Leather Suppliers

[Zodiak]

If you told me a year ago that I would actully be loooking at leather as a viable alternative to some of my kit I probably would have told you to with a half dead in a ing with a and ed however I have been really impressed with some of the items I have seen here and the leather bottle in the Mgazine so I want to try this myself.

The question is where can I buy leather on the web? I have found one or two sites but I can't for the life of me work out what I would be buying I have trawled the posts here, which took hours as I kept getting side tracked (which was good fun), but can anybody either recommend an old post or a website that I could use as a starting point please?

As a first project I want to make a pouch to clip onto a rucksack shoulder strap that I can keep my compass in

 

[beachlover]

I use Le Prevo and find them really helpful on the phone.
You might also go to British Blades and look at the "Sheaths and Leatherwork" section for inspiration and suggestions as to the tools and other bits you might need.

 

[Grimnir]

What kind of leather you want really depends on what you want to do with it. Most of the stuff you'll see on here uses veg-tanned leather, which is good for wet forming shapes and can be decorated with stamps or tooled with designs. There is also chrome tanned leather which most leather clothes are made of. You can't tool or stamp it like you can with veg tanned but it is a lot easier to find.

You'll need a few basic tools as well. You'll need a stitching awl to make the holes and blunt-tipped needles such as harness needles. There's quite a few tools you can get if you want to do a fair bit of leatherwork. The thread you use is important too, you can get waxed linen or poly threads, the wax helps it slide through the leather. You can also get some beeswax and wax your own thread.

 

[leon-1]

Zodiak, did you want the pouch to be reasonably hard or a soft pouch??

If it is hard then get something in the region of 2.5mm veg tanned leather. Thread somewhere in the region of linen waxed 18/3. A couple of harness makers needles are handy. An overstitch wheel is a good thing to have, but you can get buy marking with a ruller (to keep your stitches even) and a pencil.

What type of compass is it and what are the dimensions???

 

[Zodiak]

Zodiak, did you want the pouch to be reasonably hard or a soft pouch??

I hadn't thought that far!

If it is hard then get something in the region of 2.5mm veg tanned leather. Thread somewhere in the region of linen waxed 18/3. A couple of harness makers needles are handy. An overstitch wheel is a good thing to have, but you can get buy marking with a ruller (to keep your stitches even) and a pencil.

Thanks, I am trying to avoid buying too many tools as then seems to be the death knell for me, all the time I have cheap crappy kit and have to make do I am interested but as soon as I get everything I need then I stop using it. Weird eh?

What type of compass is it and what are the dimensions???

It's a Silva Expediton 4/54 not sure of the size (its outside and it would mean moving both cars to get to it) so about 12*28 cms I would guess.

 

[leon-1]

The silva expedition54 is 60mm * 125mm. I don't know what height the bezel will make it, but if you say that it will be approx 12mm in depth that would give you a little room for manouevre.

If you want I can send you a list of kit that you can use instead of going out and buying all the toys.

You'll also have to figure out some method of closing the pouch and keeping it closed. Press stud, sam brown stud, or toggle is probably going to be easiest.

You will also need to figure out a means of attaching it to the harness (dog clip, buckles or again a sam brown stud or two).

If you have any questions or you hit problems let me know by PM and I'll try my best to help you out with them.

A lot of us get our kit (leatherwise) from leprevo, there is a link around here at the top of the page, you could also get in touch with the Identity Store the link should take you directly to the page where you can find out about ordering catalogs. There is a site in Finland, Brisa, that you can buy leather from, but unless you are buying a lot of stuff you may find it a little expensive.

 

[Toddy]

I bought leather at the last living history.re-enactors markets that I went to. The next set (two different events on the same weekend a few miles apart) is near Coventry on the weekend of 27th, 28th and 19th October.
It's an interesting ramble around and there will be a wide variety of materials available from a huge selection of leather to tools, wool and linen to metalwork.
You'd never guess I'm coming down for the weekend, now would you?
If you use the Formule1 hotel it's £25 a night for the room and it will sleep three adults. Keeps the cost down

http://www.livinghistoryfayres.com/

http://www.reenactorsmarket.co.uk/home.htm

Cheers,
Toddy

 

[beachlover]

Sent you a PM

 

[Zodiak]

If you want I can send you a list of kit that you can use instead of going out and buying all the toys.

That would be great, thanks

You'll also have to figure out some method of closing the pouch and keeping it closed. Press stud, sam brown stud, or toggle is probably going to be easiest.

Nothing that requires pressure on the capsule, or would put pressure on it if the pouch got pushed.

You will also need to figure out a means of attaching it to the harness (dog clip, buckles or again a sam brown stud or two)..

I was thinking of putting a rectangle of leather on the back to slide over the rucksack strap, and it should be kept up by the chest strap Well thats the plan !

 

[leon-1]

Nothing that requires pressure on the capsule, or would put pressure on it if the pouch got pushed.

You'll probably be looking at a Sam Brown Stud, 2.5mm can be quite hard if treated correctly. I have a couply of possibles pouches that are made (wet formed) in 2.5mm and they are pretty rigid. I'll knock the list together tonight and PM it to you.

 

[Zodiak]

Sent you a PM

And true to his word he did and now 1 weeks later I am looking at some leather, thread a ball of what I assume is wax (the cat licked it) and an intruiging collection of sharp things :You_Rock_

SWMBO was about to start on one of her "Now what have you got" speeches (which we both agree are ncessary for mutual sanity) but she got a whiff of the leather and was transformed. I think I may have found somthing she approves of

Once again thank you for your help and generosity I can't get over how nice people are on this forum

Time to do some reading I think

 

[Big Steve]

Are you only interested in getting leather from websites? I have discovered several local sources which might prove cheaper if you only want small amounts of leather.

1. My local saddler (& horse tack supplier to Gloucestershire's horsey set) has been happy to sell me some offcuts from his leather saddle making. He uses different colours and thicknesses of leather too. He was somewhat suspicious to begin with, mainly because no-one had ever asked him before, but try it if you have a local saddler.

2. There are 1000s of old leather jackets which have fallen out of style (e.g. shoulder pads), knocking around in charity shop sales for a few quid and even in the wardrobes and lofts of your very embarrassed ageing 'new romantic' relatives, who will be relieved to give them up for free on the condition you never bring the subject up again. Give them another lease of life and some dignity in death by choppin' em' up and making cool stuff with 'em.

3. I have bought offcuts of chamois leather from the automotive section of Poundland-stylee shops and give 'em a good old smoking at home to stop them hardening like a tramp's keks after being soaked. I used advice from a website on doing this. It seems to work okay too.

If you need bigger leather pieces or even whole hides, then those old 'Septics' across the pond seem to have lots of leather supplier websites for all those good'ole home-boys who like to feel the snug embrace of buckskin against their malnourished frames.

 

[Big John]

Time to do some reading I think

If you're reading then Al Stohlman's 'The Art of Making Leather Cases, Vol. 1' would be a good place to start, covers pouches, sheaths & various other bits - very good. Also his 'Hand Stitching Leather' book is pretty good as well.

Good luck, post some pics when you're done,

 

[Dingo]

you could always try at your local vehicle trimmers if you are a city dweller, you could get lots of different grades from them at reasonable prices for the small bits!