Need Hair-On Inlay Belt Pointers

[JJs Leatherworks]

I make items for our local rodeo, trophy bronc halters and last year, belts for many of the sponsors, as well as promotional items. I have been trying to come up with ideas for this year's items and would really like to incorporate hair-on items.

Problem - to date I have never used this medium. I have searched the site and found many good ideas, but still have lots of unanswered questions. I have played with some scrap pieces experimenting with what I have picked up on so far, but am a long way from being happy with results and going head long into making an actual belt.

Really hoping Bruce will come in as in past topics, he has seemed to be the site officianado on this topic, not that I want to deter anyone else from adding their two cents, all input is welcome.

Questions I still have;

- What weights of veg tan is being used on outside and as liner/backer? I want to be able to do some tooling on outside where hair is not exposed

- Is the hair-on leather being used full weight, or is it being split thinner? Skived on edges only? I don't want the belt to get too thick

- In a previous posting, I have read that one recommendation was to glue hair-on to the backing first, then cut belt width strips - last year I made 30+ belts of the same pattern - how much hair-on to backing would you do in one step? Double shoulder? Side? Enough for 5 belts? Could be a lot of glue to spread and try to manage even matching of two layers

-Are the edges of the hair-on trimmed back a bit of hair? Need surface suitable for gluing

- What is the minimum width (or nominal width) the edges of the top layer can (should) be cut to allow for two rows of stitching

-I will be sewing with a cobra, what combination of presser foot/base would you recommend? Using left presser, sewing close to edge, top layer is rolling out on me so far

I am certain that as I proceed, more questions will surface, but if the above concerns are answered, I am ready to use up some more scraps and thread. Belts need to be done by the middle of April!

Thanks

JJ's

[ReneeCanady]

I am pretty new at this only one year or so in to leather working, but I can tell you that Tandy says to use sheers to cut the hair hide and I found that to be an enormous mess. I use the rotary cutter now because it seems to trim the hair as I cut with it. The sheers seemed to cut the skin and SOME hair therefore leaving a bit of an uneven looking edge even though it's perfectly straight. Tandy's glue called leather weld is the best I have found to glue leather onto hair on hide, but it still needs to be sewn. Just a few thoughts from what I have seen, but again I am no professional, but worth a try

[bruce johnson]

I used to make a bunch of these. My lining was 3/4, the top side was split to 7 oz. I cut the hide with a rotary cutter from the flesh side. I glue about 6 in wide strips of hide to the same width lining with contact cement flesh to flesh. I skive the ends of the inlaying hide some to make a smoother transition at the ends of the inlay. You need to glue it in the middle of the lining and allow for the billet and buckle ends. For the topside prepare it however you normally do - stamp, oil, skive the buckle end, etc. I use a round end punch to cut the ends of the inlay. I use a border tool on a swivel knife to score the length of the inlay cut and finish with a round knife. Save the cutout. Slick out the inside of the cutout. I apply contact cement to the billet and buckle ends of the top piece and stick it down to the lining. I allow the lining to be oversized while I stitch and trim later. I put the inlay cutout back in and clamp in a few places with a binder clips. I sew with the binder clips in place. That cutout being back in there will help keep the top straight on the underneath piece. You can use tacks some on the top piece too. Once they are sewn I smooth the edges on a bench top belt sander. I run the edge down a flame to scorch off stray hairs sticking out from the inlay and then finish the edges. The chrome tan from the hide is sandwiched but still can take some prep. I dye and then finish.I like acrylic finishes like Leathersheen to give it some sizing and the texture lays down and blends in pretty well.

A few variations. I made them mostly with 1/4" spots. When I do those I lay my top piece over the hide without a lining. I have the cutout in place and set my spots. Once they clinch through the hide, that helps keep everything in place some. Then I glue to the lining and sew. I still had my Boss stitcher then. It could sew up really close to the spots with a right toe foot. Neither of my current machines could do that with modifying the center presser foot.

The two line ones without spots will sew with a left toe foot for both lines as long as the cutout is in there. Tack the edges to hold them and pull tacks as you get to them.

I buy really slick short hair hides. They inlay better and look cleaner. I started out with some pretty wooly hides and they moved around more and were bulkier.

[JJs Leatherworks]

Thanks Renee & Bruce for the tips so far.All good info. Hoping I can find time today to try some more practice pieces.

If anyone else wants to weigh in and add what has worked for them, my ears are open to all suggestions. There are some pretty impressive pics of belts on this site.

Thanks again guys.

JJ's

[JJs Leatherworks]

Well, here is my first attempt at a practice piece trying to apply the above pointers.

Definitely not happy or ready to be making a belt yet. To top it off, had just changed out plates, needle and thread on the machine, and didn't adjust tension or stitch length or do any practice run, so stitching on first side was horrendous. There is no dye applied and I only tried edging the top edge.

Bruce - When you tack the edges, how can you be sure the stitch line is going to pass over the tack hole, so no extra holes show in the leather? After I trimmed, sanded and singed the edge, as soon as I started burnishing with my canvas, more hairs showed up, repeated the singing process a couple more times, but the finished edge still has hairs embedded, that may stand up.

Anyone else, feel free to chime in .......

Thanks

JJ

[Billie Jo Brause]

I did a snake skin inlay and used the edge paint because I had some problems burnishing the edges. The belts I've boughten, at stores, the last few years have used that edge paint. I got mine at Tandy.

[bruce johnson]

Well, here is my first attempt at a practice piece trying to apply the above pointers.

Definitely not happy or ready to be making a belt yet. To top it off, had just changed out plates, needle and thread on the machine, and didn't adjust tension or stitch length or do any practice run, so stitching on first side was horrendous. There is no dye applied and I only tried edging the top edge.

Bruce - When you tack the edges, how can you be sure the stitch line is going to pass over the tack hole, so no extra holes show in the leather? After I trimmed, sanded and singed the edge, as soon as I started burnishing with my canvas, more hairs showed up, repeated the singing process a couple more times, but the finished edge still has hairs embedded, that may stand up.

Anyone else, feel free to chime in .......

Thanks

JJ

I always stitch in a groove on top with any vegtan and most chap leather I scratch a line too as a guide. My tacks go in that groove line. I lay my belt inlays out so the lay of the hair is across the belt (pointing down). With the short haired Brazilian hides I only have hair sticking out the bottom. When I trim my linings and hide after sewing I use a rotary cutter. This cuts most of the hairs off flush. When I rub the edge up and then singe, the rest are pretty much gone. I dampen with my casing mix, slick lightly, dye, slick again a little more vigorously, add my sealant coat, slick when about dry, then paraffin and go to the burnishing wheel, sticks, or bones. This makes a pretty durable edge for me and lays down the chrome tan sandwich and blends it all well.

[JJs Leatherworks]

Thanks Bruce. I have never used a groove for anything I sew with the machine - will give it a try and makes sense, cause that is where I would have used tacks when hand stitching. Lay of the hair makes perfect sense - all things that a person would likely learn from experience (read mistakes) but having this site to access tips from others is priceless.

[JJs Leatherworks]

Well, here is the latest test sample. I do believe I am just about ready to try a full belt.

This time, I did the stitch groove and used some tacks (smallest finishing nails I had on hand, but for the real project will use even smaller ones) prior to sewing. I had four down each side (just less than 6 inches), but I think they could even be spaced closer together on a long run.

Although edge finishing went a whole lot easier having the hair lay 'vertical', I really prefer the look of the hair when it lays horizontal or at least at a bit of an angle. Will have to decide what I am willing to put up with before cutting into the main hide.

Comments, criticism or any blatant faults, let me know.

Thanks to all have given their thoughts and pointers so far.

JJ

[ReneeCanady]

Tandy has a cool little video about doing this with exotic skins. If I remember correctly they did it the other way around as you did. They had a belt laying flat, traced the edges of the design that would be covered in snake skin (HoH in your case), used the swivel knife around that tracing, beveled the inside of the design, and then contact cemented the sking inside that design. I don't know if that is what you are going for or not, but it's worth a try. I am also sure it will be a pain to do with the hair, but hey it has to be able to be done some how lol. Your pics look pretty darn good too! Stitching looks really good!

[ReneeCanady]

Ohhhhh.....you can probably scratch that advice I just gave you. I just looked up the trophy bronc halters and didn't realize they were so large. Not sure if that method would work or not. The way you are doing it is most likely the best way to go about it. Sorry for my newb advice.

[JJs Leatherworks]

Rennee - Thanks for the positive report.

And, speaking of Bronc Halters, I will be making a matching (or at least similar style) trophy halter for the rodeo. May post pics of the last couple I have done.

JJ