Porosus Crocodile

[DieselTech]

Guys & gals I'm curious if any of you seasoned professionals have worked with Crocodile leather. 

I'm looking at buying a whole hide & curious if it would be ok for wallets & card holders & such. 

Is it hard to work with? 

Is it durable, as in lasting? 

Thanks.

[sparctek]

I was asked by a close family friend to make a crocodile wallet for her husband. I was hesitant to say yes because that is way outside my comfort zone. But, I reluctantly agreed. The leather itself is not hard to work with, but it is nerve racking to cut into it, because is it is so expensive. I was afraid to to make a mistake and ruin the leather I needed. I bought a whole hide as well just in case I made a mistake. The challenge is even a larger hide only has enough room for 1-2 wallets from the belly (if you cut the piece across the belly). This is assuming you want the best part of the hide for wallets. You can probably get 1 maybe 2 more from the tail if you watch how you layout the patterns.

If you are going to thin/skive the piece, be very careful on how you do that. If you go too thin you risk cutting into the little spaces between the scales and ruining the whole piece.

This is what I came up with...my first croc wallet, and my first wallet period. The inside is goat skin.

 

[DieselTech]

2 hours ago, sparctek said:

I was asked by a close family friend to make a crocodile wallet for her husband. I was hesitant to say yes because that is way outside my comfort zone. But, I reluctantly agreed. The leather itself is not hard to work with, but it is nerve racking to cut into it, because is it is so expensive. I was afraid to to make a mistake and ruin the leather I needed. I bought a whole hide as well just in case I made a mistake. The challenge is even a larger hide only has enough room for 1-2 wallets from the belly (if you cut the piece across the belly). This is assuming you want the best part of the hide for wallets. You can probably get 1 maybe 2 more from the tail if you watch how you layout the patterns.

If you are going to thin/skive the piece, be very careful on how you do that. If you go too thin you risk cutting into the little spaces between the scales and ruining the whole piece.

This is what I came up with...my first croc wallet, and my first wallet period. The inside is goat skin.

 

Thanks for the heads up. I appreciate all your info on the matter. 

Beautiful Crocodile wallet you made. 

I was hoping I could get 4-6 wallet backs out of a hide, but i maybe dreaming. I thinks i for sure can get 4 nice wallets out of a whole hide. Of course I figured wallet 5&6 might not be cut from the most attractive part of the hide.

Is that a glazed Crocodile? & do you remember what color that wallet you made is?

Thanks.

[sparctek]

This was a black, matte finish skin from Rocky Mountain Leather Supply. This is a full size wallet so the wallet back was about 9 or 9.5 by 4 inches. if you make the minimalist, smaller wallets you'll get a better yield.

One thing to watch out for is be aware of where your stitch lines will end up. If the stitch line runs parallel and on top of the space between the scales, it will be harder to stitch, it won't look as nice and that part will tend to tear easier. Kind of hard to explain but you will understand as soon as you feel it. That area in between the rows of scales is really soft and pliable. I would suggest cutting out your wallet back template from something clear, (pattern vinyl like what is used for quilt patterns works well) so you can see where your stitching will end up.

Hope that helps.

 

[sparctek]

I forgot to add that I used the Saphir Reptan cream on the wallet back once finished. That is what gave it that really deep, almost soft shine. That stuff really works well.

[DieselTech]

30 minutes ago, sparctek said:

This was a black, matte finish skin from Rocky Mountain Leather Supply. This is a full size wallet so the wallet back was about 9 or 9.5 by 4 inches. if you make the minimalist, smaller wallets you'll get a better yield.

One thing to watch out for is be aware of where your stitch lines will end up. If the stitch line runs parallel and on top of the space between the scales, it will be harder to stitch, it won't look as nice and that part will tend to tear easier. Kind of hard to explain but you will understand as soon as you feel it. That area in between the rows of scales is really soft and pliable. I would suggest cutting out your wallet back template from something clear, (pattern vinyl like what is used for quilt patterns works well) so you can see where your stitching will end up.

Hope that helps.

 

Ok thanks. So you are saying just make your stitches end up thru the scales & not the leather between the scales. 

I appreciate your help. I'm going to take the plunge & try my hand at it. 

[DieselTech]

28 minutes ago, sparctek said:

I forgot to add that I used the Saphir Reptan cream on the wallet back once finished. That is what gave it that really deep, almost soft shine. That stuff really works well.

Thank you. You are a great help, cause I was wandering what type of leather balm to get for the Crocodile hide. With that cream you used it looks glazed. Your finished wallet looks great & has a nice sheen to it. 

[sparctek]

Yes, lay out the pattern so that your stitches end up through the scales. You will absolutely have some that will end up in between, but try to keep those to a minimum. I think one you finish your first project you will enjoy working with the leather. It was just so nerve racking putting the knife into that skin the first time. LOL

[DieselTech]

39 minutes ago, sparctek said:

Yes, lay out the pattern so that your stitches end up through the scales. You will absolutely have some that will end up in between, but try to keep those to a minimum. I think one you finish your first project you will enjoy working with the leather. It was just so nerve racking putting the knife into that skin the first time. LOL

Lmao I just told a friend of mine, it's going to be hard to put the knife to a beautiful Crocodile hide. 

[DieselTech]

@sparctek what did you do for your edge treatment on your Crocodile wallet. Did you use edge paint or heated edge paint? 

Thanks. 

[sparctek]

I used light coats of edge paint with sanding and smoothing with electric crease in between coats. I think it was 3-4 coats IIRC. That was pure trial and error on my part since I had never done that.

[DieselTech]

43 minutes ago, sparctek said:

I used light coats of edge paint with sanding and smoothing with electric crease in between coats. I think it was 3-4 coats IIRC. That was pure trial and error on my part since I had never done that.

Ok thanks. Well it is official, I got a matte porosus Crocodile coming. It is 32cm wide in the belly. I hope I can get 4 wallet backs out of it. 

I also just got a electric creaser I need to be practicing on using. 

Thanks. 

[DieselTech]

Will just put this sucker here!!!

[sparctek]

Nice! Should be able to get a couple of wallets out of that.

[DieselTech]

3 hours ago, sparctek said:

Nice! Should be able to get a couple of wallets out of that.

Lmao I thought when you buy a whole hide, you get a whole hide. They robbed his head & the piece that is there has a dang hole right smack in the middle. Like a bullet hole. 

[sparctek]

That does seem odd. I bought a whole hide not long ago and it was the entire hide, including the head. The one I bought happened to be a Grade 1 hide and is very clean, no holes or major scratches in the usable part of the hide.

[DieselTech]

4 minutes ago, sparctek said:

That does seem odd. I bought a whole hide not long ago and it was the entire hide, including the head. The one I bought happened to be a Grade 1 hide and is very clean, no holes or major scratches in the usable part of the hide.

Yeah this was labelled as a grade 1 whole hide. 

Lmao but I think someone stole his head. 

If that hole would not have been there I could of got 5 nice wallet backs. 

I think I'll make me a wallet back from its glory hole part of the hide & have a eye looking thru it. 

I'm not to mad, I bought the hide cheap enough & think i could double my money on it. 

[sparctek]

The head is typically used for small goods, i.e. key chains, etc., since the scales are small and in odd patterns. But, depending on the size of the hide you can get enough usable area for a small card holder or two....