Veg-Tan bellies: what to do with them.

[DieselTech]

Guys & gals I buy quite a few veg tan sides every year. Usually 4-6 sides per year, What do you guys do with the bellies you cut off the sides?

Most bellies I got are pretty soft & supple I'm curious what to make or do with them. 

What do you guy & gals do with them? 

Thanks. 

Edited December 7, 2023 by DieselTech
Misspelling

[GatoGordo]

They work well for the gussets on bags.

[chuck123wapati]

6 minutes ago, DieselTech said:

Guys & gals I buy quite a few veg tan sides every year. Usually 4-6 sides per year, What do you guys do with the bellies you cut off the sides?

Most bellies I got are pretty soft & supple I'm curious what to make or do with them. 

What do you guy & gals do with them? 

Thanks. 

i practice tooling on them, use them for pattern making and brain farts that may or may not work. Liners if they are thin enough game boards, key fobs and such that softness doesn't matter much on.

[Handstitched]

Depending on the size , key rings, book marks , , fridge magnets, small projects , or ,  belt keepers, we always need those,  or something to practice on   like @chuck123wapati suggested . I like to doodle with ideas on leather, so rather than use the ' good stuff' I use scraps, bellies etc. Lately, I've just been experimenting with 2 "  round leather pendants with a design  on a leather  cord.  So many ideas . The sky is the limit. 

HS

[fredk]

All of the  above, plus I test dyes on it, especially any dye that will be used on something made from the main piece of leather. Also, small drawstring bags/pouches

[Gezzer]

All of the above .............

I used them for practice quite a lot and made some coasters out of them .  Most I have found were not to soft for coasters but they will stiffen up with Glycerine saddle soap and slicker to the flesh side .

[Sheilajeanne]

I practice tooling on them. I also use a really thick piece of belly underneath my project when I'm punching holes. It really helps protect your punches!  I had a Tandy Pro punch ruined by using a poundo board and also a plastic kitchen cutting board underneath my projects!

Edited December 7, 2023 by Sheilajeanne

[DieselTech]

2 hours ago, Handstitched said:

Depending on the size , key rings, book marks , , fridge magnets, small projects , or ,  belt keepers, we always need those,  or something to practice on   like @chuck123wapati suggested . I like to doodle with ideas on leather, so rather than use the ' good stuff' I use scraps, bellies etc. Lately, I've just been experimenting with 2 "  round leather pendants with a design  on a leather  cord.  So many ideas . The sky is the limit. 

HS

 

3 hours ago, GatoGordo said:

They work well for the gussets on bags.

 

1 hour ago, fredk said:

All of the  above, plus I test dyes on it, especially any dye that will be used on something made from the main piece of leather. Also, small drawstring bags/pouches

 

46 minutes ago, Gezzer said:

All of the above .............

I used them for practice quite a lot and made some coasters out of them .  Most I have found were not to soft for coasters but they will stiffen up with Glycerine saddle soap and slicker to the flesh side .

Ok thanks everyone. I guess I just need to get creative & make something out of them. Maybe make a set of coasters for sure. 

1 minute ago, Sheilajeanne said:

I practice tooling on them. I also use a really thick piece of belly underneath my project when I'm punching holes. It really helps protect your punches!

Thanks I never thought about that. I do have 2 bellies over a 1/4" thick. 

[ljk]

I use bellies for shoe sole construction.  I case a belly for insoles.  While tacking the insole on the last I hammer the areas that conform to the foot.  The midsole uses a tougher stronger leather that will not stretch because the edge will be used as a welt. The insole and midsole using a inseam stitch.  A ancient method.  I sometimes use belly for outsoles, wear is not important as I put on sole savers.  Near 80 my eyes and hand work good, but my feet not so good.

[HandyDave]

It really depends on the hide. I usually take a new side and cut me a few belt blanks from the back section. And by doing this with every new side I get I keep a good storage of belt blanks on hand. Then I just work from the back down toward belly cutting out as many good projects as I can get then whatever is left that I don't want to use for my main projects gets used for smaller pieces or test pieces. Specially if I have some new techniques or something I want to try out I reach for a piece from scrap bin. 

[zuludog]

One time I bought a couple of bellies in a sale that were fairly thick, about 3mm in the middle and 5mm at the ends

I made axe covers and chest protectors for spoon carving, with an extra thickness glued onto the centre of the chest protector.

 

[chuck123wapati]

12 hours ago, ljk said:

I use bellies for shoe sole construction.  I case a belly for insoles.  While tacking the insole on the last I hammer the areas that conform to the foot.  The midsole uses a tougher stronger leather that will not stretch because the edge will be used as a welt. The insole and midsole using a inseam stitch.  A ancient method.  I sometimes use belly for outsoles, wear is not important as I put on sole savers.  Near 80 my eyes and hand work good, but my feet not so good.

That is very cool info. You should consider doing a few video's , if you haven't already, of you work so your lifetime of knowledge isn't lost my friend. I for 1 would love to see how you make your shoes.

[deboardp]

I'll be using then for mid-soles, since I'll be cutting out rectangles from the midsole to create channels for straps and stanchions. The other ideas are good, too. I can use them to practice stitching, testing my glues, trying out dyeing techniques, trying out my new DIY leather conditioner based on basic ancient recipes. I'm starting a new topic on that.

Edited December 28, 2023 by deboardp