Tanned Some Fish Skins

[TexasLady]

8/23/13 At a local Asian grocery store, I bought some fish,... striped sea bass, farm-raised in California, they tell me. I bought the Tandy tanning lotion and followed instructions. The fish skins are tough and only smell like leather, not fish, so I figure that's a good sign. I bought a Fossil wallet that I liked, so that I could use it as a pattern, or at least as a 'size reference'. I'll post the photos of what I made. Since then, I've taken out the zipper and started over on it. I'm going to widen the zipper this time. I was just tickled that I could make something all the way from tanning it through sewing it. I'd probably rather just have kudos than a critique for now, so please forgive me for not asking for 'help'. Thanks. - TexasLady

[electrathon]

OK, the IDEA of fish leather just sounds gross, so you get a lot of credit for doing this. It will be interesting how it stands up to wear/tear/ moisture.

[benlilly1]

Something smells fishy in here...

[jessebeckham]

Very interesting.... The other day I saw some tilapia leather on some random site and though it was rather odd. I think it's awesome you made the entire project leather included! I'm hoping I'll get a good buck this season to do the same.

[immiketoo]

Fish skin can be highly durable and useful. I have a djembe that has a sturgeon skin head. I've beat that drum as hard as possible and the skin holds up like nothing else. I wouldn't make a holster out of it, but it would be a cool inlay.

[Cogs]

TexasLady,

Did you have to deal with scales? (Don't know if Striped Sea Bass have scales or not.) Salmon are running through the back yard and I'm considering the tanning idea for inlays and wraps. (King Chinook and Coho Silvers).

Any pointers on the process?

Thanks,

Bill

[cem]

I find it cool you did the whole process as well Texaslady well done.

If anyone else wants to have a go with fish leather and doesn't want to do it themself heres a place that sells it http://www.sealeatherwear.com/ I haven't used it but they have been advertising in the PSLAC magazine for a number of years and I'm sure there was article about them as well in one of the mags.

[silverback]

Great work from "go to whoa" with the fish skin. Cem,have you heard of the guy down Esperance way who deals in fish leather.Pretty exxy I believe but fantastic stuff.Sorry I don't know the name or address except it is one of the main streets in Esperance.

[cem]

Great work from "go to whoa" with the fish skin. Cem,have you heard of the guy down Esperance way who deals in fish leather.Pretty exxy I believe but fantastic stuff.Sorry I don't know the name or address except it is one of the main streets in Esperance.

When Leather Direct was in Perth city, Paul told me about someone doing fish leather didn't give me the name though so I completely forgot about it could be the same place. Might have to look into it as I've wanted to try something with an inlay for awhile and snake skin gives me the heebie jeebies.

[silverback]

Cem,if I come across the info again I will pm you.