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.