whats a good leather and thickness to wet mold?

[ToddW]

Looking for a leather to try and make an iPhone case.  Looking for it unglazed as I want a natural patina to form.  Thoughts on a leather and thickness that would be good to wet mold a phone case out of?  

[Mablung]

The ones I have seen have been 8/9 oz. Thicker would be too bulky, thinner would offer insufficient protection. I probably wouldn’t go below 7 oz. 

[JLSleather]

for a phone?  A case, or a belt holster?  One I'd use like a 4/5, the other perhaps a 6/7.

[ToddW]

1 hour ago, JLSleather said:

for a phone?  A case, or a belt holster?  One I'd use like a 4/5, the other perhaps a 6/7.

For a phone case that snaps on.. "not" a belt holster..

 

[fredk]

2mm to 2.4mm minimum,

2.6mm to 2.8mm bestest

[ToddW]

any ideas on one I can buy a natural leather in that thickness online somewhere?

Edited February 4, 2024 by ToddW

[Dwight]

32 minutes ago, ToddW said:

any ideas on one I can buy online somewhere?

Lots of us on here make those things . . . 

This is my most popular one . . . hangs off your belt . . . strap goes up and over the top of the phone . . . then down between the phone and the outside of the case . . . very secure.

May God bless,

Dwight

[Dwight]

2 hours ago, ToddW said:

any ideas on one I can buy a natural leather in that thickness online somewhere?

ST leather in St Louis . . . or Tandy Leather . . . both sell on line . . . 

https://stleather.com/

https://tandyleather.com/?utm_source=GMB&utm_medium=Yext&y_source=1_MjM3NjIzNTItNzE1LWxvY2F0aW9uLndlYnNpdGU%3D

I buy from Tandy . . . have no complaints on the stuff I've gotten from them.

May God bless,

Dwight

[ToddW]

drove out to Tandy to buy some veg tanned leather in different thicknesses to see how it works with my molds..

 

[NatesLeatherGds]

2 hours ago, ToddW said:

drove out to Tandy to buy some veg tanned leather in different thicknesses to see how it works with my molds..

 

^ good idea. Work with some and try it out to see what you come up with. Sounds like a particular set of needs, which with testing, you can answer best. 

[Handstitched]

8 hours ago, fredk said:

2.6mm to 2.8mm bestest

Yup  , I have tried molding thicker leather but its too hard on my hands these days. 

HS

[Dwight]

18 minutes ago, Handstitched said:

Yup  , I have tried molding thicker leather but its too hard on my hands these days. 

HS

That's basically 7/8 oz . . . my usual holster making material . . . I double it . . . contact cement the two together . . . and mold the holster from that.

I also make a lot of other stuff out of it . . . probably my favorite thickness . . . makes great CCW or cartridge belts . . . 

Vacuum forming rig helps out.

May God bless,

Dwight

[Handstitched]

The 3mm  is often my ' go to ' thickness for molding , sometimes 3.5 mm .

I must have a bit of ' Arthur Ritis ' in my hands these days. 

HS

 

[SUP]

On 2/4/2024 at 3:09 PM, Dwight said:

I buy from Tandy . . . have no complaints on the stuff I've gotten from them.

Yes, I use it all the time too and it works fine for me as well. The only complaint I have about it is that it does not usually  stain well with Vinegaroon - turns a dull grey.  @ToddW, if you plan to dye your leather with that, maybe you could test a piece first.