apertures Report post Posted June 12, 2013 (edited) Hello all! I'm fairly new to working with exotics, and have a couple of questions for those in the know. I'm aiming to make a simple little pouch (think coin purse but slightly larger) with a zipper on top out of gator and calfskin. My questions are pretty simple as I'm starting from the very beginning: What, in your opinion, is the best part of the alligator hide to work with? For example, is the belly fairly thin and easy to cut/sew, or is it as thick and difficult as i'm assuming the back might be? What about the skin from the head? How easy is it to work with these hides, and how does one begin to mold them in to shape and create a durable bond with another material such as good ole cow hide? I've done one handbag using lizard, which I found a little tricky as the hide doesn't lay exactly flat--maybe this was the result of poor quality, or can I expect that exotics in general be like this? And lastly, how do you recommend the edges be finished? I love the look of gator and couldn't find much information on here so I thought maybe these things would be helpful for me and others to know. Thanks for your help! Edited June 12, 2013 by apertures Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
The Dawg Club Report post Posted June 12, 2013 The belly is soft. The closer you get to the center of back...is where it gets harder. But if you can cut a wide enough section of the back for what your making, it can be sewn thru. I use barge cement glue, which works fine. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
apertures Report post Posted June 12, 2013 (edited) Thanks! Good to know. And while we are at it, if anyone knows of any good resources (websites, books, etc) for working with exotics, it might be nice to give them a shoutout here. Edited June 12, 2013 by apertures Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
