Brown wallet

[Danne]

The wallet from my progress post finished. 

 

Video clip: https://i.imgur.com/keYbhE1.mp4

Edited January 21, 2022 by Danne

[rleather]

You need to change the title of your post to Most excellent Brown Wallet. Very, very nice work, thanks for sharing.

[Danne]

3 minutes ago, rleather said:

You need to change the title of your post to Most excellent Brown Wallet. Very, very nice work, thanks for sharing.

Thank you for your kind comment. 

[YinTx]

38 minutes ago, rleather said:

You need to change the title of your post to Most excellent Brown Wallet. Very, very nice work, thanks for sharing.

Mirrored my thoughts.  A trifling title for an exquisite bit of workmanship!

YinTx

[Danne]

2 minutes ago, YinTx said:

Mirrored my thoughts.  A trifling title for an exquisite bit of workmanship!

YinTx

Thank you Yin.

[chuck123wapati]

47 minutes ago, rleather said:

You need to change the title of your post to Most excellent Brown Wallet. Very, very nice work, thanks for sharing.

awesome work

[Danne]

1 minute ago, chuck123wapati said:

awesome work

Thank you

[gregintenn]

Very nice indeed!

[Danne]

Just now, gregintenn said:

Very nice indeed!

Thank you

[Tugadude]

I think one of the most impressive things is how consistent Danne's work is.  Every project I've seen is just spot-on.  From the edges to the stitching and everything else.  In particular I really like the creases on the pockets.  Little details like that add to my appreciation of your work.  

[Danne]

2 minutes ago, Tugadude said:

I think one of the most impressive things is how consistent Danne's work is.  Every project I've seen is just spot-on.  From the edges to the stitching and everything else.  In particular I really like the creases on the pockets.  Little details like that add to my appreciation of your work.  

Thank you for your kind words. I try to improve something on every project. This time it was the creasing. I have been using Regad FN2 for pocket edges, and Regad F2 for the rest of the edges (gives a more crisp line which I think looks good on stitched edges) but I wasn't really happy with the Regad F2 iron it's a little too sharp for goat leather, it either cuts/burn the finish, or the crease is barely visible, so I have changed to Dupin G1 instead, and I'm happy with the result. 

A couple of things on the list to improve is more consistent backstitching (It's so hard, I have searched the internet everywhere, and I have seen tutorials with decent result, but not perfect result, well kept secret?) I also plan to work on the corners, I will probably use a round awl at the corners. I also would like to slim it down just a tad (not that the wallet is bulky, but removing a couple of mm on the exterior, and also line the card pockets, but this require a splitting solution, and I will not stress with this. You have probably seen how I've had a hard time sourcing a new FAV skiving machine with the specs I want. I do like the black ones from Nippy, would match the colors of my desk/working area. We see I might pull the trigger.

[YinTx]

1 hour ago, Danne said:

A couple of things on the list to improve is more consistent backstitching (It's so hard, I have searched the internet everywhere, and I have seen tutorials with decent result, but not perfect result, well kept secret?)

If I recall, there was a tutorial either here or on YouTube, discussing backstitching neatly.  It involves reversing the normal needle priority to ensure the thread lays neatly side by side when you backstitch.  It is the technique I use, not always to perfect results, but far nicer than just backstitching as you would forward stitch.

YinTx

Also, this trick:

 

Edited January 22, 2022 by YinTx

[Danne]

33 minutes ago, YinTx said:

If I recall, there was a tutorial either here or on YouTube, discussing backstitching neatly.  It involves reversing the normal needle priority to ensure the thread lays neatly side by side when you backstitch.  It is the technique I use, not always to perfect results, but far nicer than just backstitching as you would forward stitch.

YinTx

Also, this trick:

 

Yes, I have tried all these methods. And the way Philip does it looks good, but you still see how the thread tends to lay on top of the other thread, and it becomes even more visible with thinner leather. 

Even some (a lot) of the best crafters out there seems to struggle with this also. But here is an example of what I would say a perfect backstitch.

 

[YinTx]

23 minutes ago, Danne said:

But here is an example of what I would say a perfect backstitch.

Those are nice.  Perhaps that maker would share their technique with you?

YinTx

[Tugadude]

There's only so many ways a thread can penetrate a hole, trial and error should provide the answer.  

[Danne]

1 hour ago, Tugadude said:

There's only so many ways a thread can penetrate a hole, trial and error should provide the answer.  

I will certainly figure it out. I haven't spent a lot of time trying to solve it. It have only been something I have been thinking about. And I will have to do real tests on leather to figure it out.

[Spyros]

Hey Danne, you know I love your work so much I didn't even comment because I can't praise it enough any more :D 

It's just your attention to detail that blows me away every time.

I have a nice piece of shell here and I want to make (yet another) wallet for myself, and I like this design, but I does it work well in practice? So there's really one big external panel (lined) and 2 internal panels (I assume they are also lined on the back) that hold the cards.   If I understand correctly, the 2 internal panels that hold the cards are not connected to each other, right?  I'm not sure if that feels safe enough for the money when you open it... have you used it? 

 

[Danne]

On 2/1/2022 at 4:40 AM, Spyros said:

Hey Danne, you know I love your work so much I didn't even comment because I can't praise it enough any more :D 

It's just your attention to detail that blows me away every time.

I have a nice piece of shell here and I want to make (yet another) wallet for myself, and I like this design, but I does it work well in practice? So there's really one big external panel (lined) and 2 internal panels (I assume they are also lined on the back) that hold the cards.   If I understand correctly, the 2 internal panels that hold the cards are not connected to each other, right?  I'm not sure if that feels safe enough for the money when you open it... have you used it? 

 

Thank you Spyros

Yes, the external panel is lined (but only glued at the edges, which I like because it gives the wallet a less rigid feel when the veg tan is vegetable tanned cow) I wouldn't recommend to do this without a test pieces first, it needs to be glued in a fully closed position, for example around a cutting board from Ikea) I have a jig I made that is 10mm thick. It's hard to explain, but when glued it's important that the lining is slightly stretched when glued in place for it to fold in a nice way. And the dimensions have to be planned well for a correct gluing distance from the edge.

I would recommend a 90 degree jig or a 60 degree like the one I have to the left.

Yes, the "card panels" are lined 0.5+0.5mm at 00:14 in this clip you see the back side of those panels. https://i.imgur.com/keYbhE1.mp4

I haven't used it myself, but here is an example of a wallet that have been used for a year, dimensions are almost the same. Slightly more height on this wallet because it need to fit GBP currency also. And no complaints about how it holds bills.

Btw, have you seen that Chestermox (Bellanie) is going to release a book (pre-order) for making a wallet. I think I have a quite good understanding of how her wallets are constructed, but I will certainly buy the book, there are so many construction techniques I will learn from that book. Even though I think I will keep making my wallets in the way I make them, I will for certain pick up a lot of tips and tricks on how to cut things, how to make templates, how to trim panels in a better way. I mean the methods I use for my wallets is a combination of doing prototypes, looking at other crafters progress photos, and figuring out ways myself, and from years of use by friends and myself I feel confident in the durability of my wallets. But I still have a lot to learn.

Edit: I get what you mean with the possible problem when you open the wallet. I can see how a wallet that is a little stiffer could "push up" the bills when opened. But I don't think that will be a problem when the wallet have been used for a short period, because the wallet will be shaped around the cards and bills. 

Edited February 2, 2022 by Danne

[AzShooter]

That is the nicest wallet I have seen.  Improving it will make it spectacular.

Thanks for sharing your feelings and the pictures.  I've learned something today.

 

[Danne]

1 minute ago, AzShooter said:

That is the nicest wallet I have seen.  Improving it will make it spectacular.

Thanks for sharing your feelings and the pictures.  I've learned something today.

 

Thank you for your nice comment

[Spyros]

Sweet, thanks for all that info

I think I got an idea what you mean about the gluing but I'll probably line the outside panel with fabric.  That shell cordovan is already about 1.6mm and I don't want to make it any thicker. 

I got some Looney Tunes fabric :D 

[Scoutmom103]

Beautiful work as usual.   

On 2/2/2022 at 1:29 AM, Danne said:

Thank you Spyros

Yes, the external panel is lined (but only glued at the edges, which I like because it gives the wallet a less rigid feel when the veg tan is vegetable tanned cow) I wouldn't recommend to do this without a test pieces first, it needs to be glued in a fully closed position, for example around a cutting board from Ikea) I have a jig I made that is 10mm thick. It's hard to explain, but when glued it's important that the lining is slightly stretched when glued in place for it to fold in a nice way. And the dimensions have to be planned well for a correct gluing distance from the edge.

I would recommend a 90 degree jig or a 60 degree like the one I have to the left.

Yes, the "card panels" are lined 0.5+0.5mm at 00:14 in this clip you see the back side of those panels. https://i.imgur.com/keYbhE1.mp4

 

 

 

Did you make both of your jigs?    They are very nice, from what I can see in the picture.

[Danne]

10 hours ago, Spyros said:

Sweet, thanks for all that info

I think I got an idea what you mean about the gluing but I'll probably line the outside panel with fabric.  That shell cordovan is already about 1.6mm and I don't want to make it any thicker. 

I got some Looney Tunes fabric :D 

Also Cordovan can look really nice without any lining at all.

[Danne]

3 hours ago, Scoutmom103 said:

Beautiful work as usual.   

Did you make both of your jigs?    They are very nice, from what I can see in the picture.

Thank you Scoutmom.

Yes, I have an album here from when I made the jigs, a tool board and some other accessories. I have no experience working with wood, so even though most things turned out quite good. I should have bought higher quality wood, the wood I bougt at the hardware store was probably not really dried (or not dried in the correct way) it didn't really cause any big problems, except that the tool board warped slightly, but I mounted some aluminium square tubing on the back side to straighten it out and also to attach it to the wall. But I planed down the thickness of the thinner jig with a plunge router, and after oiling it warped a little bit. It works just as a good, but it annoys me so I plan to redo that jig.

Here is the build album: 

 

Edited February 3, 2022 by Danne