doorty

Thanks everyone. I ordered a sample of some overstock leather from the shoe industry that I'm hoping is similar to the photo. It's hard to tell from the photo how deep it's dyed. But it's a beautfort chromexcel, so it'll be good quality regardless.

Ha. Good story. I think I heard to apply neatsfoot oil before dyeing to prevent streaking? My only concern is to make sure the dye doesn't soak all the way through so that it still gets those tan colored stress marks when breaking.

Thanks, so option (3). I've never dyed leather. I still want to retain that rich black leather look until the inevitable scratch and scuff. I plan to use it as a motorcycle saddlebag, so it'll break in naturally. Are you thinking a few light coats of Fiebing's Black Professional Oil Dye? Once the surface is fully coated, I should stop because I don't want it to dye too deep?

I want to make a durable, black leather bag that when scratched (or stretched) reveals a natural, tan color. These are the best picture examples I could find with the desired effect, and I think the shoes look the best. I want to retain a deep black color except where scuffed or folded. 1) Should I be looking for black leather with a tan pull up? 2) Should I look for a leather with only the surface dyed? 3) Or should I buy natural veg tan and dye the top black myself? I've only found found black leather with a gray pull up. I want a deep, rich black that breaks into a tan color. I was thinking of using tan straps with the black leather, so as it breaks in, it the black leather and tan straps go well together. . I wasn't sure whether this post should go under suppliers, but I'll start here and see what happens. Thanks for reading.

Is there a rule of thumb for the the strength of leather at a given thickness/weight? For instance, if I had a belt with a buckle, how much weight could the belt support before ripping the hole. The same question applies to stitching connecting two pieces of leather or the rings and clips. My use case is mostly around motorcycles, but I'm sure a similar situation arises for horse saddles and other heavy duty situations.

Thanks. My understanding is that upholstery leather is chrome tanned and a bit thinner. Is there a name for upholstery leather that is chrome tanned and veg tanned? Hide house looks to be a bit more expensive than other places I've seen, but it seems they import some from Europe.

I'm looking to reproduce the motorcycle seat in the photo by hand sewing. The leather is 4 oz / 1.7mm chrome and veg tanned. I'm not sure what thread would work well for this weight leather and outdoor use. Cream-colored thread size and needle size for 4oz leather? Leather and thread supplier local or online? Also could use a recommendation on chisel size for this project. Anyone have any recommendations online or local? I'm new to leatherworking, so I appreciate the help in getting this project started. I believe the chrome and veg tanned is called latigo or chromexcel, but maybe it goes by other names? I think half a hide should be enough with some left over. The seat length is 64cm and width is 35cm.

Thanks guys. It sounds like it'll work. The internal leather will never be seen, but I could shop for some cheap leather to use for that. Any thoughts on 4-5oz Latigo for the outside cover?

How would you manually sew on the foam side? You wouldn't be able to see the holes though the foam.

Right, but can you do it without a machine? You gave me an idea, which is to do the leather stitching first and then glue strips of foam between the stitching. it's a bit of a hack, but it might work if the glue is strong enough.

Thanks. Looks perfect for sewing to leather for a secure drink holder or flat pocket.

I'll start by saying I'm new to leatherworking, and I'd like to try to do this by hand if possible. (I don't have a machine.) My main concern is sewing the foam channels/pleats to the leather to give it padded ridges. I've never seen anyone do this by hand. Is it possible? I want to make the tan seat below. I've been eyeing a soft, 5-6oz latigo, but it might be too thick? I want a leather that will last and age nicely. I'm up for ideas. Thanks.

Anyone know the name of that stretchy material sewn to the leather? By the way, in my quest for ultimate hipster, I came across these boot protectors, which I think could come in handy if you're wearing dress shoes for work, dancing, etc. But as a leatherworker, I think I'd prefer a leather-wrapped shifter.

Do you recommend any at the lower range of 4-5 oz? @LatigoAmigo is this the one, 202 Latigo GBS? I think that would be perfect if it's not too thick. Do you happen to have any photos of your finished work to get a better idea of the color?

Can latigo be used for upholstery? I know it's used for horse saddle straps, but those are too thick and rigid for upholstery.

This particular seat was chrome and veg tanned. I also really like the look of it regardless of whether it doesn't last quite as long. My main point is to settle the argument over tanning and longevity. The only solid evidence (and there is another similar academic paper) says that the more chrome tanned the longer it will last. The only counter evidence for veg tanned is anecdotal. It makes sense given the chromium is smaller than veg tannins so that it acquires a deeper bond to the collagen, thus preserving the leather longer.

I've been doing some research, and a lot of websites claim vegetable tanned ages better. But I think this academic paper* shows conclusively that chrome tanned lasts longer, specifically they measured the longevity of leather soles. I'm planning to upholster a motorcycle seat, and I want to go with the most durable natural leather finish, i.e., no painted surface. I like the patina on veg tan, but it might look weird to have the butt contact area significantly darker than the rest of the seat. Thoughts? *COMPARATIVE WEAR OF CHROME~TANNED, VEGETABLE~TANNED, AND RETANNED SOLE LEATHER https://nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/jres/15/jresv15n4p363_A1b.pdf