Oakleaf Leather

[asbandr]

Hello. I make leather holsters and recently bought a side of 6/7 oz Oakleaf leather from Tandy. I usually just get a side of 6/7 oz and the only thing it says different on the receipt is that the side was craftsmans? I'm still new at all of this, but I just finished my first holster from the 6/7 oakleaf, and it feels alot thinner than what I was doing before. I thought if it was the same weight it would be fine, but this is substantially less solid after wet molding than my other holsters have been. Which means the entire side is useless to me now. Is this type of leather typically thinner than others? Is there anything I can do to make it more solid?

[camano ridge]

FIrst thing I recommend, is get yourself a gauge. Even the handy gauge that Blackriver laser has for around $6.00 will help you out. I have found that tandy leather no matter if it is Oak Leaf Craftsman or their top of the line has been inconsistent lately. I was at Tandy looking at some double shoulder that were on sal, they were supposed to be 8-9 oz. Most were more in the neighbor hood of 7-8 found one that was more 5-6 and two that were 9 -10. I did not find any that I found a spot that was actually 8-9. They all had the same number so it was not that they were mixed with other wieghts. I always carry a gauge when I go there and always check the weight. If you are buying 6-7 oz you should get 6-7 oz.

[asbandr]

Thanks for that tip. Where do I get one of these gauges?

[camano ridge]

There are commercial grade thickness gauges that have deeper jaws that reach further into the leather. However for your pupose to determine if leather is close to the thickness you were wanting either of these work well. I have both. A digital read out thickness gauge from Harbor freight reads in inch/mm and is under $9.00. http://www.harborfreight.com/digital-thickness-gauge-66319.html This gauge is from blackriverlaser.com. I t is handy as it is flat and easily carried in the pocket. http://www.ebay.com/itm/HANDY-GAUGE-II-LEATHER-THICKNESS-GAUGE-METRIC-OZ-SIZES-EASY-TO-USE-/131324551530 measures in oz also they have a version that measures in oz and metric. digital read out or gauge caliper works as well.

This chart come in handy as well

Edited October 25, 2014 by camano ridge

[asbandr]

So since this was a little higher grade of leather than I usually get, would it just be softer and not harden up as much with wet molding as the craftsmans leather I've been using? Or is it likely that it's just the fact that it's thinner that caused it to not harden?

[Troy Burch]

The higher grade leather is tanned a little differently to make it a better quality for tooling, I'm not sure but it might affect the hardness.

[NVLeatherWorx]

And this is why I don't buy the majority of my leather from Tandy. I use Hermann Oak and get mine from Springfield Leather. Even their Craftsman grade (that is the low end) and their bellies are some darn fine leather when compared to Craftsman Oak and/or Oak Leaf. In fact, they are even better than the Tandy Royal Meadow line.

[asbandr]

Do you just order it online?

[Chief31794]

Do you just order it online?

I do, I buy all my leather from Springfield. It is all very good leather (Hermann Oak), they have some others, but I stick with the Hermann Oak.

Chief

[NVLeatherWorx]

I too order mine online from Springfield Leather. Tandy has started to carry some of the Hermann Oak leathers but they are WAY TOO high priced, even at the best price level (which I get as a business). I even showed them where I can get my H.O. from either Springfield Leather in Missouri or from The Hide House in Napa, California for much, much less when compared to their price and they had nothing to say. It amazes me that they think we will buy from them just because they may be more conveniently located than having to order online but when I can get the same leather for 2/3 (or less) than the price they have for me and get it shipped to me and still save a large chunk of change, guess where I am going?

Springfield Leather is easy to work with and they are great people so it really makes the process so simple.

[asbandr]

I may have to try ordering online after I run out of what I have.

I went to Tandy Monday and told them that this leather didn't seem as thick. I even brought two holsters finished to the same degree, but one with the new leather and one with the old and showed them the difference, which was clearly obvious. I went to Harbor Freight and got the digital gauge, so that will go with me anytime I may need to go to Tandy for leather.

I was very disappointed with the service I got with the issue though. I go in there about once every week or two, and all the regular guys know me when I come in. The guy I usually dealt with asked if I remember him gauging the leather that time, and I told him that I have never seen them gauge the leather. I learned my lesson now though. He gauged the pile of 6/7 I got it from, and not a single piece (whole sides) measured at 6. So they were essentially mislabeled. My receipt even says 6/7. I bought the mislabeled side a few weeks ago at $90, and Tandy wasn't willing to refund my money, or even replace the leather. As far as the weight I wanted, which I gauged myself this time, and it sits just under an 8, they offered to me at $80 for a double shoulder for clearly lower quality leather. I told them I expected better than that since it was their mistake and it now put me off schedule for a large order I had. The manager told me the lowest he could go was $75 or corporate would be all over his butt. So much for the customer is always right. I have an order for 7 more holsters to do for a local gun range, and had to have the leather and couldn't wait to order online, so I grudgingly handed over my card.

When my husband heard what happened he called up there and ripped the manager a new one, so now the manager says I can bring all the mislabeled leather back, including what I'd already cut for holsters, and they would give me store credit. Very frustrated at this point.

[NVLeatherWorx]

Here is something else for you to think about. If you continue to have these issues with the store just contact the corporate offices via their contact form on the website and start voicing your discontent there. I have found that anytime a customer has an issue within the stores that the entire thing is kept quiet among the staff members and never gets out to higher levels; not even as an explanation as to why the store may have done an exchange or given you a reduced/special offer to smooth things over. I have had to contact corporate for a few things and have even ended being contacted by a Regional Manager regarding a couple of issues and it helped; there were changes made within the store (staff and operations) and the customer service climate got better. Down side is that there was a recent shake-up in staff where just about everyone was replaced with newbies and now there isn't a single person in the store who even knows the difference in the kinds of leather or qualities.

And that is why I don't do my leather business with them; they are okay for the little things that I need but the leather is handled by other sources. And I get higher quality leather for less than I would be able to get from them.

Anyway, good luck with your endeavors and hope things get better for you.

[Red Cent]

Asbandr, you are not the only one who got the shaft. I recently purchased two sides from a Tandy store. I was told the 8-9 ounce was a well known brand and it was a good price. And I purposely bought a craftsman grade in 5-6 ounce. Very clean and good looking side. At home I glanced at the sales slip and it said Oakleaf (WTH). So I called the store and a person told me the manager was not available. I asked her about the "on sale" sides up in front and beside the check out counter. She told me it was craftsman (WTH). She asked me if I wanted....to call me. I told her I don't ever want to talk to..........

Tandy no more.

[electrathon]

I may have to try ordering online after I run out of what I have.

I went to Tandy Monday and told them that this leather didn't seem as thick. I even brought two holsters finished to the same degree, but one with the new leather and one with the old and showed them the difference, which was clearly obvious. I went to Harbor Freight and got the digital gauge, so that will go with me anytime I may need to go to Tandy for leather.

I was very disappointed with the service I got with the issue though. I go in there about once every week or two, and all the regular guys know me when I come in. The guy I usually dealt with asked if I remember him gauging the leather that time, and I told him that I have never seen them gauge the leather. I learned my lesson now though. He gauged the pile of 6/7 I got it from, and not a single piece (whole sides) measured at 6. So they were essentially mislabeled. My receipt even says 6/7. I bought the mislabeled side a few weeks ago at $90, and Tandy wasn't willing to refund my money, or even replace the leather. As far as the weight I wanted, which I gauged myself this time, and it sits just under an 8, they offered to me at $80 for a double shoulder for clearly lower quality leather. I told them I expected better than that since it was their mistake and it now put me off schedule for a large order I had. The manager told me the lowest he could go was $75 or corporate would be all over his butt. So much for the customer is always right. I have an order for 7 more holsters to do for a local gun range, and had to have the leather and couldn't wait to order online, so I grudgingly handed over my card.

When my husband heard what happened he called up there and ripped the manager a new one, so now the manager says I can bring all the mislabeled leather back, including what I'd already cut for holsters, and they would give me store credit. Very frustrated at this point.

You were lied to by the manager. Tandy sells junk. You, I and they know it, but the managers are told to MAKE THE CUSTOMER HAPPY. He should have offered to replace it for you, it was an obvious defect. He did not want to do it because it lowers his profit margin and he looses money personally. Complain to corporate and TELL THEM THE REASON THE MANAGER REFUSED TO WARRANTY THE DEFECT, they need to hear what the customers are being told.

[camano ridge]

I was in Tandy a week ago and the manager told me I needed really good leather and I should start buying his Herman Oak. They only carry two thicknesses of sides no shoulders. I told him I do buy Herman Oak but at a better price. He said I can't get a better price because Tandy is only selling A and B grade and that Tandy is the only one getting that grade everyone else including Springfield leather is only getting Tannery run. I looked at what he had just for the heck of it I found nothing that looked like A grade most of it had brands and blemishes.

[electrathon]

This is also not true. I was told it too, so I called Herman Oak and asked. According to the tannery, anyone that wants Herman Oak, in any grade, can get it. I have to agree, the HO hides in the store do not match the quality of the TR hides I usually get at Oregon Leather. But, they are better than the South American hides Tandy usually sells.

[Red Cent]

I was told the 8-9 on sale was Herman Oak.

[JLSleather]

Couple points here...

1.) Skip the cheap guages -- spend $8-10 on a caliper. Nothin fancy -- dont have to say starrett or sharpe. Use it to measure thickness, but can also guage holes, distances, etc. Simple, and available nearly anywhere.

2.) At least aaround here, the royal meadow at tandy is markedly better than the "HO" that springfield sells. I've ordered both repeatedly, and I actually prefer the royal meadow for tooling AND for color. And the back side is nice too (the leather AND the sales girl)

[Red Cent]

I believe the Royal Meadow goes about $10.00 per sf?

[JLSleather]

Red --

Tandy now selling by the PIECE, not by the foot. The RM sides are generally 25 feet, +- 2, making it about $8/ft with the 'elite' pricing ($207/side).

HO will depend on where you get it. SLC is $9.49/ft for [what they call] "B" grade. Goliger charging $9.12/ft, but it's "A" grade HO. And you can call the tannery, if you have the room to store 20 sides, and get it for a bit under $8/ft.

[St8LineGunsmith]

Tandy Leather here in Chattanooga is no more so I started buying the ShoTan leather from American saddlery this stuff blows anything away that Tandy ever had to offer and is also a cut above Herman Oak as well.

[gakracker]

For most of us Tandy is the most convenient and there was a time that they had some decent low-end products. Sadly they, like many companies, have gone to the cheapest imports available. For me this means that most of their products, leather, tools and misc are not of very good quality. Their large stamping press, actually rivet setting quality, is priced extremely high and the last three I received from them did not have one square angle on any welded part, does their manufacturer not use construction jigs?? Of late I have only been picking up small lots of Fiebings there. I do know for a fact thet the local manager is frequently embarrassed over their direction.

[Studio-N]

The evil empire can not do better on HO leather because they buy it at the same price you and I would directly from HO.

they are strictly counting on the ability for the hobbyist to buy 1 hide versus the minimum 10 direct from HO.

As for their leather offerings, the are strictly B grade. I got an 8 oz double shoulder which I use strictly for cutting out

rosettes for stamping samples for the stamps I make. It looked very good UNTIL I wet the pieces. Then black mold

marks showed up on just about every rosette. Not a big deal for samples, but it certainly would be useless for

real product.

Edited January 11, 2015 by Studio-N