thefanninator Report post Posted October 9, 2014 3 piece gusset briefcase, Horween Essex leather, fil au chinois lin cable linen thread, hand stitched @ 9 stitches per inch, Amiet brass lock. I basically followed the plans in Valerie Michael's book The Leatherworking Handbook. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hi Im Joe Report post Posted October 9, 2014 That looks pretty awesome! I've been thinking of following that tutorial as well. Any tips or things you learned as you went through it that could be helpful? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DavidL Report post Posted October 9, 2014 Great brief case. Are you using a vergez? My 9 vergez i found out recently is 8 spi = 9 tpi. is yours the same? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LNLeather Report post Posted October 9, 2014 WoW! That is a Grrreat looking Briefcase! Niiiice Work! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
the180fury Report post Posted October 9, 2014 Nice work. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Basically Bob Report post Posted October 9, 2014 Ditto to the comments above. That project is on my list of things to do, for sure. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
thefanninator Report post Posted October 9, 2014 Any tips or things you learned as you went through it that could be helpful? Thanks everyone. The leather I had on hand, 4.5-5 oz, was just a little thin. The book says to use 6 oz. which I would definitely do next time. The lock gave me a little trouble but eventually cooperated. I bought 2 identical locks just in case I screwed one up, which I did. I wasn't sure how best to squeeze the hasp on the flap and I dented the first one. A lot of the stitching was done without a stitching horse/pony/clam. It was just easier to hold it with my legs. David - my Vergez is from Fine Leatheworking dot com. It's a 9/10. If I was making a lot of these I would bump down to a 7 spi and use the Vergez pricking wheel for the curves. I used the 2 tpi on the curves. Only thing I left out was the inside pocket. I didn't have anything thin enough that really matched. It's not quite finished as I'm still painting several coats of Fenice on all the edges. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MonicaJacobson Report post Posted October 9, 2014 That looks great! Looks like a ton of stitching. I'd like to see an updated picture when you get the edges done. I've been distracted with veg tanned projects and haven't perfected my fenice paint technique, but are you painting it on, letting it dry, sanding, painting on another, letting it dry, sanding, and then doing a final coat with light buffing? It seems like way more work than gum trag, but it strengthens the edge so much, I guess it's worth it. @David L - I'm not sure what you mean about the 9 tpi as opposed to 9 spi - I thought that related to Dixon sizes - their # 8 equals 7 spi or tpi. When (in a slight panic, since I've ordered a blanchard 8 tpi/spi) I measured my craft tool 6spi stitches just now, it comes out to 6 threads per inch or 6 slits per inch, whichever way I measure it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DavidL Report post Posted October 9, 2014 (edited) Thanks everyone. The leather I had on hand, 4.5-5 oz, was just a little thin. The book says to use 6 oz. which I would definitely do next time. The lock gave me a little trouble but eventually cooperated. I bought 2 identical locks just in case I screwed one up, which I did. I wasn't sure how best to squeeze the hasp on the flap and I dented the first one. A lot of the stitching was done without a stitching horse/pony/clam. It was just easier to hold it with my legs. David - my Vergez is from Fine Leatheworking dot com. It's a 9/10. If I was making a lot of these I would bump down to a 7 spi and use the Vergez pricking wheel for the curves. I used the 2 tpi on the curves. Only thing I left out was the inside pocket. I didn't have anything thin enough that really matched. It's not quite finished as I'm still painting several coats of Fenice on all the edges. For your next bag I would suggest you hit the iron on one panel and on the joining panel before assembly mark it up and hit with a pricking iron, that way the marks will look the same front and back. According to a post by another forum member (who works with an ex hermes worker) that is the way Hermes does it on some of the construction if not all that isn't machine stitched. Monica - The vergez and dixon's measuring system is different according to the measurements I made. The finished product shouldn't look that different from 8 TPI or 8 SPI, just to the craftsman, the customer will not notice. I wouldn't be too worried about your order. 7 TPI = 6 complete stitches that you can count with a ruler per inch. 7 SPI would = 7 complete stitches that you can count with a ruler per inch. It would take 8 teeth to marks to make 7 stitches. Vergez I looked at = TPI - so my 9 iron produced 8 stitches per inch. Dixon regular (thinned down) = SPI - my 7 iron produced 7 stitches per inch. Slimline dixon ( SPI?) The difference would be down to .Xmm, a fraction of a mm difference between each stitch for vergez and dixon. It does make a little bit of a change. Each iron, from japanese irons, vergez, dixon, osborne has a difference in teeth size and measurement. It would work out best to just stick with an entire set of one maker. Edited October 9, 2014 by DavidL Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
9tpi Report post Posted October 11, 2014 Wonderful case. Looks fantastic. I'd be proud to rock that. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
thefanninator Report post Posted October 12, 2014 About to deliver this to it's new owner. Special touch for the key. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
builderofstuff Report post Posted October 14, 2014 Excellent work. Very very clean looking. Chris Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
geargarcon Report post Posted April 20, 2017 What size thread did you use for this? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
thefanninator Report post Posted April 20, 2017 Lin Cable 432, which is a little thick for 9 tpi but still looks ok. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
