Lining Color

[Lining Color]

So, I'm finishing a very large leather messenger bag, and I'd like to line it with some pigskin, but I'm really waffling on what color to use. I'm using a pretty dark brown color for the leather, and I was initially thinking of using a light, natural color for the lining. But my local Tandy doesn't have one piece that could line all the pieces. Alternatively, they do have a large piece of black pigskin that would line all the pieces. But I'm not sure it's gonna look good. Does anyone have pictures of a dark brown bag lined with black? Frankly, I could probably get an idea even if it isn't leather.

[New Wallet]

I've had good luck with hand-stitching consistency by using a stitching groover, or whatever that thing is called. It's the one that lets you drag it along the edge of the leather, and it carves out a groove for stitching. I have to be careful at the corners, so I don't overcut the groove, but I use it before I punch the holes for stitching. I like the look of the diamond hole stitching, but I happened to have purchased the lacing hole punchers that are straight, so all the thread (I don't actually use lacing) lines up nicely into the groove and looks really even.

[Briefcase - A Learning Experience]

I know I'm going to sound like a salesman, but a friend of mine recommended K & J Magnetics for magnets, and they claim the magnets don't loose strength unless they are heated.

[Where To Buy Magnets For Cell Phone Cases?]

Definitely check out K & J Magnetics

[Exterior Pocket For Messenger Bag]

I devised an interior wallet system for it instead, which I honestly like even better than a pocket!

Sjohnsone, could you talk a little about how you did that? I'm working on a messenger bag, and I'd love to hear about how you did the pockets. I'm sort of putting off pockets. It doesn't seem like inside pockets could be done without a lining, unless the stitching was gonna show on the outside.

[I Have A Shop, And Omg What A Shop It Is]

I live in Memphis and I'm working on a shop attached to my garage, so the garage is hot and stuffy during the summer and cold, dry and stale during the winter. Do I need to store my unworked leather inside in the air conditioning?

Congrats, by the way. I know I'm excited about my shop.

[Beeswax]

I .. feel awkward because I forgot that Dwight posted his recipe in this thread.

What's awkward?

[Beeswax]

awkward...

Look up a few posts. That's Dwight's recipe. 50:50 by weight. I tried it and found 1 Pound of beeswax to 3/4 of a quart Neatsfoot oil is about the right mixture. Stays soft enough after heating to allow me to work it ino the leather. If you use to little oil it hardens as soon as you apply it and is very difficult to work.

Jon

[Beeswax]

One of the old-timers (i think) has actually recommended the formula of 1:1 beeswax to neetsfoot oil (by weight, not volume). No tallow. I can't remember who it was, tho. It might have been posted in a different forum. I either found it while looking through the "how do i do that" forum or when I searched for "bag".

I was doing a little research today on buying beeswax wholesale; which I was successful. While I was on the website I downloaded a formula for waterproofing leather. The formula read 5 oz. beeswax, .5 oz of tallow and 5 oz. of neatsfoot oil. Together heat all to 160 degree F. This sounds like a good process for waterproofing but, has anyone used this or something like it? If so please tell me what tallow is and where I can get it. Would I be using something like this and not even know?

[Why Does This Keep Happening !]

Hey Particle. The reason I had sewn it first was because I have been afflicted with a disease (it appears to be incurable) that renders me incapable of cutting out two pieces of leather, supposedly the same measurements, and assembling them so that the edges align. Bless me, but i just cant do it ! Soooo - i left a little extra around the edges and trimmed it. I thought by sewing it first, there would be no room for the pieces to move around when I was cutting it.

Next time I am going to do as you suggested, die first then sew. (Maybe cement the pieces to keep 'em in place while trimming the edges ?).

thanks for your advice.

I'm not an experienced leatherworker, but from what I've seen and read, I was under the impression that it's a pretty normal workflow to dye, sew, trim, and then touch-up the edges. I'm currently planning a messenger bag, and I'm still debating on whether I want to dye it, but this is what I was planning to do if I ended up dying it.

[Need A Strap Cutter]

So, what is the best way (or some supporting techniques) to getting that first edge to be straight? I've got plenty of 12" rulers, and even an 18" square, but even a yard stick isn't long enough to cut a 50" strap. Should I get some of those small 38 lb (2 in) clamps from home depot, and clamp 2 yard sticks to the leather and the table?

[New Bag]

Please consider changing that link and hosting the image elsewhere. That web site contains pornographic images as advertisements. Perhaps the advertisements are random and may or may not be inappropriate but it may be NSFW.