Dunluce

Abbey England has solid brass locks such as these http://abbeyengland.com/Store/List/0/CategoryID/426/Level/a

I love simple well made clean looking leatherwork like this. Well done. Can I ask what thickness leather this is?

Just one other thing. Is it okay to apply conditioner to pull up (don’t ask, why but I have already done it)

Thanks for the replies. I thought that might be the case and to be honest I quite like the look. My sister is getting the bag for free so she will have to like it too!,

I have started a bag for my sister and I bought some leather which is described as ‘Burnishing, Medium Handle, Natural Characteristics & Feature, Oiled, Pull Up, Soft Handle, Vegetable Tanned (Pure), Waxy’. I have no complaints about the leather itself, it seems good quality and and it has the soft feel she wants but it does mark very easily compared to what I have used before. There are several marks from where I have been working and after turning it you can see where it has be creased etc. Is that just a feature of this type of leather and is it something you cannot prevent against but rather let it happen and it become part of the character of the bag giving it a worn and used look?

Just got my copy a couple of days ago. I think it’s a pretty good start and hopefully will develop. Seems aimed more at the beginner level at present

Why not use webbing. It looks good with leather and is very strong and relatively cheap. You see lots of leather bags using this for straps http://www.britishtactical.com/categories/Materials/Webbing/

I am starting to make another bag and in the couple I completed before I just bought a standard bit of cloth to use for the lining. The tote I am about to make is for my sister and I would like to make sure it is a decent hardware ring fabric. I saw a nylon ripsrop material, would that be suitable? What do you use to line your bags? (I hand stitch if that means anything)

I live in Britain and I have bought off them twice. Can’t fault their service and when I emailed a query they replied quickly. The first time I had the standard free postage so it took quite a time to arrive. The second time I paid for quicker postage but had to pay import tax on the parcel so that bumped the price up a bit. I don’t know if it was anything to do with the postage type or if I was just lucky the first time

Anyone know where I can buy it in the UK?

Something like this is an idea if you do hand stitching and need to hammer a pricking iron http://elfitakorea.blogspot.com/2013/08/hand-press.html

Every time I think I’m improving I see something like this and realise I have a long way to go!

Sorry, I should have made it clear that I am hand stitching.

Okay so I tried a couple of samples on some scrap as in the photo below (may grandson says it looks like an elephant’s arse) and I am sort of getting it. I used a bit of folded over leather not the proper type with beading in the middle. My only concern is that you can see where the stitching is. Have I stitched too close to the edge? Would it be covered better if I used the piping with beading in the middle?

RockyAussie, that bottom picture is what I was talking about. Just to check, have you saved the piping (as suggested above) or is it just tucked in, trimmed and the sides folded over it? I meant skived!

Starting to get it now. I guess the only thing is to go and practise a few.

Here is a photo I found on the internet of the type of thing i am on about. Is there another way of terminating the piping that looks neater.

Not sure I understand that fully. I don’t suppose you have a photo do you?

Saw your lighter. Like the case

I don’t really know yet. Bags are new to me, I have only made one before, I want to design my own so what the bag will look like is a bit fluid at the minute and depends whether I can find out how certain things (like piping) are done.

I have a question about using piping in a bag to join the gusset on to the front and back. I have never tried it before and I am wondering how you finish it at each end. Anything I have seen on the internet doesn’t address this. I would think it would look a bit bulky and untidy just to cut it off flush. Any info about how to use and finish piping would be much appreciated

I don’t know if this is what you want but have a look at Andersen leather blog for some lovely briefcases and build descriptions http://andersenleather.blogspot.co.uk/

If I remember rightly the Giardini booklet and video actually state this in that you should not bevel the edges but have a straight cut.

This is a paring knife sharpener sold by Hewits http://www.hewitonline.com/Arrotino_English_Paring_Knife_Sharpening_Guide_p/tl-073-pn.htm

A problem I have found with using double sided tape is that if you end up stitching through it then you can gum up your needles