Substitute Leather Tooling Material?

[tenabrae]

I was actually about to ask the same question. I don't really see where their objections come into it... If my customer has a need, i'm going to try to meet it, it's not for me to judge them.

Does anyone else have other suggestions or experience trying to detail leather alternatives ?

[WinterBear]

I don't actually know if it is going to be possible. Veg-tan leather can be tooled because it can absorb water, and then the fibers can compress and the collagen fibers will form a glue of sorts that holds the carving in place after it dries.

I can't think of a single man-made or plant product that will give that gluing behavior/effect and yet still remain flexible. I suppose you could potentially shape something out of a non-woven cloth or vinyl with either the cloth or the underlayment saturated or infused with glue to mimic this, but the glue itself could be out as the most suitable types are likely made of animal products too. Maybe you can use that "fun foam" stuff they sell in craft stores, and shape it a little bit by heating it--you definitely don't want it hot enough to offgass as the fumes are nasty for you (wear a respirator or work under a fume hood of sorts), but you might be able to "carve" it to a degree by using somewhat hot tools to partially melt instead of stamp and burnish the patterns on. A warning-- heating some tools can damaging them by ruining their temper.

[miss v]

ok im back now were back on track thanks.

when sylvia said "wood" she had a good idea, they could carve a cuff? or maybe heat steam form wood? you could stamp into balsa wood, then laquer? hmmmm....

winterbear, the layer could be like the sculpey clay like vikti above suggested to take the stamping and then fired, maybe using some kind of base form, it would have to be a "cuff" style w a back opening though...

[oldtimer]

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!!!

Edited May 1, 2012 by oldtimer

[oldtimer]

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

I would use vegantan leather

My two cents/ Knut

[Sylvia]

I honestly don't think there is anything that would take the place of leather. Anything poly, plastic, foam, are all petroleum based so that doesn't work either.

perhaps you can make some of that home made clay-dough with flour, water, salt and something else. But you would want to make sure that it is very well sealed once it's baked.

Plaster might work if you carve that then saturate a pieces of fabric with starch then overly the carved plaster with the cloth and sort of wet form it into the shapes. Again this is going to be stiff... but you might be able to stuff the back sides with cotton batting and use some sort of natural woven cloth as a stabilizer to keep it in place.

I originally thought layers of Felt would work but true felt is (you guessed it) 'animal based' and the synthetic felts are uh huh... petroleum based. If your customer is not opposed to non-kill animal products like wool... that might work. Wool felt once dampened can be compressed and it will retain the shape when it's dry.

[BIGGUNDOCTOR]

Look up vegan leather, leather that has been made from naturally deceased bovines. There is an extensive thread on this from last year. One of the suppliers was carrying it, and may still have some available.

Hope this helps.

[mrdabeetle]

Plants are living things too, they are just easier to catch.

I'll refrain from ranting...

Craft foam can be heated with a heat gun and can be stamped with leather stamps. The impressions are inferior and foam is very weak, but that's the best alternative that I can think of. (It's toxic when heated as well)

Felt can be used in conjunction with pva glue to resemble leather. Birkenstock uses acrylic and felt for their fake leather. I don't think it can be tooled though.

I just found http://naturesleather.com/ it is "cork leather", a fabric made from cork oak bark. Cork can be branded (pyrography) and looks great when done.

[Leather Girl]

I would use vegantan leather

My two cents/ Knut

Vegtan leather is still leather not vegetable. Basically the only thing one could do this on is using a wood burning tool and burning it into wood but wood is not help at all. The only thing you can do with faux leather is sew it. So you will have to tell your vegan friend it is leather or nothing.

Randi-Lee

[KAYAK45]

Felt ... REALLY... NOBODY notice the Best FELT IS beaver FUR? ,lust a question.... got another source for felt?? Nothing matches leather. It's natural and a by-product of Meat......... FOOD...!

Get REAL...!