NVLeatherWorx

That would depend on what region you are in and what the demographics are for your selling areas. In my area I can get a wide range of requests from clients which includes the need to have a zippered (or even snapped) coin pouch or large zippered currency pocket. There is no one answer to your question; it is simply a matter of what is being asked for. I have a few different versions of the wallets that I make with some of them including a snapped/zippered pocket/pouch (variants depend on product line) so that my clients (or the potential ones) can see that I do offer such things and they can actually see how it is made and works. The only thing that I could recommend is that you at least mention that you can add such a feature in your listings but that it does cost extra to do so because of the extra materials and time required to make it happen. If you get a client that is interested in such an item then make a mock-up of the item with the desired variant and send them a picture of it. That way they can see (in general terms) how it will look so that they can confirm their wants or revert their order to your standard version. I make a mock-up of each specialty request like this and shoot them a picture along with some details about the final design and features. I make them out of paper and use simple tape to act as my "stitching"; it has been successful for me so far. Noticed that you are listing your items on Etsy, hope it is working for you. However, the more options/variants that you offer the more detailed of a platform that you will need so that you can create a listing with everything you want to offer the customer. I only list my ready-to-ship stuff on Etsy at this point and have taken my custom items to the Handmade at Amazon platform. I can have up to 10 customization options to offer with unlimited options within each category; and every one of them allows for a price adjustment if necessary. Etsy will never be able to offer this to their clients and they have told me repeatedly that it isn't on their radar for consideration any time soon if at all. Have a great weekend.

I use them on a consistent basis and have seen improvement over what it was a year ago. A year ago you could place an online order on Monday and it may not even ship out of SLC until the following Monday; now I can place one on Sunday, it will be fulfilled on Monday and submitted for shipment, and it will arrive at my door no later than Friday (and that is if it goes UPS, USPS is within 2 days and I live in the middle of the desert in Nevada). There have been some issues in the past but, as mentioned elsewhere, that is not uncommon within business. I have also experienced their desire to make things right by contacting them when something was wrong and we got it worked out with no issue. In fact, there have been times when I have been offered additional items to make up for the mistake; their customer service (when given the chance) will fix the issue and make it right, very right.

I am not aware of a cleaner that will leave it the darkened state but who knows, there may be something out there on the market or in someone's closet. It sounds like the "concoction" you are talking about might be a blend of lemon juice, white vinegar, and some distilled water. There are so many recipe's out there for stuff you can't keep them straight anymore. If you use anything alcohol based then you might want to consider the highest percentage available that you can find. There is a product on the market that might help you at least cut through the stuff that you want to remove so the leather can absorb some dye and it is called Deglazer and it is made by Fiebing's (also available at Tandy, Springfield Leather, and most of the other online leather supply places) but it can be really harsh on the leather and will just about bleach it if the project is tough. Works like a champ but most are afraid of it. I would recommend that whatever you do, whether it be on a cushion or the sofa itself that you try the process on an area of the sofa that is hidden away from common view to see how it works. Seeing a small test result of your plan and the results will help you adjust what needs to be done for the final steps and also allows you to modify the product(s) used to do the job without missing the mark on the whole thing. Good luck with your project.

Amazon Handmade has a fee structure of around 12% but you should already be factoring all of of your expenses/costs (including fees, etc.) into your sell price. Common business models insist upon making sure that you establish your "bottom line" price (the bare minimum that you will accept to ensure profitability and business growth while covering wages, etc.) and then mark it up by the fees and other residual items (such as shipping if you list it as "free shipping"; you don't really give it away). Once you have it all marked up, that is your official list price for anything. This method allows to actually receive what you should as revenue while covering for all other expenses/costs. The Handmade outlet also allows you to create listings for custom made items so you don't have to have a huge array of finished products that have to ship out as soon as someone hits the payment button.

The green Fiebing's dye is really just a plain green but it does take on a more Kelly green look on the swatches as you pointed out. I can tell you from experience that when it dries (the first application) it is a pretty vibrant green and it gets darker with each following application. You can also tinker with blending the oil dyes and some of the antique paste products to generate alternate hues of the base dye colors for that unique look. However, with all of that said, you would probably not want to attempt this task in the first place as there is no guarantee that your sofa could even accept the dyes and/or stains as it most likely not a type of leather that will readily allow color penetration and it is most definitely treated and sealed as a protective measure and attempting to remove that treatment could damage the leather beyond repair or functional use. Typically, the leathers used for upholstery are a "one and done" thing and can not be refinished to meet the original color scheme. You can clean them and condition them (although it is questionable as to how much conditioning really happens when you do so) but that is about the extent of where you can go with it. I get this question all of the time and always after the person has attempted a "suggested" fix for their dilemma only to have results that totally missed the mark on what was being attempted and now they want a solid fix; tough to tell them that they are basically stuck with that "used vintage" look but this type of leather does not work the same way as the type we use to make the things we do (vegetable-tanned cowhide). Sorry the news isn't more positive but the risk of causing serious damage to your sofa is too great. However, the decision is still yours if you want to attempt such a thing. Good luck.

You might be on to something there billybopp.

Aside from those in a zoo I don't believe that we actually raise them as we don't really have the correct environment for them to thrive. Besides, I wouldn't recommend the leather for use as it is not a great quality and I speak from experience having spent time in countries where they do actually have the creature roaming the lands. It is just not a good material and should not be given the distinction of leather.

For anyone who wishes to keep trying to the Eco-Flo Waterstain products here is a very important hint: apply it to damp leather and use a damp sponge (which is what the manufacturer suggests to do anyway) and you should have better results. Also, do not seal it or condition it with anything other than nasty smelling Professional Cream Conditioner as you will have a negative result from the rest of the products for that purpose. The waterstains have several issues and they have cause more users, semi-experienced and new alike, heartache and migraines trying to wrap their heads around how to fix an issue that arises. As mentioned above, some have stopped using the product because it has created major cracking issues and I can vouch for those as I had experienced the same issues when I did some product testing for that line. The cracking was just one of the issues and every one of them can cause you to lose money in wasted materials. I personally do not recommend them for purchase or use but everyone has to make their own decisions when it comes to spending their money. Most of stick with the tried and true brands and products that have been around since the start of this industry and we have seen products and brands come and go while the originals still go strong without ever trying to "compete" with the new kid on the block. Just keep in mind that if you do give this product a try and find yourself regretting it, there have already been plenty of people who have covered the issues and provided comment and recommendations so there is no reason why you should expect anything different just because it is you who took the plunge. Good tooling to all.

Working with Gum Trag takes some time to get the hang of, as is knowing the precise time to burnish your edges (regardless of whether or not you use Gum Trag or just plain water). The fine tuned elements of this craft (and trade) don't come within a few months or even within the first couple of years. I have been using these things and doing this trade for over 40 years and yet I still find something new to add to my skills and techniques, that is what separates the various skill levels of craftsmanship. If you treat Gum Trag much the same as you would the water method (apply it and then let it start to set/dry up a bit) and then go at it with your burnishing tool vigorously (you can't get a good edge going at it like you are in a School Zone, gotta be the Autobahn) you will start to see the results that you may be looking for. It just takes practice to find the right mix of time, speed, and success. Keep at it and give it a chance and good luck.

The entire pattern for this project is available from Tandy through their Leathercraft Library website. It is available as a PDF download once you purchase it (which gives you the rights to use it without any issues). Just look under the menu item for Patterns: Kit which you will find on the left hand side menu.

As a matter of fact I have done an oil application prior to applying the dye and it helped a great deal with getting an even looking finish. Still had some inconsistencies with the lesser brands of leather but nowhere near the look that you would get without it being done. Only thing about oiling prior to the dye application is that you can get some serious rub-off with those dyes that seem to have more "leftover" pigment residue (such as: black, saddle tan, ALL of the regular spirit dyes) so you have to give it a little extra love with the polishing rag.

I have experienced this issue a couple of times and not just with the Saddle Tan color, pretty much every one of them (aside from the black of course). I have found that the toning results are different from each grade and/or leather tanner/supplier. The lesser the grade of leather or the quality of the tanning process the more inconsistent the toning results have been. For example, if the leather is directly from H.O. and is their "upper class" product then the toning has never been an issue; however, if it is an H.O. product but purchased from another source then the toning results have been known to show some inconsistency (regardless of the grade that it has been advertised as). I tried this with the Tandy grades of Craftsman Oak (their economy grade veg-tan) and their Oak-Leaf veg tan (their supposed upper class of leather) and found the results to be all over the place. There have even been times when the better outcomes were actually achieved with the lower grade of leather so it is obvious that even the grading processes for some suppliers has its own set of inconsistencies. Whenever I do run into an issue with the "blotches" I just let it dry for a full 24 hour period and then give it another application of dye and let it dry as well for 24 hours. Once dried I remove any pigment residues and give it a good (not heavy) hit of warm Pure Neatsfoot Oil and let that sit for 24 hours. Once the oil has set I give it another buff down and apply my finish of either 50/50 Resolene/Water or full-strength Leather Balm. I typically have no further issues with blotches or light spots at this point, it is however a little bit darker than a traditional Saddle Tan but it is still light enough that you know what it is and the cover is complete.

I make my wallets with a combination of weights, each one used for the components based on function. For example: Back (exterior) is made from 4 to 5 oz. Interior Bases (pocket base, etc.) is made from 3 to 4 oz. Pocket pieces are made from 2 to 3 oz. All components are made from either veg-tan or Horween depending on the final look desired. I used pigskin in the old days but it eventually wears out around the stitching lines and has a tendency to stretch over time; make a great lining though. I will still use pigskin on those items that require a coin/change type pocket but those are rare in today's market. I am still able to achieve a fully functional billfold (or other style wallet) with the thicker leathers while still keeping the weight down and the thickness and the added advantage of having much more durable materials results in a finished wallet that will have an even longer useful life for the owner.

Actually, your line of thinking for the direction you have plotted is pretty much right on. I was commissioned a few months back to do some restoration on two leather art pieces that were framed and had been stuffed in a closet for over 20 years and forgotten. When I received the pieces they were both very dry but not cracked or trying to dry rot but one of them also had some stains on it (later found out that they had been spit on a long time ago). I first hit them up with a treatment of deglazer (they had been sealed and some was still present) and then followed that up with my own mixture of soda water, lemon juice, and white vinegar to do some general cleaning. Once the leather dried from the cleaning I gave it 4 applications of Pure Neatsfoot Oil (with 24 hours rest time in between each treatment) to give some life back to the leather and then finished them off with a finish blend of 50/50 Resolene and distilled water. There was some slight darkening from the overall process but it didn't come from the oil, it came from the Resolene sealer. However, the level of darkening actually returned it to the original shade that it was when they were first carved and tooled so it wasn't an issue for the owner as he grew up with them until he left the house to see the world (they were hidden when the artist, his father, passed away). The best thing here, for me, was that I didn't charge him for these restorations as these were real works of art: one was the mural of "Ghost Riders in the Sky" and the other was a mural of a quartet in a Bar; both were heavy with detail and the stains were pretty much non-visible when it was all finished. Hope this helps.

No pics but it is just like tinting regular paint; just take your paste and put some in a container (I use paper plates) and add some dye, a little at a time, and then mix it together. Have some scrap leather around to do some small test areas until you get the look that you are shooting for. This is true control over the final look and the results are literally limitless.

The biggest difference between the Antique paste and the antique stain is that the stain gives more of a dyed appearance, i.e. it is full coverage and deep penetrating so it looks just like it has been dyed. The paste version gives the leather a patina that still allows the full character of the leather to come through and if you are working with the technique of doing what is called resisted you can only achieve that unique 2-tone look with the paste. The paste is also flexible enough that you can actually create your own unique tones by blending the past and spirit/oil dyes together for some really spectacular colors and results. I have used the Fiebing's products for over 40 years and I stand by their quality and versatility. I have given everything else that has come along a chance to change my mind and have yet to find another product that offers the results and consistency of the Fiebing's line. I use them for everything and I even have wholesale and distribution pricing with them.

Amen Boriqua and everyone else gets a big "you're welcome". I remember the days of when you could walk into a Tandy store and actually see the staff working on things and that was one of the biggest hooks for me at that age (I was 8 then, over 50 now) which resulted in me being where I am at now. I learned the tricks of the great leather workers of that time which many of us know the names of and I have spent every day of my life since that initial moment refining those skills and achieving the same level of expertise as they had. I have worked every aspect of this trade to include saddle making and it pains me to see how pathetic that the Tandy brand has become since changing into just another corporate minded profit house. I recently offended the manager from local store here when he told me that Tandy was the ultimate source around the globe for all things leathercraft and that any of the remaining sources would soon be gone. Guess it pissed him off when I told him that Tandy is actually seen in a very poor light by the real leather craftsmen and that we make it our mission in life to provide newcomers to this trade with proper direction and guidance on where to invest in their future within this craft and that Tandy is really not on the list, unless you just need something real quick. I have never seen a person his bleached white skin tone turn so red as he did at that moment and I actually thought for a moment that he was going to go into cardiac arrest. He lives and breathes the company line and is way too blind to see past his nose to find the truth about how poorly viewed his employer really is. As a simple note, if anyone is offended by my take on this company then good, you should be. Tandy is the last place on this planet that is concerned with helping leather crafters with growing this craft or obtaining quality materials and supplies to work with and grow their business; they are pure and simple just another big corporation that only cares about how much money they can drain from the pockets of their "customers", nothing more. Have a great day all and may your creativity and enjoyment of this craft continue for years to come.

The days of having a staff that is truly knowledgeable in the products, and this applies to any retail environment, are gone. Although we always hear about how dedicated a company is to their customers and what they are doing to bring an even higher level of customer service and satisfaction, the reality is that they aren't doing a damn thing at all. Today is all about pure profit and used car sales tactics in every sales environment; knowledge and experience in an actual trade/product is frowned upon and goes against the very grain of selling as much as you can through the art of selling the bull. After all, the majority of their customer base is that newbie who has no clue what they are in need of or how to go about it so it is easy to get some sales from them as they don't know any better. This conversation has been had many times before about the lack of experience with the Tandy staff yet there have been some who have defended them to no end. I have posted it several times about how their classes are taught by a member of the staff who has no real experience with the product or the trade but they can follow the company provided curriculum and teach these newbies how to get by. I have also had several people say that it was not true and that their classes are always taught by someone who knows leather work. Guess what, about a month ago I stopped by the store in my area and watched one of the classes in session. It was taught by the store manager and he was reading from the book, step by step, to a class full of newbies. I know that he has no experience in the craft as we have had several conversations on that matter; he is also the one who first told me that Tandy intentionally hires people who don't know anything about the craft or the materials aside from they are taught during their training (which is also drawn from a corporate manual that is geared towards what they want you to say, not what you should say). Now we have even more information that has been gathered by first hand experience and it tells us that even though there have been some personnel changes at the top the base model is to continue the feeding the line of garbage that comes from the sales program and just make money. There is not a single product category/item that can be obtained from Tandy that can't be obtained from a wide range of sources and, more often than not, at a lower cost for a better quality product. Tandy is NOT the ultimate source for products and supplies and they are definitely not the all knowing source for knowledge, wisdom, and experience; we, the long-time craftsmen of this trade, are the one's who should be providing this guidance to the newcomers and this forum is a prime example of how true that really is. To all of you "newbies" out there who are just jumping in here, use these forums as your starting point and take serious note of the recommendations or guidance provided by those who provide their knowledge and experience for all to use. And above all, save yourself the trouble of ending up with the wrong materials and/or supplies by following the vast amount of recommendations for alternate sources to supply yourself. We could just as easily keep everything secret and hold out on you but that would not continue to foster the experiences gained and enjoyment of learning how to work with leather and become a creative monster like so many of us have. Rant closed.

Obviously wasn't that big of an issue after all.

Some images of what you are experiencing will help some of us formulate a response. A bit of information about exactly what materials and products you are using would help as well.

This issue has been addressed within this community several times now and it does tend to be a common problem which you get with EVERY water-based stain/dye product. If you want a more thorough coverage and one that will last (water-based products wear off pretty quickly) then you need to transition to a spirit-based product line. It is true that if you dampen the leather slightly before applying a water-based product that you will see a more consistent coverage (and the manufacturers actually suggest this in their instructions for use) but it doesn't change the fact that water-based products do not penetrate very deep into the leather and you will find wear/rub-off spots in the short term. I made myself a wallet 6 months ago and used some of the Eco-Flo water stain for the color; I even applied it 3 times to ensure that I got a good penetration into the leather, didn't work out all that way and here is why: the Eco-Flo water stain products also include waxes and wax based conditioners in the formula which end up creating an initial seal on the leather which ends up keeping additional applications of the same product from having any further penetration into the leather, it just ends up sitting on top of the first application and you will eventually rub it off over time. The results on my wallet are that the color has rubbed off not only on the outside areas but also on the interior pocket sections and I now have about 60% of the overall surface area that has returned to the naked leather look. I tested this product in this fashion to see what the true durability with it would be and it is safe to say that it will not find a place in my offered options as it doesn't have any staying power. I would hate to give a customer an item that they ordered only to have them come running back to me a few months later yelling about how the color has come off and this very thing has been reported before by the many highly experienced craftsmen in this community. In my over 40 years of working with leather as a professional craftsman I have never seen anything "wear out" as fast as the Pro Water Stain line, and I have tested some stuff over that time.

I too stop the bottom layer just before the tongue slot so that there is no risk of binding up when in use. Another very key point to make sure of is that when making a double layered belt out of the thicker leathers you are going to want to give the belt a little bit of roll (curve) so that the lining leather doesn't develop the look of bunching up. In other words, your lining layer will end up shorter than you start off with as you give the belt a little bit of curve along the entire length while securing the two layers together. I use a flexible contact cement with a little run down the center of each layer and then start at the tip end slowly setting the two layers together while rolling them over so slightly. When I am finished putting the two layers together I can lay it on its side on a table and it will look like the curvature of a bow. This not only allows the leather to remain free from bunching and stress, it also makes the belt more comfortable for the customer and drastically reduces the break in time. Good luck with your testing.

I will send some to you via PM so as not to create a cluttered page here if that is okay.

There is one version that is a natural veg-tan leather which you can carve on but it is very thin so you can't get much depth out of the design and you also have to be very careful when stamping as you can go right through it real easy. I make all of mine with 4/5 oz. for standard wallet backs or 3/4 oz. for my lightweight backs; I never go any thinner for the back as it is needs to be sturdy. All of my interiors are drawn from 2/3 oz. cowhide but on a rare occasion I might use a veg-tan version of a Mission Grain pigskin. I have never had any issues with sewing pigskin and I have been doing this for over 40 years; any issues that may be experienced are most likely due to not knowing the material or trying to make it do something that it isn't supposed. Good luck.

If you go with lining leather for your interiors then you will want to use one of the pigskin lining leathers that are available. They are very thing yet very durable. Regarding the stiffness that you are running into I would recommend that you use a bit of Pure Neatsfoot oil on the veg-tan elements to give it a bit of a flexible feel. And, just for future knowledge, as the wallet is used more it will relax and become much less stiff, the stiffness is a typical trait but you have used the correct weights for your wallet. Remember, you are making a wallet that is intended to last a very long time for the customer; if they want thin and flimsy then WalMart has a ton of those foreign made wastes of money.