Begginer Issue With Beltmaking

[SpencerC]

Hey guys,

This has probably been answered several times over here, but I didn't have much luck searching the forum, so I thought I'd ask.

Anyways, I began my very first leather project the other day, a new belt.

I started with a raw Tandy blank and was able to get it tooled to my liking, and then I stained it with some Eco Flow Pro Waterstain. Here's where I ran into a problem: After the stain dried for about 8 hours, the belt was extremely stiff. I didn't think much of it at the time, given it was my first piece, but while I was inspecting it, I realized that anywhere I'd bent the leather, the top surface wrinkled. No cracks or anything - just a wavy, wrinkled surface. I didn't bother finishing the piece because I know I'll have to start over - I did try adding some olive oil, though, to see if that made a difference. Not much luck

So for next time, I'm curious what I did wrong. What gives? Do I need to condition the hell out of the leather here at some stage here prior to moving it at all? Bad leather?

Hope you guys can give me some tips! Photo attached.

Thanks.

[Tree Reaper]

It's probably crappy leather.

If you buy Hermann Oak blanks, tool, oil and dye then that shouldn't happen.

[chiefjason]

I've had belly leather do that when I tried to use it for something. Conditioning helps. But it won't make bad leather good leather. Head over to the Springfield leather website and look at their blanks.

[TXAG]

SpencerC...you might want to pm me before giving springfield any of your money...

[SpencerC]

It's probably crappy leather.

If you buy Hermann Oak blanks, tool, oil and dye then that shouldn't happen.

I ended up ordering a couple blanks of Hermann Oak veg - and for cheaper than the Tandys! Hopefully this set turns out much better

Thanks for the suggestions guys!

[Randy Cornelius]

I agree with what has been said. It's the Tandy leather and the ecoflow stuff. Call Springfield leather and get a belt blank from them, Use regular oil dye to dye it and then use something like Bag or Tan Kote to finish it with and you will do fine.

RC

[Tree Reaper]

I buy my blanks from Springfield as well, you'll like what you get and the results they produce.

[TXAG]

PM sent about buying from springfield leather.

[camano ridge]

As has been said crappy leather. The Tandy blanks are cut from bellies. Belly leather will stretch and some times you will get kind of a delaminating or loosening of the grain of the top surface giving you the wrinkles. The blanks Springfield Leather sells are Herman Oak cut from backs. These are excellent blanks and I have made many belts using them. They are about the same price or for the quality you could say they are cheaper as they will outlast the tandy ones.

[SpencerC]

Thanks for the input guys - glad I wasn't screwing something up in the process (hopefully!). On to round two!

[mlapaglia]

Just make sure you oil the belt with some Neetsfoot oil 24 hours after dying and before applying the finish. Give the oil 24 hours to soak in completly. 2 light coats. Dont over oil it. Dying and tooling takes out some of the leather oils. Neetsfoot returns those oils. Just get pure neetsfoot NOT neetsfoot compound. The compound is nasty due to the additives

If you find you are making a lot of belts you might find buying a back from Springfield even cheaper and cutting your own. Strap cutters are not expensive. Just tell Springfield you are making belts and ask for then to cut you a straight edge on one long side.

I have spent a lot of money at Springfield and like everyone they make the occasional mistake but have always made it right and quickly.

Edited January 28, 2014 by mlapaglia

[JDTagish]

Spencer,

I've had the same issue with the Tandy Pro Waterstain. It may have something to do with the quality of the leather as other more experienced people have suggested, but I've gotten the same issue with the Pro Waterstains, but did not have the issue with other stains/dyes also cut from the same hide. IMHO, it has something to do with the waterstain, and may be in the application and how "wet" it is to work with the waterstain itself, since it is applied (per instruction) with a lightly damp sponge, but the sponge itself becomes more saturated (wetter) as you apply the stain along the length of a belt. (or other larger item) I wonder if its related to how wet the leather gets during the process, and then how it's dried. I've gotten that wrinkled result after just leaving the item on a flat surface to dry, and in particular anywhere that the item is bent during the application or before it is fully dry.

Although using a higher quality leather may produce a different result, I'm inclined to think it's the waterstain that is causing the issue rather than the leather. Unfortunately, I don't think there is a way to "recover" from it (make the leather lay down again) but one thing I would consider trying if the piece is destined for the trash anyway would be to wet the surface that was dyed, and then use a warm (not hot) iron on it and see if that will get the bubbles out of it. I've had decent results using that method, but only on things that were going to be trashed anyway, or scrap, just to see what would happen. YMMV, of course.