Work in Progress...

[YinTx]

Will post random images till done...  Horween, with Campbell's Satin Laid Beige thread, 532.  Enjoy!

YinTx

[Petewon]

Nice stitching. looking good.

[YinTx]

Thanks!  more progress today...

YinTx

[YinTx]

Moving along slow but sure...

YinTx

[RockyAussie]

Well this is a bit suspensfull (my new word by the looks). I see a mistake here but don't worry I'll let you know when your finished.

 

Just kiddin. I hate LOL so I'll just LOQ

[YinTx]

You had me there!  I've been trying to be diligent about my stitching etc, so I thought I had overlooked something!

little more from today...

YinTx

 

[bikermutt07]

It is coming along nicely. I'm glad to see someone having time for the bench.

[RockyAussie]

Hi Yin Tx. I am curious about what you are going to do about the fuzzy raw edges. You are doing a beautiful job of the stitching but I would have ironed / sealed the rough edges before putting together. A bit of wetting will reduce the look but pretty hard and tedious I would have thought once you get this far. Just wondering maybe that is the look your after?Regards Brian

[YinTx]

This leather was sold to me as Horween Chromexcel, which has a waxy finish, and does not take contact cement at all.  As I understand it, the edges will not burnish, and I was concerned it would not take an edge paint.  For this project, I am using soft colors and soft linen thread, so I felt ok with soft edges.  Other than doing rolled edges, do you have suggestions for improving them?  Would using a hot edge creaser make a nice edge on it?  Thanks,

YinTx

[RockyAussie]

I think that a little light edging or dye even would work in combination with a bit of ironing in. See picture of ironing in some edging. The iron by itself without edging will also get rid of the fuzzies. I run mine through a light dimmer switch to control the temp but they have a lot of flasher type stuff these days. Practice on some similar weight first to get the hang of it. Regards Brian

[YinTx]

RockyAussie,

Thanks for the pointers.  I will try them on the next item I make... don't want to foul this one up, since the body is already formed.

Sadly no time to work on this one over the weekend... oh well, the week is coming!

Also, I'm beginning to think that this is the "Dublin" leather from Horween... has a really nice, waxy feel to it, a firm temper, and a pull up character.  Anyone know how I can really tell what it is?  All I know is that it is Horween...

YinTx

[YinTx]

A little progress today...

along with a wayward stitch or two    They really show up when you take a close-up photo!  Not so noticeable from 1 foot away...just means I have to keep upping my game... maybe a bigger awl handle would help me...

YinTx

 

 

[YinTx]

Bit more... I know some feel that Riri is a bit over rated, but they work very well, and I do like that sparkle...

Stitching zippers is one of my more challenging stitches:  along with cloth lining, since they both always seem to mess with the lay of the stitch on both sides.  I don't like cutting into the cloth too much with the awl or the irons, because I don't want to affect the integrity of it.  

This time not too bad.. but I really had to take my time with it.

Also, tried an iron on the edges today, RockyAussie.  No luck with this one.. it just turned black, and the fuzzies stayed.    I'll try on some of my other leathers tho.

YinTx

 

[Wedgetail]

Hey @YinTx, 

Try slicking the edges down with some tallow fat maybe?

You can buy it from most grocery stores for a couple of bucks, here in Australia it comes branded as Supafry.

A fellow from UK Saddlery put me onto it for doing edges on belts in response to me while I was on here bitching about burnishing edges on a bridle leather belt that I couldn't get rid of all the fuzzies, or get a stain to take.

He mentions it in one of his videos, but basically just put some tallow fat in a piece of canvas or denim, heat it slightly with a lighter, and the rub it along the edge. Once I did that, burnishing worked perfectly and it took a water based stain too.

This is his video here:

 

Your project is looking great too, by the way

[RockyAussie]

Sorry to hear about the fuzzies staying. My answer from there would be to use a layer of edge coat first and iron it in. That will work but I am not familiar with the method that Wedgetail mentions and that just may suit you better. With regards to stitching the zips in using an awl although I rarely do hand stitching I have found that using a crepe rubber block to press into can help. Over here you can get what is termed an abrasive restorer which is great for cleaning sandpaper belts etcand is about 1.5" square by probably 6" long. I often cut off slices to clean up excess glue and as I said poking the awl into instead of my hand.

[CazaLopez]

Are you planning on painting the edges?

[YinTx]

CazaLopez,

I don't plan to paint the edges on this one.  Was concerned that the waxy finish on the leather might prevent the paint from holding.  I  have done some wallets with it, and the edges seem ok without burnishing or painting, so I am going with the warm fuzzy look on this one with the linen thread.  Perhaps I'll do  a test wallet with edge paint and use it for a while to see how it holds up in the future.

 

For today, not a lot of progress as I was finishing up the orange clutch from the other post.. so only managed to complete the zipper pull.  The day is still young tho... and I need a smaller set of end punches...

YinTx

 

[alpha2]

Lately I've been making some wallets with edges and leathers that "don't burnish". So, here's what I do. I wet my finger with water and run it around in Saddle Soap, and apply it on the edge. Then I burnish the heck out of it. Then I apply some beeswax to the edge. Again, burnish the heck out of it. If that doesn't do it, I wet it again with Saddle Soap, burnish and again, beeswax and burnish. It isn't a veg tan burnish, but it's fine for this leather. Seriously, it doesn't usually take that many steps.

I realize that after all this it likely won't accept dye or stain if that is your intent, but it does give an edge that is acceptable in most cases. In my opinion anyway! At least it's not just a raw edge anymore, and that is my goal with this stuff. I do on occasion apply some stain first, then do this bit. That gives the color you would get by dyeing or staining it. 

[YinTx]

Finally, after nearly a week of finessing the liner to fit and line up how I wanted, I have fitted it into the body of the bag.  Open to hints on how to speed up the process of making a liner and installing it!

YinTx

[bikermutt07]

It is very impressive,  Y.

[RockyAussie]

3 hours ago, YinTx said:

Open to hints on how to speed up the process of making a liner and installing it!

Me too always. It is shaping up nicely Y.

[Dun]

It looks really good so far!
Can I ask what your stitching process here is? 

-punch holes in 1 layer or all layers?

-stitching awl to open up the holes a bit more or to actually pierce a new hole(same process in the zipper material)?

-saddle stitching the fabric to the leather? also using a saddle stitch on the zipper?

[YinTx]

2 hours ago, Dun said:

It looks really good so far!
Can I ask what your stitching process here is? 

-punch holes in 1 layer or all layers?

-stitching awl to open up the holes a bit more or to actually pierce a new hole(same process in the zipper material)?

-saddle stitching the fabric to the leather? also using a saddle stitch on the zipper?

Bikermutt and Aussie:  Thanks for the compliments.  RockyAussie, I am sure you are much more adept at installing liners than I may ever be.  I wish I lived anywhere near you so I could come learn for a week or a year.

Dun:

I use a pricking iron to mark stitches, then an awl to complete the process.  Pretty much really difficult to hammer a pricking chisel through all the layers the way the body of this bag is built, and I do prefer the construction quality of an awl to the chisels, although I have and do use both methods depending on what I am making.  

All stitches are saddle stitched.  I don't use an awl to cut the cloth in the zipper or the liner, only to finish the hole in the leather.  By necessity it will pierce the cloth, but I try to control the depth because I don't want to cut the cloth and affect the strength.  Perhaps others with more experience can suggest a better way.  It makes keeping the stitch pretty on the front very difficult, since the cloth affects the path of the thread.  Hope this answers some of your questions...

YinTx

[Dun]

43 minutes ago, YinTx said:

 

Dun:

I use a pricking iron to mark stitches, then an awl to complete the process.

All stitches are saddle stitched.  I don't use an awl to cut the cloth in the zipper or the liner, only to finish the hole in the leather.  By necessity it will pierce the cloth, but I try to control the depth because I don't want to cut the cloth and affect the strength.  Perhaps others with more experience can suggest a better way.  It makes keeping the stitch pretty on the front very difficult, since the cloth affects the path of the thread.  Hope this answers some of your questions...

YinTx

Thanks! It all makes sense, I'm just in awe at the idea of saddle stitching with elbows deep inside a bag

[YinTx]

8 hours ago, Dun said:

Thanks! It all makes sense, I'm just in awe at the idea of saddle stitching with elbows deep inside a bag

Yes, I had to learn to do that left handed as well for this type of design.  There were more than a few injured finger tips as I learned to do that!

YinTx