Here's Some Recent Stuff I've Completed

[Hi Im Joe]

Hi guys and gals,

Here's some recent stuff I've completed.

First is another messenger black out of black Horween Essex. I used a different method to attach the straps. They are now removable as well. I also doubled up both straps and stitched them. Holy Good God it took forever. But it looks nice so....

Second is a minimalist wallet out of cognac Horween Essex. I made this for my good friend (his wife commissioned it for their 3rd anniversary). The divider in the middle provides two inner pockets for more cards (I stole the idea from Teranishi as his stuff is awesome).

Third is a square 3 pocket bi-fold out of toasted walnut Horween latigo. I stitched all around the wallet for the first time. I think it gives a nice finished look.

Fourth is a rounded 5 pocket bi-fold also out of toasted walnut. I really like this wallet design and think its an overall solid wallet. I did however switch up the stitching and used .030 maine thread in natural (which is more white than I expected) and stitched it at 6.5 sti.

Finally I decided to try a tooled trucker style wallet out of some Hermann Oak I recently bought off the forum. I lined the middle with some fabric. This is the first time I've lined a wallet. This is also the first time I have done any significant amount of tooling. The tooling sucks. I need to have way more patience. I tooled it while it was still too wet and then didn't wait long enough for it to dry before gluing the liner on. It was a good learning experience and I plan to experiment some more.

Thanks a lot for looking and I look forward to hearing what you think is good and what you think I could improve on!

Joe

[Hi Im Joe]

[Colt W Knight]

If you think that bag took forever to stitch, you should try a guitar strap!

I like that messenger bag. Is it your own design or a pattern?

[Hi Im Joe]

If you think that bag took forever to stitch, you should try a guitar strap!

I like that messenger bag. Is it your own design or a pattern?

I owe my brother in law a guitar strap. I am waiting until I get this Adler 67 I just bought up and running before I make it for him...or my hands will just flat out revolt.

It is a pattern from Nigel Armitage. I just modified it to take d-ring strap attachments and a detachable strap. Also, to slim down the profile I put a flat pocket inside the bag (his pattern calls for a full sized inside pocket that is caught up in the edge stitching).

Edit: I also shortened the front flap. In his pattern the flap is much longer.

Edited July 12, 2014 by Hi Im Joe

[chrstn53]

Joe, is the liner on your wallet a sticky back fabric. Awhile back I watched a video of a guy making a wallet and it looked like he lined it with fabric that had a peel off back, just wondering if you used the same thing. If so where would I go about finding something like that?

[rawr66]

Joe, is the liner on your wallet a sticky back fabric. Awhile back I watched a video of a guy making a wallet and it looked like he lined it with fabric that had a peel off back, just wondering if you used the same thing. If so where would I go about finding something like that?

Hey chrstn53, what you're looking for is an iron-on adhesive. I found this one in a quick google search: Heat'n Bond.

It's a double-sided adhesive that you just iron on.

[Hi Im Joe]

Joe, is the liner on your wallet a sticky back fabric. Awhile back I watched a video of a guy making a wallet and it looked like he lined it with fabric that had a peel off back, just wondering if you used the same thing. If so where would I go about finding something like that?

No I glued it in.

Hey chrstn53, what you're looking for is an iron-on adhesive. I found this one in a quick google search: Heat'n Bond.

It's a double-sided adhesive that you just iron on.

I like that idea. I need to try it out. Using glue is pain in the ass.

[billybopp]

Lookin' good Joe. You've about got hand stitching down perfect. Just in time to go to a sewing machine!

I'd buy that messenger bag, and the first wallets are looking good too. I like the look of stitching all the way around on the third piece, even if it's not necessary it looks nice, and I would even have taken it on around the outside panel at the bottom ALL the way around!

The trucker wallet is a bit rough, but tooling takes practice. And patience. Lots of patience. Go slow and you'll get it. Watch out for your layout lines .. Place them so that you can more easily hide them as you do the tooling. I like the design for this wallet, and have never seen another like it. My only concern would be the tab that the chain attaches to. It's got a line of stitches right across it and could tear relatively easily. I'm not sure, though how you would work around that unless you made outside and inside from a single piece of leather joined by a cutout for the tab. We've also gotta get you a proper rivet setter!!

Keep up the good work!

Bill

[Hi Im Joe]

Lookin' good Joe. You've about got hand stitching down perfect. Just in time to go to a sewing machine!

I'd buy that messenger bag, and the first wallets are looking good too. I like the look of stitching all the way around on the third piece, even if it's not necessary it looks nice, and I would even have taken it on around the outside panel at the bottom ALL the way around!

The trucker wallet is a bit rough, but tooling takes practice. And patience. Lots of patience. Go slow and you'll get it. Watch out for your layout lines .. Place them so that you can more easily hide them as you do the tooling. I like the design for this wallet, and have never seen another like it. My only concern would be the tab that the chain attaches to. It's got a line of stitches right across it and could tear relatively easily. I'm not sure, though how you would work around that unless you made outside and inside from a single piece of leather joined by a cutout for the tab. We've also gotta get you a proper rivet setter!!

Keep up the good work!

Bill

Thanks Bill!

Yeah the trucker wallet was way out in left field for me. But it was a good learning experience. If I was to do it right I would want to buy a couple tools. First, I would cut out the bill slot and card slots as rectangles and then use a round punch to make the ends nice and even. I would also buy a drill press or hand burnisher with a pointy tip so I could get to all the inside edges.

Your point about stitching across the tab is valid. I think I could easily have riveted it on. The reason I used the wrong setter for the rivets is it was a choice between marking the leather and marking the rivet. The rivets were just tall enough and had I used the larger setter it would have dug into the leather. Originally I wanted to use snaps for the corers to keep the wallet closed.

I think my layout lines were much straighter than my tooled borders! LOL. I am practicing by making some wristband cuffs with bastketweave and serpentine stamps. I'm getting better. Once I feel up to par I'll take another shot at the wallet.

[DavidL]

I like the design of the last wallet and the second.

There is one thing I would change, the thread or SPi. The wallets would look good with 5 SPI with the thread your using or .58mm thread at the same SPI in the pics. The thread on your 4th pic is telling you that its too large for that SPI. 7 SPI is leaning towards thread in the .63mm at its "appropriate size". give or take .05mm

[Hi Im Joe]

The 4th picture is the minimalist wallet with the J&M burned on? That is stitched at 5 sti with .040 Maine thread. Its the same size and sti as the messenger bag. All the items are stitched this way except for the 5 pocket bi-fold and the Trucker Wallet.

The 5 pocket bi-fold is stitched at 6.5 sti with .030 Maine Thread.

The trucker is 5 sti but I used 1.0mm Tejas thread from Tandy.

[DavidL]

only thing that throws me off is the stitching on the forth picture with the white thread, brown wallet. The thread bulges out if its not pulled extra tight since its a little large. It could be the hole is too small or the thread is too small or not pulled tight enough. I find for me if I pull too hard you can visually see that the finish product that a ton of pressure was applied to pulling the thread.

The first wallet picture with on the right side stitching is what it should come out as on all the wallets, where the hole is larger.

[Hi Im Joe]

only thing that throws me off is the stitching on the forth picture with the white thread, brown wallet. The thread bulges out if its not pulled extra tight since its a little large. It could be the hole is too small or the thread is too small or not pulled tight enough. I find for me if I pull too hard you can visually see that the finish product that a ton of pressure was applied to pulling the thread.

The first wallet picture with on the right side stitching is what it should come out as on all the wallets, where the hole is larger.

I see what you are saying. The wallet in the fourth picture...the stitching along the top was through just one layer of leather so I had to go light on the tension to not wrinkle the edge. But to compensate I probably should of drove the chisel deeper through the leather to make a bigger hole.

The wallet you like the stitching on is stitched at a higher sti with a thinner thread.

Edited July 13, 2014 by Hi Im Joe