Leather... where to start.

[Logit]

I have had numerous items commissioned from members of the site, and what lovely work it has been too!

I have decided to bite the bullet and have a go myself, it looks as though leatherwork can be great fun, and therapeutic.... Ive got a couple of weeks off over christmas.

So, where do i start? how much am i going to need to spend to "get setup" ?

My first plan is to make a leather sheath, maybe a tinder pouch.. simpler things.

What books should i read? What tools do i need? Is anyone localish to Portsmouth that is willing to give me an hour or two of their time to show me the basics and get me started?

What websites should i look at to buy tools and leather from? i have found le prevo, and it appears very reasonable...

Looking forward to your suggestions

Thanks,

Logit

 

[Bardster]

http://www.bowstock.co.uk/

 

[launditch1]

To get set up you dont need to spend a small fortune.All you will need is 2 needles(if youre doing saddle stitch),a sharp knife(stanley)something to mark the holes(a fork)and pierce them.Some thing to cut the leather on.As you gain confidence you can add to the tools but that lot should get you started.Give me a shout if theres anything in particular that you are after(leather,tools ect)

 

[launditch1]

For leather try ebay sellers:thewiskeredbat and leathersolutions.Book:G.West,leathercraft is a good'un.

 

[Kerne]

I get most of my leather and tools from Le Prevo:

http://www.leprevo.co.uk/

Unfortunately you can't pay online but they are really helpful and do their best to get you exactly what you want (no connection etc. - a very satisfied customer).

 

[Logit]

Lots of ideas there folks, a few questions,

1) Looking at getting a "clickers awl", guessing the come in the same size - ie: they produce the same size holes?

2) What size needles? i have seen that they come blunt as well as sharp, guessing the blunt needles (better value) are geared towards being used in conjunction with an awl?

3) Having a quick read, it looks as though a stitch marking tool/pricking tool isn’t essential, but would make my work look 100% better from the offset.... what size would people recommend?

Initially I’m going to be tinkering with making leather sheaths, so if possible all responses to the above questions should relate to that if possible....?!

 

[Whittler Kev]

where do i start? how much am i going to need to spend to "get setup" ?

My first plan is to make a leather sheath, maybe a tinder pouch.. simpler things.

What books should i read? What tools do i need?

Logit

Have a look here:

http://www.britishblades.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8266
http://www.britishblades.com/forums/showthread.php?t=22249
http://www.britishblades.com/forums/showthread.php?t=36906
http://www.britishblades.com/forums/showthread.php?t=58874​

should get you started
Any problems send me a PM with a "real" email and I'll send them as PDF's​

 

[Minotaur]

I think the sheaths have been covered.

I really like the look of this guys pouches.

SAk pouch includes an instructional

His blog

Flickr Gallery Of His Stuff

Another Flickr Gallery Of His Stuff

Interestingly he does not use a stitch wheel but a punch.

 

[dazb]

Hi Logit
As Kerne says try LePrevo
I am lucky enough to live next to them and i'm in there fairly often when home, They are really helpfull, If you ring them and tell them you are just starting off they will probably let you know what you need If you tell them what you are planning on making, the tools themselves are fairly cheap it's just as you get more into it you start to need more and more this is where it starts to add up but initially it's not to expensive.
I normally buy the 3.5mm veg tanned leather in 6" strips around 1.5m long roughly and it would normally cost around £17.00, the last time I was in there they suggested I buy a second grade skin it was roughly 1m wide by 1.5m long very roughly 3.2mm thick, I saved an absolute fortune I think it came to £26.00 and will keep me going for a long time, there was a few blemishes on it but nothing bad that could not be worked around.

It is a really good thing to get into and you will be suprised how easy it is, you will of course make a few mistake at first but thats all part of learning.
(I am not connected in anyway)

 

[Minotaur]

For leather try ebay sellers:thewiskeredbat and leathersolutions.Book:G.West,leathercraft is a good'un.

I normally buy the 3.5mm veg tanned leather in 6" strips around 1.5m long roughly and it would normally cost around £17.00, the last time I was in there they suggested I buy a second grade skin it was roughly 1m wide by 1.5m long very roughly 3.2mm thick, I saved an absolute fortune I think it came to £26.00 and will keep me going for a long time, there was a few blemishes on it but nothing bad that could not be worked around.

I am looking at this hard, because one of the ebay sellers has a hide for about £40. I was looking at some waste from a leather place at £20. Even counting postage, buying the hide does seem to be a good deal. I get that there will be mistakes etc, but a hide does seem to give you a lot more to play with at a lot less money.

 

[dazb]

Hi Minotaur

I'm not sure if £40 is a good price as Iv'e never bought a whole premium hide Iv'e only bought strips, but the hide I bought for £26 pound was a good buy for me even though it was classed as a second as I only make stuff myself and friends and don't sell any of it on.
beware though as I know when I go into LePrevo there appears to be lots of different hides thicknesses and grades etc

 

[Whittler Kev]

beware though as I know when I go into LePrevo there appears to be lots of different hides thicknesses and grades etc

Found this site about leather thickness. Might be worth a look
www.bowstock.co.uk/size_chart.html

 

[FGYT]

got my tools from Leprevo as they generally seems cheapest by a lot

originally bought 2 6" wide belt cut at £20 each but have now bought a shoulder at £40 so better value however the suede side is very fluffy etc

there website ordering is a real PITA

ATB


Duncan

 

[leon-1]

I use three suppliers based in the UK.

LePrevo

Bowstock

Abbey Saddlery

LePrevo are the cheapest of the three. However there are things that you cannot get from LePrevo that you can get at Abbey Saddlery and there are things that you can get from Bowstock which either you cannot get from the other two or are cheaper just for those items. I am not going to say what those items are at the moment as you won't have a need for them unless you really decide that it's something that you wish to do a lot of.

If you are looking at dying anything don't bother with daubers, they are a waste of time and money, a paint brush will do a far better job.

You have a PM with reference to needles, awls, threads and basic tools in reply to your enquiry, but I forgot to say get yourself a cutting mat and a reasonable craft knife (I use a folding lock knife that takes Stanley blades), you can pick up reasonable ones for a good price (sub £3).

When cutting leather don't try to go through straight away, just follow the cut a few times taking it easy, it's easier on your wrists and forearms (take it from me you don't want tendonitis in your forearm). If you have leather that's like a board dampen it down with a plant spray that has warm water in it, it'll make it easier to cut and bend.

Also get yourself some zinc oxide tape for taping your fingers when hand stitching. Your fingers will still get sore, but not anywhere as quickly or as bad and it'll protect you from linen cuts.

Anything else just drop me a line.

 

[mikethescout]

i too, like logit am going to start leather work other christmas, so he might benafit from this question too.. but what type of thread do you use?

Ive been looking and there is allot outthere, any help?

Mike

 

[Nat]

i too, like logit am going to start leather work other christmas, so he might benafit from this question too.. but what type of thread do you use?

Ive been looking and there is allot outthere, any help?

Mike

Usually it's 18/3 waxed thread or you can get 18/3 non waxed then run it over a wax block to wax as you go.
Other people use artificial sinew which i use, but it can be expensive.

 

[leon-1]

i too, like logit am going to start leather work other christmas, so he might benafit from this question too.. but what type of thread do you use?

Ive been looking and there is allot outthere, any help?

Mike

Usually it's 18/3 waxed thread or you can get 18/3 non waxed then run it over a wax block to wax as you go.
Other people use artificial sinew which i use, but it can be expensive.

Nat's right to a degree.

You use different types of thread for different weights and types of leather. If you are dealing with clothing weight leather (can be used for making medicine pouches which are soft and pliable) you may use something along the lines of 25/3 linen, for veg tanned leather over 3 ounces (1.2mm) you then move onto 18/3, at around 8 to 10 ounce leather you maybe looking at upto 18/6 depending on the tanning method.

If you are buying linen, by it unwaxed natural coloured unless you know you will be using a lot of a specific colour. Unwaxed natural coloured can be dyed to the same colour as you are doing the leatherwork before you wax it.

Nat also mentions synthetic sinew, be aware there is good synthetic sinew and there is rubbish stuff, ask about to find out who sells good stuff and whether they do it as full, half and qaurter weights.

You can get hold of Tiger thread, but it's quite expensive. It's a pre-waxed polyester braid with amazing strength and resistance to abrasion.

The saddlers where I live use tkt24 and tkt36 in their sewing machines. This is a corespun polyester thread which is the equivalent of 24/3 and 36/3 in it's weight, but surpasses it by far in strength and resistance to abrasion.

The weight of the leather and the grade of the thread also determine the amount of stitches per inch (the lighter the leather and thread the more stitches you apply per inch). Normally you will be looking at 5 - 6 stitches per inch with pouches or sheaths.

Steve, I haven't forgotten and I'll drop you a PM shortly

 

[Minotaur]

You use different types of thread for different weights and types of leather. If you are dealing with clothing weight leather (can be used for making medicine pouches which are soft and pliable) you may use something along the lines of 25/3 linen, for veg tanned leather over 3 ounces (1.2mm) you then move onto 18/3, at around 8 to 10 ounce leather you maybe looking at upto 18/6 depending on the tanning method.

If you are buying linen, by it unwaxed natural coloured unless you know you will be using a lot of a specific colour. Unwaxed natural coloured can be dyed to the same colour as you are doing the leatherwork before you wax it.

Makes sense. Think we will all be using Veg Tan, so any problems that relate to that specficly? Before I start trying to work it out, do not surpose you have the metric information to hand?

Nat also mentions synthetic sinew, be aware there is good synthetic sinew and there is rubbish stuff, ask about to find out who sells good stuff and whether they do it as full, half and qaurter weights.

What is the difference, and how is it used in relation to the above information?

You can get hold of Tiger thread, but it's quite expensive. It's a pre-waxed polyester braid with amazing strength and resistance to abrasion.

This stuff, because if it is, bet they sell it in hobbycraft etc. Seems to be used for jewellery making.

The saddlers where I live use tkt24 and tkt36 in their sewing machines. This is a corespun polyester thread which is the equivalent of 24/3 and 36/3 in it's weight, but surpasses it by far in strength and resistance to abrasion.

Think if saddlers use it professinally, from a wear and tear point of view might be worth a look. Wonder which is better this or the tiger thread.

The weight of the leather and the grade of the thread also determine the amount of stitches per inch (the lighter the leather and thread the more stitches you apply per inch). Normally you will be looking at 5 - 6 stitches per inch with pouches or sheaths.

In the heavier leathers would you gain anything by doing more stiches per inch, so doing 8 instead of 6, or would it weaken the join?

 

[leon-1]

Makes sense. Think we will all be using Veg Tan, so any problems that relate to that specficly? Before I start trying to work it out, do not surpose you have the metric information to hand?

3 ounces is 1.2mm
between there and 8 ounce (3.2mm) 18/3 is normally the beastie.
10 ounce is 4mm look at 18/4 really if you can get it. If you are using very hard heavy leathers like Oak bark tanned look at 18/5 or 18/6.

What is the difference, and how is it used in relation to the above information?

Good synthetic sinew is normally flat, it can normally be relatively easily split into strands (if you have a heavier weight than you require you can halve or quarter the weight relatively easily). The varying thicknesses of sinew are used for differing weights of leather or areas of higher abrasion. The poorer synthetic sinew that I have used tends to be more of a white cohesive strand (a bit like flexible rawhide) and has been referred to by Eric Methven on here as dental floss.

This stuff, because if it is, bet they sell it in hobbycraft etc. Seems to be used for jewellery making.

No I don't thinks so I am pretty sure it's different to that, for a start tiger thread I thinks starts at 6mm and then ranges up in size to 1.7mm. Brisa used to sell the stuff and so did Nordell knives, from Brisa it comes as lengths and from Nordell knives it comes as a cop of about 5000 yards.

Think if saddlers use it professinally, from a wear and tear point of view might be worth a look. Wonder which is better this or the tiger thread.

Saddlers use both, one is used for machine stitching the other tends to be used for hand stitching.

In the heavier leathers would you gain anything by doing more stiches per inch, so doing 8 instead of 6, or would it weaken the join?

Good question, I don't really know the answer to this. I think they tend to use less stitches and heavier threads on heavier leathers because they can get away with it. The fewer amount of stitches being in a heavier grade thread being able to withstand the rigours and strains that the heavier leathers will naturally come under (not being as flexible probably puts the stitching under greater stress when thicker leathers are flexed and moved, but having fewer holes makes it a little less like "tear along the dotted line"). That's the best answer I can give you.

 

[Black Sheep]

Sorry Guy's I seem to have missed this thread

I started out in leather about 2 years ago and have taught myself how to do it with help from books, tutorials on here and BB and speaking to my local Saddler.

I got my first bits of leather from buying bags from charity shops but it wasn't great, then got some from the saddler (not cheap) to make my first sheath using wood working tool and an old razor to bevel the edges.

I've bought leather from various places on the net and Ebay. The leather from "leather solutions" on Ebay is ok (a bit hard and smells strongly of tannin) & "Wiskeredbat" sells smallish pieces of nice good quality leather and cut belts.

I've also bought stuff from "Leprevo", good leather and tools but don't forget to add VAT to their prices.

I think the thread things been covered above.

The main thing is start out small, practice and learn as you go. But be WARNED once you get going leather work is seriously addictive

Cheers

Richard