Getting Started In Australia.

[ducky]

g'day all. im looking at doing a little bit of basic leather work. i want to make a few sheaths for some of my knives, filleting and boning in particular. after deciding against paying someone id prefer to go the more expensive short term solution and learn the skills myself.

ive found a severe lacking of places to get hides and it really hard to get information from australian based sites. i want to know a supplier i can get a few small tools. i dont need a whole set but a few cutting tools and stich marker etc. and i also need leather too. ive found on ebay a person selling belly pieces of leather for a cheap price but from what ive seen most people use shoulders. and the only prices i can find on shoulders seems to be really high. i only need a piece of 8-9oz vegetable tan leather in the 450x600mm length to make everything i wish to make to begin with and really cannot justify the cost of buying a whole shoulder for $160+ surely theres a way to get quality smaller pieces of leather without forking out hundreds of dollars.

i dont know anybody who works with leather so its hard to ask advice. but could any australian based people give us a hand. im based in se melbourne but willing to drive anywhere in vic within 3 hours of the cbd either way to get some leather/tools

[barra]

Lefflers. 171 Kensington road, West Melbourne - 03 9090 4500 are probably your best bet. They will have all the tools and leather you need, more than likely there wil be a scrap bin for small offcuts. Some of the other Melbournites might be able to confirm this as I haven't physically been to the new store yet.

http://www.leffler.com.au/saddlery/tools_craft.htm

Cheers.

Barra

[leatheroo]

welcome ducky....another good place is birdsall leather....where are you located?

cheers

caroline in Geelong Vic

[ducky]

Cheers guys. I am in dandenong.

I found the lefflers site not long after posting and was planning on going in on my rdo on Monday as I needed to drop something off in Carlton. So whilst I was in the area I was going to have a look. I'll definitely be going now.

Is there any hands on training or places I can pick up some first hand lessons on leather work? I'll be fine to do the things I want to do I believe but would still like learn a bit to tackle other projects down the track.

[leatheroo]

ducky, if you want to come to geelong, you are welcome to pick my brains...i am not working this monday either... contact cawatson@spin.net.au if you are interested.

[ducky]

ducky, if you want to come to geelong, you are welcome to pick my brains...i am not working this monday either... contact cawatson@spin.net.au if you are interested.

gday caroline. thanks heaps for the offer, very generous. i had a look at your work at i have to say it looks magic great embossing (carving?). for the very start with such a simplistic design im going to tackle it myself. and as i get more advanced and when issues crop up and ill have questions to ask rather then getting advice and not really understanding the answers im getting. better off learning the basics from the many tutorials on sheath making on the net and asking question when i strike trouble.

having said that down the track if im enjoying leather-work i will no doubt-ably try and tackle much harder projects (getting my shooters license and a 12 gauge so would love to have a handmade leather scabbard) and if your are willing id definitely be keen to ask for some advice.

[Ladykahu]

These guys also have a shop.. but I don't know what they stock as I haven't made it there yet..

http://www.nswleather.com.au/content/showroom-locations

or if your up for a longer drive there is a place up just past Ballerat that sells hides.. but only whole sides. I just recently purchased a seconds hide from them, but I want it for a large bag for myself so I suspect I will be up for buying some more leather in a few months. I would be keen on going halves in one of the more expensive better quality hides if your interested? I also can't justify the costs of a whole hide in one go.

Looks like there are a few of us in Melbourne these days.. maybe we should get together sometime? I would be keen to pick your brains sometime Caroline, or even just see how you do things, this forum is fantastic .. but there is nothing like observing someone at work.

Natalie from Melton

[ducky]

These guys also have a shop.. but I don't know what they stock as I haven't made it there yet..

http://www.nswleathe...wroom-locations

or if your up for a longer drive there is a place up just past Ballerat that sells hides.. but only whole sides. I just recently purchased a seconds hide from them, but I want it for a large bag for myself so I suspect I will be up for buying some more leather in a few months. I would be keen on going halves in one of the more expensive better quality hides if your interested? I also can't justify the costs of a whole hide in one go.

Looks like there are a few of us in Melbourne these days.. maybe we should get together sometime? I would be keen to pick your brains sometime Caroline, or even just see how you do things, this forum is fantastic .. but there is nothing like observing someone at work.

Natalie from Melton

do you know the name of the place and the costing of the hides?

[Ladykahu]

http://www.gretannery.com.au/

I paid $155(I think?) for the one I got.. but it has 10cm along the long edge that is only usable if dyed black...very much a second , Its quite large.. and about 4 - 5mm thick (like I said.. making a bag and want stiff sides and bottom) He had smaller 3mm hides for about the same price. I called prior to heading out there so he knew I was coming, he gave me approx prices over the phone after I described what I was wanting to do with the leather (I am a newbie so needed advice for the best way to go) and what my budget was.

Leffler have smaller bits available, but when I went there wasn't anyone available who could talk me through what I was looking at with the leather so I just scrumaged through the pile till I found a bit that looked ok and was within my price (they have stickers on the back with a size / price) My first bit came from there and was $65 worth.. but because I didn't know what I was looking at, I have ended up with about 1/4 of it not being suited to my use (its belly and too stretchy and shows ripples when dyed) I guess it will end up being mask material.

Hope that helps

Natalie

[ducky]

http://www.gretannery.com.au/

I paid $155(I think?) for the one I got.. but it has 10cm along the long edge that is only usable if dyed black...very much a second , Its quite large.. and about 4 - 5mm thick (like I said.. making a bag and want stiff sides and bottom) He had smaller 3mm hides for about the same price. I called prior to heading out there so he knew I was coming, he gave me approx prices over the phone after I described what I was wanting to do with the leather (I am a newbie so needed advice for the best way to go) and what my budget was.

Leffler have smaller bits available, but when I went there wasn't anyone available who could talk me through what I was looking at with the leather so I just scrumaged through the pile till I found a bit that looked ok and was within my price (they have stickers on the back with a size / price) My first bit came from there and was $65 worth.. but because I didn't know what I was looking at, I have ended up with about 1/4 of it not being suited to my use (its belly and too stretchy and shows ripples when dyed) I guess it will end up being mask material.

Hope that helps

Natalie

thanks for the reply. roughly how big (width X height) was that piece of $155 leather? ill be buying a smaller piece tomorrow but it would be good to know going in how much i can get a bigger piece for so i dont end up paying through the roof for a small piece.

Edited August 7, 2011 by ducky