Where to buy from

[evanandpeaches]

I am new to leather working and was wondering some good sites to buy toolong leather 3-4 oz and 5-6 oz leather. I am currently buying from Tandy but I dont know any other options. I found a few sites by searching w/google but I dont know what I will get.

Evan

[Tkleather1]

Herman oak and or Wickett & Craig

[MADMAX22]

Herman oak and wickett and craig leathers are the best I think. Herman oak unless you can get alot of sides at one time will have to be bought thru other retailers that stock there leather.

Other places to consider that I have not had a problem with are

Springfeild leather

Seigel of california

waterhouse leathers

there are also some that I havent dealt with but seem to be good from people here

Zack white leather

Goliger

[hidepounder]

I've been using Goliger for the past couple years and am VERY pleased with them.

Bob

[Art]

Hi Evan,

Hidecrafter in Ft.Worth will plug you into everything Thourobred and Dermatan has. Contact Ron at the store. No matter who you buy from, and all of the suggestions have been good, you need to tell them what you want and what you are going to make, and what you expect. If you can't select it yourself, then they are going to have to select it for you, and most of them look at the hides and try to pick what will work for you. So if you do a lot of small projects, you can cut around a blemish or two, but if you do saddles, then you have to have some rather large blemish free areas. You can hide a lot of things with tooling too. Don't expect to get sale items that are perfect, they shouldn't be crap, but they ARE on sale for a reason. You really can't buy leather with a computer, you have to call the distributor and order with a live person.

Art

I am new to leather working and was wondering some good sites to buy toolong leather 3-4 oz and 5-6 oz leather. I am currently buying from Tandy but I dont know any other options. I found a few sites by searching w/google but I dont know what I will get.

Evan

[pete]

I agree with Art in every respect. These are all good vendors, but feel free to call Kevin at Springfield Leather. He is a craftsman himself, has probably made what you are thinking about making, and will personally select the hide for you. Plus he has one of the countries best bootmakers on staff who has "done it all" from shark wallets to embossed toilet seats!

(they're comfy!!!)

pete

[kevinhopkins]

Hi...I appreciate the kind words from you guys, and I certainly do have a good selection of leather. But I wanted to let you know that Art is giving you a good reference, because Ron at Hidecrafter has been a personal friend of mind for about 30 yrs, and you'll never find a nicer guy. He and I both have access to all of Thouroughbred and Demers, and quite a few other folks, and he'll treat you right. Like the guys said, let whoever you buy leather from know as much about what you're doing, and even if you do have a problem from time to time, suppliers like us will get it worked out so that you have access to the best vendors possible. Having vendors that you can trust is one of the most important things you can accumulate.

Happy Hammering!

Kevin

[Art]

Hi again Evan,

If you live in the Charelston area then the closest store to you might be Zack White in North Carolina, not a short putt, more of a long drive. You should visit one of these stores sometime, Hidecrafter, Springfield Leather, Zack White to see what a "real" Leather Store is like, you may not want to leave. Then you need to hit one of the "major" shows to see that there is a leather world out there considerably different than the local TLF.

Art

I am new to leather working and was wondering some good sites to buy toolong leather 3-4 oz and 5-6 oz leather. I am currently buying from Tandy but I dont know any other options. I found a few sites by searching w/google but I dont know what I will get.

Evan