Where Do I Begin? Hello Everyone!

[Laphroaig]

Complete n00b here, so please be gentle and forgive my total ignorance in all things. I've been scouring the internet for a few days finding information to help me create the ideas I have in my tiny brain. Still plenty of big gaps to fill but I'm "getting it" slowly. I'm here to learn how little I know and hopefully glean some useful knowledge from all of you to help me develop my abilities.

I'm currently putting together a list of tools and have a couple of rooms available to convert into a workshop/studio, so it's all a bit hectic at the moment. I'm in Bristol, England, and so far my search of the internet has failed to reveal any local suppliers where I could go and actually look at tools, hides, etc. and get advice so you've got to put up with me instead.

I got here primarily through my love of Panerai wristwatches. Over the years I've spent a small fortune on them and also on the straps to wear with them. Most "Paneristi" have a huge selection of straps to go on their beloved wristwatches and I want to have a go at making my own and if I deem them good enough and people like them, perhaps even fund my next acquisition, at least partially, from flogging a few.

I would like to carve and emboss my straps as well as experiment with different coloured dyes and acrylic paints. From what I've ascertained so far I'm okay with the former as that takes skill which I can only hope to develop and improve over time. Dying, painting, and finishing is probably where I'm weakest, there's scant material in what I've found so far going through the internet dealing specifically with the issue of making something that will be worn against the skin for considerable periods of time and have to deal with sweat, getting wet and all the other rigours of everyday life and remain supple. Panerai are big watches, they make a monster with a 60mm case, I'm planning to follow their lead with 4mm or 5mm thick straps with some beautiful chunky 4.6mm thick tang buckles I recently found in Australia.

I've also ideas for a couple of bags I would like to make and then there's always the other thing I've always wanted to try my hand at, knife-making. I would like to design and make my own tracker knife, in Damascus steel, but I've got to figure out leather first before I move on to that.

So I'm putting together a list of tools I think I'm going to need and after going through eBay and various other suppliers I think I've decided to get most of it from Le Prevo up in Newcastle. My list is getting longer by the day but so far I've got:

Over-stitch wheel (6 per 1") wasn't sure if I should get one or go for the chisels instead, went for cheapest option until I know more.

Lacing & Stitching Pony

Sewing Awl Handle & (absolutely no idea what size to get, guessed at a 1 3/4" diamond awl blade)

Clickers scratch awl and handle

Saddler's Needles (again no idea what to get, guessed size 2)

10 piece leather carving tool set (swivel knife and the most "common" leather stamps)

Spoon, Wedge and Stylus tools

Super Skiver

Safety Skiver / Edge Beveller

Stitch Groover - Adjustable

Stitch Groover - Freehand

Adjustable V-Gouge

Adjustable Crease

Edge Beveller (guessed at size 3 as I'm going to be making thick straps)

Edge Slicker

From elsewhere:

300mm x 400mm Metal T-square

300mm Metal Safety Ruler

1000mm Metal Ruler

Spring Divider

Micrometer

A3 Cutting Mat

Jewellers Rouge

600 and 1200 Grit Wet & Dry Sandpaper

Hide Mallet

Hammer

Granite Slab (well best I've found thus far is a board, it's 300mm x 400mm but only 15mm thick and I don't know if that will be thick enough.)

X-Acto No. 2 Knife

4" Round Knife

Beeswax

Still clueless on:

Linen Thread - read some place to go for 3/18 for strap making but not sure and I'm just about positive I'm missing something vital as I suppose it affects the size of needles and in turn the size of diamond awl used to make the holes. It's all too vague for my liking need more information.

Oval Hole Punch - all I've seen are too round, I want one that's almost rectangular but with round corners around 4mm or 5mm wide and 2.5mm or 3mm deep. They have to exist as I own straps with precisely the type of holes I want on my straps.)

Dyes, Paints and Finishes, I'm sure it's all very simple but usually by the time I get to this stage my tiny brain is so fried from all the other stuff I'm trying to assimilate it isn't getting through. Again need more information or at least some safe recommendations for finishing the straps (probably a list of what not to use would be most beneficial) .

Now I'm off to bury myself in the forums. Please comment, any tips, advice or general observations welcome.

Peace

[fivewayswelshcobs]

If you are looking for a local supplier of leather you could try Midgley's at Cheddar as that probably isn't too far. I have looked around the warehouse but haven't bought from them yet.

[benlilly1]

Wow, Laphroaig! That's a big list of tools! I don't have 1/2 of what you're looking at buying .I think you might just need to start with the basics There will always be something later on you'll find you could use. That's a cool idea making the wristbands for you watches though. Good luck on finding a supplier!

[Art]

Are you on Islay? If so, it would be a bit of a trip to KNUTSFORD

CHESHIRE where Abbey Saddlery is. They can also give you info on what thread and needles and awls to use. For watchbands, you might want to go higher than 6spi, more like 10 or 12. We use Barbour's Linen over here but Abbey will know what's available over there. Abbey also sells Dixon tools which are excellent. Buy what you need for a project, then buy what you need for your next project. Eventually you won't have to buy anything for one of the projects.

Art

[Laphroaig]

If you are looking for a local supplier of leather you could try Midgley's at Cheddar as that probably isn't too far. I have looked around the warehouse but haven't bought from them yet.

Good shout! I had no idea they were there, will have to take a drive down to Cheddar and have a look round myself.

Wow, Laphroaig! That's a big list of tools! I don't have 1/2 of what you're looking at buying .I think you might just need to start with the basics There will always be something later on you'll find you could use. That's a cool idea making the wristbands for you watches though. Good luck on finding a supplier!

Lol, I thought they were "just the basics", Obviously you've guessed by now I've no idea what I'm doing. Would it help if I laid down my understanding of the strap making process? I'll do it anyway and hopefully you can all pick holes in my ideas so I can refine and improve them before I actually buy all the tools. So here goes .... eeek!

It's got to begin with cutting the veg tan hide into 24mm diameter strips. Have ditched the micrometer for checking this stage and have gone for a small callipers instead. Skive the first end down from roughly 40mm in on the flesh side, use the t-square to tidy the thin end with a 90 degree cut and bend the end of the strap back onto itself to the beginning of the skive to form the first loop which will attach the long strap to the watch. Twist and bend the leather until it holds the bend for the loop.

Measure the length of the long strap from the bend. I will probably make my long straps around 135mm ... ahh I missed out a strap end chisel, will have to add a pointy 1" one to my list. So measure 135mm back from the bend and then cut the end of the strap using a chisel.

Put a 90 degree angle on the cut end of the leather then skive and fold as before to form the first loop of the small strap, measure 100mm from the bend and cut the strap. Skive starting 40mm back from the cut end as before and form a second loop for the buckle, this should give you a finished strap with a loop at either end 80mm long. Use the X-acto knife to cut a small slot for the pin of the buckle in the second loop.

I've no doubt that tooling such small pieces of leather will be quite hard. I've an idea for 4mm thick ply cut-outs that I could cover with cling film to avoid moisture seeping in from the cased leather and just rest it on top of the granite slab so that the leather rests on the slab with the sides of the leather held in place by the cut-out, allowing the leather to be moved and rotated on the slab without needing to touch it. hehe we'll see.

So anyway back to the straps ... mustn't forget the keeper, single keeper floating is all that's required, even on the OEM straps one fixed and one floating keeper is overkill in my opinion. I end up loosing my extra floating ones. So cut a 12mm wide strip of hide for the single floating keeper, roughly 70mm long. Skive the surface of the leather this time starting about 15mm back from the end, when it's nice and thin finish it off with a cut 90 degree edge so there's about 12mm left. Put the two pieces of strap together and wrap the keeper around them to get the right length, cut where the strip overlaps the beginning of the skived area and then skive and trim the flesh side to finish it off.

Still have to find a decent oval hole punch the right size and shape, does anyone have any recommendations 5mm x 3mm oblong with rounded edges not an oval per se? To punch holes like these.

Then run the adjustable groover around the edges where the stitching will go. I guess it's time to case the straps after that. What's the consensus, middle out or edges in? I'd like to put a thin crease around the edges of the leather, should I do this before or after I use the edge beveller on them? I'm going to try outside in, bevel edges first, light rub down afterwards with sandpaper to smooth them then run the creaser around between the edge and the stitching groove. We'll see how that works out. Then the central design with the swivel knife and stamps(.... at this point it all gets vague, okay, the beginning of the preceding sentence is vague as well......) Then paint, dye and finish, glue the loops together, stitch the whole thing up and give it a polish. (.....Do you think anyone noticed?......)

"Caugh"

I know the last bit is a bit vague, it's because I'm still a bit bewildered by it all and trying to make sense of it, I'm slowly getting there with embossing and carving but after that it's all hazy. Really could do with someone who can give me advice regarding the appropriate needle and awl sizes I should be using with the 18/3 linen thread on 3-4mm leather before I start buying packets of needles I'll never use.

Looking at the list I can easily omit several items but the strap chisel will push it back up again. As it stands I should manage everything for less than £150, which is not unusual to spend on one strap and pretty good for any new hobby starting completely from scratch (no pun etc.). So I'm good, just hope with time and practice I can develop sufficient skill to produce straps I'd wear myself.

Are you on Islay? If so, it would be a bit of a trip to KNUTSFORD

CHESHIRE where Abbey Saddlery is. They can also give you info on what thread and needles and awls to use. For watchbands, you might want to go higher than 6spi, more like 10 or 12. We use Barbour's Linen over here but Abbey will know what's available over there. Abbey also sells Dixon tools which are excellent. Buy what you need for a project, then buy what you need for your next project. Eventually you won't have to buy anything for one of the projects.

Art

No I'm not on Islay, Laphroaig just happens to be my favourite single malt, the 10 yr cask strength especially. Sadly I don't drink much these days, seemed to loose a taste for it about the time they banned smoking in pubs but I still have a bottle on the side for the odd times I feel like a sip or two. I grew up in Cheshire and I'm due to be passing that way soon to visit family in North Wales so I'll take a look. Dixon do make nice tools ... I may get my belt chisel from them and an oval hole punch if I can't find anything more suitable elsewhere.

Thank you again for the replies.

Peace

[Art]

I have made oval punches by pressing a round punch (try it on a belt punch not an arch punch) in the hydraulic press. Weaver Leather (over here in US) makes a series of them also.

Art

I grew up in Cheshire and I'm due to be passing that way soon to visit family in North Wales so I'll take a look. Dixon do make nice tools ... I may get my belt chisel from them and an oval hole punch if I can't find anything more suitable elsewhere.

Thank you again for the replies.

Peace

[Laphroaig]

Gah, how did I not think of that, will have to make do with a vice but it should work or even a hammer if I'm careful.

Blinding idea, thank you again.

[Birdman]

Good choice of Scotch!

You refer to 3 to 4mm leather, is this for wristwatch straps? Or a typo? Seems a bit heavy duty to me, but having looked on the www. at the straps available..... here is my twopenneth.

Re stich marking.

You will find that a pricking iron gives you a more accurate and cleaner mark than most pricking wheels. Occasionaly you may find an old wheel in a car boot sale that gives a just about acceptable mark at about 8/inch, but my advice is to get Dixons 1" and/or 1/2" pricking irons. For the work you are describing, 6/inch, 7/inch, 8/inch and 10/inch should cover your needs. And you pay for what you get. These tools used properly and cared for should last your lifetime. Cheaper imitations are just that.

And you refer to a pricking chisel?

Remember the pricking iron /wheel is just a mark making too that breaks the surface , not a hole punching tool. You use your awl on the mark for that!

Re thread.

3/18 linen may be a little heavy duty for the work you are describing. Consider 3/25 linen for the smaller stiching. It is available in small cobs, but unfortunatly the colour range can be rather limited. Shop around.

Needles.

No4 blunt point harness. Also get a couple of smaller sized glovers needles. Cheap enough and no ill store.

Awls,

You may need to file down a small awl if you are doing some of the finer stiching. Rememeber to preserve the diamond profile! For fine stiching, I use an awl that has worn down through use.

Abbey Saddlery would be a good starting point for all of the above. You will also find the staff their very helpful if you discuss your needs. They have loads of experience in the leather industry.

Other threads.

For the fine fancy stiching, silk thread would serve you well and give added value. You can get 3/25 silk or near to from embroidery outlets. I am not sure if he has retired, but their was a silk thread dealer in Suffolk. I think he was in Sudbury or Stowmarket. He sold quite small amounts to the embroidery trade. Try Google?

Word of warning on silk thread....it is not man enough for bridlework except on fine show bridles on a well behaved animals in the showring-------------- no matter how tempting the fancy colours may be!

Good luck! P.

Edited June 24, 2012 by Birdman