Where To Buy Leather?

[Buddytink]

Im wanting to get some Herman Oak leather so that I can practice tooling, and all that I can find is 24sq ft of the stuff for $100+ dollars. Does anyone know where I can buy it by the sq ft?

[dirtclod]

http://springfieldleather.com/store/ will cut a piece for you.Not sure if it's Herman Oak or not though. Edited August 30, 2010 by dirtclod

[Mick]

Im wanting to get some Herman Oak leather so that I can practice tooling, and all that I can find is 24sq ft of the stuff for $100+ dollars. Does anyone know where I can buy it by the sq ft?

I'm going to suggest http://www.brettunsvillage.com/leather/sides.htm and also suggest that you contact them, they have a form you can fillout if you have a special request. their veg-tan sides are all over 20 feet, ($75 + free shipping) but they may have something smaller hanging around. Great people, I enjoy working with them.

[BAD HIDE]

If all you're doing is practicing tooling, get a veg-tan remnants pack. It'll give you different sizes, thicknesses and quality to work with so you'll have some variation to play with, and it'll be really cheap.

Yes, it's lower quality leather, but you don't need grade A if all you're doing is doodling practice. Most of your carving experience will be trial and error, learning as you go, so don't use up your cash all at once. People have said on here that you can't tool remnant packs and bellies, which is just false; they're not ideal and the results won't be stellar, but it's economical to learn on and you CAN tool it. The first few things you make will be less than perfect, but hopefully you learned something, which you can take to your next piece. After you use up your remnants, get a shoulder and start making small items with slightly better leather and tool the hell out of them, then keep going till you're brave enough to start some really good pieces. Then a $100 Herman Oak side won't be that expensive, and you'll really appreciate how much better it is, and hopefully you'll have your miss-stamps out of your system.

Where to get it? Springfield, Zack White, Siegels, Brutten's Village - take your pick.

[Skald]

I am also looking out for a place to buy leather, and first and foremost from USA. The reason is the horrible prices here in Sweden, you'll have to pay more than double the prices you have there, for the exact same type of hides (Herman Oak for example). Then there's postage too, and it's not much cheaper to pay for postage inside Sweden, than it is to order from abroad. Sick, really. I know.

So, does anyone have any recommendations about what company/companies I should order from, that handles international orders well? I am thinking about ordering from Springfield Leather right now, I have heard nothing but kind words about them. I'll probably order like +25 sq. feet of leather, maybe even double that for a starter, depending on the conditions. I would want some standard cheapest possible shipping alternative, as delivery time is less important than price for me at the moment. I really would like to get a trustworthy and smooth working source to buy leather from, as I'll most likely start to order quite regularly ahead. Some retailers seems to have a problem to deliver internationally due to tax and custom issues, but again - some doesn't make an issue about that.

[BIGGUNDOCTOR]

For parctice pieces I would just find you local Tandy store, mine has a bin full of remnants to pick through. I believe they also carry Herman Oak. They also offer classes, and you can have access to a tutor that can give you hands on help if needed-the internet is only so good. In Vegas the leather guild meets at the Tandy store every month. Check em out.

[joquarter]

Skald , I buy my leather in Belgium , Lederhandel Berten , they also have a webshop, ore www.boomsma.nl, in the netherlands.

If you give them a call what you need , they give you a price.

Have to find out how the prices are in Germany , heard that there are some good leathershops.

[Skald]

Skald , I buy my leather in Belgium , Lederhandel Berten , they also have a webshop, ore www.boomsma.nl, in the netherlands.

If you give them a call what you need , they give you a price.

Have to find out how the prices are in Germany , heard that there are some good leathershops.

Never thought of that possibility really, this requires some further investigation.

I have some friends in Belgium and Germany, that might prove helpful. Anybody tried of the hides from Belgium or Germany? If they are any good for carving etc. that is.

[joquarter]

The last leather I bought in Belgium , was half of a hide vegtan leather , don't know in oz but its 4mm.

Very fine leather to carve , payed € 60 for it.

At Boomsma, bought two straps of dorset vegtan leather for making new stirrups 5mm × 60mm×1500mm , huge leather.

My 21 years old saddle is happy with it ,

[joquarter]

Here a pic of it almost ready , painted it mahony , carved the old fender , and gave it the same color.

[Norwegian]

I am also looking out for a place to buy leather, and first and foremost from USA. The reason is the horrible prices here in Sweden, you'll have to pay more than double the prices you have there, for the exact same type of hides (Herman Oak for example). Then there's postage too, and it's not much cheaper to pay for postage inside Sweden, than it is to order from abroad. Sick, really. I know.

So, does anyone have any recommendations about what company/companies I should order from, that handles international orders well? I am thinking about ordering from Springfield Leather right now, I have heard nothing but kind words about them. I'll probably order like +25 sq. feet of leather, maybe even double that for a starter, depending on the conditions. I would want some standard cheapest possible shipping alternative, as delivery time is less important than price for me at the moment. I really would like to get a trustworthy and smooth working source to buy leather from, as I'll most likely start to order quite regularly ahead. Some retailers seems to have a problem to deliver internationally due to tax and custom issues, but again - some doesn't make an issue about that.

Hi!

You can always use www.jetcarrier.com for shipping to Sweden.. It's cheap, they handle tax and custom, and you can buy leather from any supplier in the US, because you get your own "post adress" in New Jersey. Don't have to think about who ships internationally or not.. I use jetcarrier for shipping truck parts for my US trucks here in Norway. It's fast and cheap, you can choose boat or air.. BUT remember, the customs in Sweden will most likely add a good piece of "tull och moms" on the leather when you import from the US..

Since you are lucky enough to live in a EU country, I guess you can import from Germany without "tull och moms"? Have a look at http://www.heidelber...er.de/index.htm, maybe they can help you, not sure about their prices though..

Rik

[BIGGUNDOCTOR]

Skald,

could this be a business opportunity for you? Maybe start a small leather supply company?

Remember, it wasn't the miners who made the money during the 49'er gold rush in California, it was the merchants that sold the supplies to the miners.

[billymac814]

100 dollars for a side doesn't seem all that expensive to me really. I'm assuming that is not #1 grade? I get all my leather from Wickett& Craig, they have thier special sides which is the #3 and it's very nice, it's usually 90 and they'll split it to any thickness. I've not had a reason to try anything else yet and they are not only in the USA but local to me and there's no minimum other than a side. If your just practicing though a rem pack would be fine, but you won't really make much more than fancy scraps. I'd go right for the side beyond that, just get #3 grade. I bought my first piece at Tandy and it wasn't that big or nice and it was 70 bucks, I couldve had a whole side for 20 bucks more and it would have been American.

I always got #1 from W&C, my last order I got one#3 and one #1 and was very suprised at how very little difference there was except a huge difference in price.

[Skald]

Thanks to all of you for your ideas and suggestions, much appreciated.

Skald,

could this be a business opportunity for you? Maybe start a small leather supply company?

Remember, it wasn't the miners who made the money during the 49'er gold rush in California, it was the merchants that sold the supplies to the miners.

Actually, when I and my father was looking through some Swedish mailorder companies for leather supplies, and compared their prices to the ones abroad, we could clearly see that there would certainly be room for "competition". Sweden should really have some decent alternative too, ordering from abroad shouldn't be necessary, just to avoid paying more than double the price. My father is already running a business quite closely connected to this, so maybe I could encourage him to take a close look at this opportunity.

[Norwegian]

Thanks to all of you for your ideas and suggestions, much appreciated.

Actually, when I and my father was looking through some Swedish mailorder companies for leather supplies, and compared their prices to the ones abroad, we could clearly see that there would certainly be room for "competition". Sweden should really have some decent alternative too, ordering from abroad shouldn't be necessary, just to avoid paying more than double the price. My father is already running a business quite closely connected to this, so maybe I could encourage him to take a close look at this opportunity.

Intresserade framtida kunder finns det iallafall!

[Thijzzz]

Bit of an old post but I'll second joquarter's remarks:

- Boomsma.nl is pretty good, I used to mail order from them but visited them 2 days ago. Family run business who really take the time for you and have a lot in store: leather, tools, chemicals you name it. Everywhere I looked I got the "I want that, and that...and that!"-feeling.

- Lederhandel Berten: I ordered 1 hide from them some time ago, little cheaper than Boomsma. I requested pictures of the hide and they even sent it to me, while they were moving to a new location. So pretty good service there and a good hide.

You could also contact Martin Swinkels to ask for a good adress: http://martinsheaths.blogspot.com/

Regards,

Thijs

Edited June 11, 2011 by Thijzzz