picture of the strap I'm trying to sew for a purse

[Regis]

Here's a picture of the strap I'm trying to sew for a purse I'm making for my wife. Leather is 2/3 oz and I'm trying to fold both sides to meet in center and sew. I've already ruined one because I could not hold the fold while going through the machine. If it were fabric, I'd iron it first. Do I have to moisten and fold or run a creaser or glue to get it to stay? Or is there something that I'm missing? What is the right way to hold/stitch peices like this? If this one turns out, I'll be making 6 more for daughter & sister-in-laws (almost production work).

Thanks,

Regis

[bruce johnson]

Regis,

I would do a little of everything you are thinking of. If the leather has much body, you wil probably want to moisten it to fold easier. I would also use a cement like Barge. You can apply the Barge, let it dry. apply water from the other side (or even dunk it) and hit the Barge with some heat. It will tack back up and do fine. I would set the bond (and fold) with a smooth face hammer just because. That said, I do use the binder clips like you are showing. I use a bunch and line them up edge to edge, removing as I come to them while sewing. They do sometimes slip, and the glue won't.

Bruce Johnson

[Regis]

Bruce,

It looks like you did a similar handle on the purse you posted today (using 2 rows of stitching). If you Barge, do you still use clips? Or just one way or the other?

Thanks

Regis

[bruce johnson]

Regis,

The handles on purse was some skirting split down to make up about 8 oz total. One was the piece from straightening the back, lined with some belly I had left over. The belly was still decently firm, so I couldn't tell you which side is up.

If you Barge and get a good bond, you don't need the clips. If the bond is not set well, but still holding somewhat, I space the clips out. Barge also doesn't give me as firm a bond with oily leather, finished leather, or leather wet to start with. If you put the Barge on dry leather, let it set, and then wet it - you get a good bond. Shoe repair guys do it all the time. You just can't put it on wet leather to start with and expect the same results.

If I am making round handles, I glue first and then soak the leather in a water bucket until sloppy wet. The Barge tacks right up with a shot of the paint stripping gun.

All this is based on the Barge I have right now. A shoe guy told me that the new Barge separates from the solvent and needs to mixed each time you use it. I don't know if the new stuff activates with heat like the Barge we all know, and some of us love. When I get through what I have, I will see.

Bruce Johnson

[Regis]

I'm giving the Barges a try and will see how it goes.

Thanks

Regis

[Regis]

Bruce,

Barges worked fine. And setting the bond like you said helped. Sewing (and breaking needles) is a bit of struggle too because I'm using singer portable with walking foot & leather needle and this 2/3oz (5-6 oz total thicknes) maxes its ability. My Artisan is due to arrive later this week!!

Thanks,

Regis

[Justis Cases]

Bruce,

Barges worked fine. And setting the bond like you said helped. Sewing (and breaking needles) is a bit of struggle too because I'm using singer portable with walking foot & leather needle and this 2/3oz (5-6 oz total thicknes) maxes its ability. My Artisan is due to arrive later this week!!

Thanks,

Regis

This is just my opinion but after using contact cement on a daily basis for the past 18 years Barge is no better in any fashion than Weldwood from Home Depot at about 1/3 of the cost. Try it and if you tell me its not as good as Barge, I will send you a check for for the cost. This is how confident I am of the WeldWood product.

[Regis]

Jack,

I'll give it a try. I did wonder about the difference (heard shoe makers use barge and therefore must be very strong) In my case, I would not depend on it entirely because I will sew the seam.

Sure like those pool que cases of yours.

Thanks,

Regis

[abn]

This is just my opinion but after using contact cement on a daily basis for the past 18 years Barge is no better in any fashion than Weldwood from Home Depot at about 1/3 of the cost. Try it and if you tell me its not as good as Barge, I will send you a check for for the cost. This is how confident I am of the WeldWood product.

I've used DAP Weldwood for four years, and I agree with Jack's comments. Easy to find at most hardware stores and inexpensive.

[Roger]

This is just my opinion but after using contact cement on a daily basis for the past 18 years Barge is no better in any fashion than Weldwood from Home Depot at about 1/3 of the cost. Try it and if you tell me its not as good as Barge, I will send you a check for for the cost. This is how confident I am of the WeldWood product.

i have used weldwood and for some things it's great.

i now only use barge or tanner's bond because they are waterproof and oil proof.

weldwood is only water resistant and looses it's bond and turn to goo if it gets too wet

[bruce johnson]

I have to weigh in with Roger on this. I tried Weldwood for all my cementing when the HL and some availability issues came up with Barge a few years ago. It gave me very poor bonding with wet leather. It did not tack up with heat if dry like Barge will do. That said, I did find some places where it does better than Barge. When I cement in thin pigskin or goat linings in things like checkbooks or business card holders, the Barge will sometimes soak through and be tacky on the grain side of the lining. Weldwood doesn't do that.

It doesn't do as well in cold weather as Barge. My Barge lives outside in another building for storage, and on the back porch for the gallon in use. Weldwood tends to get thicker and less adhesive when cold.

The big issue with all of these adhesives are that they are changing, and fast. Word from a shoe repair friend, and corroborated by a seller of Barge is that the new formula separates and needs to be mixed prior to each use. Most all of the consumer level adhesives (and other chemicals for that matter) are changing formulations too. Whether the two products we are comparing now will be similar in a year remains to be seen.

Bruce Johnson

[Justis Cases]

i have used weldwood and for some things it's great.

i now only use barge or tanner's bond because they are waterproof and oil proof.

weldwood is only water resistant and looses it's bond and turn to goo if it gets too wet

Hi Roger,

Are you sure you were not using the water based Weldwood in the green can? I can assure you the original formula, not the gel, is as water proof as Barge. As far as thickening, I found the Barge to be considerable thicker than Weldwood. Thickening occures every time you take the lid off so I usually end up throwing out the last few ounces of a 1 quart can. I don't recommend thinning.

[Roger]

nope..red can and it says right on the can water resistant not water proof. after having the same problem a couple times, i went back to tanner's bond and barge and have had no further problems.

both barge and tanner's bond claim to be water proof

[abn]

Thanks for your insights, gentlemen. I assume Tanner's Bond is TLF's brand-name contact cement, similar to Barge and Weldwood. Can you fellows tell me what Leather Weld is? That's another adhesive that Tandy sells, and I'm not sure how it compares to contact cement products...

(I think Art may have mentioned something about using Leather Weld, or some other type of white glue, but my memory isn't what it used to be, so don't quote me on that...)

-Alex

[Art]

Tandy Tanner's Bond is their brand for a Rubber Cement and a Contact Cement, just like Barge comes in General Purpose (contact) and Rubber Cement. Fiebing's Tanners Bond is their resin glue, the white stuff. I have been using the "White Stuff" for about 10 years now and am hooked on it. I still keep Barge around for when I need a real contact cement. The white glues are not true contact cements as they give you some "set-up" time as opposed to true contact cements which are right now serious. Also the solvents in white glues are much more friendly. Once the white glues set, you will rip leather to get them apart and they are quite waterproof and pretty flexible.

All of the manufacturers are going to be trying to meet new standards since the California thing happened. While that is happening some of the reformulated "old standards" might go through some shakey periods of redevelopment. I've pretty much stopped messing with anything more volitle than alcohol bases or occasionally acetone, the ester solvents are just too much, especially for inexperienced users and that is what California was probably getting at.

It will take a while to get the water based dyes and finishes worked out, but then solvents will be at your tap and cleanup will be easier. They went through this 20 or so years ago with wood finishing, it's our turn now.

Art

Thanks for your insights, gentlemen. I assume Tanner's Bond is TLF's brand-name contact cement, similar to Barge and Weldwood. Can you fellows tell me what Leather Weld is? That's another adhesive that Tandy sells, and I'm not sure how it compares to contact cement products...

(I think Art may have mentioned something about using Leather Weld, or some other type of white glue, but my memory isn't what it used to be, so don't quote me on that...)

-Alex

[abn]

Thanks for weighing in, Art. Is Leather Weld another example of the "White Stuff" you refer to?

[Art]

Leather Weld is the Tandy version of Fiebing's Tanners Bond, a white (probably alaphatic) resin glue.

Art

Thanks for weighing in, Art. Is Leather Weld another example of the "White Stuff" you refer to?