Working With Crust?

[Tiara]

http://www.sealeatherwear.com/dried-undyed-crust-c-46.html

I'm interested in trying some undyed crust to get some custom colors and experiment with different finishes. Has anyone worked with crust of any type. Any info starting with crush and ending with various degrees of scale pockets, textures, finish such as silk or glazed?

[Beaverslayer]

Nope sorry I have never tried anything like this before.

But I have to thank you for posting the link, that company is only a short distance from my house, and I never knew they existed, so I'm going to have to go on a road trip and check them out.

[Tiara]

I find the scale pocket patterns on some of the fish leathers very attractive. I've ordered a sampler of some of their seconds to try for some small projects. When you take that road trip, I'd appreciate hearing about it. I found a couple of videos online about making fish leather. Taking something that usually was dumped back in the ocean and converting to leather seems friendlier to the planet.

From digging a bit deeper on the net, crust seems to be something that would require a lot of messing with. From shaving off the rougher edges of the scale or finding some other way to smooth beyond that dried oatmeal look the crust has, stretching, dyeing and then finishing. I don't think I want to try to take a sander to some crust just to see what I can do with it. The thought of starting with undyed crust and trying to dye in a way to make the scale pattern contrast a bit more was interesting. I doubt I'll try unless I can find out how much effort I'd have to put in first.

I hope to hear about your road trip soon.

[Beaverslayer]

Well Tiara, I took the road trip today, started off going to Tandy seeing as the address for Sea Leather Wear is only 3 blocks away from Tandy. Well, it turns out that the address is a low rental condominium complex. I was somewhat dismayed. So I decided to phone the number and was told that they only deal with on-line orders. I explained very nicely that I was sitting in the parking lot with a fistful of money I wanted to spend, but no go. They told me I would have to order from the website and have it mailed to me.

I probably would have spent hundreds of dollars, but they missed the opportunity.

Sorry I never got to see the fish crust and tell you about it.

[Tiara]

Do you think that the facility actually did any of the processing?

I found a video showing some processing at a fish processing plant in Iceland. Salmon and wolf eels. The fillets were sent through a machine skin side down that trimmed off the skin and the skins went straight to another company that did the tanning. It occurred to me that this company is a long way from a coast line. Shipping skins that far inland for processing rather than moving the processing plant to where the fish are cleaned and frozen seemed odd once I thought about it. I wonder if they buy the crust from other tanneries to dye and finish or if they are simply wholesaling from the tanneries.

Their treatment of someone with money in hand and if they are simply reselling makes me much less inclined to buy from them. Bummer! a wasted road trip and with the price of gas now a double bummer. Thanks for letting me know.

[Northmount]

I see on their website they like to do contacts using Skype. Can see why now. Nobody can tell what your facility really looks like or where the "office/warehouse" really is. There area a lot of places selling off the web with no stock of their own, and often at a higher price than going to the source.

BeaverSlayer ... Thanks for the info. I was thinking of dropping in on them someday soon. Wouldn't need to waste the time now.

Tom

[Beaverslayer]

Tiara, the "Facility" that you talk of, is in NO WAY a processing plant. When I said it was a "Low Rental Condominium" I mean it is what would be called "The Projects" in Chicago, Detroit and other cities.

This was a residential "Low Low" income residential complex, where I suspect a lot of people go to purchase illicit drugs and such. Whomever owns and runs this business actually lives there and only does on-line sales.

I myself, really like to be able to touch, taste and feel what I am buying, especially something exotic like this. If they would have allowed me to come in and look at their products, I can almost guarantee I would have spent at least $200.00 maybe more if he had some shark skins.

Tom,

I just noticed that your my neighbor...lol...where abouts in town do you live, if you don't mind saying.

[Northmount]

I just noticed that your my neighbor...lol...where abouts in town do you live, if you don't mind saying.

Yup! PM sent.

[JLSleather]

The term "crust" is not necessarily talking about fish n such. Cow leather which is tanned and dried but not finished (as in buffed, sanded, dyed, and/or embossed) is called crust as well as other animals.

A couple of years ago I went to some lenght to find cow 'crust' for a number of reasons. Never did get to it, as I couldn't find anyone who wanted to sell a few hides - everyone required like a tannery run (or more) which wasn't going to happen with me

[Tiara]

If I understand it correctly, crust is tanned enough not to rot but not dyed or finished. I am starting to explore dyes and custom colors on snakeskin and lizard. I was looking for undyed leather and happened to see this sort of crust listed. The need to stretch and deal with the lumpy oatmeal sort of look to the crusts seemed a bit more than I wanted to deal with. Since the company appears to be less than wonderful I'll pass on it.

[Spincycle]

I to didnt know of this local company. I sent Fish Leather Wear an email requesting some skins and to pick them up or meet as I am in Calgary. I'll let you know how it goes. I read through their website. It seems that they have finished a bunch of fish skins then for whatever reason their tannery was shut down. They claim it was because of the Kyoto accord, which I don't know much about. I suspect that this person(s) have a large quantity of fish leather and have rented a cheap apartment to store it all. That's just my guess. Their processing technology is for sale. I also read that you can get a box of crust for the cost of shipping if you mension that you are affiliated with a tannery. Anyway I buy bicycle parts from a local business who also does strictly web orders. He will only ship as well even in the same city. That's just how some of these small business operate and for good reason. I wouldn't want anyone to know that my house is filled with new merchandise. I'd surely get robbed. I wouldn't hesitate to request some fish crust samples and see what happens. You don't know unless you try.

[ramrod]

i'm intrigued with this. i have seen this website before, but i can't remember where. i'm interested in the strength of the skins. i always thought that kangaroo leather was the strongest leather available. i'd like to work with this stuff to see what it's all about. if it's as strong as what's been said, this would make some cool watch bands.

i wonder what the average thickness is. it can't be THAT thick....not like cow. it looks to be less than 1 oz. (or equivalent).

spin - let us know what you think when you get your samples.

[Spincycle]

I heard back from Mr. Stanley Major from SeaLeatherWear yesterday. Quite promptly actually. I'm hoping to visit his "showroom" on Saturday. With any luck I will have something to report this weekend. No guarantees though. My feeling about the strong fish leather that is mentioned on his website is that it's probably limited to shark skin.

[Spincycle]

Well I got some fish leather on Saturday. The showroom was just that; a room full of fish skins. Although the lighting wasn't great I was able to decide on the variety you see below. Some carp and salmon skins. The carp has large scale pockets and the salmon small. He also gave me the three sueded skins you see below for free. I wouldn't hesitate to order anything from this company. Mr. Major was very kind and easy to deal with. As long as you make an appointment (Beaverslayer!). That is if your in the Calgary area. He even ensured that a parking spot was available for me! Once his inventory is gone that's it! Unless someone buys the tanning "technology" for fish skins and starts churning more out. Some skins are thin and some are fairly thick. I'd say in the 2oz-8oz range. He said that if he puts your finished fish skin project on his website that he would give a fish skin credit for more skins.

[Tiara]

There are other places producing fish leather http://www.atlanticleather.is/en/products but I'm not sure how one would buy small amounts. Ebay has some odds and ends of various types of fish leather and etsy has a few more.

How supple are the skins? Any info on turning crust into dyed, finished leather?

[Spincycle]

Most of the glazed and suede skins feel about equivalent to a economy grade vegtan of equivalent weight. The salmon is somewhat less plyable. Although he said it has been used for pens. I would say its more delicate but not by much. The sueded skins are just like thin suede leather.

I had a quick look at the unstreched and stretched crusts. The unstreched crusts would be a lot of work in my opinion. They are bunched up and crusty like a dirty dry rag. He said that they would need some sort of wetting to be stretched. It's out of my knowledge range. The stretched skins were exactly the same as the suede skins less the color. I'm skeptical that the dyes found at Tandy would be the correct type for this skin. But again I'm not to knowledgeable about fish crusts. They would be hard to buff after dying.

Again I wouldn't hesitate to order a sample of everything. He was easy to deal with. I'm sure if he'll spend an hour selling me $35 worth of skins it's because he wants to move his inventory.

Edited December 3, 2012 by Spincycle

[Tiara]

thanks for the info! I think I'll try some samples.

[bluegill]

Pardon me for reviving an old thread.... Just FYI this fish leather guy is still in business and he was very helpful when I was deciding what to order; he sent me pics of what I was specifically interested in and even answered some questions I had comparing it to cowhide. In addition, after placing my order, I found out that he is also sending some scraps for free!

I am planning on making an outback style hat out of seabass. What would be more appropriate for a bass player? I've seen some nice boots with seabass hide on them, so I am incredibly enthusiastic about this. Originally I was going to buy a sharkskin hat from a manufacturer and then I found out about other types of fish leather and decided to give it a shot. I found a nice guide online.

Other items I intend to try to make are a guitar strap, dog color, and wallet.

[Tiara]

Post some pix when done. Do you have a link to the online guide?

Pardon me for reviving an old thread.... Just FYI this fish leather guy is still in business and he was very helpful when I was deciding what to order; he sent me pics of what I was specifically interested in and even answered some questions I had comparing it to cowhide. In addition, after placing my order, I found out that he is also sending some scraps for free!

I am planning on making an outback style hat out of seabass. What would be more appropriate for a bass player? I've seen some nice boots with seabass hide on them, so I am incredibly enthusiastic about this. Originally I was going to buy a sharkskin hat from a manufacturer and then I found out about other types of fish leather and decided to give it a shot. I found a nice guide online.

Other items I intend to try to make are a guitar strap, dog color, and wallet.

[bluegill]

http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=103523

This one

[Tiara]

thanks!