Still Doing Coasters

[Stewart]

Just completing these two. The Skull is waiting for a decision of colors to use to finish.

I figure that using them for displays at crafts shows will show the diversity of my work

that can be applied to Journals, wallets-book covers and Etc...

[silverwingit]

Um, er... Maybe I'm the only one to ask.

I have a dumb question. In spite of your talented work, I have no use for leather coasters. The ones I have do not behave well when wet with condensation from a cool drink. They warp, harden and discolor. I wouldn't put a drink on a warped, hardened leather coaster for fear it would cause the drink to tip over.

Have you not experienced these problems with your coasters? Do your customers not report issues with them? If not, what do you do to the coasters to avoid these problems?

Please pardon my frankness.

Thanks,

Michelle

[LNLeather]

Stewart - Nice Coasters! Nice work.

Michelle - I make and sell a lot of coasters too. You are right, leather coasters are not good for icy/cold drinks.

Cold Drinks need something absorbent under them.

But Leather coasters are grrreat under Hot Coffee cups... I have given coasters to friends that have used mine for years and only one has

discolored (kind of a milkey color over the dark brown). I don't really know what they spilled on it and I think I used Super Sheen on that one. All

the rest that were made the same look like new.

I have a coaster I have had for at least 35 years - it came from King Marking with an order for a metal address stamp - and all it has on it is an embossed

logo and No dye or seal at all... it barely shows any wear at all - of course all I use it for is under Hot Drinks.

[Stewart]

Michelle-- There is a lot to that question.question.

I haven't sold a set of coasters yet. I just ordered my 5th 25 pack.

I would say that I ruined 1 whole pack to mistakes. some were learning and the

rest to going past what I could do at the time.

For me, they are great pieces to practice on. No wasted leather.

I give them away to friends, family and my Mentor for advice and progress.

My sister uses theres Cause they and their friends are Gator fans . Also that

gives me ideas for themes. Those are used and no problems. The others are displays.

I use super sheen and 3-4 coats.

Now I am doing them to use as displays at craft shows to show off what I can do.

Feel it's better than setting out finished products that might not sale because of the themes.

Will do some generic things to show I can sew..

I did do a coaster for my wife's sister that had a problem. She wanted a crazy

Bird. I got to close to her personality and had to do a Bunny rabbit to replace it.

So I really did not answer the question of feasibility because they say there to

beautiful to use. I will have to test one when I make a mistake.

Thank you for your complement

LNLeather --- Thank you also for your complement and your response.

Joe

[silverwingit]

Thanks, Joe and Cheryl. I had wondered about this question but was afraid to ask. I appreciate your candor and gentleness in the face of what could have easily been interpreted as a "trolling" question. It wasn't.

The reason I asked is pretty simple. I don't drink hot drinks. I've probably never had a whole cup of coffee if I added all the sour sips I have taken over the years. I love tea, but it's always iced for me. Plus, where I live in southwestern Colorado, we use evaporative coolers ("swamp pumps"). These cool the very dry air by evaporating water, leaving it very , very humid indoors. That causes a copious amount of condensation on a cool drink, drenching all but the most absorbent coasters. I have received several Springfield Leather promotional coasters over the years and they are simple, unfinished vegtan. I used one and had the result I reported. The next time I went to set a cool drink on it, the bottom of the coaster had warped into a hemispherical shape and yes, I had to catch the drink to keep it from tipping over.

Now, Joe, I have a suggestion. If you want to demonstrate your considerable talent, I would suggest that you don't do it with a product that has a ~huge~ caveat to it, with potentially damaging results if your warning to only use your coasters with only hot drinks is ignored. Why not make bookmarks or keyfobs, or a some other product that doesn't carry a potentially significant issue with it?

I used to manage a medical device manufacturing company, and am acutely sensitive to potential liability issues. If it were me, I would not want to advertise my company via a product that could be a time bomb.

Again, please forgive my frankness. I'm really only trying to help.

Thanks and please accept my wishes for much success in your leather adventures!

Michelle

[papaw]

I've have a set I made for home, 5-6 oz veg tan all have stamping and carving. Used on hot and cold used super sheen top and bottom 6 months now with no issue. They set on desk and end table.

[LNLeather]

OH Hey, you are right... Now that I think of it, when I started making coasters they were out of thinner leather

and quite a lot of them did warp and curl up. Then I started using thicker leather and I no longer have that problem.

I forgot all about that... Some times even now, after cutting the rounds and tooling there might be a bit of a curve

to the leather. So I wait for the coasters to be finished and dry and if they aren't flat I will wet them a bit from the

back side and put a weight on it till it is flat and dry.

Something else I have had to remember is that every one has a different idea of what they like, and it is hard to make

everyone happy. If I make a wolf or a horse, some one might suggest I make birds... that just happened as a matter

of fact......... If I just made a bunch of clocks, then they want wallets... but I guess that's good thing too. I'll just get

busy making some wallets. I think it is OK to make coasters - if you want to make coasters... The best part

of leatherwork is having fun while you are doing it and then the Grrrreat feeling you get when someone appreciates and uses

what you have made.

[Stewart]

Thanks LNLeather,

The coaster thing is just to keep. busy. I do a lot of baseballs,but no sales for awhile

That's the way it always is, Do one thing and it's another they want.

Sivelwingit. Everything has it hazards. Evan worrying about if the threads coming apart.

Edited October 8, 2014 by Stewart

[CowboyDon]

I like your coasters and baseballs - also I have an ancient coaster I used for practice with the first custom stamp I ever ordered, its rectangle, but same weight leather as the round coasters - and I use it for my coffee cup and I have no issues with it, its aged beautifully.

[Calait]

Thanks everyone for the postings, I just got my first Kit today, hoping to start doing Key fobs and coasters shortly, currently have my first rounder in a zip-lock bag and ice chest in the garage (my work area) to cut tomorrow morning, hope to tool most of it tomorrow. My first attempt at the Tandy rose. Looking for patterns and researching belts both regular or Dress and ranger. Will be posting my attempts at my leather working.

Edited January 28, 2015 by Calait

[BIGGUNDOCTOR]

If something like Sno-Seal is used to protect them they would be totally waterproof.

What do you use for the baseball cores?

[Stewart]

BIGGUN. I take a part an old baseball use it's cover for template

and recover the core. There is circumfluous tolerance problems with thickness

of new leather to original skin. Also with how new the ball is.

Must be that an old ball is more pliable so if the new pad is a tad small,

the core gives so you can stretch. Not so with a fairly new one.