Question on using snake skin

[Windrider30]

Ok the wife wants to use a little snake skin on a box bag that she wants me to make, and I figured there will be more then a little left over for me to play with. But my question is that with wallets is it better to use the snake skin as is or glue it and stitch it to say 2 to 3 oz leather for the outside?

[Windrider30]

to be honest not sure getting it from a supplier here in Australia will have to ask them  looks more like boa then anything else  http://www.birdsall-leather.com.au/8SSLw/Snake-Skin/pd.php

1 hour ago, nstarleather said:

I usually glue to a heavier back for durability.  It might depend some on the skin, what kind is it?  How was it tanned?

 

[AZNightwolf]

All the Snakeskin I have ever worked with needs to be kept moist or it will get flaky and the scales will fall off. These are ones that I skinned and tanned myself but I imagine a Snakeskin wallet would wear out fast

[Windrider30]

Thanks all and I am going to be doing a bit of inlay work with the snake skin so I think that will protect it 

57 minutes ago, AZNightwolf said:

All the Snakeskin I have ever worked with needs to be kept moist or it will get flaky and the scales will fall off. These are ones that I skinned and tanned myself but I imagine a Snakeskin wallet would wear out fast

 

[mdawson]

23 hours ago, Windrider30 said:

Ok the wife wants to use a little snake skin on a box bag that she wants me to make, and I figured there will be more then a little left over for me to play with. But my question is that with wallets is it better to use the snake skin as is or glue it and stitch it to say 2 to 3 oz leather for the outside?

Hi Windrider,

I'd suggest you give Birdsall a ring, they're all hands on and know their products.

Mark

[CaptQuirk]

17 hours ago, AZNightwolf said:

All the Snakeskin I have ever worked with needs to be kept moist or it will get flaky and the scales will fall off. These are ones that I skinned and tanned myself but I imagine a Snakeskin wallet would wear out fast

I can't testify how well it would last on a wallet, but I used rattlesnake on a leather vest once. It would start to dry out, and I would rub it down with mink oil paste. That kept it nice and supple for years. Not too long ago, I pulled it out of storage after 15 years. The snakeskin was dry and splitting.

[AZNightwolf]

Glycerin softens it up nicely as well.

 

In and out of the pocket rubbing worries me

Edited June 23, 2017 by AZNightwolf

[Windrider30]

2 hours ago, AZNightwolf said:

Glycerin softens it up nicely as well.

 

In and out of the pocket rubbing worries me

I was thinking the same thing that is why I am thinking of inlaying it

[jimmy eng]

I've used the Birdsall snake skin before, and I glue it to at least 1.4mm vegtan for a wallet outer and treat it like 1.4mm as the thickness of the snake is so marginal. The photo isn't Birdsall snake skin but it's a similar snake skin that I've made into a bag charm with a 2mm vegtan backing and then a 1.4mm chrome tan on the other side. The biggest issue is that on the cut edges the scales can come off (one did which I just painted in) but I'd say that might be an issue with most snake skins.

[kiwican]

Good info. Thanks

[wlg1908]

On 6/23/2017 at 4:05 PM, Windrider30 said:

I was thinking the same thing that is why I am thinking of inlaying it

Can you use gl

 

On 6/23/2017 at 1:36 PM, AZNightwolf said:

Glycerin softens it up nicely as well.

 

In and out of the pocket rubbing worries me

Can u use glycerin as a conditioner or must u buy snakeskin conditioner ?