Best Quality Leather Suppliers Uk

[Dbury]

Hi

I'm a long time lurker, first time poster. I've recently decided to get into leather craft and thought i'd join this wonderful community! I've been studying these forums over the last few months and have a general idea of the craft. I've read up on a lot of helpful advice on this forum and over time, I hope I can contribute to this forum in equal or greater measure.

There are many leather suppliers in the U.K, so far I've only used Leather Solutions of eBay, mainly for practice, but being new to the craft I'm unsure of quality. (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Leather-Shoulder-Tooling-Hide-Full-Grain-for-Crafts-/251261034098)

For my purposes, I require 1.8mm/2mm full grain leather or possibly 1.5mm. I was wondering where I can find THE best British leather? I've contacted J & FJ Bakers but they offer leathers 3mm and above. I understand Sedgwick no longer tan their leather in the U.K. which puts me off.

I'd thought I'd get a list of suppliers wrote down too:

J & FJ Baker & Co Ltd

JESedgwick

jwoodleathers

aacrack

Neumann Leathers

GH Leathers

Dicken Brothers

Rolford Leather

A W Midgley & Son

Clayton Leather of Chesterfield

Whistler Leather

Traditional Materials

Also what is the real difference between tooling leather and a brand name leather? I'm just obsessed by quality, I want to produce the quality items that I see on these forums!

[Les No6]

Firstly Segdwicks tan their hide in Walsall and last time I looked Walsall was still in the UK, secondly the majority of the company's you list are leather merchants so their leather could be from anywhere, thirdly and most importantly you fail to mention application, the best leather to sole a shoe would be completely useless for lining a saddle. Tooling leather is a russet veg tan suitable for tooling, unbraned is probably cheaply sourced and quality leather can not be produced cheaply.

[Dbury]

Hi Les No6,

Thank you for your reply, I learnt a lot!

It was my understanding that Sedgwicks only finish leather and not tan it? Anyway thank you for your very informative reply. I thought I would start off my making a case for my iPhone 5. It's small and it will give me good practice!

In most cases, the suppliers, would source their leather from outside of the U.K. It's just important to me that the leather come from British cows.

I might try and get the following http://www.je-sedgwi...thergoods-hide/. Anybody have any experience with this leather?

[Matt S]

Dbury, 'enough for a phone case' is not the sort of quantity in which tanners or curriers deal. At the minimum you will be buying a single shoulder.

If you want British cowhide, start phoning suppliers and ask for it. If you want 'the best', that is a subjective opinion. I used to know a beltmaker who swore by Sedgewicks bridle. Others, the same application, prefer Bakers' bridle for the family-owned bark-tan appeal. If you really want Bakers, buy some and have someone split it.

Will you be wet-moulding? Tooling or stamping? What else might you make with the same leather?

[Dbury]

Hi Matt,

Thank you for the advice. I have found Clayton of Chesterfield and Thomas Ware as two of the three remaining tanneries still doing 'traditional' vegetable tanned leather.

I'd be ordering a shoulder minimum. I'll try and make other small leather goods. Won't be doing any tooling, stamping or wet molding. My first project will be to try perfect making a leather sleeve for my phone.

[El Zipster]

Hi

I too am looking at the Shop4leather site on ebay for full tooling shoulders.

His prices certainly look fair! Anybody had experience with him, and if so, is the quality of his stock as he describes?

Cheers

Zip

[Dbury]

Hi Zip,

I've bought twice and not been disappointed. It's a good quality leather.

Best Regards

[El Zipster]

Thanks for the Rec. Dbury, I think I'll give him a go, coupled with your rec. his ebay reviews are positive.

Cheers

Zip

[Matt S]

Where are you located, Zip? One of us may be able to recommend a place local to you. I prefer to see leather in person before buying it.

[El Zipster]

I'm a Brit but located in Alicante Spain. The resources here that i've been able to find to date are pretty minimal, so I continue to purchase from the UK.

Cheers

Zip

[airstream]

Hi Sedgwicks leather is still tanned in walsall, but they don't sell to the public, unless you want to buy a minimum of ten hides, abbey saddlery sell sedgwick leather if you want to buy small amounts, abbey is also located in walsall, handy as i live in walsall, there is also marcus leather gear, also in walsall who sell a wide variety of leather

[Renoir]

Found this link while googling:

http://www.theleatherconnection.com/id33.htm

Useful as a list of links

[Eshepherd]

You should also check out Billy Tannery - they're a UK microtannery that sell vegetable tanned goat leather. Pretty cool sustainable small business to support!

https://www.billytannery.co.uk/products/british-goat-leather