reddevil76

Thank you both..

Sounds like the way to go for me...

Just starting to learn carving. I have a problem with transferring patterns. Everytime I transfer a pattern, halfway through, the tracing paper would be too deformed to lay flat after the stylus goes over it. It caves in where the stylus goes over. The tracing pattern is practically unusable after that. Anyone got similar experiences?

Anyone know what adhesive is he using? I've been using rubber cement and always wanted a clear adhesive.

The wallet design is nothing new, I've executed this many times before. But this is the first time I am using the Royal Meadow from Tandy and I love the clean leather and luxurious feel. It is only slightly more expensive than Craftsman grade Hermann Oak but the clean hide gives so much more yield than the HO which I had so much wastage. I even find it better for hand-stitching. After stitching the entire length of the wallet outer, I still don't see any fray in my thread whereas for the HO, I have to keep waxing along the way. Would stop making wallets for the time being to concentrate on learning carving.

Making a living from leatherwork would indeed be a dream come true. I have tried to streamline my process all the way down to pattern making. My biggest stumbling block today is still the very basics, buying leather. Till I can get around paying $70 in shipping for a 24 sq ft 3-4 oz light weight side of leather, it will always remain a dream.

So far, the only veg tan I have bought which is truly clear of blemishes is the Royal Meadow series from Tandy.

Hi Dink, if i make 4 dies, 3.5 X 7.8, 7.8 X 8, 2 X 7.8, 7 X 7.8. And I live in Singapore, plus I don't have a clicker, I was wondering if it would be cheaper eventually for you to keep the dies and click the pieces of me. How does the per click charge go? How many dies per click? Would a handle-hammered die work for the sizes I mentioned?

thanks guys!

Cut long story short, a guy offered to sell me some veg tan, but they are stored in another place almost a 100km away. He eventually brought 4 pieces (each about 15 sq ft) out for me to choose from. He was very frank, and told me these has been sitting at his warehouse for 3-4 yrs. You could tell its kinda pink when new, but now greyish pink. I felt bad to tell him after all this trouble that I won't take them, so since they cheap anyway, i picked 2 pieces. I don't mind that it has darken with age, but now i have a feeling that it is darken with dust as well. My hands are quite allergic to dust, and they have the same feeling after handling this 2 pieces. Would it be alright for me to hose them down under the shower? I have white saddle soap handy as well. If I can't wash them, I'll probably dunk them in vinegroon and make them black.

it's probably blunt. Just run the polished side over a strop a few runs and it'll cut nicely again. Also a good idea to test on scrap before using it on your actual project.

Frankly, I am not sure what thread this is. Forgot to ask when I was buying. It may be polyester. I got it from the warehouse where I was buying leather. Just asked if they do other products, and this old guy mentioned that they used to import waxed thread, but stopped as they aren't moving fast enough. But he did have some 0.8mm white left over, so I got a roll, and really liked how it stitched. I have bought linen thread before, and didn't like the bit of fraying. This 0.8mm is very minutely braided and weaved, not twisted. So it doesn't fray. Frankly, I am not sure what thread this is. Forgot to ask when I was buying. It may be polyester. I got it from the warehouse where I was buying leather. Just asked if they do other products, and this old guy mentioned that they used to import waxed thread, but stopped as they aren't moving fast enough. But he did have some 0.8mm white left over, so I got a roll, and really liked how it stitched. I have bought linen thread before, and didn't like the bit of fraying. This 0.8mm is very minutely braided and weaved, not twisted. So it doesn't fray.

Hi Crimson, thanks for the compliment. The burnishing was ok.. handmade wallet takes time anyway.. so the burnishing process didn't seem as long..

I use a Craft Japan pricking iron size 5mm. Available from www.goodsjapan.jp In this particular project, the waxed thread is 0.8mm, though I mostly use 1mm.

Thank you all. Gringobill - Yes sir, it's all hand stitched. Though not using the traditional awl method. I use a pricking iron to make my stitching holes.

My gf wanted a new wallet. She specified she didn't want the aging effect of veg tan, so I thought I'd use the oil tan burgundy that I have. But she also said she wants clean burnished edges, so I finally I dug out this italian calf veg tan that I've been keeping. It has been plated at the factory with a coating of leather lacquer, so less fears of aging or staining. Yet, being veg tan, I can still burnish the edges. It also has a very luxurious feel to it. Nothing new to the design of this wallet, but this is the first time I am doing something with this leather. Very nice to work with I'd say. I also just got myself some thinner waxed thread which is a joy to saddle stitch with.

Thank you Joel. I tried many layout in the past. I finally settled on this for all my long wallets. Benlilly - I have only tried stamping on drum dyed. The only advantage I see is convenience of not having to dye big pieces when you want an entire wallet of black. Plus, the colour will always be more even than if you apply it yourself (unless you use a spray gun that is)

ironically, I haven't made a wallet for myself after picking up this craft. always busy with one or another for someone else. That was a good reminder I need to make something for myself one of these days.

I once re-did a wallet 4 times before I got it right. Not because I didn't know how to do a wallet. But due to some inlay arrangement requested by the customer, and me trying this kind of arrangement for the first time, I ended with 1st - a too-thick wallet, then on to thinner chrome tan leather, 2nd - and it became too floppy, edges wouldn't burnish and doesn't take edge dye so well 3rd - re-designed the inlay and how the lining goes, went back to veg tan for the main body, but after running the prepared pieces through a friend's bell skiver, pieces came out skewed from the skiving action. Junked the pieces. 4th - finally used a splitter to split newly cut pieces and final product had the customer smiling ear to ear. I lost money because of lost time, and material lost in attempts 1-3. But I can't hold the customer responsible for it. Instead, I charged that expense under "tuition fees" Nice job anyway. Just to let you know someone else shared that frustration before, and I'm sure many others.

I've mailed the wallet to the customer, so pity can't take more pics. But this is another wallet done by me, which gives you the idea why you see braiding on the outside and stitching inside. They are different layers actually.

Thank you all for the kind comments.

The black veg tan is about 5/6 oz by default. For the interior panels, i ran them through my splitter, down to about 2-3 oz to keep everything thin. This is actually my 2nd attempt. The first one I only skived the card slots, and fumbled on the planning for the inlay, lining, etc. The first one ended up thick like a subway sandwich. This 2nd one when compressed flat is about 1/2 inch thick.

Thank you all. I don't know about any known process to seal down the scales, but on one previous wallet, I did glue down the scales using white glue and a small brush to neaten things up. But the customer actually commented that the python looks fake because its all flat.. so I kind of stopped that practise after.

A customer recently gave me an order for a biker wallet, cuff and leather wallet chain. I used drum dye black veg tan and natural colour python for the inlay. Lining is goat. The wallet chain is also black veg tan.

Thanks Shane, but I need to split 8 inches wide pieces.. This looks like it splits straps only.. But thanks for looking out.