Exotic Help Wanted

[mrfixit]

I posted this in the exotic section, but haven't received any replies in a week. So, I'm posting it here hoping someone and help me:

Went by Tandy and picked up some left over pieces of elephant, Ostrich, and shark to use on holsters. I'm fairly new to this all anyway and only plan on using the exotic as trim and accent pieces.

My question is about gluing it. I plan on using contact cement and stitching it to some veg tan before sewing it all together. The back of the elephant especially is really "furry" if that is a description. Looks like suede almost on back. Do I need to do anything to it before gluing it?

How much will the exotic stretch when I fold and wet mold?

Mr Fixit

[marine mp]

Mrfixit,

Sorry about the non-responses. I have only used orstrich skins and know the stretch right along with the veggie-tan when molding. As far as the "furry" elephant flesh side, I don't believe that would be a detriment to adhesion. As a matter of fact, I believe it would help absorb the glue and help the adhesion along. Semper-fi MIke

[TwinOaks]

I haven't used elephant, but I have had minor issues with stringy flesh NOT holding like I want. While it seems to bond well, all those loose fibers tend to pull away from their base hide under stress....even with a good contact cement. While you can stick the fibers to another piece, if the fibers themselves aren't 'held in' well, then the bonded flesh side will just peel away from the hide.

The only way around this that I know of is to skive down past the junk fibers to get to good hide. There's a couple of options, from skiving machines to splitters (best option, IMO) to sanding to hand skiving. Try to at least get rid of all the really stringy stuff. I've even used an electric clipper to remove some of it, which mostly worked, but ended up scrapping the whole section because I couldn't get a uniform cut.

For just a trim piece, grab a skiver and a REALLY, REALLY, REALLY sharp blade and start shaving it (RAZOR sharp is a good starting place). If you can get the nap to under 1/8th inch, you can probably glue from there. Hopefully, you'll get to some good leather.

[JS22]

+1 to what Twin Oaks said. There's a reason why that piece was left over at Tandy. A little nap would be Ok in most instances, but if its as furry as it sounds I would be leary of it staying adhered. If you are going to trim it with vegtan and sew through to another piece of vegtan it may be OK.

Good luck!

[mmirob]

Sometimes with elephant, if it is an especially spongy piece, you should liberally coat the elephant with your bonding cement and let it soak in and dry. As it is getting tacky pressing or rolling it down in to the fleshy nap. You will then have a good base to re coat and cement to your veg tanned base.

[frankodesigns]

hi, about the elephant skin ,what i do about hairy flesh on the back side,i sand it until all the fluffy stuff is out being careful not to go so deep. that way i get a better bond to leather and it is not to thick..ostrich will stretch when wet also elephant but not that much.

[katsass]

FWIW from the grump; Every once in a while I run across a piece of leather with an exceptionally furry, nay, HAIRY flesh side. I have found that by using my bench mounted, 6" wide belt sander, with a worn 100 grit belt on it I quickly end with a surface that is well prepped for glue. I can use some pieces of leather with a good looking surface which otherwise I would pass up. Since I primarily make holsters from two layers of leather bonded together on their flesh sides, this can result in a substantial cost saving. It should work on elephant without much trouble. For an even removal, back your piece of leather with a block of wood. Mike

Edited December 7, 2011 by katsass

[jlaudio29]

Very Interesting that you got this exotic stuff from tandy, I have been to a few tandy and none of them carry any of those exotic skins, for sure not elephant or Shark, and the only ostrich i have seen is cowhide print. Make sure you dony have cowhide with exotic print. Some of the stuff in there scrap bins looks pretty darn close to the real thing but it isnt.

[Art]

If you want a test for real effalump (elephant), try and scratch it with a fingernail, elephant pretty much doesn't, cowhide print is toast.

Art

Very Interesting that you got this exotic stuff from tandy, I have been to a few tandy and none of them carry any of those exotic skins, for sure not elephant or Shark, and the only ostrich i have seen is cowhide print. Make sure you dony have cowhide with exotic print. Some of the stuff in there scrap bins looks pretty darn close to the real thing but it isnt.