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)

I wasn't looking for a specific answer I guess. More of a general opinion. I think one of you hit it on the head when you had a customer look inside and say "oh you haven't finished it then?". That's pretty much what I wanted to know. Seems like the general public would look at it as "unfinished" without some sort of lining. Not that it matters as it's my first bag and it's for myself. But if I'm going to be lining bags in the future I might as well give it a go. Thanks for the help everyone I was actually thinking flannel if I were to do a lining

I guess I'm asking more for people's opinion. Of course it's going to be down to aesthetics for the most part. Also though I am curious if anyone has ever or knows of any problems that may arise from carrying a bag without a lining? I wouldnt imagine so. Also I am curious as to what everyone's opinion is on the matter. As an every day carry type of bag, who would want a lining and who would not? I personally am leaning towards not for the look I am after. Just curious as to what the members of this forum think

Hello all. I'm still fairly new to the craft. Every project seems to come out better and better. I finally feel comfortable enough to tackle a bag of some sort. I've decided to do a messenger bag for myself. I've figure out a design and I'm curious as to what everyone thinks about lining. Should I really even bother? Should I just left the fleshy side of the leather be the "lining". I plan on doing one pocket as a laptop sleeve and honestly the flesh side of leather seems to be close to what I would want anyways. It's soft and wouldn't scratch anything. Is this the "correct" way to go about this? The leather I'll be using has a pretty firm hand and won't need any type of backing to stiffen, so I'm good there. I'm going for a bit of a rugged look anyways. Likely going to finish my edges with beeswax. So I guess my questions to everyone are: should I go about this in this way? Should I do a cloth lining?(don't really want to) should I back each panel with a softer leather maybe as an interior? What does everyone recommend? Again this is for myself but I do want a nice finished look. Thanks for taking the time to read this

Thank you both very much. I ended up ordering some hardware from buckleguy. The prices for their watch hardware are amazing. Then I did call Springfield and they're customer service is incredible. Hard to find customer service like that these days. A young lady (can't remember her name) helped me pick out a couple of their inexpensive sides at a price you can't complain about. They were VERY helpful and I highly recommend doing exactly that if you are in my position. Call them up and they will set you straight. She even hand picked out 2 of the better looking sides in the color and weight that I needed. Highly recommend. Thank you both for your recommendations. Both worked out wonderfully

So I'm sure this has been covered. I've tried to search for this and have only gotten varying results. So if this has been covered and I missed it, I'm sorry. So I'm new to leather craft and I'm just learning. My question is where should I get leather from? I'm mostly making watch straps and other small items currently. What is a good leather type and weight to use? Should I get cheap leather from Springfield to start out? I see they have $30 or $40 sides. That's pretty cheap and I know the quality will vary greatly. But that's soooo cheap compared to what's out there. Not even 10% of the cost of most good quality leather. But I'd this good for learning? I won't be selling anything off the bat until I get my skills in order. Also for watch straps... I've seen many different results on what weight leather and type ppl use. Veg tan? Oil tan? Someone please point me in the direction of some decent cheap leather to learn on that will be good for making watch straps. Thank you all so much