Stretching hide

[Edsbear]

Hi, Is it possible to stretch pieces cut from a leather hide, only needs stretching about 1/2". Steam maybe or will it shrink back to original size?

Thanks 

[chuck123wapati]

36 minutes ago, Edsbear said:

Hi, Is it possible to stretch pieces cut from a leather hide, only needs stretching about 1/2". Steam maybe or will it shrink back to original size?

Thanks 

need more info friend. what kind , how tanned, how thick, how big? 

[Edsbear]

Hi, Thickness is approx .056" 1.42mm and 32"x20" I don't know how tanned or kind, I'm not that experienced, the leather was given to me

[Bert03241]

picture may help

 

[Edsbear]

Hope these help. Cow hide.Thanks

cant seem to upload the reverse side picture

[Handstitched]

On 8/21/2022 at 7:19 PM, Edsbear said:

Hi, Is it possible to stretch pieces cut from a leather hide, only needs stretching about 1/2"

Yes.  Eg. I have cut a belt length for a project, only to find I've come up short* . So, I moisten it, then 'pull/roll ' it around a corner a few times , like on  the edge of my bench. (A piece of metal pipe, 1" or 2" does the same job , secured to a bench)  that gives me the extra length I need. The same could be applied to smaller and thinner  pieces. 

*Another trick, for belt lengths at least,I put the end of the  moistened belt length under my right foot... .... grab the other end.... and pull up . Shhhh.... Don't tell anyone , its a secret !!  

HS

[Edsbear]

Here is the other side, quite soft leather

[Edsbear]

Maybe cow hide cant be stretched?  its not thick enough for a belt HS, so thick belt leather stretching may be different to cow hide stretching. Maybe I posted in the wrong forum but I do appreciate all your inputs..

All the best

[sbrownn]

28 minutes ago, Edsbear said:

Maybe cow hide cant be stretched?  its not thick enough for a belt HS, so thick belt leather stretching may be different to cow hide stretching. Maybe I posted in the wrong forum but I do appreciate all your inputs..

All the best

Anything can be stretched and your piece of leather is no exception.

[Edsbear]

Can you advise the best option for stretching please?

[sbrownn]

2 hours ago, Edsbear said:

Can you advise the best option for stretching please?

What is the shape of the piece you want to stretch?

[Edsbear]

Thickness is approx .056" (1.42mm) and 32"x20" straight sided

[chuck123wapati]

6 hours ago, Edsbear said:

Thickness is approx .056" (1.42mm) and 32"x20" straight sided

is this some kind of secret project? short answer yes you can stretch leather. If your doing a seat cover for example it may stay or it may just compress the foam underneath. If you are making something that wont have tension applied then it may stay stretched or it may go back to original. if its for clothing of some such then it will stretch to form and function to a point. No one can tell you if that piece will stretch to do what you want because we don't know what you want to do with it.

[sbrownn]

7 hours ago, Edsbear said:

Thickness is approx .056" (1.42mm) and 32"x20" straight sided

I'd probably stretch it on a rack