really thin leather

[Suze]

Hi all

Johanna wants me to make this folded PAPER star

http://highhopes.com/3dstar.html

IN LEATHER --Yeash what I do for the cousin's

anybody have a good resorce for "really thin'' leather? I really don't know what kind of ounce weight I should be looking at -- but to get the folds right it should be as thin as possiable (or it will be thicker than it is tall)

thanks for looking at this and for your help

and I don't think Jo has any THAT thin in the stash

[Crystal]

Suze-

I have some 2 oz veg tan. I can send it to you to give it a try. Let me know how much you need to give this a try. Of course, if it works, you'll have to post a little tutorial on here.

Crystal

[Suze]

thanks Crystal

let me play with some paper to see just how "short" I can make the stipes and still get a star out of them

I usually use pretty long strips of paper and there is a bunch of waste.

and yes I will get a "certian someone" to help post a tutorial

[Go2Tex]

My Landis 30 crank splitter can shave off the grain of a piece of leather. What's that in ounces.... paper thin maybe? Might still be a bit thick for this project, but might work.

[Suze]

Ok result of an impromto test

one half inch wide paper 18 inches long - makes a star with about 2 to 3 inches left over on each point - really can't make it shorter (need finger room)

same 18 inch length 3 quarters of an inch wide ---- NOT long enough by about 4 inches (it would not make the center of the star --(the curled stand up points) if you wanted to make a flat star and not put the center points on - it would work)

this would have made a star about 4 inchs across

I am measuring across form one corner point to another.

at the high point there will be 10 layers of leather in the center and 5 on each point.......

I don't know if it is doable in leather and look right

but I am always up for a challange - and if you have the right supplies - anything is possiable

[HorsehairBraider]

Why don't you try what they call "pliver" or "skiver". I've seen it for sale on eBay. I think it is usually lamb or pig leather, skived down really thin. Also, I needed some really thin leather and called Zack White and had them skive down some scraps for me to 1 oz. I was very happy with the result. It's probably still a little thick for your star, but perhaps they could skive it down even more. They told me it was easier to start with something really heavy and use that to skive.

As a person who does origami for a hobby, I can tell you you'll have a little problem getting your folds right in something soft like leather. When I have people over for dinner I sometimes fold the napkins into lotus flowers or something, so I know this can be a problem. With the cloth, I iron the fold and that helps; I have never tried ironing leather, don't know if that would work out so well. What you might try instead, but would sure be time-consuming, is to wet down each fold and allow it to dry. It just might hold that nice crisp fold that way.

[Suze]

I thought about the folds and the "sharpness" of the fold

I was wondering if I could wet the center of the thing down AFTER I folded it and beat it down or iorn it or stick it under a anvil (only half kidding with that one) to "set" the folds.

and then put the curly parts on

I have folded one out of some seude lace thing that I bought from jo-anns (you know those cards that have about a yard of cut leather on them.....)

and it was THICK but it didn't turn out too bad -- needed crispness though

[whinewine]

Why don't you try what they call "pliver" or "skiver". I've seen it for sale on eBay. I think it is usually lamb or pig leather, skived down really thin. Also, I needed some really thin leather and called Zack White and had them skive down some scraps for me to 1 oz. I was very happy with the result. It's probably still a little thick for your star, but perhaps they could skive it down even more. They told me it was easier to start with something really heavy and use that to skive.

As a person who does origami for a hobby, I can tell you you'll have a little problem getting your folds right in something soft like leather. When I have people over for dinner I sometimes fold the napkins into lotus flowers or something, so I know this can be a problem. With the cloth, I iron the fold and that helps; I have never tried ironing leather, don't know if that would work out so well. What you might try instead, but would sure be time-consuming, is to wet down each fold and allow it to dry. It just might hold that nice crisp fold that way.

I use pliver- it is probably TOO flexible & TOO stretch-able for what Suze wants to use it for, & it tends to tear easily. It's the top grain of sheepskin which is removed before the rest (the split, or flesh side) is made into garment suede. It's too fragile for anything that would have any stress placed upon it. Suze would be better served with veg tanned goat or sheep.

russ

[Elliot]

Would book binding leather work?