Rolling Bridle Leather

[doseone]

Greetings,

I am making a breif style bag out of cotton canvas and would like the handles to be out of bridle leather. Can anyone explain to me the process of rolling bridle leather I have seen this technique before on high end bags and lux dog collars. The guy at my leather shop didn't think it was a good idea but I trust at his age what he is not familiar with is not a good idea. Any guidance appreciated.

[Stephanie]

Hi there! I've made a few rolled handles, and the way I do it is as follows.

you'll need:

saddle stitching chisel (I use 7 teeth per inch, you can use an 8 or an awl and overstitcher)

2 blunt tipped harness needles (I use the smallest ones I can thread)

wax coated harness thread (6 twist preferably)

a piece of sash cord

leather strip 3-4 oz as long as your handle needs to be + billet lengths

tanners bond or simmilar glue

Ok, this is simple, I wont go into how to stitch as that is another topic.

mildly case your leather so it bends better, don't soak it or it'll get harder than a McDonalds bun at 3pm. cut your sash cord about 1/2" shorter than the handle minus the billets at either end. Lightly glue the edges where you'll sew it together, and roll the leather around the sash cord. I allways cut my leather strip with a 3/16 allowance on both sides (diameter of sash cord x PI + 3/8"). I use those wide paper clips with electrical tape on the clamping part to keep rust from staining the leather to clamp it. After glue dries, just use your dividers to measure your stitch line 3/32" from edge and punch and stich it. Voilla! one solid rolled handle! Hope this helps, email me with any questions..... Stephie

[Ian]

If you have a skiver, split only the part that you are going to round - leaving the ends full thickness. Choose a core that will give you at least 1/4" flange to sew. Soak the leather in warm water before sewing around the core. Once you've sewn the length of the handle, let it dry, then trim close to your stitching, then edge and burnish. If you have a rein rounder, that does the best job of all, which is how those perfectly rounded collars and handles are made.

[barra]

If you have a skiver, split only the part that you are going to round - leaving the ends full thickness. Choose a core that will give you at least 1/4" flange to sew. Soak the leather in warm water before sewing around the core. Once you've sewn the length of the handle, let it dry, then trim close to your stitching, then edge and burnish. If you have a rein rounder, that does the best job of all, which is how those perfectly rounded collars and handles are made.

I use a similar method and my technique would vary slightly depending on the strap width. I have found that for strap roundings up to about 1" wide, take off the edge on the flesh side for the length you want rounded with a fairly large edge tool, make a groove for your stitches to sit in then mark your stitches. Then moisten in warm water. If your doing a lot of rounding then the strap is partly molded on a rounding board. This is a plank that has had U shaped grooves routed of various widths the whole length of the board. A workable one size fits all alternative can be made with a block of wood about a foot long that has had a V cut out of the length. Line the V with thin scrap chap type leather. By placing the strap into the V groove you can commence the rolling by firmly rubbing with a suitable smooth implement like the handle of an edge tool or a bone folder. A few gentle taps with the tack end of a saddlers hammer also adds gentle persuasion. There is no real need to add a core because by only taking off the flesh side edges you have left the thick, firm leather in the middle and this forms your core (minimal splitting may be required).

Stitch and then trim close to your stitches with broken glass or sandpaper and then use your favourite burnishing and/or edge dying method.

Wider straps with thinner leather will need a core.

Barra.

Edited March 8, 2008 by barra