How do you fold leather straps?

[RockyAussie]

I am curious to see what sort of techniques and tools you would use to make folded leather straps such as used on a handbag?

[Constabulary]

I once got a bunch of "strap folder" for double needle machines from a closed leather business. Most are gone (sold too cheap) and I only have 2 left. Never used them but you never know. They are single folds so I do not know what kind of strap they used it for. I´m sure there are other strap folders out there that produce clean edges (triple fold?). Maybe clean edge binder attachment can do the work but of course depends on the leather you want to use.

Edited June 15, 2021 by Constabulary

[chrisash]

With thin leather straps i was taught to cut four times the width required plus 6 times the thickness, fold into the centre and then fold both sides together and sew

[RockyAussie]

3 hours ago, Constabulary said:

I once got a bunch of "strap folder" for double needle machines from a closed leather business. Most are gone (sold too cheap) and I only have 2 left. Never used them but you never know. They are single folds so I do not know what kind of strap they used it for. I´m sure there are other strap folders out there that produce clean edges (triple fold?). Maybe clean edge binder attachment can do the work but of course depends on the leather you want to use.

Thanks @Constabulary. They look nice but it would seem you would end up with an exposed edge on one side of the strap with them ones, which is hard to imagine what that would be useful for. I have been working on some folding pieces that fold into the middle but I would like to see if anyone has any special tools or methods for that process already.

1 hour ago, chrisash said:

With thin leather straps i was taught to cut four times the width required plus 6 times the thickness, fold into the centre and then fold both sides together and sew

Sounds better than above except that one side would be one big fat fold and the other more of a joined look. I expect that the technique would be quite time consuming unless there are any tools that can do such a fold?

[jimi]

Hi Brian, Here is a setup which might work for the leather without the webbing??? might give you some ideas, it looks quite neat with the two folded edges together in the end??? The only other thing i can think of is the typical motor, roller on table and folder setup which i am sure you have googled a million times Lol...

 

And if you want to try your hand at a folder.....C´est si bon..Lol.

 

Edited June 15, 2021 by jimi

[RockyAussie]

WOW!!!! thanks @jimi that double needle juki set up is awesome but it would be great to see it doing some leather. Might be a little expensive though.

The second vid is also showing a master of metalcraft in action and I can not help but admire his skills. Again it would have been good to see it folding some leather.

I have been for some time printing some folders for my little folder rolling machine but I am starting to experiment with a design that does not need the rolling machine for those that want to do it by hand. (cheap, simple and efficient)

Mostly I just want to see what other type of things people use to accomplish the job.

[Rahere]

14 hours ago, RockyAussie said:

WOW!!!! thanks @jimi that double needle juki set up is awesome but it would be great to see it doing some leather. Might be a little expensive though.

The second vid is also showing a master of metalcraft in action and I can not help but admire his skills. Again it would have been good to see it folding some leather.

I have been for some time printing some folders for my little folder rolling machine but I am starting to experiment with a design that does not need the rolling machine for those that want to do it by hand. (cheap, simple and efficient)

Mostly I just want to see what other type of things people use to accomplish the job.

Seamstresses have been using bias binding for many years before sewing machines came along. They line the raw edge up with the centre of the tape, sew one side of the tape, turn it over and sew the other. Sometimes pressing so starch holds it together.

[oltoot]

And fold cased (better than dripping wet)when possible

Edited June 16, 2021 by oltoot
evolved

[RockyAussie]

9 hours ago, Rahere said:

Seamstresses have been using bias binding for many years before sewing machines came along. They line the raw edge up with the centre of the tape, sew one side of the tape, turn it over and sew the other. Sometimes pressing so starch holds it together.

Thanks for the input @Rahere. That sound like what we would called a French edge this side of the pond. Not quite what I am talking about but this Video shows a good example I think -

Unfortunately this is a bit outside of a lot of peoples price range. I would love to have one though.

These are some of the guides I have made for my little folder below (they work very well and cost very little to produce)

The guides at the back in this picture are made for my roller machine and the squarer shaped ones at the front are the new ones I am working on that don't need a roller machine.

This shows some of the strap work on the handles and as well the leather strapping used with the patchwork.

I will try and get a video done up showing them in use in the next few days.

 

 

[Rahere]

No, a French binding halves the binding material then buries the raw edges against the raw edge being covered, leaving four layers on the wrong side after it's wrapped. If you take the same centre crease in the binding, and fold the edges in to meet that, then wrap the raw edge, so you get only two layers of binding either side of the material being bound, it's thinner and neater sewing, because only one layer covers the edge.

 

[Anubis78]

I have the OMAC Star3000. It’s a good machine, however it’s folding options are limited unless you get them to make a special folder for you.   I was quoted about $300 fir a custom made folder. 

[sbrownn]

The dies look 3D printed, were they?

[RockyAussie]

14 hours ago, sbrownn said:

The dies look 3D printed, were they?

Yes they are and they work great once you get all of the design specs worked out. Video's coming soon.

 

19 hours ago, Anubis78 said:

I have the OMAC Star3000. It’s a good machine, however it’s folding options are limited unless you get them to make a special folder for you.   I was quoted about $300 fir a custom made folder. 

I am working on a range for the Cowboy strap cutter and folder combo machine at the moment and hope to get a few vids done shortly. The basic design is pretty easy to adapt to any machine and if you want to give me the width of strap and the thickness once folded I could make you them up for about $25 US dollars plus post (about $15 dollars to the states I think). Should be able to do quite a few sizes for the same postage cost. I would need the diameter of the rollers and the distance from the centre of the rollers to where you screw the folder plate down and the spacing between screws. Give me a week to get these video's done and I think you will be quite impressed.

Edited June 23, 2021 by RockyAussie

[sbrownn]

9 hours ago, RockyAussie said:

Yes they are and they work great once you get all of the design specs worked out. Video's coming soon.

 

I am working on a range for the Cowboy strap cutter and folder combo machine at the moment and hope to get a few vids done shortly. The basic design is pretty easy to adapt to any machine and if you want to give me the width of strap and the thickness once folded I could make you them up for about $25 US dollars plus post (about $15 dollars to the states I think). Should be able to do quite a few sizes for the same postage cost. I would need the diameter of the rollers and the distance from the centre of the rollers to where you screw the folder plate down and the spacing between screws. Give me a week to get these video's done and I think you will be quite impressed.

You should just print and sell the dies.  I would imagine it took some trial and error to get the folding geometry worked out?

[RockyAussie]

5 hours ago, sbrownn said:

You should just print and sell the dies.  I would imagine it took some trial and error to get the folding geometry worked out?

I am working towards that but I am way quicker at designing stuff like this than I am at doing up video's to show case them unfortunately.

[Rahere]

This is the equivalent in cloth, if it helps: it shows how to make the binder material and then apply it.
In the case of a handle, you may use a rope filler in place of the cloth being bound. There's also a video out there somewhere showing how to skive the ends down to form an opened-out sewing tab.

[RockyAussie]

10 hours ago, Rahere said:

This is the equivalent in cloth, if it helps: it shows how to make the binder material and then apply it.
In the case of a handle, you may use a rope filler in place of the cloth being bound. There's also a video out there somewhere showing how to skive the ends down to form an opened-out sewing tab.

Thanks for the info on that @Rahere .that folding devise looks pretty good in action. Not video's yet but here are a couple pics showing some strap folding with my folding tools.

[Rahere]

There's another technique not shown, butt-joining fabric strips. If you do something like that in leather, you'll probably skive the edge to a feather along the line of the join, so you can fold and glue it back after sewing, maybe even stitching again on either side of the join to hold everything flat. It's still wise to join on the diagonal though as it spreads the weakness along the strap.

The issue of fabric thickness also happens in your jig, bringing the edges completely together in the centre doesn't allow for the thickness of the leather or any core when you fold it in half again. The middle has to stretch across two buried thicknesses within, so the edges should be that much apart, maybe more if using a core.

Edited June 25, 2021 by Rahere

[chrisash]

There are some nice looking double belt folders at College sewing at reasonable price and quite adjustable  https://www.college-sewing.co.uk/folders-attachments/suisei-folders-attachments/suisei-straight-folders/suisei-belt-loop-folders.html  

Edited June 25, 2021 by chrisash

[Rahere]

The thread on rolled handles just woke up, it's here. You'll find the video on there.

[RockyAussie]

On 6/25/2021 at 12:43 PM, Rahere said:

The issue of fabric thickness also happens in your jig, bringing the edges completely together in the centre doesn't allow for the thickness of the leather or any core when you fold it in half again.

That is true if you wanted to do a fold it over in 1/2 again. It is quite easy to run them through and get an allowance to do that by having the strap cut less wide but in this case I have concentrated on bringing them together to meet as tight as possible in order to use as a strap as is if wanted and also I prefer to use 2 separate straps put together if I want more thickness. I think they look better that way and in many cases I am putting a top over skin as shown in the crocodile bag handles above. The main aim here is to do the job quickly, neatly and easily as possible. These straps take me a few minutes to make and I can show you many a video of makers/teachers? showing had to make these straps in time frames I could never recommend. I give credit to the person in this video for a lot of things that he shows and shares in his video's but the methods shown in this one just can't work for me. 

 

[Anubis78]

On 6/23/2021 at 6:09 AM, RockyAussie said:

Yes they are and they work great once you get all of the design specs worked out. Video's coming soon.

 

I am working on a range for the Cowboy strap cutter and folder combo machine at the moment and hope to get a few vids done shortly. The basic design is pretty easy to adapt to any machine and if you want to give me the width of strap and the thickness once folded I could make you them up for about $25 US dollars plus post (about $15 dollars to the states I think). Should be able to do quite a few sizes for the same postage cost. I would need the diameter of the rollers and the distance from the centre of the rollers to where you screw the folder plate down and the spacing between screws. Give me a week to get these video's done and I think you will be quite impressed.

Hey, just getting a bit settled here and wanted to revisit this.   Are you still able to make a folder that could work with my Omac Star3000?  Let me know and I can do the measurements.  

[RockyAussie]

4 hours ago, Anubis78 said:

Hey, just getting a bit settled here and wanted to revisit this.   Are you still able to make a folder that could work with my Omac Star3000?  Let me know and I can do the measurements.  

Hi @Anubis78, Should be alright I think. I thought these machines came with an adjustable for width guide set up. What is not working with them? I will need to know fairly closely the thickness of strap you want when folded and the width. I see I never got around on this thread to loading any of the video's showing my guides in use so here is one now (bit long and boring but best I could come up with at the time)

 

[Anubis78]

10 hours ago, RockyAussie said:

Hi @Anubis78, Should be alright I think. I thought these machines came with an adjustable for width guide set up. What is not working with them? I will need to know fairly closely the thickness of strap you want when folded and the width. I see I never got around on this thread to loading any of the video's showing my guides in use so here is one now (bit long and boring but best I could come up with at the time)

 

Well they come with two sets of folders; one that folds the edges so that the touch each other similar to the way you’ve folded in the video (this seam can be centered whenever you like) and one that basically just folds/rolls the edges inward.  They can be adjusted as needed, but I’m limited to those two types of folds. I would like a folder that will fold trifold the strap so that one side completely overlaps the other and can be sewn down. The final straps that I would need are 3/4”, 1”, 1.25”, 1.5”, 1.75”, and 2”. It would need to accommodate soft leather that is from 2 ounces to 3.5 ounces. Id have to give you measurements to add a wider base that could be screwed down to the machine. How tolerant are your folders to contact cement?  

[RockyAussie]

7 hours ago, Anubis78 said:

 I would like a folder that will fold trifold the strap so that one side completely overlaps the other and can be sewn down.

Can you show me a picture or drawing of how this looks? Is one raw edge finishing with an outer edge or part ways? Contact gluing that shape may be difficult. It might be worth considering to make one up to feed straight into a sewing machine a bit like a binder does.

 

7 hours ago, Anubis78 said:

How tolerant are your folders to contact cement?

I have not ever had any issues to date but then I never put wet contact glue straight onto them either.