ScottEnglish

Thanks RockyAussie. Your reply is exactly what I was after. Scott

kgg: Thanks for your advice. It would be impractical though every time I make a pair of boots to keep visiting a leather goods business. Too much time and money expended. And I can't justify the prices you've mentioned to buy my own machine which may not get much use in the long-term. If I can't have the entire hide reduced in thickness for a reasonable cost I'll have to sell it at a loss. fredk: At its current thickness the leather is far too stiff for making footwear. Hence my wondering whether reducing its thickness will make it more supple. However, I've learnt from this forum and my own experience that not all chrome-tanned leather is supple anyhow and I'm not confident that reducing the thickness will solve the problem. I'll reduce the thickness with my knife first to see what effect this has. As I only make simple footwear keeping this hide isn't an option. It either needs splitting if this is economical or selling. Scott

Hello. I recently bought a thick, chrome-tanned hide for making unlined boots. Unfortunately, it's too thick. I'm going to need to reduce the thickness a bit. What options are there for reducing the thickness of the hide in its entirety, or for reducing the thickness of parts of a boot pattern once cut out? Thanks. Scott

Samalan: Yes, that sounds sensible. DrmCa: Thanks for the warning. chuck123wapati: There's very little information available about Solaway online. I think in view of what I've been reminded of, that these products may harm our health, that I'll focus upon alternative means of removing a sole. Thank you all for your comments. Scott

DrmCa: Okay, if I understand you correctly you're saying that a regular solvent should perform the same function. But how is the solvent applied to the glue bond? Is it necessary to detach the sole a little first? Thanks. Scott

Hello. How do Solaway sole remover and similar products work? Here is a link to Solaway: Solaway Sole Remover | Shoe Repair Supplies UK | TR Lawman Thanks. Scott

Klara: It's a double back of leather. Having started using the leather today I agree that it's the neck in the photo. The valleys either side of the neck have lots of stretch like a belly. Thanks for answering my question. jcuk: Thanks for the links. AzShooter: Thanks.

Tugadude: A useful observation. Thanks. I've sometimes had leather curl upwards a bit whilst cutting out parts of a pattern because of rolling it flesh side out. I'll stop rerolling it flesh side out. fredk: Lucky you! I've bought leather from Metropolitan Leathers, J. Wood Leathers, and Abbey England. There was no paper within any of these rolls of leather. It was only on the outside. It surprises me the suppliers I've dealt with don't usually box the leather but just cover it in layers of wrapping material. I've returned a side of leather before as it had obviously been bent whilst rolled up and this had caused significant creasing. A box would have prevented this. Presuming the damage occurred during transit of course. bruce johnson: I'll store my leather grain side out from now on. Thanks. Interestingly, the grain was wrinkled on my latest leather purchase despite being rolled grain side out.

Hi. Why do leather suppliers deliver leather rolled grain side out? It makes it more likely to sustain damage. After purchase I reroll it so it is flesh side out. Scott

Hello. Below is a photo of a back of leather that arrived at my lodgings yesterday. Is the photo of the neck? I'm trying to identify the neck as I want to start at that end of the roll saving the better leather for later work. Thanks. Scott

fredk: So the number could be area or batch. I see. I live in rural West Wales. I find your experience in connection with cattle an interesting aside. tsunkasapa: That explains the numerals and underscore on a previous side I owned. Thanks. Scott

Thanks Matt S. Something else I've learned! Regarding leather purchase, I have little experience of it so find it hard to judge if I'm getting good value for money. I realize leather, being skin, will vary in quality from hide to hide. And also that it is probable there will be small areas of damage through carelessness and accident prior to it arriving upon my doorstep. Scott

Thanks again fredk. I thought it might be the area in square feet or square metres. Further questions. The same sunken numerals, 146, appear in two places on the grain side of this leather. Would I be correct in assuming these are brand marks? Are cattle branded on the hindquarters or the forequarters? Yes, it's true. I can't work out which end of my hide is the butt! Thanks. Scott

Thanks fredk. Maybe not including VAT in the price quote is customary in Blighty. Scott

Hello. I recently contacted a business asking for the price of a particular type of leather. I was quoted a price per square foot. I asked them to confirm the price quoted included VAT. They said it did. However, upon ordering the leather I learnt from the invoice that VAT was added to the price I'd been quoted. This came as a bit of a shock to me. Especially in combination with the leather being much larger than the average size I'd been informed of. Is it typical for UK suppliers to give price quotes excluding VAT? Thanks. Scott

Hello. I'd like some assistance learning how to correctly read the stamps on the flesh side of leather. The stamps to which I'm referring consist of numerals and underscores. I believe it is a measurement. Please see the example in the photos below. The numerals, if unclear, are 358. Thanks. Scott

Thanks fredk. Sounds a good idea. Scott

Hags, tsunkasapa, Matt S, and bland, thanks for your replies. In view of your experiences, I've just ordered a silicone spatula from eBay. Matt S: Adding solvent. Now there's an idea! I may try a glue pot in the future. Bye. Scott

Hello. Other than brushes what can be used to apply solvent-based contact adhesive to leather and other materials? I'm considering a cheap silicone spatula as an alternative to a brush. Has anyone tried this? Thanks. Scott

FGBR: Thanks for suggesting giving A & A Crack a call. I'd looked on their website before and didn't see anything suitable, but maybe they can source what I need instead. Matt S: Regarding the vegetable-tanned buffalo leather for sale at Abbey England, it isn't shown on their website. I learnt of it through contacting them with a question about their chrome-tanned buffalo leather which I believe at present is currently out-of-stock. I'll contact A & A Crack and J Woods enquiring if they can obtain the leather I need. Thanks for suggesting them. Scott

Thanks fredk for sharing your experience. My search for thick leather suitable for footwear uppers continues. tsunkasapa: Thanks for your reply too.

Hello. Does any one have experience of working with vegetable-tanned buffalo leather? How supple is it compared to vegetable-tanned cowhide? How does it compare to chrome-tanned buffalo leather? If it's possible, I'm considering making footwear using thick, vegetable-tanned buffalo leather as I can't obtain chrome-tanned buffalo leather at present. Thanks. Scott

Hi. Can no one think of any alternatives? I'm struggling to find thick, chrome-tanned leather that is supple enough for making unlined footwear. Scott

Tsunkasapa: Thanks for your reply. Now I know. Matt S: Thanks. If I recall correctly, the leather is intended for equestrian use. Maybe it will soften. But without knowing this for certain, I'm going to return it.

Hi. Other than chrome-tanned cowhide and chrome-tanned bison or buffalo leather, is there any other leather suitable for making unlined footwear? Thanks. Scott