Spyros

Yeah, I can relate to that... I've been trying to keep both leather and wood working alive in my small shop for years. This is what it looks like now, left side is mostly woodworking, right side mostly leatherworking, with a shared-duty bench in the middle. Funny enough, the main thing that keeps my woodworking alive these days is actually leatherworking, because I always want another cabinet or surface or tool, like that large stitching horse on the right. But it's an uphill battle, I mean I can't postpone getting a sewing machine anymore, but you tell me where to put it in here

false economy IMO... a strap of liner leather costs nothing, and you're already wasting time by stitching leather with air, how much more time is it really to cut a same size strap and hold it underneath while you're stitching? Different story if you decide to go with plain unstitched straps, that does save time.

It just does my head in Matt, the engineer part of my brain throws a tandrum when I see stitches and rivets that don't hold anything together. I guess customers don't think like that, so yeah, maybe, ok. But don't think it will reduce stretching in any meaningful way, the thread will also flex and stretch overtime. If you're going through the trouble of stitching it, why not line the damn thing, and that really reduces stretching.

I'm gonna place an order soon directly to their website. I've bought some of their stuff before through their australian distributors and of course I paid triple the price, but the actual items were excellent (including this strap cutter). Especially I want to check out their hardware and shipping because the combination Buckleguy+DHL is starting to get a bit exxy. They also make this thing which I need: https://www.ivan.tw/collections/ivan-leathercraft/products/jumbo-punch-set and this thing, which I want: https://www.ivan.tw/collections/ivan-leathercraft/products/adjustable-leather-razor-plier

thats a strange bag on the photos It looks like whoever made it did a machine stitch along the handles for... no reason whatsoever, and then hand stitched over them for... some reason LOL And yes the thickness is overkill, and the rivets on the bottom are probably redundant, unless they are there instead of bag feet? which doesn't really work because the leather will always touch the floor first. And he hasnt turned the fabric pocket on the sides, which means it will fray over time. And if you're gonna put rivets on the strap, what is the point of stitching around the rivets, I have no idea. Anyway, this bag raises more questions than answers :D But a tote is generally a good and simple project, you can follow toxo's advice or simply check youtube for "turned tote bag", there should be many videos.

Oh, it absolutely works. I use it all the time mainly on bag gussets, but I've definitely done 0.6mm in the past (and thinner). Maybe I didn't stress enough how sharp those "feather" blades are, they honestly look like they can split a hair sideways and they certainly have zero problems with any leather of any softness. It does takes some practice and focus because like I said one wrong move and it will go right through everything (including finger), but once you get the hang of it it gets a lot done accurately and quickly. There's a certain technique to it, you have to bend the leather around the roller and guide it to the blade with your thumb while pressing it down. It's one of those things that once you make a start correctly then it just glides through. It definitely excels with small things although I've also put some massive bag panels through it as well. In terms of cost the one I bought on ebay was about AUD$200 which is around 100 quid, so really no comparison to a motorised skiving machine.

That's a 100% exact copy of the Ivan one, probably made in the same factory in Taiwan, only the logo is different. And this model is the right way of making a strap cutter. Read what BeefSupreme says one post up from me about the nut eating into the wood. This is because some cheapie strap cutters are using this type of threaded nut, or similar: This nut will absolutely slowly eat into your wood every time your tighten the top screw, until eventually it will loosen enough, and then what beefsupreme says will happen. What you need is this one instead, which is what the Weaver/Ivan model uses: this one, every time you tighten the screw pushes the flat side of the nut against the wood. That thing is good for decades, regardless if the wood is soft or hard. It's just physics. The other often overlooked detail: notice how timber on the Weaver/Ivan model is not perfectly flat where the leather strap goes to get cut, but has a slight curve just under the logo? that curve is crucial, a strap cutter doesn't actually work without it, it's a relief that keeps the leather aligned and makes for a uniform cut. Most cheapie manufacturers notice it and put it in, but some miss it. Never buy a strap cutter without it. By the way, the Ivan stuff is not cheaply made (or particularly cheap for that matter). They're not some backyard operation, they've been around 40 years, they have 3 bricks and mortar shops in Taiwan, they're part of Fiebing's distribution channel, and they have a legit R&D team that makes some cool stuff, including this one for those of you who prefer bulletproof tools: https://www.ivan.tw/collections/cutting-blades/products/pro-strap-cutter

It does, for sure. Bending it feels about the same as the barge-type conact adhesive I was using before, maaaaybe just a touch stiffer, but very small difference.

No, I was talking about this price: https://www.etsy.com/au/listing/621722437/leather-strip-strap-cutter-adjustable?ref=shop_home_active_4&pro=1 that draw gauge there, I don't know, if I had a grandson wouldn't let him anywhere near that thing. Shit I'm not even sure I'd trust myself with a blade sticking out like that, looks like an accident waiting to happen. It does look pretty though

it better be for that price.... You can get a perfectly functional one from ebay for 1/10 of the cost. Besides, what do you need best build for in a strap cutter.... it's one of those things that if it works the first time, it will probably work just as well 50 years later. It's a very simple device, IMO there are many better things to spend money on in this craft.

Good to know I'm not the only one

Every single leather I've tried behaves differently, so I've completely stopped creating rules in my mind like "In veg tan do this, in combination tan do that"... Every time I get some leather that is new to me I always have to do a series of tests that include dying, burnishing, glueing and finishing, otherwise I really don't know what's gonna happen. In most cases I don't wet the leather, but I use a mix of fiebings pro with neatsfoot oil, I find I get better consistency and I can generally better control the colour and the process like that. Plus it's (usually) good for the leather to get some NFO in it. However, I once dyed the flesh side of a nice english bridle panel with this mix, I got careless and put a bit too much on by mistake, and it seeped right through and destroyed the colour on the other side. That was one expensive piece of leather in the rubbish So. Testing, testing, testing.

So I've started experimenting with some hardware store adhesives. Main reason for doing that is the availability for me, most shops won't ship liquids internationally and I don't really have leatherworking store nearby. So my options are limited to ordering from shops within Australia, and for different reasons I just don't like the typical "leatherworking cement" options that they offer. And I don't like the shipping times either. In any case it's nice to be able to walk down to the hardware store and get something that works. So after some experimenting, this is the best I've found: Not sure about other countries but this is available everywhere in AU and it costs about USD $10-$12 for a 500ml pot. It's odourless and has a consistency like yoghurt. That consistency doesn't work for me because I like to apply glue with needle-point squeeze bottles like the ones in the photo below, so I get it in those pots in the photo above and dilute it about 3 parts glue - 2 parts water. After I dilute it I put it in the bottles with those cheap hydroponic syringes that I get online I don't have long term results yet because I've only been using it about a couple of weeks. But yesterday I had to remove a strip of leather I had glued on a bag flap a couple of days before as a reinforcement under the catch, so it had plenty of time to cure. And it was practically impossible to remove it by hand, the two layers were completely bonded together, the only way to remove it was to skive it off or put it on a vice and slowly pull with a pliers. In the end from all the pulling the leather did not even separate at the bond, but it literally split in half. Obviously the flap was destroyed after that and I had to cut it and stitch another one on. So that was pretty impressive as far as glue goes. I want to check again after a few months to see how it holds long term, but if short term results is any indication, this might become my go to adhesive going forward. Is there any reason you can think of why it shouldn't?

Of all the leatherworking tools this is one of the few I don't have a spare, because it's so good at what it does and also so simple that if it ever breaks I think I can put one together in an hour with just standard hardware shop supplies. I have the Ivan version (which I ridiculously overpaid because I was new and I bought it from a "good" shop like an idiot) but they all look the same to me. Except for the Romanov version who follows the true and tested formula "add brass and sell for triple the price".

it is great indeed

Maybe it's just me but in my experience nothing does a better job than a good old canvas cloth. I've tried mounting those wooden thingies on every contraption imaginable, I've also tried the similarly shaped brass burnisher on the electric creaser, but canvas still works better and faster for me.

Very nice

Solid advice so far, but try occasionally to not follow it You learn a lot about the limits of leather and the intricacies of different leather types by making stuff in the wrong thickness. And sometimes you hit a jackpot and make something great that nobody else makes just by playing with the thickness and type of leather.

I don't thing it's a matter of big and small or clamping force... If you want both sides of your stitching to have that French/angled look, the way he does it just won't work because you can't cast the thread on the back (unless you have 3 hands). But if you're ok with the back side of your stitching looking just plain straight, then what he does is probably the fastest and most practical way to stitch. And you can definitely apply a lot of tension with your left hand.

Yeah it's very easy. Basically you hold your work with your left hand, and with the same hand you always pull the back thread down to keep the tension. So the thread that is already in the hole is always pulled down, and you always aim high in the hole with the other needle to pass over the existing thread. So your left hand always holds thread down, and your right hand does all the stitching both from the front and the back, and always passing the thread high. It's on youtube, you'll find it.

Thanks again everyone, much appreciated I was designing it as I went along, so one thing kind of blended into the other, but if I was going to separate the actual making I would say it took about 25-30 hours maybe. Which is not terrible as far as handstitched bags go. It helped that I didn't stitch the strap. Not sure if you've watched a youtube by Corter Leather showing how to saddle stitch without a clam or stitching pony? It makes a stitch that looks very nice on the front and fairly boring/straight looking in the back, but more importantly it is probably the fastest way to saddle stitch. That's the technique I used on this bag, because there was no room to clamp and the back of most stitches is hidden inside the lining anyway.

After is better if possible. In my experience molding can stretch or distort the stamp.

these look good quality... are they? anyone used them before?

No, don't do that... the price has nothing to do with your cost and everything to do with what price everyone else is selling. If your price is too low compared to the market then you're leaving money on the table, if it's too high compared to the market then you'll sell nothing. Just have a look around you, you are at a craft show, it shouldn't be too hard to get a feel for the crowd and what they expect to pay at a place like that. Just by being there you're pigeon-holing your product in the "something I bought at a craft show", which to be honest with you puts a ceiling to how much someone would pay, but you never know. The cost is irrelevant, nobody cares. It's good for you to know it, for your purposes, so you can think on your feet how low you can go in case someone starts haggling, but your pricing should always be along the lines of "depends who is asking and what other options he has to buy something similar elsewhere". Just look around you, the customer always sets your price, not you.

Looks like this is what you needed https://www.buckleguy.com/line-24-snaps-cap-15mm-ring-socket-nickel-matte-s15b51ln-solid-brass-100-sets-per-bag/ The part that attaches to the snap cap, I like to sink that inside the leather a little bit anyway because I find it sticks out too much.