Basic Questions

[PULP]

Hello there,

I just started to make things out of leather and have off course a lot of questions. To put them into perspective here my plans:

Want to make my goods as high quality/durable as possible. Money not an issue, want them to last a lifetime.

Wont do any carving, decorating, dying etc. Just cutting, stitching...

Want to make a wallet, pouches, and my end goal a messenger bag/ satchel a la indiana jones.

Questions:

1) Should I use veg or chrome tanned leather ? (won't do any carving, which one most durable?, easier to stitch?, bad chemicals?)

2) Why not use kangaroo leather? I read its the strongest leather there is.

3) Whats the purpose of lining leather? only decorative?

4) Whats the purpose of the stitching along the edges of leather, like the straps of a satchel? only for decorating? against stretching?

5) Is polyester the best/most durable thread for my purposes? I looked at kevlar, but only in yellow.

6) What are top quality leather suppliers here in europe? I already got my first tools and leather from tandyuk.

Thanks and greetings from the Netherlands

[harnessman]

Hello there,

I just started to make things out of leather and have off course a lot of questions. To put them into perspective here my plans:

Want to make my goods as high quality/durable as possible. Money not an issue, want them to last a lifetime.

Wont do any carving, decorating, dying etc. Just cutting, stitching...

Want to make a wallet, pouches, and my end goal a messenger bag/ satchel a la indiana jones.

Questions:

1) Should I use veg or chrome tanned leather ? (won't do any carving, which one most durable?, easier to stitch?, bad chemicals?)

2) Why not use kangaroo leather? I read its the strongest leather there is.

3) Whats the purpose of lining leather? only decorative?

4) Whats the purpose of the stitching along the edges of leather, like the straps of a satchel? only for decorating? against stretching?

5) Is polyester the best/most durable thread for my purposes? I looked at kevlar, but only in yellow.

6) What are top quality leather suppliers here in europe? I already got my first tools and leather from tandyuk.

Thanks and greetings from the Netherlands

Hi

Well, since nobody else seems to want to chime in here I guess I will.

First off let me commend you on setting your sights high. Way too much crap out there that is slapped togeather, dolled up and peddled only to be discarded when it fails to hold up. Every craftsman should strive to make the best possible articles with sound construction and materials before they add on the bangle or carve up a storm.

Your questions are much like what is the best vehicle and beget as many questions as answers. Huge difference between a wallet and a messenger bag with pretty much totally different skill levels and material requirements.

Secondly, you better reconsider the no dying, carving or decorating thing. You will wind up doing all of them to one extent or another if you really plan on making anything anyone else will want to use or buy. You can make the best wallet in the world that will last forever but if it is ugly no one will even look at it much less buy it. Decoration is not just the application of sparkles and bangles or carving pretty flowers, it is also part of the design process that makes a item usefull as well as beutifull. A slightly flared seam or constrasting stitch may be "only usefull" and inheretly part of the design but it also adds "Decoration" to the end product. Chosing a particular section of hide with a nicer, more eye apealing, structure or pattern may not add anything to the thrength of the bag but you will appreciate that eye appeal every time you look at the bag.

1.) Depends, each has different characteristics and strengths and weaknesses. Browse the LEATHER section on the Forum for good information on leather types.

2.) Roo is good stuff for some applications. Great for wallets and whips, bit lacking for heavy duty satchels in my oppinion - some of our members down under may dissagree. It is also rather pricy compared to cow and is not available in anywhere near as many choices as cow.

3.) Yes, and no, it depends on your skill level and what you are trying to accomplish. Linings can be an effective part of a bag structure providing reinforcement and preventing wear on the exterior leather. In some cases they are cosmetic only, hidding rough or unsightly conditions on the flesh side of the outer layer. Choice of linning materials should be as carefully considered as the choice of the exterior leather.

4.) Depends. If your straps are lined, which they should be on high quality items, stitching obviously hold the layers togeather. Sometimes stitching is used as a decorative item and it will impart some strength to the strap, but don't count on it in a pinch! There is a school of thought that proclaims that everytime you poke a hole in leather you are weakening it to one extent or another.

5.) GOOD Nylon and Poly are the modern choice of a lot of leatherworkers. Readily available and moderately inexpensive either are much stronger than their older counter parts. Some swear by Poly others only use Nylon. Talk to the thread people and the differnces become much less obvious. Basically nylon is stronger and does not streatch as much (marginally) but poly is more water resistant and stretchier, which can be a good thing. However as in many things you get what you pay for and there are good synthetic threads and bad. There is also something to be said for good old fashioned flax or linnen thread. Personally there is no other thread that looks as good on a hand stitched article than good old waxed linen thread. Some people will tell you that it is not as strong or as durable as synthetics, both empirically true but then again any of them are stronger than the leather you are attaching them to! Also I have worked on 100 year old pluss harness that was stitched with linnen that is just as strong as it was when new but the leather has rotted away around it. I have also seen almost new harness with synthetic thread that has melted away because the ill advised owner used god knows what to "clean" their leather! Again, do a little research on the Forum and you will fiind out a lot about threads.

6.) Not much help on this one since I am on the wrong side of the pond.

I have been working with leather in one form or another for over 40 years and still consider myself a novice and learn new stuff about the craft every day, and I only dabble in a very small area.

Welcome aboard, learn and most of all enjoy our craft regardless of what you make

Jim D.

[PULP]

Welcome aboard, learn and most of all enjoy our craft regardless of what you make

Jim D.

Hi Jim, wow, thanks a lot for taking the time to answer my questions! Helped me a lot with a few questions I could't find a good answer for.

I notice that a lot of my questions cant have just one answer. As you say a lot depends on the final goal/application, and also personal preference.

Decorating like, carving, i'm not going to do, simply because its not my taste. I like plain and minimalistic, and for other maybe boring. And for now I just make stuff for myself.

I'm now also reconsidering using good quality linen thread like you said.. This because I've now read multiple times that linen thread can hold up for decades if done right.

Thanks again. Now going further with practicing sewing

[BAD HIDE]

Just to add a little to Jim's response.

1. what type of leather you're using can change with each project. If you're using a chap or oil tanned leather, then you don't have to dye or finish it, but you're limited in the colors that you can get. If you're using blank veg tan tooling leather, you can dye it any color you like. Other properties of different kinds of leather can vary, and you'll want to lurk and shop around. If you can, go to a leather supply shop and touch and feel everything. Until you get it figured out which types of leather you want to work with, it'll be a lot of trial and error.

2. Kangaroo is strong, but it's also thin and I haven't seen too many whole hides up for sale. It's great for lacing, but cow is just way more plentiful.

3. Lining keeps things clean, and depending on the item, some customers won't like having unfinished insides. I use upholstery fabric for some things just to class it up a bit. It also allows you to sew pockets and hide rivets and snaps so they don't show on the outside.

4. Stitching is usually structural, some cases it's decorative, but usually it's done to keep layers from coming apart. Glue holds good, but it won't hold up on it's own.

5. There are many kinds of thread for many kinds of leatherworkers. I'm still handstitching everything, so I use waxed linen. But when I get a machine, I'll be asking the same question.

6. I'm no help here either.

[PULP]

Thanks BAD HIDE for your input.

Just got some barbours linen thread. It's stronger than I thought, and also almost no stretch. But I don't like the color, so will now have to try to dye it.

And will try different kind of leather