owenzachary Report post Posted March 25, 2013 Good morning! I am a newbie to the board but have been reading the boards for some time trying to learn a bit about leather. At this point I'm trying to learn about the right type of leather that would be good use as handbag straps/handles as well as small coin bags and pouches. Ideally, I need a leather that has minimal stretch for the handles. I do not have the skills or desire to dye or treat the leather myself at this point. The totes would be for everyday use but I need it to be of a thickness that would be durable and able to take daily use. Over the holidays I ordered some various leather strips and latigo strips that had been precut from Zach White and Springfield. I was very impressed with the quality and think they will be perfect. But here's my question (from a newbie).... Is it more cost effective to order the strips ready to go like I just ordered, or is there a better method? I have a large studio to work would cutting my own be better? I like the lengths they come in, but for custom projects where I would need a specific length I'd have some leftovers that I may or may not be able to use? For my pouches, I understand that I would need a softer leather but what type of leather would you recommend? I hope I didn't confuse everyone! Cindy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Glendon Report post Posted March 28, 2013 Great questions. I will leave the question about types of leather to those who have made more bags then I have. The cutting question however, I can awnser. Yes, it would be a touch cheaper to cut your own strips. Not by a ton, but cheaper. The bigger advantage is being able to get lengths and widths you want with minimual waste. I would suggest investing in a good metal strap cutter though. The cheaper wooden ones don't seem to work particularly well, and I have not gotten the best results with a straight edge. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
owenzachary Report post Posted March 28, 2013 I appreciate your responding to my inquiry. For the strap cutting, that is exactly why I'm leaning to cutting the straps myself. Some of my designs will need a thicker strap, some thinner. Also, like you said, the lengths I need would be controlled by me. I will look into metal strap cutters. Any brands that are more durable/reputable than others? Thank you for your help Cindy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Glendon Report post Posted March 29, 2013 Here is a link to the kind of strap cutter I sugguest. http://springfieldleather.com/24742/Draw-Gauge/ They are usually called draw guages. C.S. Osborne is the big brand that still makes new ones. Though most used ones are in perfectly good working shape, and you can usually find them in ebay for about half the price. The older ones actually have a bit of an artistic element to them and look quite nice, and replacement blades are pretty cheap. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
corter Report post Posted March 29, 2013 (edited) I second cutting your own, but I'd suggest the simple wooden draw gauge from Tandy Leather to start. You'll get the feel of using the tool, and decide whether you want to do it yourself or outsource. I've had mine 6 or 7 years, usually do 800-1000 belts a year, and that little $12 tool has seen me through all of them. Just get a pack of blades with it. Your other option is outsourcing the cutting so you can still choose your materials. I've got a good friend who makes bags, and has a fabric cutting place cut her straps. $1 per cut, stacking 3-4 hides, and you're paying a really good price and saving a lot of time while being able to choose your widths. Re: leather weight, it depends. Your main issue is stretching. You can use any weight if you stitch it with strong thread, as the stitching will prevent stretch. However, without stitching I'd stick to at least 6-7oz leather, I use 8-9 on my waxed cotton duck totes. Glendon: where are you in Boston? My shop's in Allston! Edited March 29, 2013 by corter Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mikesmith648 Report post Posted March 29, 2013 I have an Osborne draw guage and a strap cutter....similar to the Tandy one but better! It is called "The Strap Cutter" ..........I prefer the wooden one to the meatl one and know a lot of crafters that prefer it over a draw guage also... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jax Report post Posted March 29, 2013 I 2nd that Mike, my wooden strap cutter was 1 of my best ever tool buys, I use it more than my plough gauge. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jcuk Report post Posted March 31, 2013 I own both a wooden strap cutter and draw gauge much prefer wooden strap cutter you can use it ways both push or pull towards you which ever way you feel more comfortable with and the blade is not as exposed as the draw gauge.Easy to use and cheap great tool. Hope this helps king regards jcuk Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Chief31794 Report post Posted March 31, 2013 I had the metal and I now have the wooden, I have a draw guage but I don't like it either, the wooden one gets the job done for me. Chief Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Glendon Report post Posted April 1, 2013 Intresting comments on the strap cutter varients. I have had the worst luck with the wooden one I bought. The blade is too fiddly to change, and never wants to stay secure. No matter how much I try to tighten down the screw, I can't keep the cross bar locked at a proper right angle to cut straight, and the edge of the leather keeps getting caught up in the mouth of the cross bar. That's why I switched over to a draw gauge, and am actually looking for a plough gauge to try, but don't want to spend hte money something I'm not sure I'll like using. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jcuk Report post Posted April 1, 2013 Hi Glendon not tried this myself but seems to make sense. http://www.johan-potgieter.com/ll/?tag=strap-cutter Not sure about quality but cheapest i have seen new Plough Gauge http://www.leprevo.co.uk/photos/plough-knife.htm Does this help? JCUK Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
saddlerlew Report post Posted April 1, 2013 There is a huge difference between the Tandy wooden strap cutter, made in China, and the "Strap Cutter" made in the U,S,A. I love my U.S. made strap cutter and use it all the time. To me much easier than the draw gauge. Ohio Travel Bag sells the original "Strap Cutter" for about 18.00 wholesale. The junk from Tandy costs about the same. There is no comparison. For long straight cuts, I use a surface that won't guide my knife, like a piece of hardboard. Go to A lumber yard and get a 4' or 6' metal rule and some table clamps. Get a straight edge on your leather, measure the width you want, clamp it to the edge of your cutting table, and use a roller knife, and you can get really nice long straight cuts in 4 to 5 oz. chap leather, which is what I usually use for handles. You might want to cut it extra wide, and sew a piece of light rope or something in the center to give you a nice rolled handle. I trim the excess off the raw edge after I have sewn the welt in. Just takes a few tries and you'll be making handles like a pro. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
owenzachary Report post Posted April 5, 2013 Looks like the wood version wins here! I will go ahead and give it a try and see how I like it. Saddlerlew - My husband works for a home improvement store, so I may have him bring some of those home to try as well. Now I need to decide the type of leather I want to use. I need to keep it simple with that as I know very little and need it ready to cut. I'll update when I've given it a try. Wish me luck! Cindy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
