Hand-Made Pass Cover I'm Ready To Show

[Jiri Taowski]

It’s been a few month since I started making leather accessories. All of them were wallets and most of them are on a high shelf of a closed wardrobe. Today I tried do make a leather cover for a pass from a full-grain leather and I think it is the first item I made I'm ready to show to public.

What do you think about it? Do you think I'm in the right direction of making leather accessories for sale?

Thanks for you comments.

Edited April 26, 2015 by Jiri Taowski

[JAZZMAN]

I always worry about responding to people who have asked for opinions about items they have made and hope that anything i say comes across as trying to be helpful rather than critcicism for the sake of being mean. So here goes, i think this is a perfectly nice item you have made first of. As you have asked if it is up to selling standard i would say that it could be improved upon in thre ways.(1) It would be nicer if it was lined inside, but that is only ny opinion of course.(2)From what i can see on the photo it appears that the edges have not been burnished, sorry if i am incorrect, you might even consider turned edges.(3)While your stitching is fine, it might benefit from a more trsditional slanting type saddle stitch, i am not sure how you have marked your stitching out, but i would say it would be more appealing if it had that slanted look. All this is subjective and merely my own opinion, but as you did ask i assumed you wanted honesty so that is what i have given you. Please do not take offence as i really am trying to help. I am no expert myself just a hobbiest so my opinions are just that.

[Jiri Taowski]

Dear JAZZMAN, thank you for your advice, they are quite helpful. Concerning each recommendation:

1) It might have been better to use linen, but this time I wanted to make something just out of leather.

2) I have just slightly burnished the edges, but obviously there is a lot to learn. First I made them even with a sand paper, then polished a little with a canvas and some water, then dyed and then burnished slightly with gum tragacanth. Is there anything else you would recommend?

3) You are right about the stitch and I would use a slanted hole punch for this kind of thread (it is too thick and I didn't quite expect it to be like this) next time.

Thanks once again. It is very valuable for me as I'm a self-taught.

Jiri

[Halitech]

you can get lining leather to line with, don't always have to use linen to line with

is the leather veg tanned? if it's not, getting a good burnish on it will be harder. I wet the edge slightly first, then use a wooden burnishing tool then finish with wax and burnish again. I usually dye my edges before I burnish even with water as it seems to prevent the dye from soaking in very well.

[JAZZMAN]

Hi jiri, check out hidepounders tutorial on edge finishing, his edges are incredible.

Hope it helps.

As mentioned above, when i mentioned lining the piece i was not really meaning with cloth, more something like pigskin.

http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=18101

Edited April 26, 2015 by JAZZMAN

[Jiri Taowski]

Thank you all for the advice. I didn't consider using thin leather as lining. Will definitely try it next time.

I did check the guide on finishing edges, but the process is quite complex and totally overwhelming =) I guess it comes with practice.

Again, thank you for output and valuable information.

Jiri.

[Halitech]

it looks a lot more complicated then it really is. Wet the edges with water then burnish. Apply beeswax or gum trag then burnish again. Then rub with denim or canvas.