Chamois Leather

[Wander]

Has anyone tried using a chamois leather (real leather, not those faux leather ones) to make kit pouches and the like?
Have I hit upon a good idea, or has everyone been doing it for ages?
How well does it take dye?
Are there any pitfalls to be aware off?

Cheers

 

[Ch@rlie]

Has anyone tried using a chamois leather (real leather, not those faux leather ones) to make kit pouches and the like?
Have I hit upon a good idea, or has everyone been doing it for ages?
How well does it take dye?
Are there any pitfalls to be aware off?

Cheers

Never tried it, let us know how you get on.

 

[Oliver G]

Wouldn't it be really absorbent? I've only every used chamois leathers to clean cars with, though it's absorbency may lead to it taking a waterproofing agent really well (Lanolin?)

 

[TLM]

Well it is at least good for one thing, filtering water out of fuel.

 

[Lean'n'mean]

Chamois leathers nowadays are made from sheep or lambskin suede. They are very absorbant so wouldn't be any protection against the elements. Sheepskin in general isn't the strongest of leathers so no pointy things if you make a pouches. I've no idea if they can be waxed/oiled for water repellency.
Suede & split leather don't usually take dye that well with uneven uptake & chammies are partly oil tanned, so only chance it if you don't mind blotchy.

 

[Tengu]

Never tried it but you would sew using glovers needles, yes?

 

[Wander]

Well, I did it.
It worked absolutely fine. Well, for what I wanted it for - to make a sleeve for a windshield.
Not sure it was the most cost-effective way (two chamois from Morrisons at £3.50 each, then some leather laces at another couple of quid, and then a bottle of suede dye - which I already had but could have been another fiver or so), to be honest. But then, what with lockdown, all the charity shops have been closed so I couldn't scout them out to see if they had any suitable leather items for cutting up (and even now they've opened I'm not sure I can be bothered to go into town and go into all the shops for something so trivial and unnecessary just on the off chance).
Anyway, here's the results...