Leatherworking Supply Carrier Bag

[ARamcharan]

Hello, I'm pretty new to leatherworking, been at it for less than a year now. Currently, I'm carrying my equipment and display pieces around in little plastic bags and am not very proud of that. I've been looking around for a bag that I could make that would have some slots for my stamps, mallet, and other tools, some pockets to keep some 3" rounds I use to display my tooling patterns for people, and large enough to hold a few belt blanks, dye, and other miscellaneous stuff. I was thinking about using 4-5 oz. veg tanned with some bag stiffener to hold it up. I was thinking that so I could also use the bag itself to advertise and show off my ability to potential customers.

If anyone has ideas where I could get a pattern or make one myself, it would be much appreciated!

thanks

[WinterBear]

I'm currently in the process of making a carrying case for my stamps, based on the "simplified carrying case for leathercraft stamping tools" found in Volume One of the Art of Making Leather Cases by Al Stohlman, but with a better handle, something like what is shown in Volume Two. The case is more-or less a bottomless leather case that attaches to either a homemade tool block or can be modified to fit the wood tool rack sold by Tandy. The tool rack/block forms the bottom of the case is held in place with heavy-duty snaps--half of the snap is screwed into the wood near the bottom, while the other half of the snap is set into the leather side. The case shown in the book only uses four snaps, but I think I will use at least six.

[ARamcharan]

Thanks, I'll have to check it out!

[WinterBear]

Most people here seem to recommend them. I quite like them because they not only tell you suggested weights, but also how to stitch difficult portions, when to use certain methods and when to not, and why certain methods should be avoided entirely (such as being a weak attachment or likely to fail). The only thing that the folks here disagree with that Stolhman's Volume One suggests is using a copper rivet at the top of the blade edge of a knife sheath to protect the stitches. The people here say to add a welt to protect the stitches and avoid the rivet entirely,

I'm sure some more experienced people will be along shortly to give you much better advice and some other resources. I am still very much a newbie myself.

[ARamcharan]

I got a copy of volumes 1 & 2 and looked up the tool carrier you suggested. That's close to what I want, but how would I make it bigger? I was thinking something more along the lines of a satchel/briefcase type bag. I would be able to keep a small (9"x13") cutting board, mallet, various stamps & knives, and extra pouches to hold various sized pieces to display patterns. Possibly with a shotgun-shell bandoleer type set-up to hold tools in place on the inside.

Another main issue with that case I saw was tools falling out if the bag dropped or fell on it's side. I live in kind of a rural area and there are alot of bumpy roads around. I would like to be able to toss the bag either in the back of my truck or backseat of my car and not worry about things falling around and getting unorganized inside the bag.

Thanks for your help though, I'll keep looking through volume 2 and re-read The Art of Hand Sewing for more ideas.

Thanks!

[WinterBear]

I have a similar worry with the tools falling out. I thought I'd see how this one turns out, and maybe add a strap across the bottom? I'm not sure how to make it bigger than the Tandy block I am trying to use. I mocked up a pattern in foamboard and cardboard, and I think it will work.

Overall, I think the stamping tool case will work for my current needs, but I'm thinking of making a case with smaller cases inside for future use. I was thinking the manicure case on page 106, volume 2, could be modified to hold as many tools as I want in as many rows as I want. I think i could dispense with the zipper, make the spine thicker, and insert several "booklets" sewn to the spine, with each booklet having additional loops to hold more tools on each of its pages. Then I could fold the modifed case into a 3-sided box (the 3-sides being sewn the the back cover which forms the bottom of the box, and the sides being as tall as the "pages" where the tools are), the spine forms the 4th side of the box, and the "cover" of the modified manicure case forms the lid of box. A snap could hold it closed. I could also replace the loops with O-rings. hmmm. Have to think about that...

As for something to hold the mallet and whatnot, the large heavy things, I was looking at the case on page 44 in Volume 2. I think it would work for larger and heavier items with some thicker leather and some additional support. But I think I'd like to keep mallets and boards separate from the stamps in two separate cases, so as not to make a single case that is too heavy for me to lift or carry easily. Anything heavier than about 25-30 pounds carried more than a few blocks stresses my bad wrist too much. Anything close to that weight or heavier, I'd put a padded shoulder strap on so I could carry the weight on my shoulders and brace the case against my hip.

[ARamcharan]

How about a laptop-style case with a full side being able to open with either straps or snaps to close it securely? An extra pouch could be added on the back to hold the board or a notebook. Then add some lengths of leather across the middle of the inside to keep the stamps and mallet down. It should be easy enough to add a few layers attached to the bottom to be able to hold more tools. You would have to use either pretty heavy leather or two smaller pieces with bag stiffener between them to keep it rigid. Then add another pocket on the front to hold miscellaneous pieces. You could either put a zipper around the edge or make the front and back be able to interlock like a pizza box with snaps or buckles to keep it together. Put a dee ring on either side for a shoulder strap and a carrying handle for multiple ways to carry it. I don't see it weighing more than about 15 lbs total after I have everything I need inside it.

I have bad joints too, back, shoulders, wrists, knees, etc. so I have to worry about weight and distance too.

[ARamcharan]

How about a modified briefcase on page 115 of volume 2? I don't have zipper stock, but have enough leather to make straps with snaps. (if you haven't been able to tell yet, I'm a fan of snaps. Not sure why, but I like the look) You could make it big enough to hold everything you need and put straps in it like the manicure set to hold everything down. An added shoulder strap would be nice, and you could somehow build the board into one of the sides to make a travel work station. Perhaps on the other side you could make a pouch to hold a book light on either side to be able to have it lit. Not really sure how all that would work out without putting it on paper and actually designing it yet, but in theory it could be nice.

[WinterBear]

Now both of those ideas are distinct possibilities. I'll have to start trying some of these ideas out. Anything that doesn't suit 100%, I'm sure the Scout troop or crew can find a use for.

[ARamcharan]

Actually, the Super Gadget Bag on page 120 is perfect for my needs. Unfortunately I don't have enough leather or the funds to make it yet... I would swap the chrome tanned on the front and back for veg tanned so I could stamp it. Add some horizontal strips like the manicure set to hold things, some labeled pouches for your most commonly used tools and such, a pouch for business cards, notebook, etc.

I'm currently making a roll-away tool pouch that is big enough for about 20 stamps with a snap closure. It's not big enough for my mallet or other nice stuff, and it is made with 2-3 oz chrome tanned upholstery leather, so no stamping, but I can brand some scroll work and my company name on it. It's prettier than plastic baggies for carrying my supplies for now...

[WinterBear]

That is a lot of leather. Would you do the tooling leather as overlay panels over the chrome tan then? Or inlaid? Or just a separate pieces that are sewn to the chrome tan sides?

Maybe check out Springfield Leather--the stuff looks nice. You'd have to ask the forum at large about that leather as I have not bought anything but the bison from Springfield. They have some black chrome tan sides from 2-4 oz in weight for $1.99 sq.ft. http://springfieldleather.com/product/1635/Side%2CChrome%2CAsst-Black%2C2-4oz/. f you wanted more stiffness and shape to the bag, maybe you could make the bag, or even just the outside, out of bison latigo or water buffalo--Springfield leather has it. It's more expensive than 3-4 oz chap leather though. Bison is sold by the side only, and runs $6.49 sq.ft., while the water buffalo is sold by the side or whole hide at $4.99 sq.ft. Both are very thick. I have a piece of a bison latigo side that a friend and I split between us. Heavy!--But that stuff will take a beating. Springfield had good shipping too--cost less than $12 to ship the bison side from Missouri to Wyoming. I don't know if you'd want to make a whole big bag out of bison/buffalo entirely though--the bag itself will weigh a ton.

If you're going to brand chrome-tan, be careful of the fumes. The fumes are apparently especially nasty. But it would make a pretty bag, better than baggies. You could tool a strip and sew it to the outside of the roll? A vertical strip on the outside edge where the snap would be would show nicely when the tool roll is closed an wouldn't interfere with the purpose, structure, or use of the tool roll.

[ARamcharan]

I was thinking about replacing the front and back sides entirely with veg tanned and sewing them to the sides. I would then divide them into quarters with a small line to show off different stamping and dying patterns. I've found some local tanneries that I could just drive to rather than pay for the shipping. I'd have to spend the money on gas but can write it off come tax time as a business trip.

Thats a good idea for the strip around the edge of my roll, I'll have to try that. My leather just dried from forming it around the tools, so I can finish it tonight. I'll try to get some pictures up when it is done. I was wrong though, it only holds about 10 stamps and a pen rather than the 20. I forgot to take into account the extra space I need for the snap.

[WinterBear]

I was thinking about replacing the front and back sides entirely with veg tanned and sewing them to the sides. I would then divide them into quarters with a small line to show off different stamping and dying patterns. I've found some local tanneries that I could just drive to rather than pay for the shipping. I'd have to spend the money on gas but can write it off come tax time as a business trip.

Thats a good idea for the strip around the edge of my roll, I'll have to try that. My leather just dried from forming it around the tools, so I can finish it tonight. I'll try to get some pictures up when it is done. I was wrong though, it only holds about 10 stamps and a pen rather than the 20. I forgot to take into account the extra space I need for the snap.

That sounds like it'd be nice done that way. And I understand about the shipping. It's only cost effective if you can buy enough or go in with someone to split something (and split the shipping too).

Do you mean a strip along the edges perpendicular to the axis of the stamps? So it would roll up with the tooled strip forming a sort of "jelly roll" and spiraling from the center to the outer edge? Or a single, shorter strip along the outermost edge, near to where the closure would be, and that is parallel to the axis of the stamps? I was thinking the latter.

[ARamcharan]

I was thinking the latter too. I might measure how wide the total roll would be and attach it to the outside so it would be like a covering.

[WinterBear]

I'm looking forward to seeing how this turns out!

[ARamcharan]

Just a heads up, it was a spur of the moment project that is just a temporary measure, so it's not the cleanest thing I have ever made

[WinterBear]

You're talking to someone who has seen what Boy Scouts cobble together on the spur of the moment. You ain't gonna scare me!

[ARamcharan]

Ok, my package from Tandy didn't get here today, so I'll have to put the border on tomorrow. And all I had for scrap lace is suede, not too big a fan of it, but I didn't feel like stitching the entire thing and I'm not that good at buckstitching, so the ends the ends aren't the prettiest. Other than that, it's coming along better than I expected it to.

[Deb59]

Ok, my package from Tandy didn't get here today, so I'll have to put the border on tomorrow. And all I had for scrap lace is suede, not too big a fan of it, but I didn't feel like stitching the entire thing and I'm not that good at buckstitching, so the ends the ends aren't the prettiest. Other than that, it's coming along better than I expected it to.

Your project sounds interesting - ( I am the one you spoke to the other day from Cottonwood Ranch Designs at Centropolis, Ks) What kind of scrape lacing are you wanting? I have shelves of different types of hides that might work for your lacing that is not suede. Give me a call if I can help - Deb

[WinterBear]

I can offer some of my odds'n'ends of various latigo laces too. Most of it is in about 3ft lengths, but I have several pounds worth. I have a little blue (but it's not colorfast), some boot-lace type which is pretty nice, some off-white, and a deep dark brown. Lemme know if you want any before Friday--It's gonna be picked over by Boy Scouts working on merit badges, and I might not have any left after that!

[TexasLady]

7/6/11

I'm tickled to death to see this Thread. I'm needing to make a bag for my tools, too. By posting here, I'll be able to Search My Content from my profile and find the Thread again. Such good ideas. Thanks to everyone. - TexasLady

[ARamcharan]

Your project sounds interesting - ( I am the one you spoke to the other day from Cottonwood Ranch Designs at Centropolis, Ks) What kind of scrape lacing are you wanting? I have shelves of different types of hides that might work for your lacing that is not suede. Give me a call if I can help - Deb

I'm just going to finish it with the black suede I have, it gives a nice contrast to the light tan body of it. It looks fine on the outside, but it's just a little thick for the holes and is a little rough. But good ol' Mr. Murphy had to step in and make me "misplace" my last lacing needle after I finished most of the upper section, so the holder strap on the bottom will be sewn, along with the "cover" I'm putting on the outside of it out of veg-tanned.

I actually might be calling you soon for some advice on a project I just had the idea for as I was about to fall asleep for a Pool Cue holder, it will be my first one, but I have some definite ideas of what I want to do for it. Thanks for the offer though!

[ARamcharan]

I can offer some of my odds'n'ends of various latigo laces too. Most of it is in about 3ft lengths, but I have several pounds worth. I have a little blue (but it's not colorfast), some boot-lace type which is pretty nice, some off-white, and a deep dark brown. Lemme know if you want any before Friday--It's gonna be picked over by Boy Scouts working on merit badges, and I might not have any left after that!

Thanks for the offer, but since I already have the majority of it laced with the black suede already (and coincidentally lost my last lacing needle to top it off), I'm just going to finish it with thread and a needle. I also do have an entire pack of plastic lace, but it looks cheap so I don't want to use it.

[ARamcharan]

Almost done! I stitched the rest with artificial sinew rather than sewing it, I like how it turned out. Going to stamp the border on the "cover" in about half an hour, take pictures, and post them!

On a side note, does anyone know where I can find some simple carving templates? I'm using some of the scrap veg-tanned to practice with my swivel knife, maybe add it to the cover before stitching it on...

[Deb59]

Tandy Leather Factory Website has some free downloadable patterns