All Activity

Very nice DOMESTIC sewing machine not suited to leather work. Since you are interested in that machine which costs north of $3000 USD you can afford a proper machine capable of sewing leather. You need to tell us what you want to sew, belts, wallets, bags, holsters so you can get good suggestions on the machine that would suit your needs. kgg

Well, what you did was right, because it came out clean.

That's why I did the welts one piece at a time, so they stayed flat. I also used one side as a guide for ALL the holes, so I didn't end up with a copy of a copy of a copy.

I've often thought about seeing up a press of some kind to punch my stitch lines. It's hard to keep the angle right when working with odd shapes so I gave up on that idea pretty quick.

Bags can be hard, they're time consuming and they use a lot of leather. I have made a few purses and a laptop bag. I prefer not making them so I price any bag items extremely high in hopes of not getting the order. If they still want me to do the work then it's a good payday. As an example, the laptop bag was a $1200 profit for me after materials not including my time though. I rarely charge for design/build time unless it's a one off piece, like this. It was made from bison with veg tan lining for support, a divider inside, external pocket and pen sleeves. Kept the natural edge on the flap which made for a really sweet look. By far my best bag.

Thanks everyone! I was taught that drilling stitch holes is a no-no and I don't like the way the slanted stitches look, so I'm strictly an awl guy. Think drill press that doesn't spin with an awl in the chuck. I layed out the holes and punched them in the sides first. The center welt piece goes the whole length so that was next. I used the sides as a guide and punched the holes in each welt piece before assembly. To assemble, I glued them in place one at a time. I had a needle in every third hole in the side as a guide. The the other side was last. I didn't realize it, or do it intentionally but my son noticed the top welt resembles wood grain, so I got that as a bonus.

Welcome to Leatherworker.net As you have discovered, the machine you have is inadequate for the work you have on hand. My article that was linked to earlier today should help you understand the type of machine that actually sews leather. Within this basic deinition there are various levels of capacity in the various makes and models available. At the very least, you should look for a compound/triple feed walking foot machine. Early examples are the Singer 111w155 and 156 (has reverse), the older Juki LU-563 and newer models, like the Juki DNU-1541, and some Consew models that have triple feed, like the Consew 206RB-5. These machines can handle up to #138 bonded nylon thread and actually tension it enough to sew over 5/16 inch of leather, depending on its density. They weigh over 70 pounds and need to be fitted onto industrial sewing machine tables that have steel legs. Most tables are 20" x 48". They are usually equipped with powerful clutch or servo motors that drive the heavy steel mechanism through stacks of leather that would destroy a home hobbiest's machine.

I really enjoy minimal carry items like this. My wallet only holds an ID on one side, a single card slot on the other with a pocket behind both for foldable cash. As mentioned above. The glue up looks a little loose if you used glue or cement. Hard to tell from the pictures. Getting the leather compressed during glue will make a easier to finish edge. Edge work can make or break a project. While some line the rustic look others like the finer finished look. Because of this being a nice sleek card holder, I think it would look better with a fine finished edge. Sand until it's perfectly flush with all pieces. I go a high as 600 grit. Then burnish the edges to mirror. They'll be super smooth and soft feeling while sealing the edges together. You might still see multiple layers but it should feel like it's one. I'll personally never use edge paint but some leathers won't burnish and edge paint may be necessary. Just not necessary in my line of products

Beautiful axe sheath. Man... that's a lot of layers on the top edge. I bet that was a chore to stitch. And to end up with such a nice clean stitch line on both sides is near impossible for most of us. Great job!

I don't use this method with chrome or oil tan. It will do nothing but stretch the leather. That's all done with a safety skife. I dunno about using a power planer for anything with leather. That sounds downright dangerous. You know the ol shop rules. No loose clothing around a spinning tools, ie; planers, lathes, saws, etc. Leather can be considered loose clothing in this case. I'm not an expert by any measure, but please don't do this. I don't think it'll work, and it really does sound like a disaster in the making. Keep your fingers safe my guy. I do a lot of skiving by hand. I've used chisels, skife knives, that hand plane, head knives, and even my outdoor edge skinning knife. The safety skife and that little hand plane is all I use now. I've messed up tons of times, especially on soft chrome. Just take some scrap and practice. Every leather worker has scrap to practice just about anything you want with. I got most my practice because I hate the loose fluffy grain on the flesh side. I cut that off my sides and skive until I get a tight grain. Then even it all out and use for lighter projects like wallets.

Thanks. It's not easy to get the right shot. Especially belts. For example, I took over 50 photos of a holster and belt combo just to get the one that I use for my business cards and signage. I took a few years of photography in high school and really excelled at that. Won some awards and had a few photos published in some photography books.

Thank you everyone. It was a job to carve and tool for sure and put my skills to the test. This is the reason I love working with leather.

No help with the little Consew. I am not usually a Tandy basher but I would seriously like to see anyone at Tandy do even half of what they say that machine can do. The Janome - run away fast. That is a fabric machine. If they tell you it is what you need, that tells me all I need to know about their knowledge of sewing leather and/or business integrity. For what it costs you can buy the heaviest duty leather machine out there. Look up Bob Kovar or Leather Machine Co - people that sell real leather sewing machines. @Wizcrafts to customer service please

@dray25luera Greetings and welcome to the forum. Someone will be along to help you with the problem you're having with your current mchine. 2 suggestions - first, tell us what it is you're sewing so the experts can make suggestions regarding if you have the right machine. Next, read through the below thread to acquaint yourself with the variety of machine types available and their best uses.

Can you post photos of the thread path? What size and kind of thread are you using? What material are you stitching, and what size needle?

Aww well..

Hello, I am a novice to the craft and recently made the decision to purchase a sewing machine, I made the mistake of going for something that was affordable at the time instead of doing further research. I ended up purchasing the Consew T-1919 through Tandy. I have since read many of the forums on here and realize my mistake. I am currently having the hardest time getting a stitch going (which could definitely be user error). The thread seems to be snapping in the tension knob so I have tried lowering the tension and it still seems to snap or unthread itself. Long story short, I have searched high and low on videos or information on this machine to see if i am the problem or not. I have come up empty. So for one, does anyone have any advice or knowledge on this machine? Two, I have talked to some people at a sewing place and they have got me interested in the Janome Memory Craft 6700P. Anybody with information on this machine and if it is worth me investing in?

WOW!! That top is SO elegant. Did you drill the holes or use an awl to get through all those layers? Brgds Jonas

It's looking really good! I have been toying with the idea of making a die (just for a key fob), I got a used blade for a band saw that I plan on using. I am going to silver solder the ends together, but the sharpening I haven't quite figured out yet. It might be the easiest to do before bending I guess. But anyway, thanks for a lot of fine inspiration:-) Brgds Jonas

Billybop, that service still exists. It's called The War Amps: https://www.waramps.ca/ways-we-help/key-tags/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=63428541&gbraid=0AAAAADx3latKA-J4D64VEc1nhN-s87J9c&gclid=CjwKCAjwq9rFBhAIEiwAGVAZP7FXiQQo_rgeWaK0rq1JRJukUVntf5-RjdXPRwq2ZmWv56QI5MutxhoCgzkQAvD_BwE It's only in Canada, unfortunately. But they are good people, and do a wonderful service for amputees, as well as returning lost keys for their subscribers!

Bulldogs were bred to bite and not let go (The long-banned sport of bull baiting is what they were originally bred for!) The original bulldog is now such a genetic mess they can no longer reproduce without human help, will drown if they fall into a pool, and often suffer from heat stroke in hot weather because they no longer have a muzzle to cool the air when they pant. Despite this, those bull-baiting bulldog genes can sometimes resurface, and it ain't pretty when it happens! Was this an American bulldog or a British? The Americans were bred to get rid of all the health problems the British dog has. They are longer-legged, actually have a muzzle and can breathe better. They can also move faster and are more agile, which makes them more dangerous if they want to bite someone. During my time owning a boarding kennel, the dog that gave me the biggest scare was a boxer. I was trying to get him back into his kennel, and he jumped straight up in the air to face level. For an awful moment, I though he was going to grab for my throat! Fortunately, my kennel helper came along, and called him from inside the kennel, and he went to her. But those were a tense couple of minutes, facing off with that dog!

Nice work. Looks great. Yeah I bet your hands are sore. Outstanding work.

I did buy some synthetic transmission oil. Somewhat surprised it's still red. 🍎 But it smells neutral. Actually even the diesel has not much smell when it's just a few drops. I'm not even doing it on the porch---too much strain. Just right in the living room, a couple drops of diesel and then shut the arm cap. Nobody has complained 😀

Yes you are. I have been following your progress and it is damn good. kgg

Thank you all so much for the replies, really appreciate it.