Members Liberty Posted July 19, 2012 Author Members Report Posted July 19, 2012 I ment that the sides of the couch, the rear, the front lower, etc are vinyl. Not that the leather is backed with vinyl. Visably, good quality vinyl is hard to look at and tell from leather. I would be surprised if the leather is backed, most auto seats I have taken apart are not. Aaron Ahhhh, ok. I didn't know there were different sections of leather/vinyl, thus the post. Thanks! I'd still skin a couch for it's cushions, lol. Quote
Members Liberty Posted July 19, 2012 Author Members Report Posted July 19, 2012 Hmmmm, Maybe some are not all leather... I worked for a couple of years cutting out leather pieces from patterns for leather couches, chairs, and cushions and they were all 100% leather... It was called 'garment leather' and was real soft. Not suitable for tooling, but I have seen that Garment Leather used for purses and small zippered bags - real easy to sew. Thanks! LNL! Who knows...maybe "couch rustlin" is a new trend? Quote
Members mikesmith648 Posted July 19, 2012 Members Report Posted July 19, 2012 A lot depends on the couch. My ex bought one for the house a few years ago and the whole thing was leather (sides, back and all)......and it cost a lot too!!! Quote Emergency Room Nurse by profession.......Leatherworker at heart!! Hoping to reverse the order in that one of these days!!
Members kennh Posted July 19, 2012 Members Report Posted July 19, 2012 I have been using couch leather for years cutting it up and also reusing the foam for seats and things. Thick foam is very expensive if you ever priced it out. When I am done taking everything off couch I break it all apart and slowly throw pieces in garbage can for trash man, takes a few weeks to get rid of everything but worth it for the leather and foam. I never got a couch that was not all leather including sides, the sides are usually thicker leather than the cushions. The only thing you may run into is what they call Bonded Leather which is leather emulsified and then glued together and stamped with a grain pattern, kind of like particle board made from wood chips. I was hoping no one ever found out my secret cheap way to get leather but I think their are plenty of old couches out there. Its a lot of work taking them apart but worth it to me. Quote
JRLeather2 Posted July 19, 2012 Report Posted July 19, 2012 (edited) I ment that the sides of the couch, the rear, the front lower, etc are vinyl. Not that the leather is backed with vinyl. Visably, good quality vinyl is hard to look at and tell from leather. I would be surprised if the leather is backed, most auto seats I have taken apart are not. Aaron Not the ones I have torn apart, I got some really big pieces of usable garment weight leather from the backs of couches. I have made quite a few purses and leather Teddy Bears from "curb-cycled " leather.... Edited July 19, 2012 by Jeffzilla Quote
Contributing Member UKRay Posted July 22, 2012 Contributing Member Report Posted July 22, 2012 I suppose it is only a matter of time before leather couch rustling occurs... there you are settled down with a few beers when a gang of hairy leather workers suddenly rush in and snatch the couch from under you, drag it into your back yard and skin it in front of your eyes. Explain that to the nice police officer! LMAO. Ray Quote "Some mornings, it's just not worth chewing through the leather straps" Ray Hatley www.barefootleather.co.uk
Contributing Member TwinOaks Posted July 23, 2012 Contributing Member Report Posted July 23, 2012 Perhaps the easiest and fastest way to check if it's vinyl or leather is to put flame to it for a few moments. If it curls, peels, or melts, it isn't leather that you want. If it bursts into flames....blame the seller. Quote Mike DeLoach Esse Quam Videri (Be rather than Seem) "Don't learn the tricks of the trade.....Learn the trade." "Teach what you know......Learn what you don't." LEATHER ARTISAN'S DIGITAL GUILD on Facebook.
Contributing Member UKRay Posted July 23, 2012 Contributing Member Report Posted July 23, 2012 Perhaps the easiest and fastest way to check if it's vinyl or leather is to put flame to it for a few moments. If it curls, peels, or melts, it isn't leather that you want. If it bursts into flames....blame the seller. Do make sure your insurance is up to date first! Quote "Some mornings, it's just not worth chewing through the leather straps" Ray Hatley www.barefootleather.co.uk
Contributing Member UKRay Posted July 23, 2012 Contributing Member Report Posted July 23, 2012 There could be a business opportunity here guys - branding leather couches... Well, how else are you going to prove the thing is yours after it has been skinned? Quote "Some mornings, it's just not worth chewing through the leather straps" Ray Hatley www.barefootleather.co.uk
Members sinpac Posted July 29, 2012 Members Report Posted July 29, 2012 This may seem odd but it crossed my mind and I thought I'd ask those with more knowledge than myself. I frequent Craigslist, particularly the free section and I often see leather couches posted. I know that we're not talking veg tan or any HD leather but for lighter things isn't leather leather? Yeah it probably has a backing on it but so what? Can't that backing be backed as well? Or, stripped off and replaced? Maybe my ignorance is showing but I can see finding these couches and skinning them and then making stuff from the couches hides. I will skin a couch down in about 5 minutes and left the carcass behind! Quote "It ain't about how hard you hit. It's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward." - Rocky Balboa
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