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Posted

Thanks,

I showed the pictures to my customer and she's happy so all's well on this one.  It was a fun project and I plan to do more.

I'm used to working with wood.  I don't know much about leather but this piece had a lot of stretch and liked to move as I was cutting it.  I don't mind the stretch.  I think it was why I was able to get it to fit.

Rodney

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Posted (edited)

Looks good! The stretch may be because of the location of that piece on the hide. For example, the belly will stretch a lot whereas straight down the spine won't stretch that much. But it could also be the weight, too. Anyways, I would go with a stretchier leather for a project like that because you can fit it well and when it dries it forms and tightens around the handle.

Thanks for sharing!

-Ryan

Edited by Rolandranch
Posted

Just one small thing, besides the stitch line which I know you are working on, the edges of the leather needed burnishing before fitting. (Something I am trying to get my head around).

Overall, a good job and I bet you learned heaps from this project. Onwards and upwards from here.

Kindest regards

Brian

 

"Whether you think you can or whether you think you can't, you are right"  Henry Ford

Machines: Singer 201p, Kennedy,  Singer 31K20, Singer 66K16 ("boat anchor" condition), Protex TY8B Cylinder Arm (Consew 227r copy), Unbranded Walking Foot (Sailrite LSV-1 copy)

  • Members
Posted

I'm a little confused on burnishing.  (Back to really stupid basic questions)  I know you can burnish veg tan.  This is oil tanned.  Is oil tanned leather veg tan that's treated with oil or is it a type of chrome tan?  Can I burnish oil tan like veg tan? Also is it possible to mold oil tan?

Fixing my stitch line is a pretty big priority for me. I also need to get a lot better at cutting a smooth seam edge.  I've got some ragged cut lines on this one.  It needs to be neater for what I want to do.

This one was a good learning experience.  It's also good to know bellies will work for me.  I'd like to turn out a nice product but still keep costs down.

Posted

I can understand the wanting to fix up your stitching.

But, for this particular piece, I don't see where it was needed. This was a very rustic cane and the wrap with the stitches, as well as the raw edges, complimented it perfectly. 

I think it looks awesome.

As for burnishing oil tan, I've never used it. Give it a go on a piece of scrap.

I'm not paying 80 bucks for a belt!!! It's a strip of leather. How hard could it be? 4 years and 3 grand later.... I have a belt I can finally live with.

Stitching is like gravy, it's only great if you make it every day.

From Texas but in Bossier City, Louisiana.

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Posted

This one is about as rustic as I make them.  I have one gluing up right now that will be a lot more refined (I hope).  That one needs the stitching right.  I'll most likely buy matching thread and use a baseball stitch for it.

Rodney

  • Members
Posted

In terms of cutting, I find a hand held rotary cutter (45mm disk size) works really well if you don’t have access to a head knife or something similar. Olfa is a good brand; the replacement blades can be a little pricey but the blades last for ages if you take care of them

BDEF7EAF-C5EC-4079-8C43-6D437DA2A7BF.jpeg

  • Members
Posted

Good idea.  I actually have a rotary cutter already from sewing fabric.  I'll give that a shot on the next one.

 

  • Contributing Member
Posted

I've not used 'oil' tanned. By the look of your piece its very thin, and you say its 'stretchy' - that sort of leather is near impossible to edge burnish unlike thicker and stiffer veg tan.

Your piece is not too much unlike the chrome tanned upholstery leather I use. For neat edges on it I skive the inside edge a bit using rough sand paper [a skiver just doesn't want to know] - I do about 2cm wide, then fold and glue that edge over, blattering it really flat with a rubber-head mallet. Not only does that give a really neat, tidy edge the double thickness is an advantage for the sewing or lacing

Don't make the really silly mistake I made when I first used a rotary knife. I used it with my usual straight edge. I found the supposedly really good rotary knife had only partially cut through the thin leather. Tried a few more scrap pieces - same result. The centre button of the wheel blade was riding on the top of the straight-edge allowing the blade to just touch the leather!!

 

Al speling misteaks aer all mi own werk..

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