Journeys into Leathercraft….

[k9trev]

I have been on and off trying leather work for years and years now, pretty much since about 2008/09 since I discovered my grandfather (died before I was born) was a leather worker after his WW1 Service.

These are the first two things I ever made, very crude and naive as I didn’t know then the first thing about proper saddle stitching, how to punch holes, cut squarely or finish edges! But I am quite fond of them and use them for storing leather tools to this day.
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These are the most recent few items I have made in the past month, mostly in the evenings after work. The stitching is quite different now! I really like the
headspace it gives me and enjoy the process of experimenting and learning.

Here are some notebooks covers and my first go at a possibles pouch with some basket weave stamping!
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A note book cover I made for my sister-in-law, and a couple valet trays, a golf ball holder and a couple of minimalist wallets for some Christmas presents.
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I have also recently tried learning tooling but after being given a whole boxful of tools, and it is *hard* but again I like the process. Can’t do it in the evenings as the ‘tappety-tap-tap’ drives the rest of the family nuts!
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I don’t get out as much as I used to for various reasons, but would like to post projects and items I make here in lieu
Ed

Tolling you will find easier if you wet the leather top job keep up the good work

 

[MrEd]

Tolling you will find easier if you wet the leather top job keep up the good work

Thanks Trev, I have been casing the leather - that’s taken a fair bit of trial and error - to wet it to dry and it doesn’t work!

 

[k9trev]

Thanks Trev, I have been casing the leather - that’s taken a fair bit of trial and error - to wet it to dry and it doesn’t work!

Tool the leather damp or dunk in a bucket of water then tools it if it mottles when tooling soak it again so its all the same colour

 

[MrEd]

Made a small wrist strap for my camera today, sewn and riveted, horween chromexcell as it’s lovely and soft for straps etc.

 

[Mesquite]

Very tidy work Ed

 

[Tengu]

Yup.

A Film camera. Where do you get the film/processing these days?

 

[Keith_Beef]

Yup.

A Film camera. Where do you get the film/processing these days?

Film is not so hard to get and there are still a few high street mini labs over here.
I wonder if you can still get processing and printing done at Boots.


It looks like you can:

Film Developing | 35mm, 120 film & E6 | Boots Photo UK

Get photos developed with Boots Photos. Have your 35mm, 120 film & E6 slides processed in your choice of formats and finishes. Find your nearest store.

www.bootsphoto.com

 

[MrEd]

Yup.

A Film camera. Where do you get the film/processing these days?

Nah it’s a Fuji digital, x100v - I love it, o do have some wet film stuff though, and my brother had a darkroom in his spare room. If I shoot anything film it’s black and white

 

[MrEd]

Made a replica 1901 naval pattern rifle sling today, not really bushcraft but it’s still part of my journey!

I made this as I will never find an original and I have a naval long lee that needed one!

Used the dimensions and spec laid down in the 1901 admiralty list of changes document to get it to spec.

Anyway, there you go
Ed

Original example


My replica

 

[MrEd]

I have been practising my saddle stitch a lot recently, and can now sew backwards and forwards, L to R and R to L - it’s not perfect but I feel much more comfortable with straight saddle stitch.
I made myself a belt, and stitched some decorative stitches into it, mainly as practise. Nearly 500 stitches lol.




And I made some wallets and small coin pouches which I have put on eBay, just to test the water. Never sold anything scratch made before, have just charged for repairs etc. and even then only material cost. No idea what to sell them for, if anyone had any suggestions I would be open to hear them!

 

[Chris]

I have been practising my saddle stitch a lot recently, and can now sew backwards and forwards, L to R and R to L - it’s not perfect but I feel much more comfortable with straight saddle stitch.
I made myself a belt, and stitched some decorative stitches into it, mainly as practise.

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And I made some wallets and small coin pouches which I have put on eBay, just to test the water. Never sold anything scratch made before, have just charged for repairs etc. and even then only material cost.

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These look great. What's the leather/the aged cracking effect on the last one?

 

[k9trev]

Very nice

 

[MrEd]

These look great. What's the leather/the aged cracking effect on the last one?

It’s Badalassi Carlo pueblo leather, from Italy, it’s traditionally veg tanned and they don’t correct the leather so what you are seeing is actually marks, blemishes and distressing from both the animal and the tanning process etc. I have a wallet I made as a test I have been carrying for nearly a year, it patinas beautifully and feels so nice to touch, here is a photo, same leather and same colour

 

[MrEd]

Very nice

Thanks

 

[Keith_Beef]

I love those card cases.

Whenever I walk pass a shop selling leather goods, I take a look at what's available and the prices... (I do this with other things, too, thinking about a second career if I live longer enough to retire.)


On Wednesday 28 October there was a problem with one of the metro lines that I take to get to work, so I walked through the streets to a different line and found a shop I didn't know.

Little card cases are sold there for various prices, all the same design but depending on the leather from €245 to €445 (crocodile).


I think that your version with rounded corners would age better than these with sharp corners.

 

[Chris]

I love those card cases.

Whenever I walk pass a shop selling leather goods, I take a look at what's available and the prices... (I do this with other things, too, thinking about a second career if I live longer enough to retire.)


On Wednesday 28 October there was a problem with one of the metro lines that I take to get to work, so I walked through the streets to a different line and found a shop I didn't know.

Little card cases are sold there for various prices, all the same design but depending on the leather from €245 to €445 (crocodile).
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I think that you version with rounded corners would agree better than these with sharp corners.

Agreed, MrEd’s look way better than those.

 

[Tengu]

<Gets out scrap of crocodile and examines it thoughtfully>

 

[MrEd]

<Gets out scrap of crocodile and examines it thoughtfully>

Yeah I know right, I was thinking g maybe 25-30 quid but a couple hundred is nuts imo!

 

[MrEd]

I love those card cases.

Whenever I walk pass a shop selling leather goods, I take a look at what's available and the prices... (I do this with other things, too, thinking about a second career if I live longer enough to retire.)


On Wednesday 28 October there was a problem with one of the metro lines that I take to get to work, so I walked through the streets to a different line and found a shop I didn't know.

Little card cases are sold there for various prices, all the same design but depending on the leather from €245 to €445 (crocodile).
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I think that your version with rounded corners would agree better than these with sharp corners.

Sheesh, that’s a nuts price. They also look machine sewn (nothing wrong with that but…… )

 

[Keith_Beef]

Yeah I know right, I was thinking g maybe 25-30 quid but a couple hundred is nuts imo!

Sheesh, that’s a nuts price. They also look machine sewn (nothing wrong with that but…… )

The shop is Caulaincourt at 59 Av. Kléber, 75016 Paris.
A notoriously expensive neighbourhood in an expensive city. Those prices are pretty much in line with what I've seen elsewhere.

I suppose that when the rent for retail units is sky-high and your customers have more euros than brain cells, you can charge these prices.