Stiffening Upholstery Leather

[LucM70]

Hello to all !

I'm new to this forum and to leatherwork as well.

Lately I've came across a good amount of 8X10" leather samples you can see in furniture stores to help you choose a color.

That leather is quite thin and supple and I was wondering if there's a secret receipe to harden and stiffen such leather ?

I know for shure this is not veg. taned leather so it might be impossible to do, I don't know...

There seems to quite a bit of knowledge around here and I'll try to take in all I can.

Thanks for your help.

[electrathon]

Glue it to a piece of xray film. Leather on each side.

[LucM70]

Yes, well that's what I was kind of doing but with nylon fly screen in between, It worked somewhat OK but to make wallets or other fine stuff it was way too thick in the end.

Maybe gluing some kind of fabric ? If so, with what kind of glue ? Right now I'm using latex contact cement.

Edited February 1, 2013 by LucM70

[billymac814]

I'd use regular contact cement personally but the latex should work as well. If the leather is fairly thick just use a stiffer lining leather and between that and the glue and the main leather it should be stuff enough for a wallet.

Where do you get X-ray film? Seems hard to get unless you either know someone or are particularly clumsy.

[electrathon]

Where do you get X-ray film? Seems hard to get unless you either know someone or are particularly clumsy.

It is usually a back door type item. I got a small pile of it from the lab that they had overexposed, just was there at the correct time. They are more picky nowdays from the new laws, names and personal info must be removed. Sometimes the Vets offices will have it too. Just ask every time you are at a Doctor or if you know someone who works for one.

[ReneeCanady]

Maybe a fusible interfacing from a fabric store. It comes in different thickness as well. Regular interfacing might work also or better rather since you may not be able to iron on the fusible to the leather without harming the leather. You could glue or sew the reg interfacing to it.

[Ferg]

"Buckram" from JoAnn fabrics or probably any of other fabric shops. Sales person may look at you funny when you ask for Buckram but they do have it. Also tell them it is used to stiffen other material. I glue it on with a single coat of Solvent based contact cement applied to the leather, allow to dry for a bit until tacky, lay the Buckram on it and roll down with a paper hangars roller.

BTW: It comes in various levels of "Stiff".

ferg

[Beaverslayer]

Link for Joann Fabrics "Unicorn Buckram"

http://www.joann.com/unicorn-buckram/prd23659/

[LucM70]

That "Buckram" stuff might just do the trick, does anybody knows if it comes in black ?

[billymac814]

I'm going to check out that buckram stuff. That sounds like something I could use.

The X-ray film is a cool idea. It might be cool to have a see through spot where you could see some bones through it!! Or if it was your own X-ray you could use the part with your information and have a window in a wallet with your info built in.

[Beaverslayer]

Billy, that's a great idea about the x-ray film, a window showing that broken bone would be a real cool conversation piece.

[Ferg]

I have never seen it in black, never had any use for other than the white/cream color.

ferg