Klara

Firstly, slightly OT question for my education: In your part of the world exhibitors in livestock shows carry a brush in the show ring? Just asking, because at dog shows the brushing happens behind the scenes and in the ring we present a dog that's "naturally looking fabulous". Secondly, I feel that maybe this year your daughter would like to be the only one with the extraordinary brush, pen sign and buyer's gift (the pig will be sold at the show, I get that right?) Thirdly, as fredk points out, the work is not quite there yet. The two things that really bug me is the lack of contrast between pig and background and the uneven edge of the dark paint on the natural coloured leather. I would have painted right to the edge. Or not at all. Black pig on light brown greased leather might be fine... Last but not least, you are looking at a very niche market, which is often recommended as a good strategy. Especially if you have a direct connection to the niche. Market research should be easy because the competition is probably limited, so you can check out what they are making and how and what things are selling for. I think I would proceed as follows (as long as points 1 to 3 of my first post are yes): Work on making the very best things for your daughter you possibly can. If you have the time, create a website (preferably your own) where you show what your daughter and you are doing. Sadly, a good website or YouTube channel is an enormous amount of work which will cut into your leatherworking time, so maybe skip that step or take it after the next one. Let your daughter's equipment at the show (does the pig need a leash and collar?) be your advertising. If people like it, they'll ask her where she got it and she'll refer them to you. And then you are all set! Good luck, and bon courage!

I had a wool business once, and I started it when I halfway knew what I was doing. The experience came with working and trying to sell (the important work being trying!) I briefly toyed with the idea of selling leather goods and gave it up before I ever started. The way I see it, you only want to turn your hobby craft into a business if you 1. Don't really need the money 2. Really really love the craft 3. Love people and have a high tolerance for complete idiots (a good test would be to assist some crafter during a fair or market, maybe replace them for a few hours) 4. Can produce products that are very much in demand for a price people are willing to pay without shortchanging yourself 5. Know your way around social media. It's difficult to decide when you are "good enough" - you will constantly get better - but IMHO the very first piece you sell must be fit for purpose at the very least. Meaning the right kind of leather, thread and hardware, stitches/ rivets/snaps that hold... Depending on what you plan on making that means quite a considerable investment up front (see point 1). Ideally you'd also make a prototype for yourself and test it for a few years before producing for sale. Whatever you decide, good luck!

I had to go and look what the lable on my saddle/leather grease says. Sadly, nothing. The website informs me that paraffin wax is one of the ingredients, which is a petrochemical product. But I am very sure that the composition of leather grease is very different from that of motor oil. And I strongly suspect that many people say mineral oil when they think of motor oil. (And fredk's cars spray used motor oil, which is different from fresh oil). I also have some bright blue grease for my sliding stable doors, supposedly particularly water-resistant - I wouldn't dream of using it on leather or my skin. On the other hand, there is famous German mineral-oil based Ballistol, which has been around for about a hundred years and is still used for everything from firearms to spinning wheels to mosquito bites (useless) and I've heard of people swallowing it as an antacid... It's not the best product for leather or wood, though, because it washes off too easily. Personally, I just use what I have (which is equestrian products) and don't care what "the Internet" says. Because most of that is people copying from one another.

Another idea: How about NOT starting with one hour of theory? Obviously you need to demonstrate how to use the tools before they do it, but the discussions of the related topics could take place during drying time.

I am impatient, don't need dye most of the time and don't even own topcoat. Here are two pouches from natural veg tan shoulder which I simply rubbed with leather grease (from Decathlon, originally bought for my saddles and shoes).The big one is from about two years ago, the small one from last week. I don't know how that would look with tooling, and I don't know whether the look is acceptable to you, but it would eliminate part of the problem. You might even send the kids home with the still humid, ungreased poeces - I am pretty sure that cooking oil or any other grease would work in a pinch which they should have at home. Btw, these pouches are on my dog walking belt and outside in all weather for 1 to e hours every day.

My last Christmas market, my leatherworker neighbour was stamping little pieces of leather out of a small strap. The holes were spaced so regularly that I wondered whether he was making leather disks or a strap with holes. He needed the disks for making earrings and was throwing the rest away. So I suggested to make sure that the waste strap looks nice, leave enough leather at the end and put a fastener on it to make a bracelet. It was the first one that sold the next morning... The poor guy took quite some time to get over the idea that now he was selling his waste leather as well...

Beautiful! How did you get the edge so nicely rounded? At first I thought it was a rolled edge, but it isn't, is it? And why does the color change exactly at the stitch line? Very, very nice!

Well, you can always try again on a smal scrap from your next project. If it's different leather, it might work. I love vinegaroon as well, unlike edge paint which I find rather unforgiving...

Sorry, I don't remember what I used to apply the vinegaroon. Probably a small brush, but it might have been a Q-tip or small sponge. I guess the surface treatment of the leather stopped seepage from showing. Except for one place (bottom picture), though I suspect that's more that I misapplied it than real seepage. Don't care, the bag holds my card reader and headphones. I would not use vinegaroon with natural coloured leather. And I always try just things on pieces of scrap which I keep for this purpose.

I was assuming your "perhaps so" referred to fredk's claim (which you quoted) that a material called leather in Europe need not come from animals. And that is not the case, if it's called leather, it must be leather. As was the case for your couch. Fredk's adviser was either misinformed, regulations are complicated, as you have found out, or the regulations have changed since, which they do frequently. Yep, that's the other side of the medal: If you try to protect consumers by applying strict regulations and standards, life becomes harder for manufacturers and sellers.

No, it's not necessary. I don't know anything about acrylic paint, though. For the leather you are showing, oil might darken the edges enough to fit in with the surface. For a really dark edge you could use vinegaroon (basically iron in vinegar - recipes somewhere in this forum). Or you could buy a bottle of leather dye of some sort. And then burnish the edges with beeswax. I'd cut off some scraps and experiment with what is in the house. Btw, question to everybody: Shouldn't shoe polish work? Now, if you want edges like these, you'll probably need edge paint. And practice, patience and elbow grease: Personally, I make things for my everyday use and my edge treatments are very summarily. Just a light rubbing with beeswax or Tokonole (if the leather is dark, I generally use vinegaroon beforehand) and the real polishing happens in use.

No, not so, as I have pointed out (France is in the EU!) If it is called leather (cuir, Leder, cuero or whatever), it is tanned animal skin. And an expression like vegan leather is illegal, because it creates a false impression. Man-made materials must be correctly named. Trade standards are fairly strict over here...

I've just looked up the legal definition of leather (cuir) in France, and it is "tanned animal skin". French trade standards recognise leather and split leather, with or without coating. Terms like simili cuir, faux cuir are forbidden if it's Vinyl, it must be called vinyl (assuming that's a valid term, I'm too tired to now look up legal definitions of man-made materials). The species that was skinned needs to be identified as well. Sounds pretty good, but there's two problems: Footwear is excluded from this legislation and private sellers don't know or don't care. I wanted to buy a second hand leather sofa, but I gave up because just as in Johanna's yard sale most ads were for plastic ones.

Completely off-topic, for general education: It's not hay in those plastic-wrapped bales. It's baleage, almost-hay that has been wrapped before it was dry and is now fermenting in a plastic bag. It's quicker to make than hay (because it needn't dry so long) which reduces the weather risk and you can cut the grass earlier in the year, when it is greener and more nutricious (and you'll get more regrowth). The big disadvantage is that the bales spoil quickly once opened, so you need a reasonably-sized herd of animals who'll eat it. My sheep refused when we tested. Baleage is not popular with horse owners either...

The German word is Körung... Which is a major problem in many dog breeds, including my favourite, the borzoi. Because as show dogs rarely have to work, functionality gets lost in the search for impressive looks. A 47-kg-borzoi just can't run any more. With horses it's not quite as bad (I hope!) because people still want to ride them and win competitions.

Out of curiosity, were the halters too big or too small? I would think that warmbloods would have become bigger overall, but with possibly smaller heads because I think today's are more highblooded as way back when they were also used for work in the fields... Personally, I prefer the look of the double stitched ones, my favourite being the black one.

There is no need for calculations. Either mark the holes on the more visible part and work with an awl (detailed instructions in Stohlman's Art of Making Leather Cases, vol. 1 I believe). Or punch the holes on both parts with the same chisels and use holes twice/skip them as needed (details in Nigel Armitage's first book on leatherwork. If you are lucky, he has made a video on the subject.)

First of all, your pieces are beautiful and good enough for selling. But I wonder whether a general crafts fair, or even Etsy, is the best option. You seem to like making watch straps and I think they'll sell much better in places where watch lovers gather (real or virtual). Watch lovers think nothing about enhancing their € 1000 watch with a € 50 strap. Normal people think: "So much money for such a little thing? Are you crazy?" It's probably the same for lovers of handbags or wallets, but I have no idea who they are ;)

Thanks, I didn't know wheels that leave slanted marks exist. But considering the price of the Vergez Blanchard tool (€ 50 for the handle, € 30 for one wheel) the lady was right to not even suggest it. Btw, if you are willing to spend € 284, you'll get an edge guide on your wheel...

If I remember correctly, Stohlman rolls the wheel in the groove he cuts. Which sounds doable to me. The reason I didn't buy a wheel when I started was that the sales lady warned me that the markings are not slanted, unlike a pricking iron. But now I'm getting curious...

Given that the groove runs lenghtwise and the stress on the belt is also lengthwise (insofar as there is any stress) there should not be a problem at all. I would maybe not groove across the width of the belt behind the buckle, though...

Personally, I'd always try the things out on a piece of scrap leather because I neither trust my measuring nor the manufacturer's. In practice I only have one set of chisels and two sets of French pricking irons, one very fine the other with widely spaced teeth. They look so different that I see at a glance which iron belongs to which set. I might buy a wheel, though, because I have a feeling that it's much faster for long seams - right or wrong?

That is because you put your edge against the two outer marks. Two points define a line (basic geometry). If you aligned your straight edge with an outer mark and the middle one, then the second outer mark would be off. As for why the three marks don't line up, I have no idea. It has happened to me, but then I manage to make all measuring errors known to mankind and invent a few of my own...

I too started with a kit from Amazon, but a small one. Here you find a (rather heated) discussion on the minimum tools required. However, in your place (because your goal is a bit different) I'd wait for the book before buying anything. Btw, have you tried to find an actual brick and mortar store in your area? If the staff are knowledgeable, a visit will be educational and a lot of fun (probably not cheap, though...)

Here is a French supplier: https://www.decocuir.com/ I don't know about shipping cost to Israel, though. The leather I have bought there has always been good quality and they have a good choice of hardware for bags etc. There is only one material I have been disappointed with, and that is this: https://www.pethardware.com/en/cow-grain-leather/vegetable-tanned-leather-double-butts-black-1061/ because at the time I bought it, "split" was not in the description, so I expected full-grain leather. That said, the collars, leashes and training belt I made for my dog have held up for well over a year with constant use and no maintenance, so the stuff is not bad... It might work well for a waterproof dopp kit, except it's on the thick side. I would recommend The Leatherwork Handbook by Valerie Michael because this lady somewhat specialises in ladies handbags and has a lot of advice regarding their construction. Have fun!