antipaladin

I've made some "exotic" belts and holsters...an alligator, a sharkskin and a stingray.The exotic needs something behind it. I use hard rolled horsehide as a backing layer, dyed to match or complement the outer skin. I skive the exotic before gluing and saddle stitching it to the horsehide, then burnish the edges with heavy ballistic nylon cloth to fuse them together so it looks like just one layer of leather. The gator and shark will give you a REAL good workout if you're rubbing by hand. I think I got about a foot done during Battlestar Galactica last week. The stingray is another story...I'm going to have to buy a burnisher for that baby.

Is there a way to make the flesh side edges of suede lined leather attractive? Most of the time I've seen a leather border stitched up to the edge with the suede ending right before it becomes visible between the "edge sandwich". I thought about folding the suede edges over, gluing and then sewing. I'd still edge both sides of the leather, but the suede would be about a 1/4" from the edge with a nice, round border.

I've been finishing my bags with only Neatsfoot oil. I've seen several bags in saddle leather that have a sort of "waxy/smooth" finish. What type of chemical is used to provide such a finish?

What is the purpose of spinning a glass cylinder over a piece of leather? Is it just a cosmetic thing or does it impart some sort of additional functional characteristic?

I just purchased some 15oz skirting leather...some nice brand marks on it. I wet it with a spray bottle once on the flesh side and twice on the grain side with a sponge. I stopped before it got "water logged"...when it stopped easily absorbing the water. After that it cut relatively easily on a scrap marble tombstone I picked up for free from a local monument maker. Once it's dried prior to sewing, what's the best way to get it supple and looking "golden" like a good saddle...like the OLD Mulholland Brothers Lariat leather before they started making it in China. I love the way that leather "scuffs" and ages so well. I read the basics about Neatsfoot oil...but is there more too it? I've heard reference to treating such leather with "waxy tannins"...OK, I'll bite...what exactly are "waxy tannins"? Tannin is defined as a preservative from grapes...how is that waxy?

Mark, thanks for the information. Based on your response, I took a look at the Kramer belts I have. It looks like the inner layer is the "hard rolled" horsehide and the outer is "soft rolled".

I have a few horsehide holsters made my Kramer Leather, and a few double thick horsehide belts from them as well. They were not at all happy with my asking where they got their raw material from so I thought I'd ask here. Does anyone know of a source for top grade horsehide? I'm looking to make a few belts. If you've never seen one of their x2 HH belts, the stiffness has to be felt to be believed. Absolutely the best CCW support system I've used. Holds the largest 1911's or Glocks in place IWB.

Swaine Adeney Brigg Ltd lists "Bridle Hide" as the type of leather used on some of their products. Is this some type of "skirted leather"?

Ken Great resource. thanks

I just joined the site last week and I wanted to say a lot of you share my passion for perfection. When I couldn't find someone who could do a decent job working on my revolver, I bought a lathe and learned how to do it myself. I'm going to take the same path on leather working...lots to learn!

BS, thanks for the info. I sent the gentleman you mentioned a PM.

Can anyone recommend someone in the Massachusetts area to build a custom leather satchel?

Anyone have an opinion on the quality of Saddleback Leather's products? The website certainly makes some serious claims.