DavidL

Id like to know as well for creasing and for edge burnishing. For edge burnishing I tried a soldering iron and it charred the edges giving it an interesting look with the iron. When I touched the iron it gave me a burn immediately so it was already too hot. Probably hot to the touch or can't leave your finger on it for more than a second without hurting yourself is the right temp although not very scientific. Would any one know if edge burnishing the iron needs to be done edge paint or edge dye first or after? Will the paint burn in contact with the iron?

Thanks Macca for that tip.

il give it a look on youtube. Makes it easier in theory since the corners are the hardest part. Does any one use a compass, different sized 2 prong irons or round awl to mark up the corner stitch/ slightly larger stitch?

The irons I have is a 9spi 4 prong vergez and 7spi dixon 8 prong. Im trying to buy a 5,6,7 SPI 2 prong vergez blanchard to help change the length of the last 2 stitches to exactly fit the edge. Are the prongs at 5,6,7 all the same height and angle (9 SPI blanchard is very small impressions are the 5,6,7 slightly similar in size to each other, the same or are varied). Has anyone ordered the vergez blanchard pricking wheel w/ edge guide in 4 different sizes?How hard of an impression does it make for a single mark? It will be a better tool to buy a pricking wheel if it can make a slight indentation 30 percent -50 percent of an iron that can go through an entire 4 ounce piece. Afterwards I can get away buying in the future, a 2 prong iron of the different sizes and use it w/ the pricking wheel for up to 10cm long stitching lines. Then progress to a 6 prong vergez iron of a 5,6,7 and will still be able to use the wheel to premark. Does any one have any other suggestions to mark the last few holes leading to a corner? Im also eyeing a single prong iron from vergez but don't know how well it will work in keeping it the same angle as the other marks.

Very nice looking bag. You could thin down the edges for the gusset part and sew it flesh side to flesh side with piping in the middle. When the piping is 3-5cm away from the top edge sandwich the piping in between the two pieces so it no longer shows and stitch it up like same way, just like the first thumbnail. Alternatively, you can sew it up like the second thumbnail with "bias tape" except using leather instead of fabric. Pretty much the exact opposite of the tote you have where the edges turn in instead of out on your pictures. The thinner the edges of the gusset the less bulky it will look.

Don't know too much about sewing machines but this looks like a singer 45k alternative, which is a good machine that is price 450-1k in working condition (the singer).

its from etsy.

Its hard to explain but its a really simple change. the stitch from one card slot to the other, the"Connecting stitch" should be completely centred so that it is less likely to tear since the stitch is farther away from the edge or not in the middle of the card slots. Normally if the stitch is 4mm long per stitch then 2mm of the stitch would be on one card slot and the 2mm remaining length would be on the other card slot making the "connecting stitch" even.

Looks good! How does the clip work? Also you may want to make the stitch centred for the card slot.

very nice! any tips on how to assembled the sidestrap and front pouch to stay parallel and in the proper place.

1000 stitches and you will get great results

I saw online a person was making a purse and instead of using a splitter said that they used a machine skiver and did it bit by bit. How is this done? is it effortless to do? Is it an even skive? Thanks.

Sure no problem. If your willing to take criticism (which you do well), use it and make them into habits. Theres no doubt that the next kickstarter will be able to reach the goal. Before I was under the assumption that I didn't need a plan and eventually became apparent its impossible to account for everything, to the best way I should make the tiers on kickstarter, to what colours would sell best, which leather will last longer, will this leather have any issues in 2 months time, how much leather to buy for bulk discount, how to reduce cost yet keep the value the same, whens the best time to set it up and 100 more different questions over a 10-20 page business plan.

Theres a difference between what you want and what you will receive. Try to get a 2.5k pledge and hopefully you get 3-4k making it approx. 2-3k net profit after taxes, paypal fees, kickstarter fees. Use that to finance the machine or submit your business plan to try to get a business loan for equipment. From the start it should have been apparent that the goal was set too high for the pricing. People think kickstarter is easy money but if someone selling something similar on kickstarter you are competing with them. (not saying you, but it should be a properly planned like an actual business proposal to a bank or entrepreneur - think shark tanks or dragons den) Honestly if you did try it 2 times already on kickstarter and they both failed it should be indicative to something thats going wrong, not planning. You need to put more prep in otherwise however many times you try it will most likely not succeed, you could fail 8 times before you make a single pledge by luck. Some plans after writing them out you will realize they are bound to fail so its like trying to sail a boat across the ocean without the checking if theres enough water, food, if there is abnormal weather, maintenance of the boat, or even the path planned out. Chances of succeeding on a boat without any prep is 10 percent. If a huge company like Nike for instance makes a sub company and for some odd reason put it on kickstarter they could probably get away without even putting too much planning since they have facilities and the connections and the brand behind them (even if they hardly tried they have proper graphic designers, industrial designers, production managers, production workers, highly skilled videographers. Without planning there success rate is 60-80 percent on a kickstarter pledge. Even a big companies chances decrease (by much less than me or you) if they don't plan, for reasons you encountered. With planning and taking a few months for prototypes and testing materials, getting the shipping distribution and costing their success rate increased by 20ish percent. If you did all the planning (every thing above) your success rate will be 75-80 percent without it is down to 20-30 percent and sometimes even less than 5 percent or 0 if the plan is totally off, making it more like gambling and hoping it works rather than planning and knowing what your odds are. Make a business plan - doesnt have to be extremely detailed. Prototype your wallet at least 4-5 different designs - pick one then make sure the edges are right, stitching, every tiny detail - make the last prototype then test it and then the final production after tweaks if necessary. Try different leathers that are available - it looked like you found the cheapest hide from tandy or SLC and then made a wallet as fast as you could then made an even faster video and kickstarter pledge. Take 3-4 months if you need to take out any flaws in production or polish up any areas.

heat from a soldering iron is the only way to burnish chrome tan. Horween is vegetable and chrome tan so it could be burnished by hand.

Heres real honest advice. The goal is really high for your pricing. To reach your goal would take roughly 400-650 wallets made ranging from the $15- 35. Almost unattainable, unless your product is top shelf, and at 15- 25 dollars people will think it isn't well made compared to one at 45-50 dollars (just because the true price of the wallet is 5 dollars to sell at 10 dollars profit is not as profitable as making a wallet thats true cost is 12 dollars and selling it at 42). If you did a poll most people are willing to spend 35-59 dollars on a wallet if its made in the USA, well crafted, comes with 5 year warranty AND Horweens leather. Do not undersell your product and learn the needs, wants and demographic of your consumer. At that goal your product should be on par with other established goods on the market, EX. etsy goods and made in China wallets. Your product should be extremely well crafted and be selling for 40-45 for 8k goal. As an estimate your break even point is $1500 or 2000. So you could redo your pledge if it doesnt reach the goal and reset it at 2k-3k goal. You also don't offer any other products like keychains or even different colours, lowering your odds. Once you get that goal, invest in a few dies or something to aid manufacturing process and continue to make a product and sell it until you get enough for a laser cutter.

Im interested in japanese leather supplier too. Only way I know is to attend a leather fair that they are stationed at.

I went with the cheapest one from leathercraftool.com located in Japan the knife was really cheap 15 dollars USD. Only issue was it was not 100 percent straight so I had to redo the blade. After touch up on a stone and strop it was sharp and was worth more than 15 dollars. However the metal isn't hard and can't hold an edge well. The 50 dollar ones on leathercraftool look nice. Also the ones from goods japan look good too. Cant go wrong with either. The best one would be from goods japan going for 150ish shipped to USA made of damascus steel.

You can always use polyester or a cheaper leather for the inside. Is the calf leather from france not able to make the same wallet from that link without being too sloppy?

Not sure which is front or back side.. Also easier since the hit from the iron on the backside makes sure that there aren't any blowout holes, just even impressions that the awl can slide through.

Im not sure if hermes uses stiffeners (probably not plastic at least) so it could be just two pieces of leather stitched together for more stiffness. So maybe thats how it holds shape in bags? I have seen barenia used in hermes goods and its stiff and holds shape like vegtan since its combination tan of veg and chrome plus aniline dyed. I may have to look at french goat skin for a stiffer leather. First choice was kangaroo but the importing tax into canada is too much.

Thanks, that was what i was looking for.

sure. Also forgot to mention with the japanese utility knife you can also use it to trim edges flush if you add a liner the hangs over.

thanks guys. So anything under the name aniline leather I can assume 90 percent of the time its chrome tanned? and the 10percent, veg or combination tan?

Im having trouble figuring out the hand of leathers like aniline and chrome leathers. I've only dealt with chrome upholstery leather and never dealt with aniline tanned leathers. 1.In general how is the stiffness of leather like aniline or chrome leathers - do certain processes change the stiffness?(How can I tell if the leather drapes or has no shape like fabric, without having samples at hand) 2. If I take a hide and turn it into aniline upholstery leather (no shape, drapes) and take a similar hide and turn it into slightly stiffer aniline shoe leather if they are both aniline dyed how come one is softer and the other is stiff (what is the step/ingredient that makes the leather stiff or soft in aniline leathers).