Bicicouture

Thank you very much! Very very helpful! I will look into the bottle jack press. It's kind of what I had in mind but I didn't know if there was another way people were doing this. Thanks again!

Hello! I've been using a 1/2 ton arbor press to stamp my makers mark on to my products. It's a very small brass plate that I use. However I recently got a custom order and the stamp that Im using for this job is much bigger, it's 4"x2" brass plate with a fair amount of detail. I am not sure how to go about stamping it. I am stamping on 3/4 oz leather. The leather is going to be dyed by me so I have tried dying the leather and immediately stamping it, it helps get a better impression when the leather is a bit moist from the dye. However, the pressure is not even and I am thinking it is because of the size of the brass plate? Does anyone have any experience with this? Any information would be useful! Happy holidays!

Thanks for the info! I have used the #2 beveler for the 3/4 oz but I can only use it if I put the edge of the leather on top of a ruler or something similar to a ruler to raise it. I hope that makes sense. I don't really like having to raise the leather because it makes for a lot of room for error and it is also hard to go around rounded edges.

Hi there! I am needing to bevel the edges of some 3/4 oz. Hermann Oak veg tan leather. I have a #2 edge beveler from Tandy that I have always used on 8/9 oz. leather but of course it doesn't work on the 3/4oz. I am looking into buying an edger or edge beveler and I was wondering what the best size would be to get. I have been looking at the Barry King Common Edger Size: 0. Would that be the correct size for the weight I am working with? Also, is there a difference between an edge beveler and an edger? I see that only edgers come in sizes below 2. Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!

Hi there! I am needing to bevel the edges of some 3/4 oz. Hermann Oak veg tan leather. I have a #2 edge beveler from Tandy that I have always used on 8/9 oz. leather but of course it doesn't work on the 3/4oz. I am looking into buying an edger or edge beveler and I was wondering what the best size would be to get. I have been looking at the Barry King Common Edger Size: 0. Would that be the correct size for the weight I am working with? Also, is there a difference between an edge beveler and an edger? I see that only edgers come in sizes below 2. Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving!

Thank you for the reply! I have tried searching on ebay but have had no luck. Is there a specific name for this punch? I was searching card slot punch leather. Thanks! Yeah, i was looking into possibly having a custom one made as I've had no luck finding one.

Hello! Does anyone know if there is such a thing as a credit card slot punch? I usually punch two small holes then cut across to make card slots in wallets. I was thinking it would be much easier and precise if there was a punch that did this instead.

Thank you for your replies everyone! I told my supplier and they weren't much help, they put a piece out in the sun to see if it would tan but they have not got back to me on it. You are right that the tanneries are from South America. I would love to only use Herman Oak on everything but that doubles my cost per sq. ft. I might just have to raise my prices by a bit to make up for it. For now I will be using Herman Oak for anything natural as cem said and this local leather for my dyed products. Its unfortunate to have to go to two completely separate locations to purchase my leather and supplies. I am glad a few people know what i talking about though, I thought maybe i was doing something wrong.

Hello! A few months ago my local leather supplier switched over to buying from a new tannery. I have noticed that the new leather does not patina, it just ends up looking kind of dirty after a few months of use. I have been working with 8/9 oz Veg Tan leather for about 4 years now and I have never encountered pieces like these. This isn't a problem for products that I dye but it is for products that I leave natural. I love watching the natural leather age and darken but this new leather just doesnt seem to do that. I also put it to the test with a few products that I use to see how it would react. I tested some Skidmores leather cream and some saddle oil on a few natural pieces. My local supplier was out of the 8/9 oz for a few weeks so I had to go out to buy a Hermann Oak piece from another supplier as that is all that they carried, of course Hermann Oak leather tanned and reacted nicely. I am wondering if anyone has ever experienced this? Is there something that leather could have been coated with? I spoke to my supplier about it and they said it isnt coated with anything and are surprised that it is not getting its natural patina. You can see that the new leather had some spotting once I put the saddle oil on it. Any information would help!

Hi Dwight! Thank you for the tips!

Thank you for your reply! You make a very good point. I have a few bags that sit in my shop but they are being handled pretty often even if it is just to show someone or for me to look at as a reference when making another bag. I know it was an odd question but I am just trying to be well prepared for the show and try to ask about anything that could possibly go wrong. That is very interesting. I can't seem to find any information on the bacteria you mentioned. Does it go by any other name?

Hi there! Thank you for the compliment. Although I did not write this to bring attention to my work, if I wanted to do that I would have posted it in the "show off" section. I am not doubting my products as I have had some for 3+ years that I use very often. It was just a thought, and I realize that the question is odd but I am trying to be well prepared for this show. I have never made items that have just sat in my shop without being used, I was wondering if there was any proper care that should be given to the bags every few months or weeks. Thank you for your reply.

Hello! I am going to have a booth at a craft-show this summer and I need to start making some items that will be ready to sell. Usually I make all of my items to order so they dont just sit around. This may seem like an odd question but do leather products have a shelf life? I know leather can crack or harden if it sits. I hand stain all of my products with oil dyes and finish them with atom balm, and I mostly make small bags you can check them out here (www.bicicouture.etsy.com). If I make a few bags and have them sit from now until end of July do you think they will be ok if they are not being used. What do you guys think? I live in Los Angeles, just incase anyone has any comments about the temperature they are in.

Thought i'd update this post! I ordered my Makers Stamp from Philips Engraving. Extremely pleased with how it turned out and the quick turn around! Took exactly one week from the time I placed the order to the day I got it. Here is a photo of it! It is so exciting to have a stamp with your name/company name on it.

Thank you! I forgot to mention that I use 8-9 oz Veg Tan leather. Thank you for the link! I will check that out. I havent done much research on heat embossing, will be sure to do so. Thank you!

I try to buy leather that has a pretty smooth flesh side, IF i do happen to get a piece that is kinda ugly then I coat it with Fiebings Tan Kote. I used to burnish all of the flesh side of my bags with Gum Tragacath but I applying Tan Kote is easier and less time consuming. If possible and if available try to buy a higher grade leather.

Hello, I have been selling a bit on Etsy and I have not been branding my bags but I really need to start. Where did you buy your maker stamp? Has anyone ever purchased one on etsy from one of the sellers on there? Some of them are pretty affordable about $35-50. I have been thinking of buying one from one of them I am just not sure if the quality will be great since the price is so low. Also, when applying your stamp I know that leather needs to be wet in order for it to take it, do you just moisten the are where the stamp is gonna go? Does that stain the leather at all? I am taking a beginners carving and tooling class and I am always told that when I wet a piece of leather I should always wet the entire piece so that it does not leave any stains in certain areas.

I have never tried, but there is no harm in trying it out on a scrap piece and seeing how it works out!

The camo printed leather is awesome! Beautiful work!

I buy a lot of my metal hardware from Strapworks fast shipping and reasonable prices. I believe they are in Oregon. I live in Los Angeles and my orders arrive within 2-3 days.

Beautiful workshops! Got some good ideas from them.

Hello! My name is Yomahra and I have a very small business that I run from home. It is called Bici Couture and I make leather bags for bicycles, mopeds and motorcycles. You can check out my shop here www.bicicouture.etsy.com . I have been leather crafting for about 5 years now and I absolutely love it! I recently started a beginners course on leather carving and tooling at a local shop. This is my first forum experience and I hope to share some of the knowledge that I have on leather working and of course I cant wait to learn from everyone here.