Side Vs Butt Vs Shoulder Vs Bridle Vs Harness--Which To Use

[leathervan]

I am going to make a briefcase and I am confused about what leather to use. That is which part of the cow that the leather comes from. I assume I wouldn't use butt because I think it is too heavy(in ounces). I want to use around 6oz leather. I wouldn't use belly because it is too soft. Any suggestions?

[JLSleather]

Vegetable tanned (carving) leather is skived, or leveled, so the part of the animal doesn't have much to do with the thickness (almost nothing at all).

Are you carving it? I don't carve belly leather (spongey).

The shoulders (which includes arms and a neck) can be a bit soft too, but you can get decent carving in a shoulder, and some folks PREFER them for your type of project, due to the somewhat parallel fat wrinkles often found in shoulders (they like that look).

The butt is the firmest part of the hide. Closest to the back is best - the cream of the crop. It comes with a proportional price, too, if that's a concern.

All that said .. determine ..

1.) How much will you need for your project? and

2.) Is it carved / stamped? and

3.) Am I looking for sleek and professional, or rustic and 'hippie'?

[HippieLee]

Follow up question re: #s 2 and 3 - Is it possible to have sleek and professional AND some carving? Or does carving automatically throw a briefcase into rustic and hippie? (lol, i obviously have nothing against hippie and/or rustic but sometimes I want sleek and professional...and I want some carving....)

[DavidL]

The bend or butt I would imagine would be the best, as the above poster said closest to the spine is the firmer leather.

In most leathers (that I have used) the difference in weight is one ounce, slightly noticeable in thickness (.4mm) from belly vs shoulder/butt. Shoulder and butt are most firmer, bend is firm, belly is stretchier.

[cgleathercraft]

I bought a side off a member on the forum(Herman Oak, if I remember correctly). I'm going to make a briefcase/laptop bag out of it once I get a pattern laid out.

Straps will be closest to where the spine is, keeping toward the butt end of the hide.

Gussets will be next closest to the spine, same placement as straps

Front and back main pieces will cut starting at the butt and working toward the shoulder.

inside pockets and other miscellaneous pieces nearer the shoulder (or on if if i'm that close)

Belly and front most part of shoulder (towards the neck) are planned to be left as scrap and utilized in other projects or test pieces.

Not sure if its right or wrong. But that's how I pictured it.

[ramrod]

Follow up question re: #s 2 and 3 - Is it possible to have sleek and professional AND some carving? Or does carving automatically throw a briefcase into rustic and hippie? (lol, i obviously have nothing against hippie and/or rustic but sometimes I want sleek and professional...and I want some carving....)

this is a great question. i've always thought that "sleek and professional" is void of carvings and the like. this isn't a poke at rustic or hippie, but it's what i've noticed in the "manufactured" world of briefcases and the like. although, the occasional maker's mark, well placed, couldn't do any harm. i wonder if some kind of carving wouldn't be cool as in an accent...think of pinstriping on a car.

[HippieLee]

this is a great question. i've always thought that "sleek and professional" is void of carvings and the like. this isn't a poke at rustic or hippie, but it's what i've noticed in the "manufactured" world of briefcases and the like. although, the occasional maker's mark, well placed, couldn't do any harm. i wonder if some kind of carving wouldn't be cool as in an accent...think of pinstriping on a car.

I think it can be done. I like the pin-striping idea a lot. I think that would also work well with the pinking/broguing idea in my head. I think it would be pretty cool if my briefcase/laptop bag matched my wing-tips.