Hello from London

[badger]

Thanks Art,

Good to be here.

I don't know how much leathercraft will help me at work, as I don't tend to make very much myself these days. The job has become less hands-on for me over the past few years as the jobs got bigger.

No, I just want to make nice things for friends and family.

I want to get good enough that people will show off my maker's mark as something special. I don't care about money, it isn't about that for me.

Cheers,

Karl

[Pip]

No problem Pip,

I'm a make up and creature effects designer. I design and produce make up effects such as injuries or disease, ageing and all that. As well, I'm a monster maker, designing and producing creature effects for fantasy and horror films. We can also make action props, puppets and certain kinds of models and miniatures.

This is me: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1389100/

Long way from leatherwork, but I wanted a hobby which was as far removed from work as possible. When you make stuff for a living, the last thing you really want to do is make the same stuff for a hobby. I've always liked the work and craft involved in leatherwork and I want to do things the traditional way.

Cheers,

Karl

That sounds cool, i will take a look when i get home.

[Pip]

That sounds cool, i will take a look when i get home.

some great films there! you must be blown away when you see your work and see others react to it! Always wanted to work in film, did some animal handling on a film shot in london which I guess never made it out of the editting room, never even found out the title. But a couple of lovely women and some great food in the bus, and working with bats is challnging, they do not behave, ever! It was an experience!

[Corvus]

Hi Badger! I'm another UK'er and a fairly recent addition to the board too. There's so much inspiration on the board it's a real eye opener about what can be done with leather. What kind of thing do you fancy making?

[badger]

I have a friend who's a fantastic leatherworker and I've been inspired by him for a long time. The problem with an erratic work schedule is that it's difficult to plan your free time...you never know when it's going to be.

My Grandfather said you can't find free time, you have to make it.

So, this year I'm finally getting my act together.

I bought my friend's old Pearson #6 harness stitcher and I've got it working pretty well. I'm tracking down leather suppliers as I'm really not happy with what's generally available in the UK. I'm not keen on the Russets you can get from craft suppliers. I want to track down through-dyed veg tan leather. I have a few promising leads and some samples on the way.

I like holsters and belts a lot. I really fancy making some Western rigs, traditional and Hollywood styles. I have a supplier who runs a small foundry and I'm designing my own buckles for him to cast in brass and bronze. I'll make the original models and he'll cast them up for me. It's a way or making something uniquely mine.

I'm more a fan of clean lines and simple work. Not too fancy.

I like the look of well made, nicely boned leather goods.

What about you?

Cheers,

Karl

[celticleather]

If you're looking for the best leather in the UK, try http://www.jfjbaker.co.uk/

It's the only oak-tanning tannery left in the UK, and although the leather is by no means cheap, there's nothing I've ever found that matches it in quality. The tannery is a ramshackle old place in Colyton, Devon, and well worth a visit if you're ever in the area.

J T Batchelor in Islington also have a good range, and the guys there are very helpful when it comes to selecting a leather for a particular purpose.

[UKRay]

If you're looking for the best leather in the UK, try http://www.jfjbaker.co.uk/

It's the only oak-tanning tannery left in the UK, and although the leather is by no means cheap, there's nothing I've ever found that matches it in quality. The tannery is a ramshackle old place in Colyton, Devon, and well worth a visit if you're ever in the area.

J T Batchelor in Islington also have a good range, and the guys there are very helpful when it comes to selecting a leather for a particular purpose.

I have dealt happily with JTB for more than thirty years but their mail order service seems to have gone downhill lately. Just had a delivery that was short of a whole load of buckles and a bottle of finish had burst inside the package and spoilt the leather - they always put bottles inside the parcels of leather - I complained but, living so far away, can't get them to do anything about it. No refund, no replacement and no damn buckles even though I have paid for them. Just a word from the wise...

I would personally suggest Le Prevo in Newcastle www.leprevo.co.uk who have just supplied me with a load of the best veg tan I have ever seen. They are not particularly cheap, but we all know you pay for quality. I will get less waste from these hides than ever before so the price evens itself out. They also do tools and fittings. (For the record, I didn't get paid a cent for saying that!).

I like http://www.jfjbaker.co.uk too!

[tonyc1]

Aren't Sedgwicks still in business?

[celticleather]

I would personally suggest Le Prevo in Newcastle www.leprevo.co.uk who have just supplied me with a load of the best veg tan I have ever seen. They are not particularly cheap, but we all know you pay for quality. I will get less waste from these hides than ever before so the price evens itself out. They also do tools and fittings. (For the record, I didn't get paid a cent for saying that!).

I like http://www.jfjbaker.co.uk too!

You're right about Le Prevo, Ray! It was bad of me not to mention them . . . I've had some of the best veg-tan shoulders from them. They also have an excellent online catalogue!

You're also right about the service from JTB . . . my last order from them was short of some buckles, but I sent off a fax to Ted (they don't have an Internet presence), and the missing buckles arrived the next day. I'm also a bit nervous about their habit of putting dyes in the same roll as leathers, but so far I've had no disasters!

[celticleather]

Sedgwick's are still going strong (http://www.je-sedgwick.co.uk/jes/4230/index/) and have an excellent video on their website. If I want one of their leathers, I usually buy it from Abbey Saddlery (www.abbeysaddlery.co.uk/), which is another good source of leather-related stuff!