MsEdna

wow, looks fantastic! May I ask what thickness you use when using the Alran as lining for wallets? I struggle to find the right size, especially for the trapezoid shaped parts for accordion constructed wallets. For card slots, and generally inner construction, I use 0.8 mm without lining. But for lined parts I just don't know what to do as the place I usually buy leather can't split down less than 0.6 mm. Any input would be great!

I sometimes just quickly "stab" a block of beeswax with my irons before punching. Repeat whenever necessary.

YES to everyone above! My first item was a guitar strap. I just wanted something simple and in good quality leather and could not find anything. After a while, I started to do other things. What inspires me is detail and a new approach to everyday items. As I don't find it easy to come up with new designs, I usually start with something I have seen many times before and then ask myself "what is missing" and "how can I improve the execution"? I am also very (very) rarely happy with my results and believe this to be a good thing. Keep pushing!

Beautiful, thanks for sharing!

Looks great!

I finally got an answer. The 12-13 oz. harness leather is from an old Swiss tannery. Their (German) website is www.emmeleder.ch. Hope this helps.

I never get these results with Waterstain, guess I have to practice a bit more

Hello Toru!

Have not thought about Etsy, thanks for that. I will definitely have a look.

I know, it went dark really quickly just by wearing it. Up close, the color is really almost the same. The dealer couldn't tell me the name. I am guessing though he just did not want to tell me so I would go off and buy it directly. I will follow up with him though and let you know.

looks great, love the camo and black!

Love the color of the leather. What dye did you use? I have experimented with alcohol dyes and stains but I am never happy with the results.

Very nice and will age beautifully!

Thank you, @Retswerb! I Just posted something in the Show Off forum

One of my most beloved items in my closet is my dad's old Swiss Army belt. According to the stamp in the back it was manufactured in 1994. It never occurred to me to make belts as there are enough good ones already out there. Not one of them though got close in quality as my dad's. A few months ago, I came across a piece of leather from a Swiss tannery. It cost a fortune and a half but it was just so beautiful...and thick (4.5mm). The dealer saw me wearing my dad's belt and told me, that the leather comes from the same tannery. Well, now had to get it and see what I could do with it. Long story short, I copied my beloved belt. In the picture you can see the blank on the left, my attempted copy in the middle (after 4 months of wearing), and the original 1994 belt on the right. It is difficult to see from the picture but the leather feels and looks the same. I wonder if any of you ever came across a piece of leather they just couldn't resist buying. What did you make out of it?

So, I am trying to find the right leathers for my wallets and bags. As I am developing the designs, I use whatever leather is cheap and about the right thickness. As I get close to being happy with my designs, I am trying to find the right leather. While looking around, I found some interesting material from well-known tanneries such as J&JF Baker, Conceria Walpier, Conceria Puccini, and Badalassi. Being located in Europe, I of course checked A.&A. Crack in the UK. Great range of leathers at reasonable prices, no doubt. My problem is the following though: Minimum order quantity is one hide and skiving is not possible if you buy less than 45 sqft. Does anyone know where to buy small quantities in different thicknesses of these well-known leathers? I am looking for quantities less than a quarter hide so I can try out different colors and thicknesses. Ordering in the US is an option but it takes forever and then there is customs... Thank you for some input!

Hello everyone I have been a member for a while and am always thankful for the great inputs I find here. It is finally time I introduce myself. I make small leather goods, such as wallets, belts and bags and am very interested in getting details right. Hope to be able to post a few pics in the future. Thank you all for sharing your knowledge and experience with me!

Hi Burt Very interested in the laser engraving. Looks very precise. What machines/tools do you use?