Need Help With Tandy Kit

[swampbuck]

Hey everybody,

New here and about 1 month into my leathercrafting career! I recently bought a clutch purse to make my wife for valentines day: http://www.tandyleat...es/4317-00.aspx

After doing 2 tandy kits already, I'm assured that I can't stand the look of the pre-punched stitching holes and would really like to do a professional-looking stitching job on this project. I've cut a piece of leather that matches the dimensions of the tooling leather provided in the kit. Additionally, I purchased a stitching groover, sewing awl, and a stiching wheel that matches the stitches per inch of the provided tooling leather and interior of the kit.

All of this is fine and dandy, only issue I'm seeing is that the piece of leather that I have cut is thicker than the tooling leather provided in the kit. Is this going to give me issues when it comes time to assemble the project? I'm thinking it would make the purse tougher to close, or it may "fling" open when you undo the fastener clip.

The tooling leather provided in the kit (from my limited experience) seems to be a 2 or 3 oz. The side I cut my piece from is about a 5 oz. I really don't want to go back and buy a big piece of 2 or 3 oz leather...I prefer the thicker for most of the projects I'll do in the near term.

Thanks in advance for any help!

[HellfireJack]

You may have to skive the edges down to fit the hardware in that kit. And don't forget that you're going to have to match the pre-punched holes on the guts to your stitches.

I'd definitely do some practice sewing on the thicker leather before doing this one.

[Ken Cook]

Use a skiver to thin the leather. Mostly in the area of the fold and also where the metal clasp attches. Would be my guess without having it in my hands. You may also, in the final steps, wet the leather in the folded area to help it remember the closed possision.

I'm new here too, but have been messing with leather off and on for 30 years.

Good Luck,

Ken

[bkingery]

It will work fine, promise. I do the same thing with the kits, can't stand round holes for flat lace. If it does have a problem "flipping open", before you lace it together wet down the fold lines and put a book on it or something and let er sit for a day and it will stay, don't groove it though just wet it, fold it, weight it, dry it.

Hope this helps.

Peace

Bryan

[swampbuck]

Thanks for all the replies! I think I will do a little skiving around where the fold is....maybe about an inch wide swath. I'm assuming that I would have to wet, fold, and weight the fold in the leather before I applied the stain and finish? (I'm using eco-flo hi-lite and satin shene.)

bkingery: Could you elaborate on why you'd recommend not grooving for my stitches? I practiced a little with my new stitching tools and really like how the groover made the stitches sit down in the leather.

Thanks again!

[Suicide]

bkingery: Could you elaborate on why you'd recommend not grooving for my stitches? I practiced a little with my new stitching tools and really like how the groover made the stitches sit down in the leather.

There should be a bit misunderstanding as Bryan assumed you are going to use the flat lace which probably comes with that kit. But as I\ve got you are going to stitch it with thread instead of lacing. Then grooving is waht gives you much better look than without groove.

I also would recommend to use Neatsfoot oil on your piece to make leather softer and more pliable.

[HellfireJack]

He's talking about the fold not the stitching. Some people groove folds with a V or U gouge to make them fold easier.

[swampbuck]

Ahh...I see. Thanks for the clarification and all the help. I'm looking forward to starting this project!