Chris's trying out leatherwork thread
- Thread starter Chris
- Start date
-
BushMoot: Come along to the amazing Summer Moot 31st July - 5th August (extended Moot : 27th July - 8th August), a festival of bushcrafting and camping in a beautiful woodland PLEASE CLICK HERE for more information.
Speaking of leather notebooks… one item I made some years ago was a leather notebook. It’s designed to hold 3 x Moleskine cahier journals, and as I fill them up I can just replace them.
I still use this every day (for work), and every so often someone comments on it or asks where I got it from.
I still use this every day (for work), and every so often someone comments on it or asks where I got it from.
Attachments
This is my progress over the week. Pretty happy with the last three to be honest, but I like the beige thread of the far right most one on that leather. (And yes I did another 'left handed' one ssshhhh)
Mate, your leatherwork is looking amazing. Been really enjoying this thread.
I really like that colour combination too. I often use Fiebing's dark brown or chocolate dye, with cream thread.
Are there other leather projects you have lined up?
I really like that colour combination too. I often use Fiebing's dark brown or chocolate dye, with cream thread.
Are there other leather projects you have lined up?
That’s very kind, thanks mate.
The colour combo is nice. Especially once it’s all aged a bit I think it’ll really show some character. I will have to pick up some of the Fiebing’s chocolate dye, so far I’m a fan of the dark brown and the walnut, both great tones.
A few projects I’d like to try. I’d like to make a bifold wallet and a slightly reduced version of the above wallet. Axe overstrike protector, belt, an SAK slip with pocket clip, a leather bound journal for my wife for Christmas, and a pocket organiser similar to my current one, but with a few minor alterations.
It'll look better when the leather's properly cased and when it's done pre-dye/oi/wax and everything, but I have a little stamp to mark things as my own.
I'm hoping Father Christmas might bring me a 1 tonne arbor press to make life a bit easier.
I wanted to experiment a bit with dye and also with my new stamp, so I made... You won't believe it. It's.... Another wallet!
BUT! This one is slightly simpler/slimmer. Still holds approx 10 cards and some cash though, so nice and practical. I'm happier here with the bottom finished corners. For this one I didn't bother cutting out notches in the corners for where the corners would fold around, I left it all square and then cut/sanded down after glueing. it together. I think this worked better and made life easier.
Waiting on my stitching punch to arrive before I do anything with my fancier leather, as I've been having to push the awl through the stitch holes to make them large enough for the needle/thread, but that's cracking the recently-dyed leather around the holes.
I've trimmed my fingernails even shorter now because good grief is it easy to mark the leather. They're virtually non-existant now. It's making it a bit annoying to use my SAK.
BUT! This one is slightly simpler/slimmer. Still holds approx 10 cards and some cash though, so nice and practical. I'm happier here with the bottom finished corners. For this one I didn't bother cutting out notches in the corners for where the corners would fold around, I left it all square and then cut/sanded down after glueing. it together. I think this worked better and made life easier.
Waiting on my stitching punch to arrive before I do anything with my fancier leather, as I've been having to push the awl through the stitch holes to make them large enough for the needle/thread, but that's cracking the recently-dyed leather around the holes.
I've trimmed my fingernails even shorter now because good grief is it easy to mark the leather. They're virtually non-existant now. It's making it a bit annoying to use my SAK.
Ordered these back in November and they arrived this week. Very impressed thus far.
1.2mm punch at 5mm spacing.
Father Christmas kindly dropped off a new stitching pony as my first one just isn’t very robust and wobbles all over the place.
Also picked up some Badalassi Carlo waxed leather in Cognac, approx 1.8-2mm thick. Beautiful looking leather. Looking forward to making something out of it.
Gorgeous leather, it’s my go to for wallets and purses etc - it patinas beautifully!
Where did you buy it from? I can recommend leather4craft down on the south coast - they do online and in person etc
You wait until you start wearing cotton gloves as your finger sweat marks the leather lol
They are super. I also use J wood for leather and am going to try ordering from aa crack in the new year aswell
One thing I would say is when you bevel the edges make sure your beveller is freshly stripped and super sharp as it’s soft leather it can wrinkle if the blade drags at all
I’ve been using one of my wallets for the past 6 or so weeks and it’s holding up great. The only thing I’ve noticed is that the dye is slightly staining my cards. My Amex in particular has gone quite a fancy two-tone. Perhaps it’ll get me into the local Masonic Lodge?
Need to work out a way to get the dye to hold fast, as I can imagine this would make me sad if it for instances happened to one of my nice knives, or if I gifted something to someone and it stained their possessions.
Need to work out a way to get the dye to hold fast, as I can imagine this would make me sad if it for instances happened to one of my nice knives, or if I gifted something to someone and it stained their possessions.
Have been in need of a sheath for my half head knife from George Barnsley & Sons, so set about making something quickly this afternoon after a morning of Spyderco destruction.
Edges need evening up a bit and the holes I punched are not very well aligned especially down the bottom left (trying out my new stitching punch for the first time), but it's otherwise perfectly functional and a nice way to dip my toe back in the water after not really touching any leatherwork since before Christmas.
Edges need evening up a bit and the holes I punched are not very well aligned especially down the bottom left (trying out my new stitching punch for the first time), but it's otherwise perfectly functional and a nice way to dip my toe back in the water after not really touching any leatherwork since before Christmas.
Similar threads
