Order of operations.. for leather?

[Kain]

I'm working on my first real project and I'm not sure in what order I should do things. I'm working on a belt pouch.

1. Cut out leather

2. Tool leather

3. Stamp sewing holes

4. Dye leather

5. Apply finishes

5. Attach hardware

6. Sew together

That's pretty much what I'm doing (though I dyed one of the pieces too soon.. whoops. but it won't hinder me really!) Is that good? Are there any secrets about the order of things?

Thanks!

[ChaChi]

I'm working on my first real project and I'm not sure in what order I should do things. I'm working on a belt pouch.

1. Cut out leather

2. Tool leather

3. Stamp sewing holes

4. Dye leather

5. Apply finishes

5. Attach hardware

6. Sew together

That's pretty much what I'm doing (though I dyed one of the pieces too soon.. whoops. but it won't hinder me really!) Is that good? Are there any secrets about the order of things?

Thanks!

That's pretty much right on for most projects. On some you may want to wait to dye the leather until after it's assembled if there's gonna be alot of stretching and pulling on it like a motorcycle seat or if you want your thread to be the same color as the leather.

[Dwight]

I'm working on my first real project and I'm not sure in what order I should do things. I'm working on a belt pouch.

1. Cut out leather

2. Tool leather

3. Stamp sewing holes

4. Dye leather

5. Apply finishes

5. Attach hardware

6. Sew together

That's pretty much what I'm doing (though I dyed one of the pieces too soon.. whoops. but it won't hinder me really!) Is that good? Are there any secrets about the order of things?

Depending on the holster, . . . sometimes it is cut, dye, sew, attach hardware, mold, finish, . . . other times it is cut, sew, attatch hardware, mold, DYE, finish.

An old master used the first plan on all his holsters.

May God bless,

Dwight

Thanks!

[Scott1952]

My question is where in this order would you oil the leather? I have been using nothing but natural dye/stains, coffee, tea etc, and after abusing the leather with the staining, casing , and boning, it needs LOTS of reconditioning. I am going to try using commercial dye, and am not sure when to recondition the leather, before or after dying? Also I have been using Virgin Olive Oil, and it seem to work very well, the leather just sucks it up. Any problems with using this vs Neatsfoot oil or something else?

This is the great thing about this forum and the people on it, it is a deep well of info that is freely offered and shared.

Thanks

Scott

[Dwight]

If you are using veggy tan leather, . . . the best message I know: you don't, . . . period.

If you oil up a project made from veg tan leather, . . . you will wind up with some limp piece of animal skin that probably will never function like you wanted it to.

The dyes and treatments are made to do the things you want them to, . . . and not to ruin the leather. Adding additional oil will undo many of the things they are made to do.

May God bless,

Dwight