Meandmy1963

Thank you for the response. I've done some digging and found a few myself. https://www.etsy.com/listing/690390600/the-briefcase-top-reinforcement-plate?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=purse+reinforcement&ref=sr_gallery-1-20&frs=1&sts=1 https://madeonjupiterleatherlab.com/collections/hardware/products/molded-vegetable-tanned-handle-filler Those are all I was able to find. These all look nothing like the brass bar that was used in your bag Spyros. I have yet to find anything that is anywhere near aesthetically pleasing enough to highlight the way that you did on your above bag. If anyone comes across anything like this, please share. Thank you

So these reinforcement bars don't exist? I've been looking as well. I've seen what k&s has to offer. But no one has found a specific metal bar/strip that is specific to leathercraft? Seems like many bag maker use them. How could there not be a source? Everyone fabricates them from a raw piece of metal? I find that hard to believe. But I can't find them anywhere

I haven't heard of copydex. I've never tried fiebings leathercraft cement or Tandy eco flo. I feel like one of those might be what I'm looking for. Or maybe not. I e heard some ppl using Elmer's glue. I think my main advantage I'm looking for is easy application. Barge is such a pain to apply. I buy the small tubes of barge and apply it with folded card stock (works similar to those flat plastic applicators) or a small "glue knife" that I found (similar to a dab tool if you know what that is). I'll look into copydex tho. I'm sure I can find it somewhere over here in the states

I looked around the forum and could t find an answer to this specific question. We all like barge for a reason. We all also hate barge for a reason. Is there anything out there that will produce similar results to barge without all the negatives? I'm sure there is going to be a trade off. I'm looking for something easier to use. Probably still use barge when needed. But when I'm gluing where I'm gonna stitch, seems like barge isn't necessary. What other glues out there do you all like? Say if I'm gluing card pockets and plan on stitching. What glue is easy to use, doesn't get all stringy, won't potentially ruin a project if it gets on the face, and doesn't smell like a chemical factory, but still adheres nice enough to work for this application? Thanks

The only tips I saw that MIGHT fit, were some cheap tips from China on eBay. Might be worth the buy just to see and share with everyone if it will work. On my soldering iron, I just need a tip with a certain size cylindrical fitting, which is usually an unspecified diameter. Which makes finding what I'm looking for more difficult. I can't remember the exact size off the top of my head. Similar to what's in this photo, but a different size. I just have the feeling that a cheapo iron like this won't work well or last very long

I saw that yes, it's what gave me the idea to ask more specifically

So I have a cheaper model Weller soldering iron that has interchangeable tips. I'm wondering if anyone has had any luck finding decorative creasing tips (similar to those expensive Regard creasers) that fit. I've looked around and it's difficult to find any tips that seem like they would fit. I think I've seen some people have found tips that will fit into those super cheap soldering pens. But those have terrible controls or none at all. Regular soldering temperature is way too high, so even on my adjustable iron I might need to ad a dimmer switch or something. Anyways, if anyone has had any luck doing this as a cheaper alternative to the very expensive electric edge creasers, please share with us what you have found. I just bought some inexpensive creasing irons that I'll need to heat up with a spirit lamp. Which is fine for now, but the electric creaser option seems to be the best. If I can find a cheaper alternative, that would be great since they are quite pricey. Thanks

To be clear... When heat creasing... It's best to crease when the leather is completely dry? I figured dampened leather would crease the best. In that video, his leather was WET. I'm not talking wet, but damp. Basically back to original color. Or is dry best for heat creasing?

You're both correct in assuming that I will not be tooling. I will definitely be doing a test on a piece of leather before I put anything on a finished product. I guess I will just do that. Test out a few things on scrap pieces and carry it around for a day or two to see what happens

Hello. This is going to be a matter of opinion as there are so many options here. So I'm making a bunch of wallets for everyone for Xmas and I'm curious as to what type of finish I should use or rather what you all would use for a wallet. I'll give some background. The leather I'm using is a veg tan Korba buffalo calf from buckleguy. I'm getting the leather pre dyed (black and another color). Likely I'll burnish the edges with tokonole and beeswax. I guess I'm looking for a decent sheen, the more "luxurious" the better I guess (whatever "luxurious" means to you). What do you guys like to use? What oils do you guys like? Neatsfoot? Mink? So my plan is to use an oil like mink or neatsfoot then finish with tan kote unless someone has a better idea. I think that will be the look and feel that I'm going for. If anyone has any ideas that will help or even just some helpful info on what Im planning to use that would be great. Or even if you have a better idea all together. I'm all ears. Thank you for your time

That is exactly what I am going to do if I don't get the answers I need here. Springfield is great and their customer service is amazing. I just call and have them hand pick what I need. They're always helpful. I do not plan to tool the leather. Also, I will likely be burnishing the edges rather than painting them

What I found that helped me a lot in the very beginning was to learn a bit on $30 special oil tan hides from Springfield. If you call them and order over the phone they will go hand pick a side for you. Just ask for something that has a nice firm hand. I'm not really sure but maybe some of those are combination tanned or something because I bought 2 of these sides once and I could have sworn they were veg. They burnished nicely, weren't all floppy like you expect from oil tan. They were also 4oz, so it wasn't because they were thick. Ive tried working with other chrome tans in the past, I would go to Goodwill or other flea markets to find cheap leather jackets and bags and try to use that leather. You live and learn because most of the time it was a complete waste because those leather weren't good for much. But the cheap side from Springfield really helped me. Again, CALL them and they will set you straight

So I've decided to make everyone in the family a wallet for Xmas. I need to make about 8 wallets. I figure a decent sized side of leather would do the trick. Now I am on a bit of a budget this year and will only be able to spend about $100 on leather. Which isn't really a problem as there are plenty of $100 veg tan sides out there. So I just had a couple of questions that hopefully someone can help me with. #1) Buckleguy has these Korba buffalo calf hides for around $50-$60. I figure 2 of those will be enough for me. Has anyone had any experience with those? If so do you think a couple 3-3.5oz hides will do the trick? #2) if I were to just get a $100 side, where should I order from? Looks like Springfield, Tandy, and maybe another that I forgot about has something like this. So if you were to buy a $100 side for wallets, what and where would you get? Honestly I kinda like a 3oz for wallets. So a 3-3.5oz would work I think. I don't really make many wallets so maybe you could include your preferred thickness for wallets. Thank you so much for taking the time to read

I've decided that's what I'm going to do. Line the back of each leather panel with flannel. I'll be using a spray adhesive. Now I need to figure out exactly how I'm gonna do my edges. I'm leaning towards folding my edges over the fabric for a clean look. This wasn't the plan in the beginning as I was looking for a rugged look with natural edges finished with beeswax. I may still do it this way as I'm seeing a lot of tutorials online on how to do edges with the fabric backing(ie folding the fabric and cutting the leather to size after the fabric is adhered) likely I'm going to do a combination of things to get the look I want while making sure the fabric lining looks right and isn't going to fray over time

I think I might use an old flannel shirt at a lining. I really think it's going to look good and function well. What adhesive do y'all recommend to adhere the flannel fabric to the backside of the leather? I feel like barge is going to soak through. I could be wrong. Maybe if I'm careful enough with it. But seems like a lot of people would use a spray adhesive for this. Maybe I'll test the barge and see how it works on a scrap piece. Honestly though... The spray adhesive option is a quite attractive one. I hate using barge. It stinks, if you get it in the wrong place it can ruin an entire project, and it's an all around pain in the ass to work with. Can't argue with the bond you get from it though. I've never used a spray adhesive before, but seems easy enough. Do y'all think that's what I should do to line the backside of the leather with the fabric from a flannel shirt? (It's a fairly average fabric. Not thin but not crazy thick. Pretty much what you would expect from a decently made flannel shirt)