Free Leather

[DoubleC]

Everyone here knows that leatherwork is an expensive hobby, but not everyone here knows what it's like to poor but inspired. It doesn't help any when you try to learn how to do something, and the answer is "Throw away that $15 tool [that you skipped eating for two days to afford] from Tandy and buy this $140 benchtop machine [for a bench you don't have] and each of the $60 accessories that go with it." Or "Don't even bother using anything but the very best leather."

a lot of us are right there with you and I go to the mission, salvation army, etc to nab the leather purses and even other materials for the hardware. I'd take couches anytime except hard to do when ya don't drive. Uh anything, LOL.

[Saffo]

Well, said...

You are my kind of gal, Saffo.... Necessity IS the mother of invention... and boy-howdy, have I done some inventing in my time. Also, if you have a wood heat an old couch can provide some nice dry kindling for the winter.

I don't think the landlady would be too happy about me converting my apartment to wood heat, if her reaction to my drop-forging lead shot off the balcony is anything to go by, but I'll definitely keep that in mind.

Saffo, what's step three?

Does this make you a couch gnome?

Paul

You sayin' I'm short? *fistshake*

a lot of us are right there with you and I go to the mission, salvation army, etc to nab the leather purses and even other materials for the hardware. I'd take couches anytime except hard to do when ya don't drive. Uh anything, LOL.

Solution: Bring a skinning knife.

[Sylvia]

I don't think the landlady would be too happy about me converting my apartment to wood heat, if her reaction to my drop-forging lead shot off the balcony is anything to go by, but I'll definitely keep that in mind.

Ok then... box up the wood and take it to your local community action network... where folks who do have wood heat can take it home and use it. (might want to call them first)

[stitchwizzard]

Hmmmmm..... That must explain this..

[LNLeather]

Hmmmmm..... That must explain this..

Verry Clever Wanted Poster!

[Gump]

Best comic relief I've had in months. I also have picked our local Frenchy's,[ used discount clothing] for leather jackets, you can make nice bags out of them, using pockets up front and belts for shoulder straps. The customer can't tell the diff between recycled and new, and I don't think it matters. IMHO Gump.

[GoldenKnight]

+1, ditto, & amen to the leather curb couch recycle. Twice in my neighborhood area when some folks moved out, they left their leather couch or chair along witu other bulk waste furniture pieces for bulk pick-up. Both times it appeared it was left on the patio before making it to the curB.

I got busy with my knife.

[Shamenlong]

How did you guys sanatize the leather incase of mites ect in the furniturs

[billymac814]

This is a funny topic. Truth is I bet you could sell the final product for MORE money by using repurposed leather. It could be a good marketing ploy, similar to the items made of reclaimed barn wood. These days people pay a premium for stuff like that and it could be considered "Green". Of course the finished product has to look nice.

I recently made a planner out of a recycled suitcase. The suitcase was this woman's dads and I was able to incorporate alot of the details in it like where his initiials were monogrammed on there and a pice of leather from the zipper pull was used and a button was used to keep it closed. It was a bit of pressure though as I had no room for messing up as there was just enough leather, it turned out well though and she loved it, I'm sure it'll get passed down to someone else.

[Shamenlong]

To be honest Im very bacteria conscious how ever when the advice regarding bed bugs ut got me paranoid and itching for days I washed the leather at 40 degrees and tumble dried it for two hours on high heat I then bagged the leather in recycle bags and then put them into a storage tub ( rubber maid type of storage) then sanitised my whole home including tumble drier and washing machine

Its even roughly two weeks since washing and drying the leather I'm going to leave it another week before checking for bugs and I'm wondering if the risk and effort are worth it in comparison to buying leather you know is clean and doesn't carry risk

[GoldenKnight]

With living near a larger metropolitan area and people being transient with the housing & foreclosure market & jobs, I have come across some leather couches & chairs that I have repurposed.

When I find one, I cut a small slit at a seam edge in an out-of-obvious area to see if it is leather or vinyl. Sometimes a few small incisions are necessary as different brands will use more or less leather vs vinyl in various areas. The reason I make small incisions is so that if someone else wants or needs it, it isn't destroyed and they could use it. No sense in destroying something that someone else may be able to use just because I can't.

I use a box cutter and will go thru about 4 new blades "skinning" a good leather couch.