NVLeatherWorx

Never had this problem my entire time of making wallets. Of course, I use 4/5 oz. leather for my wallet backs as it is very durable and can easily last over 50 years of constant use (I have a client who recently bought a belt from me to replace one that he had for over 40 years and he showed me the wallet that his grandfather made for him when he was 18, he is now 72 and it is still holding up). The answer to your question about when is thin too thin? Well, when you are trying to make any leather item that is as thin as the junk that can be purchased in any retail store, I would suggest that you are looking at too thin. Never known one of those wallets to last very long. I always explain to my customers how leather is structured and I emphasize the importance of keeping fiber structure on the flesh side to ensure that the strength and integrity of the material can be maintained. If they are still looking for something that is paper thin, I suggest that they go buy a low priced stretchy leather wallet because I can't make what they are looking for without feeling like I am cheating them out of their money. Not to mention, the cheap stretchy leather will only cost them about $20 and I don't make any wallets for that price.

First of all, if other "leather workers" are asking to contract you for the tooling of their items then they aren't really leather workers. Second of all, how much is your time worth and what is your background? If you have an extensive background in the art and have invested your life into learning the craft from top to bottom then you need to look at your time as a professional would and charge appropriately. This is especially important when you look at the fact that you are being contracted to do this work for someone else who doesn't have the skill set to do the work themselves (otherwise they wouldn't be asking in the first place). Another thing to consider is making sure that your work, the tooling, is given proper credit on the finished item and to make sure that the "leather worker" who is making the sale isn't selling it off as their work. You need to have your mark, whatever it may be, on the artistic elements of the leather and if the "leather worker" doesn't go for it then it would be a good time for them to actually learn how to be a real leather worker. I know it sounds a bit harsh but there are way too many "leather workers" out there that have no experience, background, or creativity and when any one of us who actually know what the term of leather worker means does any work for them all we are doing is feeding the myth of their existence and it has to stop somewhere. There should be nobody calling themselves a leather worker or Master Craftsman that doesn't know this trade and art inside out and that includes the art of saddle making and other highly disciplined skill sets within the trade. If it is just a hobby for people then fine, but don't be asking skilled craftsmen to be doing work for you, learn what is takes to do the work or please find another hobby. To directly answer your question, I wouldn't take on the work in the first place but for those that do, and have the skill set to do it professionally, I wouldn't suggest you do it for less than $25.00 per per hour (to be tracked and billed as the project progresses) and the recipient is responsible for ALL shipping charges, providing ALL materials, and ALL artwork/layout designs are provided in ready-to-use format. And most important of all, if any of the requested tooling consists of ANY logo, trademarked item, or brand name, there must be written authorization from the owner of the trademark, logo, etc. authorizing its use for the purpose. Tough world we live in today but nothing is worth getting your butt in a sling over violating a copyright or trademark law.

For a case? If so, just create your own by getting the dimensions of the laptop in question and putting some creativity on paper. Patterns for products are not difficult if you know how to use a ruler, pencil, and paper.

Typically the Resolene doesn't come out glossy but the old trick is to dilute it with water (we make a 50/50 blend of it) and that cuts the gloss down very well. I use this method and I apply at least 3 coats of it with a full 24 hour drying time between each treatment to ensure that it has properly dried, set, and oxidized.

You can use Olive Oil but use it sparingly as it tends to want to "sit around" on the leather (you will have the oily feel and residue much longer than with Neatsfoot Oil). Also, for future reference, if you are ever doing a piece that is to remain natural you will want to be cautious with the Olive Oil because it does darken the leather significantly enough that once the oil has set the final color will still be darker than when the leather was just simply there.

Hope you can all be as luck as I was.

Same response I had when I got the quote. I was just about to put pen to paper on an $800 contract when I found this one. I was quite happy with the $800 but went crazy when I got the $350. Check with a local American Family representative and see what they say. They also classified my business in the correct category: Artist Studio with Mercantile; I was classified as "manufacturing" with all of the other companies.

Don't recognize it but it was from one of those sellers who uses a belt embossing machine, the detail is not carved. There are several of them out there and they pretty much only sell online. I don't even think that embossing wheel is even available anymore. Good luck in you search though.

I have my insurance with American Family Insurance and it is $350 per year (2 million dollar policy, covers my tools, etc. as well). Give them a call and see what you can come up with. Keep in mind that each offer will be different and it frequently changes based on what type of operation you establish (stand alone, leased studio, etc.).

Check with Ohio Travel Bags.

@papaw: Love it! Would you include any "speech writing" time in there as well? @zuludog: Isn't it funny how nobody on the other side of the counter gets the fact that we professionals (regardless of our trade) KNOW our product and the materials that make them up? Everyone must believe that these nice little things that they wear and carry just fall from the sky and that we don't know squat. I like that nice little joke.

That connection with Alice Cooper and the fact that he is actually wearing one of those vests makes the price of such an item much more than the 399 Euro's, that type of association and exposure brings it into the Ultra Premium market where you can ask much more for them, especially with that beautiful artwork.

I always let it sit for the 24 hours so that it has more than enough time to set, if you try and speed up the process you can find yourself over applying it really easily. After it has set I am looking for a slightly darker (and I mean very slight) hue to the natural leather, if I see that it has taken on this light "tanning" then I go to the dye stage. If not, then the second lighter coating gets put on and the same follow up process is used. By dyeing the leather after the oil has been applied and set I have found that it is rare that a second dye application is needed, but in those rare circumstances where it is needed I just apply it over the previous application (no buffing) and allow it to set for the full time frame. I only buff after the final application has been applied. I use either a large dauber or sheep's wool to apply my oil and, as stated before, only use the Pure NF Oil, the compound and some of those other blends (Lexol as well) have chemical compounds as part of the blend and it does not always play well with dyes/finishes. Not to mention, the chemicals can cause the leather to dry out more rapidly as they don't truly condition the leather with the oils and elements that it needs after handling. I too use a closed cell (very dense) sponge to apply my Resolene blend and I always dampen it lightly first so that the acrylic in the blend doesn't try to dry out too fast (after all, it has been reduced by 50 percent now and it goes on much thinner which allows it start setting almost instantly). Hope this helps a bit.

I too use the oil dyes and NF Oil but I only use PURE NF Oil as the compound can give you issues. I always do my oil first (apply evenly and just enough to sit on the surface) and then let it sit for about 8 hours and check to see that it is evening out. After 24 hours I will apply another coating of oil (lighter) and follow the check procedure and let it set up for another 24 hours. I buff the oiled leather to test for any take-off of oil (shouldn't be any but if there is then you know you need to "desaturate" it if you can"). If the buffing produces a clean take then I apply my dye and let it penetrate for 24 hours. If it needs another dye application then I apply it and let it set for 24 hours. Once set, I buff off the residue and then seal it with a 50/50 of Resolene and water. I do my oil process first because it gives the dye a more consistent look versus just dyeing the un-oiled leather which allows you the opportunity to apply less dye and prevents you from over-saturating your leather with the dye (which can cause it dry out, shrink, and a few other issues). Keep us posted on how it goes for you.

There is nothing that you can do to resist a spirit based dye. The best way to highlight the areas that you want to stand out (whether natural or full-color) is to brush paint the areas around the section that is to be "resisted" (for lack of a better term here) and then finish the rest of the main color with a dauber or other method. If the area to be highlighted was to be a lighter shade of the base color then what I do is give it an application of antique paste finish that has been blended down with reducer and apply it to the "resisted" section and the immediate surrounding areas. If the "resisted" area is full-color I will give it a Clear-Lac treatment (2 coatings, allowed to dry for 24 hours) and then go over it with an antique paste that matches in base tone to the dyed area. Time consuming work that many don't want to put into a finished project but the results are amazing when you get it down.

There is the Puget Sound Leather Artisans Co-Op up there; you can find them at www.plsac.org if that is what you are looking for. Good luck with your business too.

Where are you located? If you are in the U.S. then Ohio Travel Bag also carries some that are pre-cut so all you need to do is just sew them to the leather frame. Springfield Leather carries two types (two thicknesses) as well, you just have to cut to the size needed.

Just imagine it in your mind and then design it out on paper. This isn't a common item so you might be waiting awhile for someone to come up with one for you. Sorry to sound like I don't want to help but this is the way that we "item creators" work when we are creating a new project for the leather bench. Just a hint here on the picture that you are interested in: the side panels also include the handles so the construction/design is very simple.

The Angelus leather paints are water based, their dyes are alcohol based (posted right there on their website) so you need to make sure that the alcohol used isn't on the California "10 Most Wanted Criminals" list against the environment. As long as the alcohol base used isn't high V.O.C. or tagged as "cancer causing" (which living in California just about everything, including breathing, has been determined to cause cancer) you should be okay.

In California Tandy only sells the Eco-Flo line of products due to the vast number of laws that California has about VOC and everything else. The State basically finds everything in the world to be attributed to cancer in one way or another so that is where it stands. Being able to get anything of good quality (and in compliance with the law) is going to be one tough nut to crack. I know of several leather workers (primarily hobby level) that come here (Northern Nevada) from the Sacramento and surrounding areas to buy their Fiebing's dyes and products then transport them back home. Don't know of any issues related to such activity but that isn't saying that there may not be any. It is like everything else in life, you make a decision and accept the risk based on how comfortable you are with doing so. What products from the Eco-Flo line are you using? Although I don't use the water based products on a normal basis there are times when I do and I use the Professional Waterstains as they are made by Fenice of Italy. They make a very fine product and I have found (during testing) that they are heads and tails above the typical Eco-Flo product. Good luck in your search and be prepared to get information on several other product possibilities from others. The key thing to remember is that if it is not in compliance with the California laws regarding V.O.C.'s and is a chemical/spirit based product (of any kind) then you won't get it in California.

As already stated, the leather will give out way before the thread will and I have never doubled the thread at a stress point in my entire life working with leather. If you think about it, wouldn't that extra bulk (little as it may be) put extra stress at those points (providing that your holes have punched to a proper size and allow for a snug fit already)? You are on the right track in your thinking.

I personally see the future of leather working seeing a resurgence within the Northern American continent but with that resurgence I see more and more makers going to the machine route and that could cause the return of our trade to prominence to be short lived. I know that the use of sewing machines makes the work go faster but I can tell you from the days of doing saddle work that the difference between a hand-stitched saddle and a mass produced machine stitched saddle is about 30 years (or more). I gauge it in time because machine stitching is not different in our trade than it is in any other trade, it is a lock stitch and at some point a stitch is going to wear out (regardless of the method used) and we all know what happens when the stitching of a lock stitch breaks, it all comes undone. I also know that there are large number of leather workers (you can find them right here in this community) that live by the mantra of "laser cutting/design work". It give you a unique look to the finished product but it isn't really artistically demanding (not trying to bash anyone, just stating a fact) and really doesn't result in a handmade product in my book. Then there are those who thrive on making "premium/high-quality" leather goods from the wide range of pre-fabricated kits which again, isn't quite the same as what we professional leather workers do. I agree with you that there is an increase in such work coming back to the U.S. and Canada but having spent some serious time looking at some of these "handmade" goods (and I visit any one of them when I can), I have noticed that there really isn't much "handmade" to them; they were pretty much run through an automated press/clicker dye system, automated dyeing/finishing process, and then touched by a human just long enough to run it through a sewing machine and prep it for shipping/distribution. The reality is that we are seeing the same exact product as we know has been made in China (or any other foreign country) and have only changed the location of where it is made, nothing more. I do see those of us who stay true to the handmade methods of making our products being able to make a solid go of it and that is what has led me to open a small studio in my area. I have spent a few years doing the regional Craft Fair/Event tour and have had some good success but one thing always came up as a question and that was, "where is your studio?" Having a private work studio I didn't entertain a client there because it was not my business model but that is now changing because there have been several contacts that have been looking for me and I realize that it is in my best interest to make that move. I have a solid enough following around my area and I even have people who find me at whatever event I am at just to commission an order; now I will have a set location for that and it will be much more convenient for everyone. The best part about this studio is that I am among other Artists and small businesses where we have a unique community and location that is pretty much an indoor (all season) marketplace where the shopping public can find literally anything (from custom handmade Titanium jewelry to an indoor Farmers Market, to fresh beef (and other meats), to baked goods, to motorcycles (and toys), and much, much more, all in one place. And best of all, I am the ONLY leather craftsman in the entire area that actually sells publicly and has an outlet for my goods (and that even included any Craft Fairs/Events within a 200 mile radius). I basically have the entire market so why the heck not go for it? The only thing that I see possibly holding us back though is the continued increase in leather costs and the continued (and always expanding) over-regulation of the tanning industry by our governments (more so the U.S. as I am sure that the bulk of leather for Canada comes from here). If we can keep government out of industry (which I don't see happening) and somehow stabilize the cost of leather, it would sure make life for us a bit easier.

Being as you are using full-grain leather (which is what these are made of) you have the pores of the skin intact. Are you cutting your own leather bracelet strips or using pre-cut kit strips? I ask this because if you are using pre-cut kit strips, especially from Tandy, the leather they use is from the Craftsman Oak grade and you tend to get a bit more of this type of result. However, it is typically normal that you get to see some of the hair follicles. That is the beauty of natural, full-grain cowhide; it hasn't been sanded, puttied, and rolled to create that "perfect" appearance (and totally fake) look that most believe leather is. You are working with the finest grade of leather (as a whole) and this natural grain look is exactly what you should have. Just a tip (don't know if you tried it yet), when using the Eco-Flo Gel Antiques make sure that you wipe off the excess quickly before it sets up, then you can go back over with a damp (very slight moisture) and pull a little bit of the remaining "extra" from the leather. Also, once your stain/dye has dried for about 24 hours you will need to apply a finish coating of Resolene or Super/Satin Sheen over it and allow it to dry as well. The application of the top finish will also remove a little more of the coloring (this is natural as you will always have some residual pigments remain no matter how much you buff) so you will see some changes to the overall appearance through each step of the finishing process.

You are correct Ray; Kevin was told by Tandy that they would no longer be able to get the special pricing that they had been as a distributor of their products. Guess it was all for the best because Springfield Leather is now making their own kits for quite a few items and when you actually look at these kits they are much nicer looking than what you can get from Tandy. Although I haven't worked with a kit for well over 30 years, if I was interested in using one or two I would be getting them from Springfield for sure. It is too bad that we have seen all of this go South (no pun intended there buddy) but we all know that when a company gets the impression that they are the "Ultimate Outlet" for the market which they serve, the writing is on the wall; guess they should consider learning how to read again. I have no doubt that as long as Kevin and any of the other companies out there who place customers and their satisfaction before the bottom line, shall be around for a very long time. I will not do business with anyone who's sole focus is on "sell, sell, sell" and "increasing market share at any cost"; if you can't take care of me and my needs in a professional and educated manner, I will go where I know I can get it (even if it costs a bit more). It me, and my fellow leather workers here and around the world, that keep them in business and we don't like being treated poorly.