SilenzZzz Report post Posted August 12, 2011 okay i am trying to make a smaller sized pouch .. that will be holding something around the size of two playing card decks stacked on top of each other ... the leather that i have though is close to 1/4" thick ... fairly flexible but it does not fold to well for me to try to sew it or anything ... should i try to find some leather that is not as thick? ... i do not have one of those tools that i have seen in a few posts here for cutting a small groove in the leather .. i am guessing that is what is needed right now to get the leather to fold better ... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mijo Report post Posted August 12, 2011 I not sure this will work for you, as I've never made a bag or pouch before, but have you tried skiving down the leather where it folds / bends. I only make dog harness and leashes but when I have problems with the leather wrapping around a buckle, b/c of the thickness of the leather, I'll skive the leather down a little. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SilenzZzz Report post Posted August 12, 2011 I not sure this will work for you, as I've never made a bag or pouch before, but have you tried skiving down the leather where it folds / bends. I only make dog harness and leashes but when I have problems with the leather wrapping around a buckle, b/c of the thickness of the leather, I'll skive the leather down a little. thats kinda what i was talking about with a tool that i do not have ... they make one that cuts a grove in the leather where it folds ... but its like 20+ and no local place to me sells it ... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
HellfireJack Report post Posted August 12, 2011 (edited) You don't need a gouge to skive for a box fold. You can use a regular skive or even a french edger. Bend the piece flesh side up on the edge of a table or something and carefuly skive it down at the bend then use a bone folder to make a good crease. Have you considered wet molding it instead though? Edited August 12, 2011 by HellfireJack Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SilenzZzz Report post Posted August 12, 2011 You don't need a gouge to skive for a box fold. You can use a regular skive or even a french edger. Bend the piece flesh side up on the edge of a table or something and carefuly skive it down at the bend then use a bone folder to make a good crease. Have you considered wet molding it instead though? wet molding is what i wanted to do ... but i did not have a big enough peice of leather to do that with ... wasnt sure how much it would stretch before tearing and such ... i am still thinking it would be the best option though ... and would end up with 2 less areas that need to be sewn afterwards... was using larger scrap peices that were trimmed form hides ... i have neither of those tools either but i think i remember seeing one at the local hobby lobby .. will try an check after work. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dbusarow Report post Posted August 12, 2011 You can also cut the groove with a utility knife. You just need a very light touch too make sure you don't cut too deep. In essence two cuts, 45degrees off of vertical that meet slightlly over half way through the leather. So with 1/4 thick leather you would like the groove around 3/16" deep. Just make several very light passes getting lightly deeper each time rather than trying to cut it in one pass. Give it a try on some scrap, it is actually not that hard to do. Dan Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mijo Report post Posted August 12, 2011 thats kinda what i was talking about with a tool that i do not have ... they make one that cuts a grove in the leather where it folds ... but its like 20+ and no local place to me sells it ... You don't need to a hand held skiver to skive leather you can do it with just a regular knife. I used to use a regualr leather knife (not the rounded ones) to skive but it definately takes alot more skill / control to do it that way. IMO the hand held skivers, with replaceable baldes, makes skiving much easier and I tend to make less mistakes (i.e. over skiving) Hellfire - I never hought about using a gouge for skiving before, probably b/c I don't own one. Is it easier than using a hand held skiver? It seems like it would take longer but maybe get better / more consistent results. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SilenzZzz Report post Posted August 13, 2011 You can also cut the groove with a utility knife. You just need a very light touch too make sure you don't cut too deep. In essence two cuts, 45degrees off of vertical that meet slightlly over half way through the leather. So with 1/4 thick leather you would like the groove around 3/16" deep. Just make several very light passes getting lightly deeper each time rather than trying to cut it in one pass. Give it a try on some scrap, it is actually not that hard to do. Dan going to give that a try and see ... i wonder if folding it with the rough side out and then trimming a section off of the fold would do the same ... i just know it needs to be thinner to get it to fold correctly for sure ... tho i may just scrap this plan and pick up a larger piece when i can to mold it instead. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
