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As the title asks: What makes a good or bad hot foil machine? Why are some 150$ and others 1000$+? What features should I be looking for?
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So I've figured out the best place to buy Buttero / Pueblo.. seems to be buyleatheronline.com, but I'm looking for the cheapest (while still being reliable) place to buy Chevre Sully goat hides from.
Right now I purchase them from Rocky Mountain Leather Supply and they price them starting at 66$ for 3.5sqft (about 18$/sqft for those first 3.5sqft) and then an additional 6$ per sqft after that.
If anyone knows of a better website for Americans to purchase Chevre Sully please let me know.
Thank you. =)
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Yeah I was thinking that too, maybe I'll do that.
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I looked at all of these before I made this post.
I could be wrong but I don't see anywhere on any of those pages that indicates any one of those squares has a corked grip on the reverse side.Something about squares...they don't like putting grips on them apparently.
I already own a roofer's square and I also have a corked grip 12 inch ruler but meh...
Hell, I could settle for 24inch square instead if that's all there is to be had, *grip on the back*, metric measurements (+ imperial bonus).
I suppose I'll go check Narnia. =p -
I need a 1 yard (or meter) steel square with a grip that measures in both metric and imperial but...it seems they don't exist?
I looked at www.amazon.com for about 30 minutes and I found a meter and/or yard square, with or without a grip, some with metric and imperial some without one or the other...but I can't get them ALL...
1 yard, or 1 meter steel square + bottom grip + metric + imperial.If someone can find me this, I will love you forever. The absolute only thing I could live without (although I would still kinda be sad) is if one could be found with ALL that I listed expect without imperial measurements.
Let me know if someone knows of one.
Thanks.
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As the title says: Does anyone have experience (or especially a picture) dealing with Springfield Leather's Hermann Oak CRAFTSMAN pieces?
If you have a picture, **please** post it in as high definition as you possibly can.
If you don't, please describe to me - using your own words - how severe and how plentiful / spread out the imperfections were when compared to a near-flawless piece.
You get magical "TestTube brownie points) for pictures of a whole Hermann Oak Craftsman Grade SIDE.
But if words are all you're capable of providing, please, by all means.
Thank you. =)
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A little update: So @TonySFLDLTHR had sent me a message a few days ago telling me Springfield wanted to send me a replacement for the order. I have it here now and it's night and day better. I'm trying to upload a picture but my phone isn't being very "user friendly" at the moment.
Anyways, thank you Tony, Springfield, and whoever else was involved. It means a lot to me that a company is willing to do that unprompted and I couldn't have asked for it to be handled any better.
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Alright. Until I get the rest of the tools I ordered I can't really do much for now anyway. That does look nice in your picture though so I will have to see in the future.
I'm wondering how imperfections like this happen. Are these where the animal was bruised somehow? Or is there really no way to tell / maybe you'd have to see it in person?
It's as if someone took a hammer and smacked parts of the leather at random and/or shaved away parts on the back. I'm not even sure what I would call those "dips" in the leather...they're not just aesthetically unpleasing, they're actually like almost holes. The leather is clearly weaker at those spots, like I could easily rip them open with my bare hands and very little force if I was so inclined.
Anyways...it IS two pounds and I won't be doing any complaining to Springfield. These pieces will serve their purpose regardless. I need to buy myself some dyes now though which I was gonna do anyway.
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On 4/6/2020 at 7:56 PM, tsunkasapa said:Since many others have offered you advice on leather, I will refrain to keep things simple. What I WOULD suggest, is, rather than just "USA" for your location, put your ACTUAL location so we could direct you to regional sources. Here in the Northwest we have several very good, very helpful leather dealers, and I'm sure that others have the same. So, help US help YOU. I promise not to send you spam!
I live in south Jersey (New Jersey) USA.
On 4/6/2020 at 8:56 AM, Frodo said:Go to this site and buy this item. it will give you an idea of the different size leather
https://www.springfieldleather.com/2lbs-Lightweight-Veg-Tan-Scrap
Soooo, it arrived !!!!...aaand....okay still new, don't bite my head off, but here's the quote from that link:
About two pounds of vegetable tanned leather pieces that are great for small projects like linings, wallet backs, embossing, notebook covers and much more. These are lightweight pieces (2-6 oz.) that are a mix of import veg tan and Hermann Oak leather. Naturally great for tooling. Total accumulation of pieces is roughly 8 sq. ft. of leather.And here's what I received:
Okay now, what am I to expect for 22$ right?, aaand YES I did buy this to practice with and to test out different thicknesses, but you tell me, is that right there what I should have been expecting?
Basically I'm asking you guys to be angry or happy for me so I can jump on the bandwagon.
EDIT: (Let me just be clear that I wasn't expecting 8 square feet of beautiful unblemished leather, but I definitely was at least *hoping* for some pieces useable for a small project that I wouldn't want to throw away when I was done, oh well heh. The picture on the website and that picture reminds me of the McDonalds' Big Mac commercials)
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I actually, just for now purchased only the 2lbs of light veg tanned leather scraps to mess around with. I was put off by some of the reviews for the journaling leather they had for 50 bucks. Lets see what comes in the mail and also I ordered almost 250$ worth of tools so far that I need to wait on as well so, let me see what comes in and let me see what I can do with it all and I will go from there. I'm just going to return that original set I purchased considering I replaced just about every part in higher quality, and then some.
In the meantime, I've been watching a TON of videos (like, way more than I normally could, considering we're all locked away in our homes at the moment, at least in the USA)
Thank you guys so much for all the help, I'm already in love with this forum and I'm here to stay. If anyone else wants to chime in with an opinion or suggestion or whatever, feel free by all means, in the meantime I'm gonna do some more research and brainstorm some more project ideas. =)
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Okay. I suppose in that case I will simply do what LatigoAmigo suggested and just mess around with everything.
The only thing is that I want to do it as cost-effectively as possible lol.
I'll take a look at some of that Ritza Tiger thread since I heard about it being good when doing some googling earlier.
And that Mandala Crafts thread is *exactly* what I was looking at on Amazon just now...so I may flip a coin as to which one to purchase.
I just need to find a Bonded Nylon thread to try, just to see what it feels like compared to the 2 polyester threads mentioned above.
Thanks guys.
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10 minutes ago, LatigoAmigo said:You ask soooo many questions... you might do what most of us did (before the internet) and simply experiment with materials. That's how you'll really learn, by trial and error, because there is more than one answer to what seems to be a basic question. For example, what kind of thread are you asking about? I have many sizes and styles of thread, but only hand sew, and use a range of sizes. I get most of mine from Maine Thread Company, and prefer their waxed polycord which comes in a wide variety of colors and weights. What I've found is that the weight of the thread is not directly related to the weight of the leather, but more a function of the spacing of the lacing holes and the overall look that I am going after. Sometime you will want the thread line to really "show up" and other times you will not want the thread to compete with the rest of your design.
So get playful and experiment, you will never regret it.
Yes, I understand.
I want to hand-sew a journal cover (and many other things, always hand-sewn) and I'll be working with lighter leather. It was suggested to me in a thread that I had made the other day that I should use a 0.8mm thread. But I do suppose (especially after watching a few videos) that it does come down to preference really so...
...my real question, I suppose is: Could you (or someone else) recommend to me a few good brands that make thread appropriate for leathercrafting?
Or could you tell me if this is an okay thread to use on leather even though it says polyester and not bonded nylon?: https://www.amazon.com/Mandala-Crafts-Leather-Sewing-Stitching/dp/B01N9QEIIS/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=0.8mm+thread&qid=1586194214&sr=8-2
^I know that it SAYS it can be used for leather, but everywhere I search when I ask the question "What type of thread should be used for leather?" I get the answer "Bonded Nylon", not polyester.
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^As the title says, what brand of thread should I purchase?
I am going to be working work leather around the 2-4, *maybe* 5oz range, so I think what I need is 0.80mm bonded nylon thread, but when I search this on Amazon I get a million different results, most of them at 1.0mm and most of them say polyester so...
...help me out here if you can =)
Thanks!
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2 hours ago, Frodo said:Go to this site and buy this item. it will give you an idea of the different size leather
https://www.springfieldleather.com/2lbs-Lightweight-Veg-Tan-Scrap
1 hour ago, TonySFLDLTHR said:Exactly what I would have suggested to practice and learn with.
If you would like some veg color options
https://www.springfieldleather.com/Assorted-Color-Veg-tan-Remnant-5LBSThen this is some bundles we put together for just this type of thing.
https://www.springfieldleather.com/Journal-Makers-Oil-Tan-Bundle
https://www.springfieldleather.com/Special-Journal-Makers-BundleOh my, I'm so glad I signed up for this forum and asked for some help haha..
I'm definitely going to order some of one of those suggestions sometime today.I have this image in my head of me being someone that only buys natural vegetable-tanned leather (uncolored) and just a bunch of different dyes lying around instead of buying stuff pre-dyed.
^Is there anything wrong with that like it not being cost-effective, or something else? -
Alright. Thanks, man.
And please, by all means, ramble on if you have anything else to add. You're being very helpful. =)
I will wait before I make any purchases, but what do you think yourself:
If I were to buy some 3-4oz leather to make my covers, pen holders/cases with, do you think that this thickness will be adequate for other things that I listed? Like, the cover for my kindle ebook reader? The laptop case? etc.
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I saw that same chart which says 7oz but then I also saw another chart with different information (7oz is the highest suggestion I've seen so far) and also it's posted on nanamipaper's website that the covers that they sell that I was referring in the previous post are made with 2-3oz leather.
^ The top comment on this reddit post also suggests 2-3oz leather (Though someone else on there says they use 5oz, I'm so confused)
So I've got no idea what is right...
On another note though...let's say that 2-3oz leather is the proper size for a notebook cover after all. On Tandyleather.com the exact leather I want the most is offered only in 3-4oz...do you think it *really* will matter *that* much if I just go with that instead?
And if that IS okay, would it mess with my ability to make any of the other projects I want to make?
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19 hours ago, zuludog said:" I have ideas for a ton of different projects I want to do" -- so why don't you tell us, then we can advise you accordingly?
Okay, so, at the moment I want to make:
- (2) Journal cover(s) for these: http://www.nanamipaper.com/products/copy-of-seven-seas-standard-a5-blank-journal.html#reviews <- This is what actually got me started looking into leatherworking. I wanted to buy a cover for this notebook and on this same website they do sell several different brands of leather covers for this notebook but the cheapest one is 76.00$ and the most expensive is 83.00$ (USD). Both aren't even 2 square feet of leather total and are nothing special. Certainly they are high-quality leather but I mean no design, nothing, just a cover. I knew that I could make something better (in time) AND for cheaper AND feel more proud about it.
- Individualized pen cases (I'm a fountain pen collector)
- A larger case for 10 or 20 pens.
- A cover for my Kindle (Ebook reader).
- A new wallet
- A case for my laptop
And other oddities: bookmarks, tassels, and I also want to use this as a way to give out gifts to people, but that's quite vague.
^So there you go. That's generally what I want to make at the moment. *Especially* the journal covers.
I *think* what I need to buy is 2-3oz vegetable-tanned leather. Hell, I'm almost ready to buy an entire side of it for 130$, but I have a feeling that would be a bad idea with 0 experience lol.
I did just order a bunch of other, higher quality tools though, which has me feeling a bit weird considering I haven't made anything yet, but I'm determined to have it pay off eventually.
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10 minutes ago, battlemunky said:That isn't the wrong leather per se, but it is the wrong leather for trying to do with it what you are trying to do with it.
It appears to be chrome tanned and thin. Use scissors to cut it or a roller blade or round knife. You can still use it for your first projects but you aren't going to get it to burnish or carve. A small pouch, perhaps a few other bits and baubles depending on how thick it is.
I'd avoid eBay leather until you can identify leather. 27 bucks for that is a bit steep IMO when you could've gotten some veg tan shipped for not too much more.
Keep playing around with it though, you will learn some stuff with it still so it isn't a waste or anything.
I actually thought this was quite cheap, 10-12 pieces that are about that size for 28.74$? I dunno heh.
Anyways, what kind of projects should I be looking to use this type of leather for, in order to practice?
And also, what kind of leather (and how much of it) would you suggest I get to practice for what I am trying to do? I supposed that I know (or, at least I should say I think) I need some vegetable tanned leather because I want to be able to stamp it, dye it if need be, I want it to be a bit stiffer, etc.^I just don't know where I would find this without breaking the bank. Is there a such thing as lower quality (and thus lower cost), bulk vegetable-tanned leather like I described?
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Or maybe I just have really crappy tools? I don't know...(To be clear, I am an absolute newbie, haven't crafted a single project yet)
Here is the leather I bought:
And here are the tools I currently have:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0755D1T7D/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1So...I'm even having trouble cutting the leather in a straight line (using a utility knife with a sharp blade) because this leather is incredibly flimsy (though I'll admit I have learned to work around this problem but not to the point where I would be confident in cutting into some top quality veg tanned leather)
I also can't get a straight line with the groover because once again, the leather is too flimsy, or my technique is terrible. The "guide" that is supposed to line up how far in I want the groove keeps pushing on the leather and bending it, making it impossible to get a straight line.
^I have the same problem with the edge beveler (skiver?). The leather is too flimsy, or my technique is terrible, or the tool isn't sharp enough...
I can't know any of this because I have no shop that I can go to near me to inspect leather before I buy it, and I have no leatherworking friends IRL that can test their skills on the leather that I purchased. The videos I watch on tutorials only show them working on the top shelf stuff...
^ That is a picture of just one of the pieces of leather I bought, which makes me really sad because there are about 10-12 pieces almost that size of all different colors for less than 30$. More than I would ever need to practice on for next to nothing price-wise.
SO...What should I do here?
Did I buy the wrong type of leather? Are my tools garbage? Is my technique terrible (well I'm sure it is), a mixture of the 3? Something else?
I need some help here because I really want to get into this, I have ideas for a ton of different projects I want to do but I really don't want to break the bank just practicing, or wasting my time and money and then end up giving up.
Thanks in advance for any responses. =)
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I live in the USA.
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I live in the middle of nowhere and don't have any places near me that I can buy leather from (I'm 98% sure).
So, where are some good places online to buy leather at?Thanks
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Is, to clarify, I do mean the weight of the leather, sorry...total newb here lol
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Well I'm not necessarily saying cheap "Leather", it just needs to be something I can use to imitate it and I read on reddit about that foam that I linked. I know it's not gonna give me the same experience but compared to even the cheapest leather, if it gives me a bit of experience making clean cuts, designs (maybe?), and stitching...but, then again I don't know.
Just looking for as cheap as possible of a way to get some practice in. -
^I was about to purchase that, 12x18 inch 2mm Foam sheets, to practice with.
I'm wondering if those are any good AT ALL? Or if not, what is the cheapest stuff to use to practice without wasting expensive leather? (If you could provide a link that would be great although unnecessary)
Thank you!
Looking for Chevre Sully online.
in Suppliers
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I see now. Only problem is, I don't see Chevre Sully here or if it is here which one of these it is (in another language). Also not sure of the cost to ship to the states.
Though, I did just message them to ask, so we'll see what happens. In the meantime though, and respectfully, are you positive this is the cheapest place to buy Chevre Sully from or am I just being pointed directly to the source? If not or if anyone else knows, let me know. If so, great and ty. =)