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

[Ladykahu]

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.

Generally they charge by the square foot I think

I dunno how big it is.. I haven't measured it.. its still wrapped up in a paper roll untill I finish up a couple of small things and tidy up my work room, the roll is about 3 foot high and from memory it was approx 5 to 6 foot long (longer than my arm span)

the bit I got from Lefflers was $5.50 a square foot.

Natalie

[ducky]

Generally they charge by the square foot I think

I dunno how big it is.. I haven't measured it.. its still wrapped up in a paper roll untill I finish up a couple of small things and tidy up my work room, the roll is about 3 foot high and from memory it was approx 5 to 6 foot long (longer than my arm span)

the bit I got from Lefflers was $5.50 a square foot.

Natalie

wow. i didnt realise it was that cheap. all this talk about massive prices and i thought id be up of heaps of cash. i should be able to get some tools and a piece of 300x600mm leather for ~$100 all up

[Ladykahu]

The problem is you have to buy the whole bit of leather, they don't have cut up bits :-(

I have got the bulk of my tools second hand off ebay, if you hunt and buy from England you can get some good deals.

Natalie

[leatheroo]

Ducky, packer leather http://www.packerdirect.com.au/ have most of their stock half price until the end of august...this is a great deal....navigate to bovine leather and you will find embossing leather (veg tanned).

Natalie, you are most welcome to come and pick my brains any time you want!!!!!

cheers

[ducky]

Thanks for the post. Any idea what their current prices are? Not listed on that page

I managed to get to lefflers today. For the total cost of $120 I got 2 stamping tools. A 3in1 stich marker. An awl. Edge beveler. 180m waxed natural 1mm thread. Some tan dye. Some tan polish. And a piece of hide about 1100mm x320mm. Oh and that included $27 to become a wholesale member. As it was just as expensive as a non member.

I'm pretty happy now. Can make what I like and get some practice in before buying a larger hide and doing more pieces. I foresee a leather padded top to a new toy chest for my newborn son. Lefflers was $6.50 a square foot for 3.5mm

[leatheroo]

Not sure of their prices, but i might ring today and check.

[ducky]

Called today. The veg tanned isn't on sale

[JLD]

Hi Ducky,

I am in Australia as well and if you wanted to start without the outlay of a whole hide both Leffler and Toowoombah Saddlery (Queensland) will sell straps of most leaters cut to size e.g. 6" x length of hide. This might be a better way to go with your first samples. If you talk to the people at Toowoomba Saddlery (I find the quicker and less expensive than leffler) and explain what you want to make they will make sure you get the right leather for the job. Great people to deal with.

Should also mention Birdsall Leather is great for straps/strips and they too will steer you in the right direction if you tell them what you need the leather for.

I am in NSW nut if you need any help just let me know.

Johanne

Edited August 10, 2011 by JLD

[ghan]

hi all just joined

im in perth but this mob is in adelaide

http://www.dshorne.com.au

and this mob are in perth

www.theleathershop.com.au

hope to see more aussies in here

Cheers Adam

[cem]

hi all just joined

im in perth but this mob is in adelaide

http://www.dshorne.com.au

and this mob are in perth

www.theleathershop.com.au

hope to see more aussies in here

Cheers Adam

Yay another west aussie welcome Adam, another couple of stores to check out are www.leatherdirect.com.au and Western Leathercraft (their site doesn't seem to be that active anymore though) there at 297 Lord Street, Highgate.

Cheers,

Clair

P.S I hope you go for the Eagles and not the Dockers hee hee

[ghan]

hey cem

great to see another west aussie

what type of leather craft is your preferance

i barack for niether and since fitzroy are no longer in the comp

footy takes a back seat

i have had a look in the western leather store he has som good stuff

i shall have a look at the other one leather direct

Cheers Adam

Yay another west aussie welcome Adam, another couple of stores to check out are www.leatherdirect.com.au and Western Leathercraft (their site doesn't seem to be that active anymore though) there at 297 Lord Street, Highgate.

Cheers,

Clair

P.S I hope you go for the Eagles and not the Dockers hee hee

[cem]

hey cem

great to see another west aussie

what type of leather craft is your preferance

i barack for niether and since fitzroy are no longer in the comp

footy takes a back seat

i have had a look in the western leather store he has som good stuff

i shall have a look at the other one leather direct

Cheers Adam

Adam I do a bit of carving,what I'm doing is a bit different though and I haven't worked it out completely yet my day job takes up far too much time I'm changing my hours around though so I can actually do more leatherwork and hopefully turn it into a partime thing though I've only been saying that for the last few years ha ha.

Yeah I know a few people who went for Fitzroy they went back to the WAFL after they merged.

Leather Direct is good for leather and they usually have some very clean sides in stock I don't think they have many tools though (my husband usually picks my leather up for me as he is over that way more often than me).

Cheers,

Clair

[ghan]

nice

ive done a bit of carving in the past

when i work out how i will post a photo

most of my gear has been dormant for a few years but im just getting back to it now

and im the same about work it tends to take up way to much time

im just starting on a small project first possibley a set of spur straps or a bridle

see how i go

i still have a couple of double shoulders about 8oz from a while ago so ill use them before i buy any more leather

please for give my grammer

go subi

Adam

Adam I do a bit of carving,what I'm doing is a bit different though and I haven't worked it out completely yet my day job takes up far too much time I'm changing my hours around though so I can actually do more leatherwork and hopefully turn it into a partime thing though I've only been saying that for the last few years ha ha.

Yeah I know a few people who went for Fitzroy they went back to the WAFL after they merged.

Leather Direct is good for leather and they usually have some very clean sides in stock I don't think they have many tools though (my husband usually picks my leather up for me as he is over that way more often than me).

Cheers,

Clair