Inexpensive Leather

[otak]

I was wondering where the cheapest place to buy veg tan tooling leather is. I am on a budget and leather is very expensive. I am not looking to get high end leather, because I am a beginner, but just want some "economy" stuff. I get most of my stuff through Tandy, but I am sure that there are companies that may sell cheaper, but are not as well known. Tandy kind of has a monopoly there.

[Cyberthrasher]

I was wondering where the cheapest place to buy veg tan tooling leather is. I am on a budget and leather is very expensive. I am not looking to get high end leather, because I am a beginner, but just want some "economy" stuff. I get most of my stuff through Tandy, but I am sure that there are companies that may sell cheaper, but are not as well known. Tandy kind of has a monopoly there.

How much are you looking for? Springfield has really good prices, as well as good bags of remnants by the 2lb bag. They'll also cut to the size you need. I bought a side from them and 2 of the bags of tooling remnants a couple months ago. I haven't touched the side yet and I still have 1 full bag of the remnants. Anything I can find at Springfield I will buy there first. You can't beat their customer service.

[otak]

I was thinking maybe a single shoulder of 6-7 ounce

[Cyberthrasher]

Well, they've got double shoulders listed for $4.50 at about 13 sq/ft here ($58 for the whole thing plus about 12ish shipping I'd guess - $70). I'd give them a call and talk to them about what you need. I'm pretty positive they'll find a way to get you what you need at a price you're looking for.

http://springfieldleather.com/30019/Shoulder%2CDouble%2CS.Ameri%2C7-9-oz/

[otak]

Thanks

[Art]

If you have a nearby TLF, then that may be the best bet. Buy what is on sale, and if you are going to be using someone a reasonable amount, get on their best program, it will save you money. There is an ugly word in this business, it is SHIPPING. If you are buying from a TLF close by, that takes $15 off the price of having it shipped, that's at least $1 per foot for a shoulder.

Art

I was thinking maybe a single shoulder of 6-7 ounce

[Spinner]

Another source would be Wickett & Craig. They have their overstock selection of veg-tan that is generally usable leather and sometimes can be a nice surprise.

$107 for a full side usually runs about $125-$130 with shipping and that's for about 25 sq.ft and the quality is better than the affordable ranges of Tandy leather.

There is also American Leather Direct, theirs is in the decent range also, a full back of #1 grade (similar to #2 grade HO) ran me $153 shipped to CA and was pretty clean. The temper of the ALD is similar to Tandy's Royal Meadow that runs about $180 without shipping. A back will be about 20 sq ft in size. I believe a side is $1 less per sq. ft than the backs are (so about $135 per hide or so). If you were to go with their #2 or #3 grades, the price gets even lower.

[Glendon]

I would have to agree that the remnant bags are the beginners best option. They don't work well for large projects like bags, but for smaller projects like sheaths and wallets, they are a great starting point. If you want to do belts or longer strap projects, for a beginner, look at the belt blanks and straps available from Tandy and Springfield. Yes, they are more expensive per square foot, but if you're just learning or doing a couple of projects, they are a lot less money up front.

And remember, if you're doing a project that doesn't involve stamping or tooling, you don't have to buy expensive veg tan. You can use cheaper chrome tan or oil tan leather if it doesn't need to be stamped.

Finally, the shipping charges on websites are usually rounded up to make sure the cost is covered. If you call, shipping will usually be a bit cheaper.

Edited March 30, 2012 by Glendon