Little Bodiam Purse - My First Leather Project In About 4 Decades

[AftonCraft]

I finished assembling the cutting/assembly table for my tiny leather and canvas goods workshop (9' X 11') yesterday, so it's time to make a prototype leather product. The photo displays the components for a purse that will be given to my daughter-in-law for her birthday on Friday. It was planned as a convertible purse and bicycle saddlebag, but I need to keep the project as simple as possible so that it can be finished on time.

Here are a few questions for you more experienced folks:

1. The sides are two layers glued up with contact cement. What glue or cement would you use for a project like this? It should be water resistant. It's too cold in Minnesota (still) to open the window, so a less toxic and smelly formula would be welcome.

2. I don't yet have an edger or a burnisher. What it be possible to use a scrap of wood to burnish the edges of the straps?

3. The main body is a single layer of 8 ounce leather. For items like this to hold their shape after heavy use, would it be better to use heavier material, or to glue up the leather as was done for the sides, or to stitch or glue in gussets where needed?

The purse will be dyed black. It is named for Bodiam Casle in southern England.

I look forward to your advice and am glad to be working leather again.

PS - I moved this from the critique forum, since this one seems to fit better.

[walletman]

Hi

Do you have a dremel hobby drill

I use corn flour and water mixed to a paste

On the edges then use the dremel or electric drill in stand

With a dowel with noches cut and sanded

To finish I use a shoe polish in a plastic bottle type the one with a spunge

On and duff when dry

Or beeswax and jean cloth and rub like mad

Both are good hope it helps

Walletman (bob)

[AftonCraft]

Bob - Thank you for the "recipe." It sounds like it will work well. I don't have a Dremel tool, but might be able to use a variable speed drill as a substitute.

I had just received a couple of Al Stohlman books in the mail. One said that canvas can be used to burnish damp leather. It worked far better than expected. I will burnish some more and will add beeswax.

Randy

[Northmount]

3M and other companies now have water based versions of contact cement. Check your local hardware/builders supply. Not so strong solvent smell. Much easier on the sinuses and safer.

There are also several thread about what type of glue to use and about contact cement here on LW net if you want to search for them.

Tom