DavidL

Looks great! I like how you added the wrinkles into the pants. For the canoe did you split the leather using a splitter or a skiver? If its a splitter do you have any recommendations on a cheap splitter for leathers under 3 ounces (Most I see are over 3 thousand USD).

It could be one of the tanneries listed here. http://forum.purseblog.com/hermes/lots-of-info-4-u-hermes-tanneries-and-436633.html Originally I was thinking weinheimer leder although they are a german company and the writing is in french. Try tannery d'annonay on google.

There could be a difference in the way the leather bends depending if you fold it with the grain or against the grain. Maybe someone has actual scientific testing to check if its true or un true. Does the grain go from tail to head or spine to belly? With paper at least if I remember correctly folding or curving against the grain is best - Grain running up and down, curving the paper left to right. Could play a role in leather when making things like round containers, especially parts like straps that take on a lot of pressure and whether you want it to have some stretch or no stretch. Most will say to cut the pattern horizontally rather than vertically, but never diagonally, so there could be a benefit in choosing a horizontal compared to a vertical for certain applications. if grain direction actually makes a difference when cutting it may make a difference in when you make a gusset, round curve like a container for longevity or strength, If anyone has any knowledge or an article do share..

Thanks I will check out the Noya press.

This is a hypothetical question. At the moment I don't need a clicker press. Im curious if anyone has done any research on finding how much it would cost to get someone to construct a metal manual clicker press like the one from weaver leather - If its even possible and how large can a manual clicker press be while still using only muscle strength The price for the weaver leather manual press is around 1500 for a 8 inch by 12 inch so anything under that would be better, a bigger press like a 24 by 12 would be good too. For those with experience in engineering is it possible to get a clicker of 24 by 12 inches with two pull down handles welded together (like two weaver clickers side by side or one) to cut out large parts like the side of bags. Could a clicker be made with a single huge mechanism to click the entire 24 by 12 or would it be better with two mechanisms, two handles. Would be clicking out bag patterns that need two clicks. http://www.leathermachineco.com/product/hand-operated-clicker/

You could make registration marks on the two pieces. left side, right side, bottom. Before you put it together either do one of the two methods (there are several methods). Only mark with the pricking iron on one piece glue together then sew. Method two - mark up both pieces with a pricking iron except for the corners and free hand the corners (or mark up the face side all the way around, on the gusset piece mark everything but the curved part). keep in mind flesh side to flesh the pattern should give the gusset enough width so that it isn't tight unless thats the desired outcome. When glueing, glue the two ends two ends together first and you will know from there how much bend/tension will be needed around the corners and you can check if it fits correctly. Casting the stitch is more forgiving (on the back side stitches) than a regular saddle stitch so that should be considered... exception is on thin soft suede like leathers that can't handle the tension.

That sounds about right invasion. Another thing, slightly off topic is that on nearly every material that was very soft (think suede) nearly none will have a proper angled stitch or even stitching when casting the thread. The hole closes up smaller as it has more stretch than oil or veg tan. The casting of the thread may create more tension too that is bad for soft leathers. while stitching thin leathers like suede the only acceptable stitch is without casting in my experience.

Back side needs a bit of attention, less tension to prevent puckering along side using a poly board over the tree stump I use while hitting the holes .. right needle goes to the top hole and move the loop (thread closest to me in the loop) over the needle and away from me. Alternatively you could put the needle top of the hole and under the loop, no need to actually throw the thread over or if you prefer to put the right needle bottom of the hole . All three ways for me give the exact same stitch. .58mm thread 7 spi dixon - reprofiled 3mm wide awl horween leather back side, calf skin front

it would be best to choose how large a hole you want on the backside first and decide the size of awl that can make that hole pushed all the way through. You may need to test out different awls, threads (round + braided of different sizes), leathers of diff. thickness till you can see the differences in the stitching. In my experience mushy leathers don't stitch well(harder to keep consistent angles), the harder the better. anything in the middle like combination tan, stiffer chrome tan also works well. .58-.65mm round thread, 7 spi, stiff veg tan/horween/kangaroo veg(provide similar stitching vs softer pliable leathers), 38mm awl (3mm thickness) works well for me, although i been wanting to try a slightly larger awl too. If you like I could post pics if you want to see the difference. Your stitching looks good. if you want the stitch more angled use a larger awl or smaller thread at the same size awl. Are you using a dixon iron? Im starting to believe that the newer dixons are made with larger prongs to stitch .6mm-1mm tiger thread. The .6mm tiger thread is nearly double the size of .6mm round thread, needing more room to get the same angle.

fine leather working.com has edge paint 4 ounces for 18. It says in the description it is concentrated and used in high end brands. Could be relabelled stahl edge paint. One question to yoji - did you get any info about how long the paint will last before it expires. I read from another member 1 year until it expires although I'm not sure on his source of info. I contacted stahl.com and they will be replying shortly. They have representatives in USA.

It would be interesting to get a real beginners guide going and have members write up suggestions, tips and tricks and general information and we can submit a small write up on a specific subject and if it is approved by the moderators or a poll then it is added and those who can add on more in-depth can submit a version of their work. For a single persons perspective it would take a long while to get this written, with everyone involved there would be a more complete guide from everyones experiences. we can refer back to the guide for new members that have the same questions like a textbook . We can incorporate already made pdfs like hide pounders edge burnishing guide if he allows it and there are a bunch of those who have knowledge first hand in making saddles, bags, belts. Here are a few categories that would be helpful- A sub thread would be interesting in how do i do that? There could be a sticky of the main write up by the members and we could have categories that you can submit a pdf write up sort of like how hide pounder's burnishing guide is but an entire section dedicated to tutorials. old recipes - conditioners, dyes, sealer, waxes tips and tricks - jigs, techniques common beginner mistakes I think it could be a step up to have all the information in categories and all the questions in how do i do that.

stiffener is regularly used in the bottom of bags and areas that need strength. Calf skin, flexible plastic, hard plastic (luggage bags) or leather splittings can be used for stiffening . If money wasn't an issue first choice for me would be kangaroo chrome tan/veg tan. Usually the stiffeners are a few mm away from the edges out of sight. A few bags using thin draping type leather around 2 ounces will use plastic stiffeners pre cut to size in between the outer and inner leather. Its possible for bags using chrome tan (in between stiff and draping) to have no stiffener in certain areas, only one 3 ounce outer and one 3 ounce inner. Its a matter of whether or not you want that part to be stiff (briefcase, bottom of bag, pocket) or you designed it to have a natural slouch. Theres no absolute one way as there are many ways for the end product to look and what texture hard or soft you want that portion to feel (although with different materials plastic vs chrome tan you can create subtle differences). Try the different materials out and you can figure out what will create a stiff you will need a glazing iron for edges using chrome tan.

I use it vertically, I move the (stiff) leather slightly to the left so I can see the hole looking straight ahead and once I have the awl in the hole I let go of the piece and it goes back to its original position. On softer flexible leathers I place the leather's stitching line an inch above the jaws of the clamp. The leather will want to naturally lean to the left or right on bigger pieces. I temporarily hold the leather vertical when I stitch with my thumb and pointer finger, when I finish the stitch the leather goes back slumped to the left where I can see the holes and position my awl without moving my head. There are many ways to do it but it works fine for what I'm after.

What are a few items that you can: Make with the scraps: like lanyards, key fobs ect. Make that are easy to assemble and produce. Items that take a little bit of time to make and sell for more What do you do for items that you want to cut labour time on. Like rivets rather than stitching, machine stitching, die cutting ect. Are there any others you do on certain parts to save time like make parts in bulk before hand, different materials. Especially on edges, hand stitching, cutting that you picked up over the years.

you will need paperwork for most exotic animals hides, I think even if you buy it from within the country (if you plan to resell you need the papers). There is one factory in singapore don't remember the name but remember it being referred to as one place hermes buys from or maybe owns(?). If all else fails try J meyers, a leather watch strap maker in Chinatown in one of the buildings (condominium with retail stores on the ground and second floor). address should be on his website. He doesnt sell the skins retail but may be able to point you in the right direction or sell a hide or two. Good luck.

I use the fiebings contact cement (pva glue) and it works good as long as you keep both pieces somewhat damp. Once it dries at least for me they don't stick together like contact cement. If I can find a contact cement that does not smell that would be my first choice.

The main thing that I would work on is the gaps in-between the pockets. The fastest way to practice this is to do it 10-30 times on some scraps, Make the scraps 3 cm wide and overlap them by so they sit flush. Just focusing on doing it 30 times is the same as getting the practice of doing 6 wallets and also doing them all in a row is easier to pick up mistakes. Repeat this style of practicing for corner stitching, stitching the gaps in between the pockets (the stitch usually doesnt sit in the middle of the pockets) burnishing edges and cutting out different styles of pockets you will eventually be able to master the techniques. Its all about doing small steps at a time and in no time it leads to being able to make briefcases and bags with ease. Imagine it like practicing before competing for a match, practicing is important but actually making the products puts your practicing to the test. If you prefer to just go project to project it takes much longer to learn yet it is less stressful as you pick it up naturally.

there are a few jigs that can set the angles for you like the wicked edge. I don't know if they work well with the round knife though. You can go as low budget as sandpaper in several grits or one thats popular are dmt diamond stones that sharpen faster than other options. knife people will use several stones or 2 stones at minimum, one medium another fine and a strop w/ green compound.

If you offer enough customization options that could be enough to satisfy a majority of customers. So for example a wallet you can break it down to categories - stitching colour, leather selection, burnish edges or raw edges, initials. you decide how many category will be available and in each category the amount of selection. A simple piece of paper with options printed out could work, if they want to do more details you can tell them to look else where. Custom work takes time and should be much more than a regular item. At the end of the day it depends on you to decide the outlook of the company and the executive decisions not the customers, just do keep it within reason. Regular off the shelf is so much more cheaper to produce because of economy of scale. for off the shelf - You can stock up on fewer leathers and in bigger bulk and have products done before hand plus no need for all that back and forth. for custom - all that is worth more than off the shelf and in my opinion should be 1.5 times more to 3 times +, more for a one of a kind plus its more emotional experience.

I agree what bob is saying and i will add onto that. A great advice that I heard is for a company to take a stance on how much you are willing to sell for the product that you put into the marketplace. So if you believe you have a great product, great marketing (what your brand represents), then you set a price on your product and you stand by that decision and the marketplace will determine if they are willing to pay that price. Rather than the flip side where they put a product out and instead of standing by that price, they change the price lower till people start buying. Its counter intuitive because that takes away from the perceived value and undercuts the company. Value based pricing - Make the best product you can within reason, cut corners on only the necessary things, marketing the product as something that and set the highest price you think the product and company values are worth and try not to undercut yourself. product first money second Mass market - Make a product for a certain price point, cut a few corners to output product faster and cheaper without the customers being pissed that its a crappy product. set a price thats lower and try to take on the competition by offering deals, different new styles and something affordable. Money first product second Of course these aren't set in stone and there are products or companies that do things differently. Good luck.

When I say "you" i mean companies in general. Theres other potential markets like the luxury market for dogs if you are interested vs the premium. the higher up you go the more specific your audience gets. Dog carriers,dog crates or dog clothing made of leather and man made materials can sell in the hundreds, women are the largest buyers. Im generalizing when i say that women tend to buy more luxury product, however its where there is a big market. Premium is right in the middle of mass market and luxury, which is where you are right now I imagine and where most leatherworkers are. Have you considered spending more on internet adverts or polishing up your business plan to iron out weak areas in your plan or how to gain more exposure. A great thing companies do now is donate goods/money for every purchase to foundations

Many high end companies use die cutters to cut out patterns, probably more than 70 percent at minimum use them. Customers are willing to trade off a few things for price, hand stitching is one of the more popular ones people look for and if it was made 90 percent by hand its still a good ratio. The marketing in the long run has more effect than if it is machine made (majority hand made is best unless you are trying to meet a price point) especially for small one man businesses. There are a lot of ways to go about it. Dies are also not expensive as you think they can be bought for 20-100+ dollars a piece for steel rule (cheaper made). forged dies are more heavy duty and cost more. They aren't razor sharp on purpose and last a while before they need to be sharpened again. Also I think the larger height dies are better 1/2 inch vs 3/8th inch and are same price most of the time. Do keep in mind that dies that are bent to shape will have rounded edges and those that are cut and welded in the corners will have 90 degree corners. Dixon has some dies that they sell that are precisely measured by machine and then hand done. They laser groove your pattern onto a wood block and bend the die to the pattern and place it in the groove - Wood form die.

I think the best way is to have potential buyers first understand why your product or custom made is better than the regular walmart stuff. You could potentially convert those who are walmart buyers to buy if you make a good enough impression. One of the most important things I see that is "wrong" is to seem in your description that its forced or feel like you are potentially overselling your product. Avoid trying to say why walmart stuff is bad (unless you are competing against walmart) and the focus should be on the quality of your products, the materials that go into it and most importantly the process of leatherworking. If you compare yourself to walmart junk then it would say that your stuff is slightly better than walmart when it shouldn't be in the discussion Ex. Lamborghini doesnt compare them selves to Honda, its a given that lamborghini is a luxury where Honda is economy. It is in my opinion very unlikely to start off as a luxury brand, but more likely that people start as premium (discussed below). in my opinion leather working is an art form like painting and is more than just a leather product that should be conveyed. The fact that its domestically made. Made of high quality materials. Skillfully made. Keep in mind there are many categories like there are in the clothing industry - for t shirt fast fashion, mass market (cheap and affordable - gap, walmart) $10 premium brand ( affordable luxury - diesel, coach) $30 Designer brand $70 Luxury brand $250 If your selling holsters then the range is smaller but some sell for less and others in the $100+ range depending on the name I would imagine. All about give and take, the more reputable and well known the more you can sell for, among other things psychological and sociological. People will pay for experiences like watching stand up comedy or riding a roller coaster even though they are intangible. If your product has some psychological or sociological factors which is a whole other subject, that is a form of value that makes a luxury product a luxury product. A common thing with luxury products are they come from companies that are several decades old. I suppose they start off as premium brands then as the years progress they go up the ladder if they get more popular while retain their core values. They in the end would be top of the chain luxury brand.

didn't know that about contact cement. How about water based or no toluene/low odour contact cements, I hear they aren't as good. Just need something that I can use thats safe, doesnt have a strong odour and bonds well. I used to use acetone from time to time without a mask and the smell is hard to work with more than a few minutes, the last contact cement had a smell to it too.

One theory is the leather is too short and the leather is pulling closer and puckering, you could give it at least 1+cm per side extra to the top portion and side portion of the pattern so that the top wont look taught creating a wavy look. If thats not the case you could try skiving where you have side pieces stitched to lose some bulk that may have some effect on the waviness. I made a bag similar to this and the bag will naturally want to droop. To give it an exact shape you have to add stiffeners that can hold its shape.