what is it I cant use on a side?

[Boriqua]

Since I started with this hobby some 20+ years ago I have almost always bought shoulders. I was pretty disappointed with my last batch of leather from Chahin tannery so I may try to upgrade and buy a side of HO and give it a go. I would have to increase my prices a touch to make up for the expense but I think it might be worth it??

Now I heard mention that the belly part is unusable so how much off of a side am I going to have to cut off and not use. Or am I just wrong. Im a little terrified to make such an investment but I think its past time to up my game some and like I said .. the 8/9 I got was just a step above tandy and the 6/7 I am afraid to use its so awful. Any advice on purchasing and using a side for primarily holster and heavy bag work would be appreciated.

alex

[JLSleather]

If you jus gittin ONE weight, I'd do 7/8 oz.  Versatile weight for holsters - all but the small pocket holsters.  You "could" do 6/7, but on many rigs you'd be wanting to line it to beef it up, and that's more money and more work.

There isn't really an "unusable" portion of hide, though some portions of some hides are unusable.  I generally don't order bellies - just get the backs (side minus belly).  I would NOT make anything from belly leather - the exception being small pocket wallets and such where there's virtually no stress on it.  Still, bellies do have their use in linings, wraps, etc.  You will be billed more per foot for backs, just FYI.

This last order, I got sides (with belly) wondering if it might be faster.  It wasn't   So I have like 4 bellies I'm sure I will put somewhere before its over.

Generally, the bend is the best part of the hide.  I like backs - which is just the bend plus a single shoulder - since i can cut belts from teh bend and holsters from the shoulder, and the texture and color are the same (theory). 

Out there where yer at, aguycould maybe call em up at Goliger Leather (this would be my 'best choice' if I was there).  OR, some folks said okay stuff about Maverick, though I've never bought HO from them (sometimes, you get good intentioned "reviews' from people who don't really have much experience with what "good" leather is).

In order of desirability (at JLS, which is all I can speak for) I like bends, backs, sides, shoulders, in that order.  Bellies are somewhere else

 

Edited October 3, 2016 by JLSleather

[OLDNSLOW]

Is there more than one place to buy the Chahin?  I know that weaver sells it as their next best choice and have thought about it but haven't bought that large size of leather yet.  The most recent buy for vegtan was from SLC and that was the cut they sell for belts, but just curious if you talked to weaver about the quality that you received and what the response was?  I want to make a purchase in the very near future and sort of in the same boat, cost, and quality is what I need to be the for most issue, and I know that is an oxymoron when thinking good quality at low cost.  A thought that has crossed my mind and I know that it has worked in other situations is to do a group buy, don't know who would be interested or how it would all work out, just thinking out loud.  

[Boriqua]

Jeff .. do they sell only bends or backs in HO? I have been buying all my leather from weaver and they only list whole sides. I know I sound like a duffus but if I order a side .. is the belly already removed? Sorry .. I am just completely ignorant never having bought a side.

 

oldnslow .. I have been buying the Chahin from weaver for a couple of years and for the most part have been very happy with it. Accepted dye well, nice tight backside. Jeff made fun of the fat wrinkles but I kind of dig the look of a leather that isnt perfect some so it never bothered me and I used the wrinkles when placing my patterns so they would be primarily where I wanted them to be. Aside from that ... more than a few hundred holsters and other stuff and was satisfied. The last 2 pieces I got were not good quality. I usually keep 6-7 and 8/9 for holster and sheaths. If I am doing lined I like to use the 6/7 with a lighter piece to the inside. If I do overlay pieces like you see with jeffs patterns I use the 6/7 for the front and for the overlay and use a 8/9 for the back.

I always keep some 2 oz goat around I get from distant drums and some cheap 4/5 oz I usually get from tandy when they throw it on sale.

My last 8/9 from weaver about 1/3 of it had a very loose open grain backside. Not the greatest for holsters. You can burnish it and make it look ok but its only skin deep. It will be too soft to mold proper and what happens to me anyway is the holster stretches to much when I insert the mold and it makes for an ill fitting holster. I wont sell it so I dont make it. So I have had to cut around a few square feet. It is not accepting dye well at all so I have a fair chunk of leather I will have to find a use for but I wont use it on holsters or sheaths. Maybe a motorcycle tool roll or three is in my future. It would be more than suitable for that.

The 6/7 is a disaster. .. It is not accepting dye well at all and the dye is actually buffing off of the surface. Its hard as well to cut or even edge and it appears there is something on the surface that I cant see because I am getting weird marks on my finished products. They are without a doubt .. the worst two pieces of leather I have ever gotten from weaver. Still better than tandy but not by much. Having said that .. I have been buying leather from weaver on and off for 15 or so years so I the greater quantity of stuff I have gotten has kept me going back for more and that has to count for something.

I didnt contact them because I already used about half of the 8/9 and tiny bit of the 6/7. I been meaning to try the HO and I have been selling briskly enough to take a shot... soon as I school up on what to get 

Alex

[JLSleather]

FWIW ...

I think Goliger only sells full sides.

I ordered leather from Weaver once.  I will not do it again.

Springfield Leather will sell you a back (side minus belly).  It will be a bit pricey, and the quality is a crap-shoot.... I've got some that were okay, and some that were just crap.  Since they are jacking up the price by 50% and MORE, you'd think they'd have just the good stuff.  Still, I mention them because they HAVE sent me  a decent piece here 'n' there.

I'm with Alex, I can take a wrinkle before a "smooshy" back side.

Wickett & Craig will sell you a side OR a back, and you can order from just 1 to a full stack.  I get backs there, great holster leather in their skirting.

As a rule, I get HO at HO.  There IS no such thing - I think - as spotless leather, but HO backs (no belly) works out about $10/ft for A grade AFTER shipping charges.  You do, though, have that minimum order thing.

Tandy's site shows a pretty good drawing of the part of a cow you're getting. https://www.tandyleather.com/en/leather-buying-guide.html

 

 

 

 

[bikermutt07]

Fwiw, Jeff has some leather for sale right now. Check out moving sale in Leather and Lace.

I know he will sell you the good stuff.

[keplerts]

Boriqua,

If I understand you right, you said the leather you bought from Weaver was shoulders from Chahin Tannery.  I have used Chahin leather before and it is usually pretty good.  Here is the catch:  the shoulders Weaver sells is NOT Chahin leather.  It is imported from south America I believe.  The only Chahin leather they sell is by the side.  I made the mistake of thinking the shoulders I bought were from Chahin but they were not.  Very tough to cut and while tooling I had to strop my swivel knife (and I'm not kidding) every 5 inches!  The double shoulders I got from Tandy (Oak leaf) cut much nicer and tooled great.  But took dye and finish very unevenly.   You can get double shoulders of Chahin leather from American Leather Direct at pretty decent prices.

Tom

[Boriqua]

On 10/8/2016 at 3:25 AM, keplerts said:

Boriqua,

If I understand you right, you said the leather you bought from Weaver was shoulders from Chahin Tannery.  I have used Chahin leather before and it is usually pretty good.  Here is the catch:  the shoulders Weaver sells is NOT Chahin leather.  It is imported from south America I believe.  The only Chahin leather they sell is by the side.  I made the mistake of thinking the shoulders I bought were from Chahin but they were not.  Very tough to cut and while tooling I had to strop my swivel knife (and I'm not kidding) every 5 inches!  The double shoulders I got from Tandy (Oak leaf) cut much nicer and tooled great.  But took dye and finish very unevenly.   You can get double shoulders of Chahin leather from American Leather Direct at pretty decent prices.

Tom

Oh man your absolutely right Tom. I assumed it was the Chahin stuff but after going through their online catalog and paper catalog I made a mistake. The only Chahin they have are sides. Going to go check out American Direct. I have kind of hit nice price points for my stuff where it sells fairly quickly so I want to keep material cost reasonable but I do want to move to making a better product and that last two rolls of leather I got were not nice.

[keplerts]

Boriqua,

I made the same mistake on the double shoulders.  I think  you will like ALD leather and their prices.  I'm working with  some saddle skirting now and it cuts beautifully.

[MADMAX22]

As JLS said earlier ya pay a upcharge for the backs. That being said if you order from say wickett and craig it use to be around $1.25sq/ft extra for them. Figure ya loose about 2-3sq/ft cutting the bellies off or there abouts. So say the back is 22sq/ft thats about $25 extra you pay for the back but minus the $16-24 you dont pay for the belly. Its a no brainer IMHO. 

Atleast roughly speaking.