Substitute Leather Tooling Material?

[gcg123]

Hello leather workers,

I was recently commissioned to do a project by a vegan friend eof min and I was wondering if there are any other non-leather materials that you could tool/carve on. I have only been tooling for about a year in a half or two years and have sort of run out of Ideas as far as materials go. I know it is probably considered blasphemy but If you have any Ideas or have done tooling on other materials I would appreciate as much info as I can get.

thanks

-gg

[miss v]

i dont know much of anything mind you...

But thinking about your limitations, I first think of vinyls type of material...

So if a vinyl type material was going to be used you could not cut or necesarily mould,

so that leaves heat, hot stamping as the way to impress a design into something like that...?

Then theres rubber, you could make in leather and then try and cast the originaldesign (ex; rubber spiked brclts) ...

Good luck, sounds like a great challenging project, love to see what you come up with

eta, i think silicone was what i was thinking....make a mold out of a TAP resin product and cast in silicone (rubber), something blah blah like that...

Edited April 28, 2012 by miss v

[Tina]

As far as I know there is no other choice than leather.

(On the side: If someone have been taking the stand of being a vegan, that someone should not try to copy the "meatworld", be consistent.) //Just my 2 cents

[miss v]

what about sewing applique in layers to faux leather, it would be a very graphicky effect.....

as you experiment with different ideas and materials, you will eventually come up with something!

you might even come up with the vegans' million dollar fashion idea

good luck'

[Sylvia]

The only "vegan" product I'm aware of that can be carved is WOOD.

Without getting political or in a huge argument about the rights and wrongs of leather. I would like to remind everyone that synthetic materials, plastic, naugahide, and vinyl.. are made from OIL. (long dead plants and animals (diatoms)) and the production of said synthetic materials create more pollution than Leather ever did. So I think your friend should resign themselves to wear cotton, linen and hemp...

[Vikti]

I think I remember seeing someone who uses a polymer clay to practice stamping out designs on and as long as you don't heat the clay up it's totally reusable. And if you mess up, just simply get a rolling pin out and smooth everything back out.

Damon

[Vikti]

Here's the thread that I was referring too

http://leatherworker...=1

[miss v]

obviously everyone here likes "leather" ...

but the person just asked a simple question for alternative ideas.

not our opinions about veganism.

[Tina]

obviously everyone here likes "leather" ...

but the person just asked a simple question for alternative ideas.

not our opinions about veganism.

I have to desagree...

The vegans take the liberty of bashing down on leather/fur lovers (sometimes with violence/destruction) as soon as they get the opportunity, why would we stand on the side when they try to mimic/copy anything leather/fur? Talk about double standard!!!

[miss v]

I have to desagree...

The vegans take the liberty of bashing down on

leather/fur lovers (sometimes with violence/destruction) as soon as they get the

opportunity, why would we stand on the side when they try to mimic/copy anything

leather/fur? Talk about double

standard!!!

i disagree to disagree.

my point is: The original post was a call for help with finding a creative solution for a member.

why cant it just be that.

Sorry, i didnt realize this was such a sensitive subject and I do not intend to involve myself in a big debating discussion,

so this is my last post on this topic.