Journal Leather Buckling Question

[rpfkov]

Hi,

I am a very green leather worker, making lots of mistakes but learning and enjoying my new hobby. I am reading and watching videos and I am making progress. However I would like to ask a question related to the first thing I made from leather.

I made this journal for my son for his birthday. It's too not bad and it looks quite good closed. When it is open, however, it has some buckling, particularly in the back. It is two pieces of leather back to back with two extra flaps in the front acting as pockets. The main layers to the left of the rings are glued together, but the layers to the right of the rings are glued only around the edges as there is a slit cut in the leather to accommodate a small clipboard that can be inserted. When the clipboard is in there is no buckling, when it is out there is.

I know I have done something wrong in not allowing for folding. I could not leave an un-stitched area at the bottom (like a wallet) as I was copying an existing journal and there was no area not sewn. I made the two main pieces of leather the same size which I also assume is not correct. But as I said, it was my first project. I would like to try again and do it right this time. Could anyone shed some light on why it is buckling and how to avoid it in the future?

- I can not leave an un-stitched area.

- I can not glue the entire area of the two pieces.

- I can forgo the glue completely if that would solve the problem

Any help would be greatly appreciated

Edited April 3, 2014 by rpfkov

[Northmount]

Use thin material, like pigskin, or other choices you have available for the lining in the spine (rings) area. Glue it down solidly. It will still pucker a little.

Another option is to groove the spine on the inside where you want it to fold. And again use thin leather for the lining. Make sure you get your glue down into the grooves and use a boning tool or similar to work the lining leather down into the groove. You will have a sharper fold, and less noticeable puckering inside.

While gluing, in both cases, fold the cover about half way closed and let the glue set before opening or closing the cover.

Yet another option is to use lighter weight leather for both the inside and outside, with a stiffener, like cardboard, between the two. Need the stiffener cut in three pieces, two for the front and back (same size) and one piece for the spine. Leave about 1/4" or more space at the folds. Look at the typical vinyl covered loose leaf binder as an example. Pull an old one apart, might even be able to use the board as your stiffener.

Try it out on some small scraps to see what you like the best.

Tom

[rpfkov]

Thank you very much for taking the time to give such a detailed reply. Unfortunately, as I am duplicating an existing journal, I need the same leather to be on the inside and outside. Both pieces are approx. 3oz.

If I fold the cover about half way closed and let the glue set before opening or closing the cover, should I be using a slightly shorter (lengthwise) piece of leather on the inside? If yes, what happens when it is opened fully. Will it lay flat? Should it be glued?

Thanks

[Northmount]

Try to get a thinner piece for the inside. The cover won't lay flat, but will stretch over time and be easier to lay flat. And yes, the inside radius is always shorter on a fold. That is why you see the puckering if it was done totally flat. Try a sample with a fairly wide groove in the flesh side of the cover.

Start gluing from the spine and work your way out. Trim the excess after gluing.

Tom

[rpfkov]

Let me recap what I think I can try. I have to use the same leather for both pieces due to the fact I am duplicating an existing journal that uses the same thickness for both.

I can groove the flesh side of the cover where I needs it to bend:

How many grooves and how close together? I assume I only groove the outside piece's flesh side?

Then:

- I cut the outside piece to shape and apply glue. (I have the problem here in that I can only apply the glue to the full area on one side of the rings and just around the edges to the part to the right of the rings.)

- Apply glue to the inside piece, which is cut larger, to allow for trimming later. Keeping it half closed (45º?), start gluing the inside piece to the outside piece starting from the center and working out.

- Let the glue set in this 45º position.

- Do my punching and stitching. Trim excess from inside piece to match outside piece. Finish edges etc.

At this point, will the inside stretch to allow the journal to lay flat? How long would that take? Can I help along the stretching at all? It needs to be able to lay flat as it is being written in every day as a Day-Timer.

Is there a way to calculate how much shorter length wise the inside piece needs to be for the purpose of making a pattern?

Thanks!

Edited April 3, 2014 by rpfkov

[LTC]

i'm not getting why you "have" to use the exact same leather just because you're copying another journal. you can modify the design to make it fold better. there's no law that says you ***must*** make it exactly the same......unless you just "want" to. but that's not the same as being required to make it the same. there's a difference between "have to" and "want to".

[rpfkov]

Hi,

I am trying to make as exact a duplicate as I can. If the original folds well and lays flat, I assume there must be a way to achieve this that I am just not experienced enough to figure out.

Thanks

[LTC]

you may not even have the same type/thickness leather they used. hard to tell without seeing both in person.

[Treed]

Just my two cents..... there is no way with that light of leather and the way you have constructed it not to get a pucker. The leather looks to be 2-3 oz. so trying to groove the spine area would be difficult for me to do. The construction for this type of notebook for me would be

cut outer leather

glue stiffeners to front, back, spine

glue to liner

glue front pockets on edges

glue rear pocket for clipboard on edges

sew

add rings

This will give you a more ridged notebook that will carry the weight of the papers better and keep them in better shape.

For a softer notebook if that is what you are going for then

cut outer leather

glue to liner

glue front pockets edges

glue rear pocket for clip board edges

sew

add rings

[rpfkov]

Thank you all for taking the time to answer. If I cut the inside slightly smaller and glue and stitch it when partially closed, will the inside leather stretch to allow it to lay flat when finished?

[Northmount]

Only cut grooves where you want it to fold.

Tom

[rpfkov]

Only cut grooves where you want it to fold.

Tom

Thanks for helping. It is a rounded fold if that makes any sense. Should there be several grooves? How close together should they be?

It is approx 3 oz leather, there is not much to groove.

Edited April 3, 2014 by rpfkov

[Northmount]

Cut some scrap and try it to see if you can get it to behave the way you want it to.

Also note that the stiffer the leather (hard temper), the more wrinkles you will get. Softer stretchier leather will fold easier with fewer wrinkles.

Tom