Do any of you do any leatherworking ?

[MaC]

I've been given a bag load of beautiful leather.
I'm at somewhat of a loss with what to do with it all.

M

 

[noddy]

Not really enough to admit to. But one thing I do do is make leather slips for knives and pens and whatevers. Used to go to a book binders in London near Russell Sq and rifle-through a box of very nice scraps they kept.

As it happens, only yesterday I watched a rather nice, old In Our Town video on You Tube of a book being bound. Can't find it today though

How big's the bits, M?

 

[MaC]

I wish you lived nearer. I have about 6 square metres of the most beautiful fine leather, and no idea what to do with it. Truly lovely suede stuff too.

I'm pretty sure that some of it is the reconstituted stuff from scrap leather....a Chinese speciality, I know of a leather producer/shoe maker who sends three container loads of the most beautiful leather scraps out to China every month.....but for bags, soft shoes, fine slips, wallets, purses, clothing, soft notebook covers, steering wheel wraps, it's perfect.

I might make myself some soft shoes for the Winter around the house and garden, but I've got wee feet ! There a lot of this stuff. Biggest bit is 54" x 36".

There are smaller pieces of non-reconstituted leather, looks like Nubuck, too.

 

[noddy]

Sounds great .. I wish I lived nearer too, but I should say that have enough bits and pieces to last me a long time.

Shoes sounds good. But that is a big piece and will need some thought. This reminds me that I do need to buy 4mm veg tan at some point.

 

[CaptainBeaky]

That reminds me - I have a commission for a cuir bouli glasses case. Must buy some decent veg tan...

 

[MaC]

The subtlety of advertising is such that reconstituted is marketed as Real Leather, but can't be labelled Full Grain leather.
This stuff I have is a truly beautiful quality leather, it handles like really good quality leather, it pulls like really good quality fine leather, so much so that I went looking for the Chinese company on the labels.....looks like it's not reconstituted stuff.
Might be why it's so very nice ......

Dongguan Encheng New Materials Co., Ltd. - Leather Working Group

Member- Leather Working Group - Strapline

www.leatherworkinggroup.com

 

[bushwacker]

Our Geoff Wood is very good at his trade, I'm pretty sure he could make use of it

 

[5teep]

I dabble, looking to make a sheath for the Sgian Dubh I bought the other week but I don't expect it's worth it to you to hunt for a suitable single bit

 

[MaC]

For a sgian dubh ?
No bother.
Those small bits would do very well....if you don't mind nubuck, or sort of tan/brown/marmalade (really nice colour) purple, red, grey, or royal blue.
The blacks are too fine, too soft I reckon.
The nubuck would dye though ?
Let me know ?

M

 

[GeoffW]

Our Geoff Wood is very good at his trade, I'm pretty sure he could make use of it

Thanks for thinking of me.
I have plenty leather in stock so it will be only fair to let it go to those who don't have any 🙂
Another thing to consider is the tanning, the softer leathers are often upholstery or garment grade, which usually means it is chrome rather than vegetable tanned, which means the edges won't burnish.

 

[5teep]

For a sgian dubh ?
No bother.
Those small bits would do very well....if you don't mind nubuck, or sort of tan/brown/marmalade (really nice colour) purple, red, grey, or royal blue.
The blacks are too fine, too soft I reckon.
The nubuck would dye though ?
Let me know ?

M

ooh the scales are purpleheart so purple leather might be perfect.

 

[5teep]

@MaC your leather bits arrived today, you were right the nubuck looks by far the best. I like the suede finish on the purple but it's just too purple and actually the marmalade seems a better match. Thanks for sending them and I will post my adventures in leather sewing

 

[Renton]

Do you have anything suitable for making a handbag for sale or trade?

My wife is thinking of trying to make a bag. Preferably black or Navy.

 

[MaC]

There is a piece of 0.8mm microfiber leather, it's at least 30cm wide and 150cm long. It's lovely stuff for a bag
If that doesn't appeal then there's black suede too ?

Let me know, send me a name and address, and I'll get some into a Jiffy bag and post it....might be Thursday ?

People have been very generous to me with craft resources over the years, your wife is very welcome to it : ) I'm just passing a good thing along.

M

 

[Renton]

She says that is very kind of you and would like the black suede, ill drop you a message with address etc.

Thank you very much.

 

[Winnet]

@MaC, would you have anything suitable for recovering a couple of pads?

One is a seat pad about 30cm square and the other one is the pad on a cubby box in the Land Rover (about the same size).

G

 

[MaC]

@MaC, would you have anything suitable for recovering a couple of pads?

One is a seat pad about 30cm square and the other one is the pad on a cubby box in the Land Rover (about the same size).

G

All I have left is fine suede. Black for the most part, but a small piece of lavender.

I think you really need leather/leather for what you're suggesting. At those sizes though, you'd get that from someone's old couch.
John Fenna might have something that would suit ? or Tengu ?

 

[Winnet]

Thank you, it was just a thought. They are covered in vinyl just now so will have a hunt around.

G

 

[bushwacker]

Thank you, it was just a thought. They are covered in vinyl just now so will have a hunt around.

G

I brought a leather cubby cover from ebay