Novice buying leather

[tsunkasapa]

1 hour ago, mike02130 said:

This is getting pretty complicated.

Go here, https://www.oaleathersupply.com/ and buy their 3/4 oz leather.  Make a simple pouch like the one you show but eliminate that wrap-around thing covering the edge.  If you're using a machine you need nothing else.  Burnish the edges with some water and a stick.  No need line it, you're just asking for trouble.  Apply the KISS method--keep it simple s.....  After making one then you can explore further.  The horse goes in front of the cart.  Come back here and show us what you made and then we'll go from there.

You, sir, have NAILED IT! It is so easy to go down the rabbit hole and get lost. Just make one and learn.  No bigger than that project seems to be, it won't be a huge expense if the first one doesn't turn out as expected. Odds are it will still be usable for something, give it to a young person to keep "treasures" in. The thing is to jump in and DO it, and learn from what you have done.

[Bert03241]

have your tried these places

 

 

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NAPPA Leather Canada HELLER Leather Distributor

3.7 (3) · Leather wholesaler

Mississauga, ON, Canada · +1 905-232-0074

Closed ⋅ Opens 10AM Mon

 

Buckskin Leather Company

4.7 (33) · Leather wholesaler

Calgary, AB, Canada · +1 403-253-3459

Closed ⋅ Opens 10AM Mon

Their website mentions wholesale leather supplier

 

Vanville Leather Ltd

4.3 (3) · Leather goods supplier

Vancouver, BC, Canada · +1 604-730-9894

Closed ⋅ Opens 8AM Tue 

[Hardrada]

14 hours ago, MtlBiker said:

I'm afraid I'm such a newbie with leather that I don't understand what "kip" is.

I'd like to be able to form my pouch and I'd like it to stay fairly firm.

Here's the kind of pouch I want to make (as a first leather project)...  It's just to hold my shielded metal credit card holder and I plan to have a belt loop on the back and a snap closure.  It probably doesn't need any lining.  And I'd like the finished item to be black.  What kind of leather would you suggest for it?  I'll be machine sewing.

Thanks!

Here, mate: https://waterhouseleather.com/leather-buying-guide/

Listed as kipskin there.

I'd suggest some medium to firm temper veg tan no greater than 3 oz in thickness.

Here, check these out:

 

That's for a round pouch, for a square one like yours this might be interesting:

 

Edited May 2, 2021 by Hardrada

[MtlBiker]

@Bert03241 Thanks for those links, Bert.  But the problem remains that as a novice I really don't know exactly what to order for my first project.  And it would be really great if I could see the choices in person, and talk to someone, before buying sight-unseen on the Internet.  (And most folks in the States just don't realize the hassles we often go through to bring things into Canada from the States... high shipping costs, shipping delays, extra charges like brokerage, often duties, etc.  So it's really preferable for us if at all possible to buy within Canada.)

The first link you gave ships from China and the thickness of the leather isn't mentioned.  And most of the other links are from the States, again complicating things with shipping and duty etc. to get it into Canada.  And none of the 3 Canadian sources you listed are within 300 miles of me (most much further) so again I'm faced with buying sight-unseen.

I did find a company here in Montreal that I plan to visit on Monday morning, Boilard Leather.  I hope to see the various choices and to get some advice. 

@mike02130 - Great advice, thanks!  That's actually what I had in mind... keeping it simple and the pouch I posted was just to show the approximate size and purpose of what I wanted to make as  my first project.  I hadn't planning on putting a binding on the edge with leather.  And that leather supply link you gave looks like a really terrific place.  But I couldn't find anywhere on their site where (which country) they are in.  They offer payment options in multiple different currencies but I'd much prefer to buy from a Canadian source than have it shipped from another country.  But it sure looks like they have what I'd need.  When you say to buy their "3/4 oz" leather, do you really mean three-quarters of an ounce?  I was told earlier that the 2 to 3 oz leather would be too thin for what I need.

@Hardrada - Thanks very much!

 

[mike02130]

2 hours ago, MtlBiker said:

- Great advice, thanks!  That's actually what I had in mind... keeping it simple and the pouch I posted was just to show the approximate size and purpose of what I wanted to make as  my first project.  I hadn't planning on putting a binding on the edge with leather.  And that leather supply link you gave looks like a really terrific place.  But I couldn't find anywhere on their site where (which country) they are in.  They offer payment options in multiple different currencies but I'd much prefer to buy from a Canadian source than have it shipped from another country.  But it sure looks like they have what I'd need.  When you say to buy their "3/4 oz" leather, do you really mean three-quarters of an ounce?  I was told earlier that the 2 to 3 oz leather would be too thin for what I need.

Google is your friend.  

https://www.google.com/search?q=oa+leather+supply&rlz=1C1JZAP_enUS889US891&oq=oa+l&aqs=chrome.0.69i59j69i57j0l3j69i60l3.1883j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8   

See what comes up first when you Google OA Leather Supply.

3/4 ounce, in USA means 3 to 4 ounce.

[MtlBiker]

19 minutes ago, mike02130 said:

Google is your friend.  

https://www.google.com/search?q=oa+leather+supply&rlz=1C1JZAP_enUS889US891&oq=oa+l&aqs=chrome.0.69i59j69i57j0l3j69i60l3.1883j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8   

See what comes up first when you Google OA Leather Supply.

3/4 ounce, in USA means 3 to 4 ounce.

Gee, you'd think a company would list somewhere on their website which country they're in!  You're not kidding about Google being our friend... thank you for that link.  I'm going to place a small order to start with.

Here in Canada, 3/4 usually means three quarters, and 3-4 would mean 3 to 4 oz.    And then the Brits probably have yet another way to say it!

 

[Sheilajeanne]

2 hours ago, MtlBiker said:

When you say to buy their "3/4 oz" leather, do you really mean three-quarters of an ounce?  I was told earlier that the 2 to 3 oz leather would be too thin for what I need.

No, he meant 3 to 4 oz. not 3/4 of an ounce. You don't use fractions when giving weights in ounces. And 3/4ths of an ounce would be less than 1/64th of an inch thick!!  

So, far too thin to use for much of anything!

[mike02130]

4 hours ago, MtlBiker said:

Gee, you'd think a company would list somewhere on their website which country they're in!  You're not kidding about Google being our friend... thank you for that link.  I'm going to place a small order to start with.

You ought to email them and set them straight.  You're not the first Canadian I've informed of OA that had no idea they were a Canadian dealer.

[fredk]

3 hours ago, MtlBiker said:

Here in Canada, 3/4 usually means three quarters, and 3-4 would mean 3 to 4 oz.    And then the Brits probably have yet another way to say it!

UK, we use millimeters for thickness. 1 US ounce for leather = 0.4mm thickness. Therefore 3oz = 1.2mm, 4oz = 1.6mm

and remember; when you apply dye to your raw leather and it dries, the leather shrinks. Not only in width x height, but also in thickness. Most often this shrinking in thickness goes unnoticed but it can affect the final out come of your project in some cases

[Sheilajeanne]

1 hour ago, fredk said:

and remember; when you apply dye to your raw leather and it dries, the leather shrinks. Not only in width x height, but also in thickness. Most often this shrinking in thickness goes unnoticed but it can affect the final out come of your project in some cases

I learn something new from this site nearly every day!   Had NO IDEA!