Stiffening Leather?

[MtlBiker]

I'm totally new to leather working, and relatively new to sewing in general, only having started since Covid.  Anyway, I have some calf's skin (?) leather that's quite soft and thin.  I also have salvaged some leather from leather coats that I bought at a thrift store.  I want to start experimenting with it.  Before going out and buying perhaps more appropriate leather. 

If I want to make a little belt pouch using the leather I have, is there a way to stiffen the leather?  With fabric I'd just apply a fusible interfacing... Can the same be done with leather?

[Webicons]

Yes. Interfacing can be used to stiffen up leather.  I like to glue it on rather than apply heat.  It seems to work better and no chance of scorching the leather. 

[MtlBiker]

17 minutes ago, Webicons said:

Yes. Interfacing can be used to stiffen up leather.  I like to glue it on rather than apply heat.  It seems to work better and no chance of scorching the leather. 

Thanks very much!  I'll give it a try then.

 

[fredk]

Double up the thickness with a piece of compressed cardboard in between. That is a very old way of stiffening leather and still used even on expensive items

[Hardrada]

You can also use bag stiffener or bonded leather.

[MtlBiker]

1 hour ago, fredk said:

Double up the thickness with a piece of compressed cardboard in between. That is a very old way of stiffening leather and still used even on expensive items

Interesting idea.  Thank you.  But as all my (meager) experience so far is with fabric and webbing, my idea for a small belt pouch was to stitch two pieces right sides together, leaving an opening, and then turn it right side out.  I'm not sure if with cardboard inside I'll be able to do that.  I want more stiffness yes, but not so much that I can't do this.

I don't have a pattern to work from (just trial and error) but what I had in mind was a doubled back piece with belt loop on the outside back, a doubled front piece and a flap piece with a snap installed.  Not too difficult using fabric, but I'm not sure if this would work with even thin leather.

Learning experience... Here I come!

 

56 minutes ago, Hardrada said:

You can also use bag stiffener or bonded leather.

Okay, I've got a lot more to learn... I'll have to research what bag stiffener is (thinking it's just a stiffer interfacing, such as Decovil Light) and I certainly don't know (yet) what bonded leather is.

(BTW, how did that suede turn out?)

 

[Rahere]

Shoemaking often uses materials in this way, reinforcing toes and heels. On a turned bag, the lining isn't turned, of course, and can carry the stiffener, wirh the top welt turned in,  glued and sewn. You need a wider seam allowance and to skive the leather, of course.

Edited April 12, 2021 by Rahere

[fredk]

On 4/10/2021 at 10:47 PM, MtlBiker said:

. . .  my idea for a small belt pouch was to stitch two pieces right sides together, leaving an opening, and then turn it right side out.  I'm not sure if with cardboard inside I'll be able to do that.  I want more stiffness yes, but not so much that I can't do this.

I don't have a pattern to work from (just trial and error) but what I had in mind was a doubled back piece with belt loop on the outside back, a doubled front piece and a flap piece with a snap installed.  Not too difficult using fabric, but I'm not sure if this would work with even thin leather.. . . 

 

a thought, an idea. Use belly leather, wet it through to turn outside-out, stuff it tight with a lots of newspaper, or better still a block of wood made to shape, then dry quickly with warm air. The belly leather will stiffen up, but it'll shrink too though