How do i put it all together?

[Larry]

I went on the "Where to Find It" part of this forum to find the insides for a clutch purse/checkbook wallet formy wife. I was told Springfieldwould have it and they did. It's the C-F insert and looks well made. They were very helpful. Only, it doesnot have a checkbook and register position. I have my book "The Artof Making Leather Cases" by A.S. and I can make one and add it to theinsides. I'm new to this craft and not really sure of what to lookout for when I put this all together. SL sent me some 3-4 oz veg. tanned leatherbecause my wife wanted a tooled cover. I can make the checkbook cover outof it also and glue and stitch it to the insert. I want to stitch it all rather than laceit.

Here are my questions:

1. Do I need to cut the leather after I toolit due to stretching (that makes sense) but do I need to cut it exactly the dimensionof the insert or do I make it 1/8" larger.
2. Do I use my Barge Contact Cement on thepaper like insert and the leather just like putting two pieces of leathertogether?
3. I ordered the NRC Checkbook insert and not sure how itgoes into the checkbook slot. It looks to be a tri-fold. I can seethat one of the tri-fold needs to be out for the check that being written, onepart of the tri-fold would be under the slot for the checkbook, but what aboutthe third part of the tri-fold.
4. Please let me know what else I need to look outfor. I can't afford to mess up this$26.00 insert (retired/fixed income dilemma)

Thanks everyone for the help. And, thanks for helping me learn this greatcraft. Larry

Edited January 21, 2010 by Larry

[King's X]

hey Larry

Wow, what a job. I have an old set of instructions at home for a Tandy 'Regency' clutch purse. I can take a look later and see if there are instructions for you, but I have a proposition for you. Take a look at this clutch purse that I made for my wife this past Christmas. I tooled the outside and used a pre-made inside from Chaylor-Fennell. I started downt he same path as you, but quickly realized that without 'testing' the theory first, I was just asking for it.

Big Papa Leather, a member turned me on to these and I saw a project that Hidepounder showed here that these inserts are awesome. Anyways, Kevin at Springfield Leather is now the US distributor for these inserts/products. I would ask him if he would accept the return of your products in exchange for a Chaylor-Fennell clutch purse insert. There come in variety of colors/leathers. I believe I used Kangaroo insides on my purchase. I know that I made another clutch purse for my sis and used a Calf leather insert.

If not, then I would suggest you do a test run first and made a model inside before you commit to your final product. I sure would hate to piss you wife off. Don't we do that enough?

Good luck.

[Larry]

Thanks King's X, I got the same insert. It is a Chaylor-Fennell and I got it from Springfield. I don't know what kind of leather it is, Kevin was out and I talked to Carol and she picked it out for me. I think it looks great and like you said I don't want to take a chance by just jumping in. It just does not have a place for a checkbook with a register. I marked in red where I thought I could glue and stitch one in that I can make out of 2-3 oz. leather. There are instruction for it in the "How to make Leather Cases" book . Any instructions you may have I sure would appreciate it. If you think the instructions you have are not relevant (since I have the insert), then I would just need to know if I use the Barge Contact Cement and glue this together after I tool the outside. Springfield sent me some 2-3 oz premium veg tanned leather for the outside and the checkbook cover.

That's some beautiful work on the tooling on your clutch purse. I'm just not at that level so my tooling will be a little simpler. I would not even be able to cut that kind of design. I'm going to use a simple flower and scroll out of the "How to Carver Leather" book. She wants it stitched so there will be less bulk and it's easier for me to stitch than it is to lace. Carol sent me some low profile magnet closers. They have a metal plate on them and two prongs. Not real sure how to attach these, but I guess I can figure it out, shouldn't be that complicated. Thanks again King's X . Larry

[King's X]

Take a look at this tooling pattern. You can take the double scrolls and use it for your internal panel you are going to put in.

Good luck.

[King's X]

Oh yea, almost forgot. before you glue the two together, conduct a semi dry run on how much stuff your wife will carry to determine where you are going to have your magnets set up. don't do like I did....with my wife's purse, she grew out of it as soon as she moved it. I would have set the snap back a bit had I thought of this before. Learn from my mistakes. Once you are glued together, before you lace or sew, do another semi dry run to make sure.

Okay...good luck.

[Larry]

Great tips, I sure appreciate it. I would never have thought about the magnet placement. Exactly how do I install these? Do I just bend the prongs over on the metal plate?

I like the pattern, I'll print it out and trace it. It will look great. Thanks again King's X. Larry

[King's X]

PM your email and I will send you the actual drawing pattern instead of you trying to do it yourself. No need to try it. As for the magnets??? I have never used them. The wife wanted a snap so it would not come loose on its own. Her purse, her decision.

Later.

[Larry]

PM sent King's X, thanks...

Edited January 22, 2010 by Larry

[Billsotx]

I went on the "Where to Find It" part of this forum to find the insides for a clutch purse/checkbook wallet formy wife. I was told Springfieldwould have it and they did. It's the C-F insert and looks well made. They were very helpful. Only, it doesnot have a checkbook and register position. I have my book "The Artof Making Leather Cases" by A.S. and I can make one and add it to theinsides. I'm new to this craft and not really sure of what to lookout for when I put this all together. SL sent me some 3-4 oz veg. tanned leatherbecause my wife wanted a tooled cover. I can make the checkbook cover outof it also and glue and stitch it to the insert. I want to stitch it all rather than laceit.

Here are my questions:

1. Do I need to cut the leather after I toolit due to stretching (that makes sense) but do I need to cut it exactly the dimensionof the insert or do I make it 1/8" larger.
2. Do I use my Barge Contact Cement on thepaper like insert and the leather just like putting two pieces of leathertogether?
3. I ordered the NRC Checkbook insert and not sure how itgoes into the checkbook slot. It looks to be a tri-fold. I can seethat one of the tri-fold needs to be out for the check that being written, onepart of the tri-fold would be under the slot for the checkbook, but what aboutthe third part of the tri-fold.
4. Please let me know what else I need to look outfor. I can't afford to mess up this$26.00 insert (retired/fixed income dilemma)

Thanks everyone for the help. And, thanks for helping me learn this greatcraft. Larry

Larry,

I don't think this was mentioned yet. Before you tool your leather, either glue it, backside, to a piece of poster-board or tape the backside with packing tape to keep the leather from stretching. After you're finished peel the back off and then rub the residual glue off with your fingers or a gum eraser. Barge glue will do, but only put it on one side - either on the leather or the poster-board - that way you won't have an almost permanent bond. Look forward to seeing the finished piece.

[Larry]

Thanks, Billsotx, I did not get a kit. I ordered the insert from Springfield Leather and got about 3 sq. ft. of leather to do the tooling on. In this case, am I correct in thinking, I can tool the pattern on a piece larger that the insert and when finished with tooling and the leather is dry, then cut it to size for the clutch purse? Thanks, Larry