neatsfoot

[JoeS]

Hi....I'm attempting to copy a purse for a lady with Wicket & Craig 5/6 oz. utility grade or whatever their cheapest sides are called. I put a light coat of neatsfoot on the cut pieces to color it some to match the original purse and it looks like I spilled it on the leather and it soaked in leaving blotches, even after 3 days. This morning I put another light coat on and put them outside in the sun and it doesn't look much better. This is my first side of W & C and since I've read so much here praising their leather, I have to be doing something wrong. The last side I worked with was an old piece I got free and it oiled beautifully....nice and even. This W & C side seems much stiffer and dry in comparison and doesn't take up the oil very evenly. I put lexol on the pieces first, cut them out and wiped them with denatured alcohol, then the neatsfoot. Would wetting the pieces before oiling help spread it more evenly? I'm stumped....any suggestions?

Thanks,

joe

[MADMAX22]

WandC does have some nice leather but as we all know every piece will be different and even different portions of the same side will oil and dye differently.

Personally I would cut the pieces out, case them then slick them real good. This tends to help even them out a bit. You may need to cut a larger piece, wet and slick, then cut out your pattern as this will stretch the leather some but should help even it out. Once this is done I would oil before I did the conditioner. I like to oil, let sit over night, then condition it with lexol or bick4 then let that sit for a few hours then seal it up.

[JoeS]

Thanks MADMAX22,

I guess I had it back***wards....I did have a test piece that I cased and slicked after I oiled, etc. to scribe a stitch groove and it actually does look better, even done backwards. I think I'll try it on the whole mess to see if I can save the project and do as you suggest from here on out. One more question I have is whether it's the right thing to have W & C split out weights from their 8/10 oz sides to say 2/3 oz for belt liners and such or is there another way to go that would be better?

joe

[MADMAX22]

That should be fine to have them split it, its free and thats how they get the different weights. Wouldnt be no different then if you ordered different weights from someone else.

Good luck with your project.

Oh and remember my way of doing it is only one of a thousand or so. Find what works for you and I recommend reading how everyone else does it then piece together your own way or a combination of all of them, thats pretty much how Ive learned.

Edited August 22, 2009 by MADMAX22

[JoeS]

ok, cool....seems like a waste to lose all that leather for a thinner piece....lol....one bad thing about this site is that there is so many ways to do something, it gets confusing, and it's nice to get a good solid starting point.

thanks,

joe