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I think I bought the wrong type of leather to practice on? Or....

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I have done business with these folks a couple times and was satisfied with the service. They are down in North Carolina. I don't know if the quality is any better, but their veg-tan scrap is running 3lbs for $16.

https://www.zackwhite.com/

A couple that I use more frequently are;

https://maverickleathercompany.com/

https://montanaleather.com/

And finally, here are some double shoulders that Weaver has a good deal on. It IS heavier than what you were thinking of, but it is a good sized piece for not much more than you paid for the scrap.

https://www.weaverleathersupply.com/catalog/item-detail/lot-190507/veg-tanned-natural-double/pr_60902/cp_/shop-now/clearance

Hope any of this helps.

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I usually buy sides or shoulders but I've never seen leather that looks like what you posted @TestTube. You will at least get the feel of vegtan and be able to make a few small projects. I don't know if I'd even try tooling that because it'll be really hard to tell if you are doing it right with that odd texture. In all honesty though, chances of you making a sellable item right out of the gate is low so you may as well beat up some less than awesome leather. Even poking holes teaches you something so you have a viable medium to learn from.

As soon as the COVID madness leaves I'd recommend hitting a Tandy or some other brick and mortar store so you can touch some stuff until you learn enough to buy a nice piece online. I'm gonna be honest though, I'd have thought Springfield would've done better on a remnant box than that.

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9 hours ago, TestTube said:

I'm wondering how imperfections like this happen. Are these where the animal was bruised somehow? Or is there really no way to tell / maybe you'd have to see it in person?

SLC did a youtube vid awhile ago which showed how they collect their leather scraps - they keep them in BIG carts - something like a hotel dirty laundry cart.  I'd suspect that what you got came from the bottom of the cart, and the dents and scratches that you see are from the weight of all that leather atop.   There's no way to know for sure, but that's my theory and I'll stick to it!

Nevertheless it'll be good for practice, and as stated above - put those flaws to use to your advantage exercising your creativity!

- Bill

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2 minutes ago, billybopp said:

SLC did a youtube vid awhile ago which showed how they collect their leather scraps - they keep them in BIG carts - something like a hotel dirty laundry cart.  I'd suspect that what you got came from the bottom of the cart, and the dents and scratches that you see are from the weight of all that leather atop.   There's no way to know for sure, but that's my theory and I'll stick to it!

Nevertheless it'll be good for practice, and as stated above - put those flaws to use to your advantage exercising your creativity!

- Bill

I’d agree with that.   You’ve been sent all the seriously  blemished leather offcuts (the dregs, you might say).   You can still get good practice out of them, but save your money for better stuff next time.     

Don’t worry, though, I would imagine everyone on here has experience of being sent ‘interesting’ leather off cuts when starting.   I certainly remember being sent dyed chrome leather offcuts, which the seller had advertised as tooling leather offcuts.

He definitely came off my Xmas card list.

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6 minutes ago, LumpenDoodle2 said:

 Don’t worry, though, I would imagine everyone on here has experience of being sent ‘interesting’ leather off cuts when starting.   I certainly remember being sent dyed chrome leather offcuts, which the seller had advertised as tooling leather offcuts.

Not just in starting out. Last year, just before Tandy Manchester closed, to top up an order, they offered me about 8sq ft of belly leather cheap-ish. I got it, and got taken. It was bits about 6 ft long varying from 1/2 inch wide to 2 inches wide. Covered in clamp marks and scars. 10 strips of useless is what I got.

 

PS: where ya bin LD2?

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14 minutes ago, fredk said:

Not just in starting out. Last year, just before Tandy Manchester closed, to top up an order, they offered me about 8sq ft of belly leather cheap-ish. I got it, and got taken. It was bits about 6 ft long varying from 1/2 inch wide to 2 inches wide. Covered in clamp marks and scars. 10 strips of useless is what I got.

 

PS: where ya bin LD2?

Working hard, trying not to catch any ‘lurgies’, and hugging trees.:innocent:   Although I have been lurking on and off.

By your post, I see Tandy has an interesting concept of 8ft2 (bless their little cotton socks).   Might explain why they closed down.:lol:

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Feel for you that was crap leather offcuts and not a good advert for the company, If I received that I would send in a complaint, you dont expect perfect leather but you should expect to be able to use what they supply

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2 minutes ago, chrisash said:

Feel for you that was crap leather offcuts and not a good advert for the company, If I received that I would send in a complaint, you dont expect perfect leather but you should expect to be able to use what they supply

If you're referring to me: I was in the process of complaining, trying to return said waste and get money back when Manchester closed. Texas brushed it off saying it was a branch matter, take it up with them. . . . !

To describe what I got was; you know when you get a hide and cut off an edge so you have a nice straight edge to work on? I got that bit that was cut off. I was assured that what I was going to get was usable even though it was an odd shape, supposed to be one piece as well. afair about £2.50 sqft. = £20.

I've never been done badly by Le Prevo.

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Sorry Fred

Not you but poor @TestTube who got that pile of crap leather in his picture

 

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6 hours ago, fredk said:

If you're referring to me: I was in the process of complaining, trying to return said waste and get money back when Manchester closed. Texas brushed it off saying it was a branch matter, take it up with them. . . . !

To describe what I got was; you know when you get a hide and cut off an edge so you have a nice straight edge to work on? I got that bit that was cut off. I was assured that what I was going to get was usable even though it was an odd shape, supposed to be one piece as well. afair about £2.50 sqft. = £20.

I've never been done badly by Le Prevo.

I second  Le Provo, they are stars, and quick to call if there is a problem.

I just wish they weren’t so far away from me, as I’d love to have a good rummage in their bargain corner.

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On 4/18/2020 at 4:59 AM, Retswerb said:

Hey @TonySFLDLTHR, care to chime in on the pic above? Definitely not what I’d have expected to receive either.

Thanks for asking me to comment and @TestTube thank you for send a picture of what you got. 

Compared to the picture that is on the web...I don't know how I would have felt either and reached out to the community like this. What I also like to see is people giving their honest feelings about what they have seen and not just throwing shade. With that being said I am going to send this to Rusty and let him see this. While these scraps are going to be cut offs...this seems to be quite aggressive in the other mark ups.

I would expect pieces like this in a bag...but not sure that it should just all be in one bag. So let me pass this on and see what I can make happen.

***Like another asked and for my own thoughts. Was the 2lb weight at least correct?***

We also did a video some pretty bit up leather and I will post it in a reply...It however is not dented up like this.

 

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A little update: So @TonySFLDLTHR had sent me a message a few days ago telling me Springfield wanted to send me a replacement for the order. I have it here now and it's night and day better. I'm trying to upload a picture but my phone isn't being very "user friendly" at the moment.

Anyways, thank you Tony, Springfield, and whoever else was involved. It means a lot to me that a company is willing to do that unprompted and I couldn't have asked for it to be handled any better.

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I'm glad to see this. 

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On 4/23/2020 at 4:51 AM, TestTube said:

A little update: So @TonySFLDLTHR had sent me a message a few days ago telling me Springfield wanted to send me a replacement for the order. I have it here now and it's night and day better. I'm trying to upload a picture but my phone isn't being very "user friendly" at the moment.

Anyways, thank you Tony, Springfield, and whoever else was involved. It means a lot to me that a company is willing to do that unprompted and I couldn't have asked for it to be handled any better.

Sorry, that it got sent like that. I just sent a picture to Rusty and he was like ohhhhh no no no. I piece like that in 2 lbs is ok, but not a whole bag.

Hope that the new bag finds you well!

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