Firming Up Or Stiffining Leather

[Don Ayres]

I am currantly working with uhpostery grade leather, and am using it to make some wallets as gifts , although it is very good leather,and the wallets are coming out great, I would like to firm or stiffen it up a bit,

It's a little too soft for my liking, Was thinking of maybe coating the suede or flesh sides of the wallet leather with something, Perhaps, Resolene ??? or Gum Trag or something like that, If anyone has any suggestions please let me know, since I have a buch of this leather I would really like to put it to good use making these wallets.

Thanks

Don A.

[Bob Blea]

I am currantly working with uhpostery grade leather, and am using it to make some wallets as gifts , although it is very good leather,and the wallets are coming out great, I would like to firm or stiffen it up a bit,

It's a little too soft for my liking, Was thinking of maybe coating the suede or flesh sides of the wallet leather with something, Perhaps, Resolene ??? or Gum Trag or something like that, If anyone has any suggestions please let me know, since I have a buch of this leather I would really like to put it to good use making these wallets.

Thanks

Don A.

I don't know about applying a coating or treatment that would stiffen the leather, though it does seem that applying an acrylic like Resolene and putting it on thick enough would make the leather feel stiff. It would also give that side a very shiny plastic look. I've never tried doing it, so I can't say for sure.

Is it possible to put an insert into the wallet? I know people will sometimes add a thin plastic liner inside a cover of an item if it needs sitffening.

Bob

[AndyL1]

Nice wallets! I was thinking of something to use too as I wanted to make some iPad covers out of some really soft leather I have lying around. I found some 3-ring binders with very thin plastic covers at the 99 cent store. I haven't tried it yet but the plastic sheets are thin enough, yet may firm up the leather just right. I figured for a buck I can cut up the covers and use the aluminum binders on another project... someday! ;-)

Andy

EDIT:

They kind of look like these:

http://www.amazon.com/Filexec-Binder-Capacity-Opaque-50162-6497/dp/B003CKZPN2

really thin and inexpensive.

Edited May 10, 2012 by AndyL1

[celticleather]

I notice that Goods Japan have a number of leather stiffening products (http://www.goodsjapa...vlet/Categories). I've no idea how (or whether) it works, but it may be worth dropping them an email.

Edited May 11, 2012 by celticleather

[Art]

Weaver Leather makes a Stiffener. It is a liquid you apply to the unfinished leather.

Art

[gmace99]

Glue a thin piece of synthetic silk onto the flesh side. It will be on the inside and if you pick a nice colour it can enhance the product somtimes

Edited June 2, 2015 by gmace99

[Dwight]

Can I make and uninvited observation?

I hate, detest, loathe, . . . and would use other words but don't know them, . . . to tell you how I feel about a stiff wallet. I don't change wallets until I absolutely have to, . . . for that very reason.

I like a wallet that is thin, flexible, and will sort of expand / contract, . . . depending on how much junk I put in it, . . . and I'm a Sanford and Son when it comes to collecting junk.

Just my 2 cents, . . . FWIW.

May God bless,

Dwight

[Art]

I hate, detest, loathe, . . . and would use other words but don't know them, . . . to tell you how I feel about a stiff wallet. I don't change wallets until I absolutely have to, . . . for that very reason.

May God bless,

Dwight

Alright Dwight, break down and tell us how you really feel about it. That is about the worst I have heard from Dwight in ...Forever.

Art

[ConradPark]

I originally posted a similar answer elsewhere, but the same answer applies here. Most professional manufacture of bags and small leather goods do use some kind of stiffener (a sheet of firm synthetic material that comes in different thicknesses) .
Stiffeners come in many different brands and shapes. In the US I believe most common brands are the like of Bontex or Tandy's Terraflex or Texon. In Europe you've got Vilene Decovil as the cheapest and most readily available (while not regarded professional, it works really well). You want the pliable/softer cellulose based, not the stiff compressed boards - unless you're making travel trunks or shoes. There are other brands of course.

While it's unfortunately common that especially many leather crafters loathe the use of this, it doesn't take away the fact that it's a common practice in professional manufacturing. There is no way to otherwise use exotic skins, thinner and softer leather to do items that needs to be rigid. Actually in some cases it prolongs life by preventing the stretching and tear. Basically, if an item is not unlined, it will most likely have some form of stiffener. The whole technique with making rolled edges actually came about as a way of hiding the stiffener in a nice way.

There is a popular video on YouTube that show how Ettinger are making their wallets and the clearly show the use of laminating the leather with stiffener and then rolling the edges to hide this.

Of course you can use a firm veg tan leather as a lining - mind you, that this is a more expensive solution in the long run.

So go ahead, do what suits you best and good luck.

Edited June 3, 2015 by ConradPark