Prestige593 Report post Posted January 9, 2018 Hello, This is my first post and my first project. I needed to make a new leather fishing pliers holster so I walked into my local Tandy shop a few weeks ago. A few $100 later I walked out with a bunch of tools, chemicals, and leather. I am still going to make that pliers holster, but made a wallet to start off with. I am brand new to leather crafting and only know what I know from this forum for a few weeks and YouTube. I plan on gifting this to a buddy for his birthday. I stamped his initials in it with some of my wife's metal stamps (not really made for leather). Made from 4/5 oz veg tan shoulder, stained USMC Black, and hand stitched with Lt Grey thread. A simple 2 pocket card wallet lined with material liner from Joanne's. I found the wallet template online. Very simple and I had fun making it. I don't think that I'll line the inside with fabric on the next one. The cement came through the fabric in some areas and was a little messy. Let me know what you think. Mark - Hollywood, FL Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
garypl Report post Posted January 9, 2018 Mark, I think you did a great job on your first wallet! As far as fabric used for lining, I prefer thin leather like pigskin - then you won’t have to deal with cement bleed through. Only other comment is that I think the stitching would look better using 90 degree turns at the corners instead of what looks like a 45 degree angle. Every project is a learning experience and you are off to a good start! Gary Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bikermutt07 Report post Posted January 9, 2018 That is a tremendous start. Good on ya for jumping in the deep end with the contrasting thread. I wouldn't worry a bit about those metal stamps. They should do fine. The stamp doesn't know what it's hitting and the leather doesn't care what it is being hit with. They don't know any better, so carry on, ole boy. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
battlemunky Report post Posted January 9, 2018 Agree with everything said so far. Great start, 90 degrees looks better IMO as well, stamp with what you stamp with, and I'll second lining in leather as opposed to fabric on something like that. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DJole Report post Posted January 9, 2018 That's really nice for a first project! (Certainly much better than my first projects, most of which I keep hidden away at home, storing leather tools in them and such.) Good edges, very good stitching for the first time, too. I wish I had had the same information (this forum, the internet) back when I first started playing with leather in the late 1980s. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Prestige593 Report post Posted January 10, 2018 Thank you everyone for the nice comments and encouragement. I originally had planned on rounding the corners but decided against it because I didnt want to risk a mistake of unevenness. I also really didnt think about the stitch holes and how they would look at the angle, but will take that into consideration for the next one. Also, thanks for the advice on using lining leather next time, I didn't even know that existed. The only downside is that I already have a few expensive hobbies and think I added another one........ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
alpha2 Report post Posted January 10, 2018 Sometimes a spray adhesive can prevent bleed through, but it isn't GENERALLY used for leatherwork. It's still an adhesive, and the spray application prevents enough material to bleed through. Just don't go cheap on sprays. Money works. That is a great first project, by the way. I doesn't matter what offshore fishing costs...if you are catching fish, right? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
alpha2 Report post Posted January 10, 2018 On 1/8/2018 at 5:34 PM, Prestige593 said: I needed to make a new leather fishing pliers holster so I walked into my local Tandy shop a few weeks ago. A few $100 later I walked out with a bunch of tools, chemicals, and leather. Typical entry into leatherwork! So, what would a nice leather fishing pliers holster have cost you? 100 bucks? We've all done it! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rolandranch Report post Posted January 11, 2018 Congrats and welcome! Your wallet has a nice shine. What finish did you use? Your buddy is gonna love it! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Prestige593 Report post Posted January 11, 2018 1 hour ago, Rolandranch said: Congrats and welcome! Your wallet has a nice shine. What finish did you use? Your buddy is gonna love it! I used 2 coats of USMC Black Fiebings dye and 1 coat of Fiebings Resolene. Next one I am gonna try and use mink oil from my shoe polish kit and see what that does. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tugadude Report post Posted January 11, 2018 If you haven't, check Nigel Armitage's videos on youtube. He has a stitching video where he shows how to do a corner transition. Nice job! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
