Hello from Georgia

[BentleyLeather]

Hey Everyone, 

New member here from Georgia.  I decided to pick up a new hobby, as if the last dozen hobbies didn't cost me enough.. That was about 5 months ago. Looking back I should have probably invested in better tools from the start. I am slowly adding more quality tools but between life, kids, etc. it has been a slow go. 

 

Some of my struggles include:

Picking the right type and weight of leather 

messing up stitching holes near corners (spacing ends up to narrow or far)

Trying to stitch a welt in a holster or sheath (holes never line up or are crooked since I cannot punch through 3 layers)

Buying tools that do not end up working for me when I should have bought quality to begin with

A few pictures of what I have made minus quite a few things I have given to family and friends. 

 

Right now I'm mostly focused on wallets and a request for a large purse. I'm struggling with finding the right type and thickness of leather for these projects. Any Input is greatly appreciated. 

Thank you,

Bryan

[GregS]

Welcome from another newbie.  Your stuff looks great.

[BentleyLeather]

21 minutes ago, GregS said:

Welcome from another newbie.  Your stuff looks great.

Hello and thank you for the kind words.

[garypl]

Welcome and looks like you are doing great!

I order from Wickett & Craig - nice leather, they will split it to whatever thickness you specify, and price is reasonable - I usually pay @$150~170 per side plus $25 shipping.

Gary

[BentleyLeather]

21 minutes ago, garypl said:

Welcome and looks like you are doing great!

I order from Wickett & Craig - nice leather, they will split it to whatever thickness you specify, and price is reasonable - I usually pay @$150~170 per side plus $25 shipping.

Gary

Thanks Gary, 

What type of leather would you recommend that they sell and What Grade? My next purchase should probably be used for purses so I can justify the cost with my better half... 

My last few purchases were Herman oak veg tan in 8oz-9oz and 4-5oz but I have not had the chance to use it. I'm still using the last of some cheaper veg tan and various oil tan hides in order to practice. 

[garypl]

I usually buy skirting or bridle leathers.  I get a monthly flyer with specials and they often have sides for @$150.  I have been very happy with the quality.  Call them and ask to get on their email list (or you can sign up here: http://wickett-craig.com/about/

Gary

[VYO]

Those are nice looking projects.

3 hours ago, BentleyLeather said:

messing up stitching holes near corners (spacing ends up to narrow or far)

When punching stitching holes for square corners start at each corner and work outwards towards the middle on both sides of a stitch line. Sometimes it just doesn't work out and you'll end up with an extra space that is large but not large enough for another stitch or a space that is too small. The trick is to watch to see how it's looking as you get closer to the middle.

Deciding what to do in the event the space is a tad to large is easier than if you have a space that is too small. You can split the difference on a larger space. In the end you have to make a judgement call on whether to leave a large space or have a couple smaller spaces. I think everyone decides this differently and I I do it on a daily basis. Sometimes I'm happy with my decision and sometimes not. Bottom line is that starting from the corners and working towards the middle helps at least to have uniform corners.

Edited February 4, 2019 by VYO

[BentleyLeather]

21 hours ago, VYO said:

Those are nice looking projects.

When punching stitching holes for square corners start at each corner and work outwards towards the middle on both sides of a stitch line. Sometimes it just doesn't work out and you'll end up with an extra space that is large but not large enough for another stitch or a space that is too small. The trick is to watch to see how it's looking as you get closer to the middle.

Deciding what to do in the event the space is a tad to large is easier than if you have a space that is too small. You can split the difference on a larger space. In the end you have to make a judgement call on whether to leave a large space or have a couple smaller spaces. I think everyone decides this differently and I I do it on a daily basis. Sometimes I'm happy with my decision and sometimes not. Bottom line is that starting from the corners and working towards the middle helps at least to have uniform corners.

 

Thank you for the compliment and for the advice (I have been trying this method but I still mess up a lot). I know I have a long ways to go in my learning. One or two clicks through the gallery and it's pretty evident that a lot of you have some serious talent! 

I keep thinking that a sewing machine would be a great addition but I'm not sure I could justify buying one right now. 

[Rockoboy]

1 hour ago, BentleyLeather said:

I keep thinking that a sewing machine would be a great addition

Sometimes I still find, I am a half hole too far or too close to the end of the leather, even when I am using a sewing machine.

As @VYO suggested, when you're about 5 or 6 stitches from the end of your stitch-line, judge where you are going to finish up, so you can average out that difference over several stitches, rather than having a 7mm or 2mm stitch at the end of a run of 5mm stitches.

[Joshstrange]

for wallets I use 4-6 oz leather for the outside and 2-3 oz for the interior for knife sheaths I almost always use 6-7 oz but will sometimes use 4-6 and holsters and belts 9-10 oz.  I order from tandy and springfield.  I don't make purses (which really makes my wife unhappy) but if I did the thickness of the leather  would depend on how stiff or floppy the customer wanted it to be.  you will learn all this with time and asking questions here,  there is a wealth of knowledge that is for sure.

[BentleyLeather]

On 2/7/2019 at 10:38 PM, Joshstrange said:

for wallets I use 4-6 oz leather for the outside and 2-3 oz for the interior for knife sheaths I almost always use 6-7 oz but will sometimes use 4-6 and holsters and belts 9-10 oz.  I order from tandy and springfield.  I don't make purses (which really makes my wife unhappy) but if I did the thickness of the leather  would depend on how stiff or floppy the customer wanted it to be.  you will learn all this with time and asking questions here,  there is a wealth of knowledge that is for sure.

Thank you for the info. I have some Hermann Oak 4/5 oz I may make a wallet out of tomorrow but honestly it's a lot thicker than 2/3 I also have on hand (one is veg tan the other is London tan in English bridle). Too bad they do not match up. 

Thanks everyone for the input! I am reading and learning.

 

I used up some the last of some cheap 5/6oz and 8-9oz scrap I had on hand to finish putting this together.