Newbie from Bournemouth, England. Hello World!

[Danno90]

Hello and greetings from sunny Bournemouth, England!

(Except it's currently 02:20 and therefore not very sunny at the moment, but oh well...)

I'm probably the latest in a long line of long-time casual browsers of this forum, and also viewers of certain beginner-friendly channels on Youtube. I'm the sort of person who can research something to death but still not quite get the grip of certain things, so please bare with me if at times I sound like I know what I'm talking about but actually have it all wrong

I've been after something creative to do in my spare time for quite a while now, and in my search for something to put a decent amount of time and effort in to, I've decided to turn my attention more seriously towards the Wonderful World of Leather. I'm sure that has to be the name of something in the "adult" genre, or else furniture, but I'm sure you get my drift.

I'm currently waiting on delivery of some El Cheapo beginners tools (my theory being if I don't take to it, it won't be too much money wasted, and once I get into it more I will be able to get a feeling for what to replace as and when). I'm also going to be ordering some needles/thread and most importantly Veg Tan over the weekend. What with being what we Brits call a "Bank Holiday" over Easter (basically everywhere apart from retail shuts down for 4 days Friday - Monday, and if you don't work in retail it's customary to spend from 5pm Thursday drinking booze and stumble into work on Tuesday morning with an impressive hangover) I thought I'd wait til nearer my equipment's meant to arrive before getting the raw materials in . I'm deliberately neglecting any finishes, treatments etc for the time being as I'd rather get to grips with basics of stitching and simple patterns first. Fancy tooling and colours can come later (if I even end up going down that road) because without straight lines and semi-sturdy stitching, decorative things don't do much more than make it look like a 3 year old has gone happy with arts and crafts. In my opinion, anyway.

As far as what I'll be doing, I've got a 2nd/3rd project idea of a combined cigarette/lighter pouch. 1st and 2nd will probably be simple card holders and the like. And I've already been asked to consider making a sheath for a Reenactor friend's saxon dagger once I'm confident enough, so there's that.

In the long run, I guess I'd like to see myself making pocket items (wallets etc) as well as the occasional more costumey wearables. And journal covers. And so on.

But yeah, thought I'd actually make an introduction post and hopefully start getting to know some of you fine Leathersmiths and no doubt learn a thing or 2 doz.

Hope everyone's having a god weekend!

[bikermutt07]

Welcome Dan. This video here has lots of good stuff. Not about what you want to make, but great tricks nonetheless.

Enjoy your new found hobby.

 

[Danno90]

Well I seem to be binge-watching anything to do with leather goods fabrication at the moment, so it's all good! That said, there's not much call for gun holsters this side of the pond due to firearms laws (won't go into details or personal right/wrong feelings over it coz that's too much thinking for a Sunday!).

I think more than anything though, watching all these videos, even to an unskilled someone like me, helps prove a point. There's more than one way to skin a cat (not that cat leather is something I would want to use) and for every 1000 leatherworkers there's 10000 ways of doing something!

[bikermutt07]

4 hours ago, Danno90 said:

Well I seem to be binge-watching anything to do with leather goods fabrication at the moment, so it's all good! That said, there's not much call for gun holsters this side of the pond due to firearms laws (won't go into details or personal right/wrong feelings over it coz that's too much thinking for a Sunday!).

I think more than anything though, watching all these videos, even to an unskilled someone like me, helps prove a point. There's more than one way to skin a cat (not that cat leather is something I would want to use) and for every 1000 leatherworkers there's 10000 ways of doing something!

I was in a hurry when I posted that video. I thought the neatsfoot oil for coloring might be of interest to you. Everyone cautions against using a lot of it. I have been leary of it because of these comments, but this Andrews guy is a really well known holster maker. And he slathers it on pretty heavy before sun tanning them.

Ymmv

[Danno90]

1 minute ago, bikermutt07 said:

I was in a hurry when I posted that video. I thought the neatsfoot oil for coloring might be of interest to you. Everyone cautions against using a lot of it. I have been leary of it because of these comments, but this Andrews guy is a really well known holster maker. And he slathers it on pretty heavy before sun tanning them.

Ymmv

It's certainly a tip I shall make a mental note of, thanks

[zuludog]

See my reply to the previous thread - Hello from Warrington, England, by Scorched

As for your Saxon dagger, search YouTube for 'making a leather knife sheath'. There are several videos

Edited April 17, 2017 by zuludog

[Danno90]

3 hours ago, zuludog said:

See my reply to the previous thread - Hello from Warrington, England, by Scorched

As for your Saxon dagger, search YouTube for 'making a leather knife sheath'. There are several videos

Thanks

I've sort of got a general idea of what I'll be doing, but shall definitely be getting loads of practise in beforehand.

 

So far I'm thinking wraparound style.. And that's about it. Seeing as the lady in question is very much into reenactment and such I've ggot much research to do because I want to make it as authentic-looking as possible. And of course being from a period where there aren't many (if any at all) well preserved sources for what a Saxon dagger sheath may have looked like (other than the fact that they would have been much more decorative and higher status than sword scabbards for example) means I have a mega load of research ahead of me.

Still I guess coming up with decent designs for things is a major part of successful leatherwork.

[Dranus]

Hi! The world is so small! I'm starting my leatherworking advanture as well and I'm from Bournemouth too! I've got my tools and leather just before Easter Holiday... Are you sure you are not my second personality :D ? Don't tell me you do photography as well... 

I've started my research during Christmas and I've finally taken my first step. Now i'm waiting for Friday to do some designs and i will be starting doing my first watch strap. Fingers crossed!

Edited April 20, 2017 by Dranus

[Danno90]

7 minutes ago, Dranus said:

Hi! The world is so small! I'm starting my leatherworking advanture as well and I'm from Bournemouth too! I've got my tools and leather just before Easter Holiday... Are you sure you are not my second personality :D ? Don't tell me you do photography as well... 

Well I've often wondered if there's more than one of me wandering around

As far as photography goes I've been known to dabble but that's about it. It's another one of those things which I've attempted to get in to (I have an old "analog" and not-quite-SLR camera knocking about somewhere but never used it ).

Tools and remnant pack of leather arrived today. Planning a trip to B&Q tomorrow to get stuff to make a pony, some contact glue, sharpening/oil stone and such, and hope to have completed my first actual leather project by this time next week.

[Iden]

Hi Danno

If you want detailed plans to make a pony I have them listed on etsy. They are for a folding stitching horse with the clamp which can be operated in several ways, materials list is supplied. Clamp can be used by itself to make a pony you sit on on your own chair. About 40 photos of every step is included. It is a PDF downloadable file found at https://www.etsy.com/au/listing/515597211/stitching-pony-and-stitching-horse-plans. I hope this helps.

Iden