a pain to work with because it takes a day or so to dry but once its dry I have tore leather before it comes apart

[RiverCity]

Does this person have a good reason for not wanting 2 pieces sewn together? Or is he just trying to save you work?

Chuck

[engtrk]

Thank you all for the responses! There are a few things I will be trying now.

Rivercity- he likes the look of painted on "stitching", plus he wants it in gold and I do not have gold thread. See my example pics below. The first on is painted gold thread, the second is actual stitching in black.

[Les No6]

les- so if i slick the back will i be able to tool it afterwards?

Chief- i understand what you are saying. i had thought of that but i wasnt sure if the glue would hold up after a few hot fires and have the two pieces start seperating.

thank you both for your replys!

Don't know about tooling just try a test piece gluing is not a very good option but you could blind stitch where the stitches lie in a cut for painted stitches you could just paint the stitching gold, or for gold thread look at embroidery suppliers something appropriate may be available there in small amounts.