When Is It Ok To Give Up?

[WScott]

On a more constructive note:

Post some pics of your work, get some feedback and let's see if we can get you some help and or inspiration to move in a better direction.

You may just be stuck in a rut, focusing on the wrong thing and making the same error.

Don't get too frustrated, try to learn from what others can see that you may not.

[OurJud]

Thanks, everyone, for the encouragement and advice.

I'm not going to address everyone's post (it's 3:35 in the morning here in the UK and I need my bed).

Tom, if by edging you mean the way the layers of the leather sit together along the edges, then I would certainly say you've hit upon an area that really does make my finished pieces look very tatty. Truth is I don't really know how to finish the edges. I always seem to end up with horrible yellow glue showing between the leather where I've glued before stitching. I also have a couple of those beveling blade things, but I don't like the way it exposes the naked leather underneath because it then contrasts against the rest of the wallet which is dyed. Plus the fact that I struggle making the bevel look neat, especially when you come to a section that has more than one layer of leather. It's also worth mentioning that I don't dye the leather, I buy it already dyed which means I have no way of dying the edges or bevels to the same colour.

shtoink, some of those jobs by hunio are certainly very nice and do have that nice clean 'shop bought' look I'm seeking.

WScott, lack of patience (in terms of the learning curve) is one of my biggest faults. I just don't have it in me to spend decades learning a craft that is, ultimately, a hobby I will probably grow bored of at some point in the future.

To those who suggest I post up a pic and links to the kind of thing I'm hoping to achieve, I will certainly do so (probably tomorrow). For now, though, I can say that most of the stuff on this website serves as my inspiration (especially the Atelier Pall - Double Snap Vertical Wallet):http://www.minimalwallet.net/

Thanks again for all the replies.

Edited March 27, 2014 by OurJud

[camano ridge]

Ourjud, This is going to be a little blunt: I have watched your posts since you first joined this site. You came into this with an attitude that you were going to do your own thing and you could do it as good or better then most without really knowing much if anything about leahter work. All that has happened to you is that you have had a reality check. Welcome to the world of leather working. We are not a bunch of reeses monkey doing what we seen some one else do we are people that have learned skills through trial and error. We all have boxes of (not mistakes) learning opportunities. Most of us in making our first project and getting it the way we wanted spent ten times or more what it would have cost to buy the ready made item.

Take a deep breath. Decide if you want to try again. This time pick a basic project. If you are still into wallets. Search this site for wallet pattern or buy a kit from Tandy. It won't be what you want, however the pattern has been drawn for you or the kit has been put toghether for you to give you a starting point. By doing the project using someone elses pattern or kit you will learn the basics. You will also get an idea how the pattern was developed. Use the lessons learned toward preparing yourself to tackle the project you ultimately want to do. Take it in levels of learning If you understand you have to learn the basics before you attempt your ultimate goal you will have less frustration and enjoy it a bit more.

I have to say that with comments like " I realize that many enthusiasts aim for that homemade look" and "but so far my efforts look tatty and homemade" (thats because they are) you demonstrate a bit of an attitude that may stand in the way of you learning.. Loose the snobbery. Look at why your projects look tatty and home made pick a few points and refine those then pick another few points and refine those until you have what you are looking for.

As has been mentioned post pictures of what you have done let the people here be your mentors. Open your mind to their comments. No one will make fun of them but we will pick them a part with the intent of showing you how to improve what you have done.

If you decide to go forward with leatherworking we are here for you.

[WScott]

Ourjud, This is going to be a little blunt: I have watched your posts since you first joined this site. You came into this with an attitude that you were going to do your own thing and you could do it as good or better then most without really knowing much if anything about leahter work. All that has happened to you is that you have had a reality check. Welcome to the world of leather working. We are not a bunch of reeses monkey doing what we seen some one else do we are people that have learned skills through trial and error. We all have boxes of (not mistakes) learning opportunities. Most of us in making our first project and getting it the way we wanted spent ten times or more what it would have cost to buy the ready made item.

Take a deep breath. Decide if you want to try again. This time pick a basic project. If you are still into wallets. Search this site for wallet pattern or buy a kit from Tandy. It won't be what you want, however the pattern has been drawn for you or the kit has been put toghether for you to give you a starting point. By doing the project using someone elses pattern or kit you will learn the basics. You will also get an idea how the pattern was developed. Use the lessons learned toward preparing yourself to tackle the project you ultimately want to do. Take it in levels of learning If you understand you have to learn the basics before you attempt your ultimate goal you will have less frustration and enjoy it a bit more.

I have to say that with comments like " I realize that many enthusiasts aim for that homemade look" and "but so far my efforts look tatty and homemade" (thats because they are) you demonstrate a bit of an attitude that may stand in the way of you learning.. Loose the snobbery. Look at why your projects look tatty and home made pick a few points and refine those then pick another few points and refine those until you have what you are looking for.

As has been mentioned post pictures of what you have done let the people here be your mentors. Open your mind to their comments. No one will make fun of them but we will pick them a part with the intent of showing you how to improve what you have done.

If you decide to go forward with leatherworking we are here for you.

THAT is great post Camano Ridge

Well put

[Mudruck]

There are a few excellent points here...

We all have boxes of (not mistakes) learning opportunities. Most of us in making our first project and getting it the way we wanted spent ten times or more what it would have cost to buy the ready made item.

• Exactly, I started out wanting to make a holster for myself at the start. Thinking back on what I spent to make that holster... I could have easily bought a completely custom holster and more then likely had enough left over for about half to three-quarters of another pistol.

Take a deep breath. Decide if you want to try again. This time pick a basic project. If you are still into wallets. Search this site for wallet pattern or buy a kit from Tandy. It won't be what you want, however the pattern has been drawn for you or the kit has been put together for you to give you a starting point. By doing the project using someone elses pattern or kit you will learn the basics. You will also get an idea how the pattern was developed. Use the lessons learned toward preparing yourself to tackle the project you ultimately want to do. Take it in levels of learning If you understand you have to learn the basics before you attempt your ultimate goal you will have less frustration and enjoy it a bit more.

• There are times that I have put a projects on hold that have been driving me absolutely batty for a while. It usually leads to a point where you are working on something else and get a 'Eureka!' moment that helps you along in the original project and it also gives you something else.... practice. He wasn't kidding when he says that we all have boxes of 'learning experiences'. I would seriously doubt any worker on here that would deny having a healthy stash of projects that ended up in the 'lesson' bin.

As has been mentioned post pictures of what you have done let the people here be your mentors. Open your mind to their comments. No one will make fun of them but we will pick them a part with the intent of showing you how to improve what you have done.

• This one right here is huge. Very few times have I found a group of people that are as welcoming, helpful and genuinely great people as we have here. This community of leather-addicts is a group that if you listen and really open yourself up to some great criticism, can really, really help you grow in the art.

If you decide to go forward with leather working we are here for you.

[OurJud]

So much for going to bed :D

Thanks, camano. I would have to read back through my early posts, but if I ever gave the impression that this was going to be easy and that I could do it better than anyone else and without help, then that certainly wasn't my intention. I would never be so arrogant to believe such a thing.

Also, if I offended anyone with the 'homemade' comment, then again that wasn't my intention and I apologise to anyone who read it that way.

What I did mean, however, was that I suspect I'm not your average leather enthusiast in terms of taste. I think for most, it is the typical leather 'styles' that appeal; the heavy saddle stitching, the intricate tooling and stamping, thick burnished edging.

But my tastes are different and I don't really think it's fair to say that this fact makes me a snob. I like leather, but only as a material. I like it's feel and durability, but I don't like leather products per se. If I could come up with a stitchless design, I would, because I don't particular like to see stitching - especially heavy thread hand stitching (hence my thread from last week asking if gluing alone would suffice).

As I've already in this thread, I will post up my atrocities tomorrow.

Edited March 27, 2014 by OurJud

[WScott]

GO get some sleep, take some pics in the morning and let's go from there.

You are a good guy, I have enjoyed our interactions on different threads. You are just young and of that immediate generation us old farts pick on.

There are so many people with different knowledge, skills and styles willing to help, so don't sweat it.

Scott

[LTC]

there's nothing "snobby" about wanting your leatherwork to look like it was made by a professional instead of a three year old. don't let anyone try to tell you that and even if it was true which it's not just be true to what YOU want your finished product to look like. i personally want all my work to look like it was made by someone that knows what they're doing and takes pride in the finished product and there's nothing "snobby" about that.

but like i said before it's not for everyone and you definitely have to have patience to learn various techniques correctly and then to execute those techniques correctly every time. it takes strict attention to detail also. i'm not trying to fault you because i struggle with these things also, but in the end the huge time i invest in my projects is worth it to me to make sure they look presentable. it probably isn't a bad idea to step away from it for a while and clear your mind. then if or when you come back to it later maybe you'll have a different outlook on it.

[OurJud]

Thanks again everyone.

Just about to go take some snaps. I'll try and put some indicators on some of the pics to show the areas I'm unhappy with / don't like.

Images 1 and 2: (as 3 and 4) but made entirely from the 1mm sheepskin. Edge slightly better, but the floppy / soft properties of the sheepskin creates a 'flimsy' and cheap appearance.

Image 3: Card holder with cash strap. One piece of 1.5mm cowhide folded in half to form main pocket. Frequent use card holder pocket on front, cash strap on back. These additional parts are made from 1mm sheepskin.

Image 4: Shows the edge of the cowhide card holder. Glue can be seen between the leather's edge and stitching. Don't like the untidy look of the edges.

Images 4 and 5 are about the closest I've come to success. They are made from 1.5mm cowhide and elastic. I used my mum's sewing machine (which just about managed the job). It looks okay-ish on the surface, but is untidy inside where I had to construct elastic loops half way down the main body of the elastic, in order to stop the cards falling right through (the main elastic is just one loop which is stitched to the front and then fed through slats cut into the back piece of leather.

Also, getting the correct leather is proving almost impossible. My nearest Tandy is 150 miles away and I don't know of anywhere else that sells leather. This means my only option is online sellers and the images they provide.

If I get leather that gives me the firmness I want, it's too thick. If I get leather that gives me the thickness I want, it's too soft and floppy. I'm not in a financial position to start going to tanneries to ask them to thin leather for me, so please don't suggest that as an option.

Edited March 27, 2014 by OurJud

[DavidL]

The problem is not your ability it is the materials you are using. I would recommend scraping cash together to get some veg tan leather and have a hand at edge burnishing, you will also see a big leap in quality.If you must use chrome tan leather skiving the edges and rolling the edges will make a big difference.

I also have a shipment coming to me from the u.s for kip leather (stiff vegtan leather - 1mm-1.2mm)