What Is The Way To Store Leather Hides And Leftover Leather?

[dms1]

Hi, I am getting back into the Leather craft hobby to make some Bushcraft Items and some holsters. I purchased a couple of half shoulders last weekend and was wondering what is the best way to store these until I use them? Also what about scrap pieces? I'm not sure if they should be stored in plastic, rolled up (that is how I got them from the store), laid flat etc.

Does humidity (or lack of) affect the leather?

How do you guys store your leather?

Thanks

Dave S

[mrdabeetle]

Store flat for best results. You can also hang them flat. Keep out of direct sunlight. Keep them covered to prevent dust accumulation. Humidity does affect the leather, 45 - 50% is ideal. Don't get it wet. Don't feed after midnight....wait...what are we talking about?

[King's X]

My large pieces are rolled and placed in a hallway walk-in. My smaller scrap goes into a box under my stamping desk.

[dms1]

Thanks for the replies, I have it rolled up right now but plan to make some kind of contraption to hang it up in the spare bedroom and hopefully not take up too much space.

[OdinUK]

I keep my smaller cut-offs flat and covered and the larger ones rolled but upright because I dont have room to keep them flat. However I need to cover one o the larger rolls to keep it out of the light.

[Zoej]

HI

I keep my good bridle leather under my bed, its the only place I can keep it flat. Soft leather is rolled up in the bottom of a wardrobe.

Regards Zoe

[Nuttish]

Late to the game, but I have a relevant Q:

In addition to storing pieces flat, I'm wondering if it also makes sense to put a large piece of kraft paper or something else between them to minimize the possibility of scratching the grain side. It's not idea, but my workshop drops some dust and dirt from the ceiling because it's in a 120 year old industrial building.

[JLSleather]

Veggie leather is stored flat, grain side down, stacked according to weight. Stacked together keeps a more consistent moisture and takes less space, grain down prevents scratches / suntans.

Chrome leathers are hung over large dowels (think 7' wide towel rack with 5 'levels') suspended from the ceiling. Lets me pick the weight and color I want easily.

Scrap.. is just that -- scrap. Short straps go in that drawer in my carving bench for testing colors / setting sewing machine tension / backing hole punches. If the drawer has a good bit in there, or if the pieces we're talking about are smaller than my hand .. trash can.

I'm personally too lazy to do it, but i knew a guy back when, hung the veggie leather with a couple of bungies and those little clamps you can get for holding a tarp. Worked, but I don't really wanna keep pulling it up and down ...

[HippieLee]

All I know for sure is do NOT store them on the table next to the bird cage.

Unless parrot guano was the desired effect.

stupid birds.

[Erystawi]

giggle...

-don't get it wet, don't feed after midnight...

LOL

[whipstitchwallets]

Rolled up in the box it shipped in

*shrug*

-Joe

[Eirewolf]

On 7/10/2014 at 8:16 AM, JLSleather said:

Chrome leathers are hung over large dowels (think 7' wide towel rack with 5 'levels') suspended from the ceiling. Lets me pick the weight and color I want easily.

Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but I just moved into a new house, and I finally have a room all to myself to make into a studio. I'm trying to brainstorm ideas for how to hang my leather hides so that I can easily see them all (just the pre-dyed ones, not the natural veg-tan; I don't really need to see that all the time & will probably leave it rolled the way it came). I have some chrome-tanned, as well as some pre-dyed veg-tan double shoulders. Most are 5-oz or lighter weight.

I have limited space, as the room is not very large (it used to be a kid's bedroom). I like JLSleather's idea of hanging them over large dowels. I did something similar in my old studio in the closet (but the closet in the new place is too small for that). I might be able to hang them from the ceiling -- but how do I know if the ceiling will support the weight? If not that, I will have to have the husband help me build some kind of rig -- but it's got to be compact so it doesn't overwhelm the room.

If anyone has more ideas for how to maximize a small space and display my hides for easy use, I'd love to hear them! Thanks in advance.

[Wulfing]

Just dont leave a nice piece of italian calf leather rolled up on your work wench where you were previously dying something.......... Im sure those little stains will just add to the charm of the finished item :-( 

[JLSleather]

I don't have a pic of it, now we've moved and don't have a "shop".  You can make a rack -- like I did --- with a couple of 10' long 1x4, which are about $3 each.  

Cut them each in 3 pieces, about 4.5', 1.5', and 4'.  Cut 'vee' notches in teh short pieces, something like this...

 

Then line 'em' up, drive a couple of screws in the top ends, tying the three pieces together. 

 

Do the same with the other 1x4, so you have two the same, and place dowels (closet rods) in the vees, and hang your leather over the dowels.  You'll have three rows as wide as the dowels (usually about 6-7 feet), high enough that the leather wont drag the floor when draped over the rods, and offset so you can see what is on each "rack" from the front.  

You could 'tie' em together with one more across the back, but prolly not needed.  Total investment, $10 and 30 minutes.

[OLDNSLOW]

Being floor space is a premium in this case and your not sure about your ceiling, your husband can always get a stud finder at Lowes or Home Depot and then find the cross beams in the ceiling, those more familiar might correct but the cross beams are usually of 6 inch centers, he could sink some very long eye bolts into the ceiling so that you could hang things.  There would be any great cost involved and it would help keep your floor space open.

[garypl]

Ceiling joists are normally 16" on center, but best to confirm by drilling a 1/16" hole where you think the joist is located.  Drill a couple of holes side by side to find the center of the joist, then you can secure your heavy screws into the center.  You can easily patch the tiny holes with a dab of mud.

[Dwight]

When I buy a side or double shoulder, . . . it stays rolled up until I need it.  Stands on end in the bottom of my leather vault.

It's basically a box, . . . 4 x 8 sheets of particle board make the front and back, . . . 2 x 12's make the sides and tops.

I put some 1/2 inch conduit along one wall, . . . bent some re-rod into "ell" shaped pieces, . . . attached 1 x 2's to the re-rod, . . . put nails in the 1 x 2's, . . . punch small holes in the leather and hang it inside the vault.  

In the drawing there is just one "ell" and one hide hanging, . . . but I've got several and the ell's swing out so I can see what is hung in the one behind it.  

Not bragging, . . . but this is one of the best Ideas I've had in a long time, . . . works really great, . . . could be scaled down smaller or thinner, . . . depending on the needs of a person.  I could see one made of 2 x 4's standing behind a bedroom door.

All my pieces that will go into a 16 by 30 storage tote, . . . goes in there.  If they are too big for the tote, . . . they stay in the vault till they get cut down.

May God bless,

Dwight

[Eirewolf]

Thanks for the ideas, everyone! I appreciate it.