Two Questions

[JackBarba]

I bought a "finished double shoulder 5oz" [Tandy #9048-60] to make my wife a tote bag, and am trying not to mess up. I have two questions:

1) Should I glue the seams? I have Barge that I've used for wallets, but I'm afraid I won't be able to line it all up correctly. If I'm going to hand stitch it, will the glue make it considerably stronger? Thoughts?

2) If the product says finished, should I add some finish to protect it further? I just made some homemade dubbin with olive oil, almond oil, vitamin e oil and beeswax. If I do add the dubbin, how long do I have to wait? How much should I apply?

Thank you so much for the assistance. I just started working with leather less than a week ago, and there are SO many choices/questions.

[oldhat]

Hi Jackbarba , to answer your first question yes glue the seams before stitching, this is what most leatherworkers would do although it will help to some degree with strength the main purpose of glueing seams on projects is more to hold the seam in position while it is being sewn, the strength comes from the quality of the thread and stitch .Your second question might get you a few different opinions, i can only give you mine for what it is worth but every leatherworker seems to have their own ideas about finishes and conditioners. I suppose the best way to answer would be to suggest a test piece. Most people agree that you should never experiment on projects without first trying things out on scrap. If it was me i would most likely just use a good quality leather conditioner on it. You might even want to contact your leather supplier to ask for advice and find out what treatments your leather has had. Hope i have been some help, i have been doing leatherwork for some years now but in no way consider myself to be an expert on it, so like i said maybe try out different products on scrap pieces first. Good luck.

[JackBarba]

Hey oldhat! Thank you so much for your reply. I ended up glueing the seams and doing an 8 SPI saddle stitch along the sides. It took me so long.

I took your advice and used a test piece to try out my homemade dubbin. I applied it liberally to the grain side, but when applying it to the flesh side, it absorbed very quickly and I had a hard time spreading it evenly. I gave up after a while and simply rubbed my bar of beeswax against the flesh side to waterproof it. Seemed like a good idea at the time

I'll post pictures when it is complete. I'm really happy so far with how it is turning out!

[oldhat]

Hi Jackbarba, with regards to the flesh side i often use tankote to seal it and lay down the fibres, apply it with a cloth and then wipe in one direction only to make the fibres all lay the same direction, then leave to dry. Again i would recommend a test piece to see if you like the result. Now i am in the uk so i cannot recommend leather suppliers for you, however when i buy really good quality leather the flesh side is normally that nice it is like suede and i tend to leave it alone because it is nice enough as it is, if the flesh side is very furry it is normally a sign of poorer quality leather, i have never used tandy for leather but have heard a few on here complain about the quality of some of their leather, maybe someone else can jump in on that one.You could also consider lining a bag if the flesh side of your leather is not very appealing to look at. Good luck with it and try to post some pics if you can, feel free to ask more questions if you need to, as i said i am no expert but i have some experience of making bags so i might be able to help.

[JackBarba]

Thanks again Oldhat! Some parts of the flesh side of this leather I'm using are quite nice and smooth, while other sections are a bit rougher. I wasn't planning on lining it, as I kind of like the look of the raw flesh side interior. What are some of the benefits of lining bags? Aesthetics and protection I would think? Thanks so much for the responses. I'll post some pictures of the project so far. I still plan to add handles, some magnets to keep it shut. and decorative panels on both sides with 1) a monogram & 2) inlaid leather design.

[oldhat]

Hey jackbarba, your right about the benefits of linings, mainly looks and as you say protection especially for a ladies bag that might have make up and the like in,I like to line my wallets as well to hibe the internal stitching as i think it looks ugly when you can see how itemes are held together, some stitching on show lloks good while others i prefer to hide if possibele. Of course it is all personal taste and there is no right or wrong.. As i said you might want to ask for some advice regarding leather suppliers in your area, all the hides i buy from my supplier in England have extremely nice flesh sides in fact sometimes it seems a shame to cover them up they are so nice.All the best to you.