Laptop and Bridle leather

[NicholasJ]

Hi there,

I am inexperienced when it comes to leather working. Following reading some books and some advice I have a few tools (which seem to be super expensive) and some bridle leather. The thickness of the leather makes it a bit unwieldy and I think the advice was not as good in this area. 

Having just bought a new computer, a 13" laptop, I would like to make a leather "skin" for it. I propose to cut the leather so its a few mm larger than the computer and simply stick it to the case. This will provide plenty of protection from scratches and bumps etc whist  providing some much needed expression of individuality.

The thing is I don't know what sort of glue / fixing to use. From using google most people say I need to scratch up the metal to make glue stick which I do not want to do. Also, at the end of its life I would like to take off the leather, clean it up and sell the computer on...

My thoughts are that there are some very clever glues now a days. When a credit card arrives for example there seems to be some sort of silicon gel that works paper to plastic. With a prepared piece of leather to metal...? 

So, can anyone make any recommendations or is this simple the wrong approach for this?

Kindest regards,

Nicholas

 

[chrisash]

Rather than stick to the computer you may be better just making a travel case for it like here

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tl4V2vcsRl8

If you are determined to cover in leather then maybe something like goat veg tan a very thin soft leather would be a good look but taking it off later would leave a very nasty looking computer unless you have some strong glue that comes off i have not heard of

[NicholasJ]

Thank you Chris for your reply.

This is what I have found: https://www.xtremeskins.co.uk/products/15-macbook-pro-retina

The site says with their product, "• We use high quality glue that does no harm to your laptop and doesn't leave any residual glue after removal" 

So its possible and its that that got me thinking about this approach.... Admittedly their skins are not leather and probably quite thin but with some prep I might be able to get something that could work.

(I don't have a MBP 15" by the way - I don't like Apple's ethos.

Kindest regards,

Nicholas

 

 

[Dun]

I'm not up on the technical side of things, but if I understand it correctly:

 contact cements work better on roughed up leathers cause it can soak in a bit, the same kind of reuasable/removable sticky substances for plastics may not hold very long at all to leather.  Leather glues are kept sealed because ingredients like the acetone will evaporate into the air, leaving behind just the gummy hardening ingredients. Removing pealed off contact cement would take a lot of doing, chemically and physically, and it would never leave the laptop in a like new state. When I have to reglue leather, I usually just sand down to leather and reapply the glue

[NicholasJ]

Thank you Dun for your reply.

So cement type glue is not going to work against the metal. Perhaps two sorts? Cement to permeate the leather and one from the glue surface to the metal. Gets a bit off piste with that though.

This may not the best idea.

Perhaps a more traditional approach - a cover with straps on the corners etc. might be best but its a minimal approach I am after.

Hmm.

[fredk]

Rather than glue, use double sided adhesive tape. It will hold the leather securely and after peeling the leather off the remains of the adhesive tape can be removed with WD40. WD40 will dissolve the adhesive without damaging the laptop case

[NicholasJ]

Great idea. I will start to investigate tapes.

The vision is still in play!

Thank you guys for your help.

Kindest regards,

Nicholas