Show us your leather

[Duke Mantee]

Bought some lovely pieces of Sedgwick leather (one of the best tanneries on the go) - natural finish that’s been oiled; starts beautiful and ages even more beautifuller.

Hoping to do it justice with some pieces - belts and maybe a bag or two …

Edited July 19, 2022 by Duke Mantee

[Duke Mantee]

… and the sides arrived …

 

[shredwin_206]

my buddy made me this cool psychedelic cardholder. Wickett and Craig leather 

[Duke Mantee]

Got this really nice Shinki horsehide wallet from Greg at Field Leathers (he’s about 40 miles down the road from me). He makes some very very nice jackets and has made a few of these small leather goods from the off cuts 

 

Edited August 25, 2022 by Duke Mantee

[Cold Summer]

Flat Head key holder, one year of wear.

Monk Made short wallet, three years. 
 

 

[sensy]

 

Maryam horsebutt tote I made for myself.

[Duke Mantee]

Nice job on the handles and rolled edges

[sensy]

I’ve been getting more leatherwork done this year than all of last year. All for myself or friends/family cause I still feel there are too big flaws for me to charge what I’d have to for the time it takes. Anyway, I just finished this. 
 

[Duke Mantee]

4 hours ago, sensy said:

I’ve been getting more leatherwork done this year than all of last year. All for myself or friends/family cause I still feel there are too big flaws for me to charge what I’d have to for the time it takes.

It’s better than a lot of stuff I see being sold … but therein lies the problem with properly hand made stuff - time. Lots of people talk about handmade but few are willing to pay for the time

[Maynard Friedman]

I think you’re right Duke, people just look at the materials and ignore the time, then think how can that product be worth x much?

Great bags @sensy and belts @Duke Mantee

[sensy]

Thanks @Duke Mantee and @Maynard Friedman. I tend to focus on the flaws on what I make and it makes it hard to judge how good/mediocre/bad they actually are. 

My guess (I didn't really track the time) is that it took 40 or more hours to make the latest bag, so you know. It's difficult to justify  

[Duke Mantee]

2 hours ago, Maynard Friedman said:

I think you’re right Duke, people just look at the materials and ignore the time, then think how can that product be worth x much?

Great bags @sensy and belts @Duke Mantee

Thanks Martin … and I do agree about the materials aspect - far too much focus on that, and often for the wrong reason.

2 hours ago, sensy said:

Thanks @Duke Mantee and @Maynard Friedman. I tend to focus on the flaws on what I make and it makes it hard to judge how good/mediocre/bad they actually are. 

My guess (I didn't really track the time) is that it took 40 or more hours to make the latest bag, so you know. It's difficult to justify  

I think you’re being hard on yourself - and I applaud that, it means your next bag will be even better than the last.

[spidereye]

Indian Native Medicine waistbag.

[spidereye]

For myself;)

[Duke Mantee]

Ok, it’s not a belt … 

 

Shinki oil tan Cordovan 

Tanneries Degermann Baranil

Waldes vintage zipper

Durable dot snap

12x card slots, 3x receipt/notes pockets and a zipper section

… and a quick pic to show the guts of it before final assembly 

Edited April 12, 2023 by Duke Mantee

[sensy]

18 hours ago, Duke Mantee said:

Ok, it’s not a belt … 

 

Shinki oil tan Cordovan 

Tanneries Degermann Baranil

Waldes vintage zipper

Durable dot snap

12x card slots, 3x receipt/notes pockets and a zipper section

… and a quick pic to show the guts of it before final assembly 

Nice! What's the SPI/stich mm on that?

[Duke Mantee]

1 hour ago, sensy said:

Nice! What's the SPI/stich mm on that?

Thank you

It’s 8SPI / 3.25mm with 0.4mm thread

[sensy]

2 hours ago, Duke Mantee said:

Thank you

It’s 8SPI / 3.25mm with 0.4mm thread

I recently bought some pricking irons in that size (Amy Roke), and I’ve been using it on a purse I’m making. Maybe a bit small for bigger bags, but I’ve been really enjoying smaller and smaller stitching lately. Great job on that wallet!

[Duke Mantee]

3 hours ago, sensy said:

I recently bought some pricking irons in that size (Amy Roke), and I’ve been using it on a purse I’m making. Maybe a bit small for bigger bags, but I’ve been really enjoying smaller and smaller stitching lately. Great job on that wallet!

Cheers! I use Crimson Hides irons … they seem to be very clean (especially at smaller sizes). The irons and thread were driven by the Baranil leather - it’s skived down to 0.6mm so it’s a bit clumsy to use threads approaching that dimension 

[sensy]

42 minutes ago, Duke Mantee said:

Cheers! I use Crimson Hides irons … they seem to be very clean (especially at smaller sizes). The irons and thread were driven by the Baranil leather - it’s skived down to 0.6mm so it’s a bit clumsy to use threads approaching that dimension 

I've been using 3.85mm KSBladePunch irons for quite a while (that I for some reason ordered in the Japanese/diamond style) and they've been great, but I didn't want to deal with their order times and import tax mess ups, so I found a place that sells both Amy Roke and Crimson Hides more locally. I kind of wanted to go the CH route, but they only had 2+5 or 2+5+12 tooth combos, and I honestly find the 5 tooth to be silly. Amy Roke had 2+8 so that's perfect for me. Very clean holes, and completely ridiculous polish on the teeth. Like my one complaint is that they are so mirror shined - they glide so easy it's sort of hard to keep the irons in place when lining up the first strike.

edit: Forgot to mention their awl - I love it. I've been forced to use awls more and more with the bags and it's pretty fun once I learned to stop placing my fingers on the spot I pierce through.

Edited April 13, 2023 by sensy

[Duke Mantee]

4 hours ago, sensy said:

I've been using 3.85mm KSBladePunch irons for quite a while (that I for some reason ordered in the Japanese/diamond style) and they've been great, but I didn't want to deal with their order times and import tax mess ups, so I found a place that sells both Amy Roke and Crimson Hides more locally. I kind of wanted to go the CH route, but they only had 2+5 or 2+5+12 tooth combos, and I honestly find the 5 tooth to be silly. Amy Roke had 2+8 so that's perfect for me. Very clean holes, and completely ridiculous polish on the teeth. Like my one complaint is that they are so mirror shined - they glide so easy it's sort of hard to keep the irons in place when lining up the first strike.

edit: Forgot to mention their awl - I love it. I've been forced to use awls more and more with the bags and it's pretty fun once I learned to stop placing my fingers on the spot I pierce through.

Would you say Amy Roke is better quality/function than KSBlade?

[sensy]

39 minutes ago, Duke Mantee said:

Would you say Amy Roke is better quality/function than KSBlade?

No, they are both good but in different ways. KSBlade feels sharper, as in I actually don’t have to punch to get through like 2mm leathers, just push a bit. KS is also better at going through thicker leathers - the teeth doesn’t really get wider at the end body end of the punch. They are heavy and thick, once placed on the leather they don’t really move or slide around, but also they are so thick it’s kind of difficult to see if you’re completely in line. 
Amy Roke feels more refined. I wouldn’t punch through more than 4mm (KS limit is more like 6), but to be honest I’ve been enjoying just making marks on 2mm+ and then using an awl with the AR punches.

Making bags or wallets I think I’d prefer Amy Roke, for belts and thick heavy shit, KSBlade all the way. 

[sensy]

This is the purse I’ve been working on for a bit. There are definitely things to improve, but I’m pretty happy with it. 

[Duke Mantee]

Excellent!

[Duke Mantee]

For @srudy

Horsehide, dobby-loom cotton webbing, solid brass hardware and vintage Japanese coin 

Comes complete with removable ‘snap-in’ zipped pouch and discrete embroidered message.

[srudy]

@Duke ManteeThere isn’t a prettier bag, can’t wait to get it! 

[Duke Mantee]

18 hours ago, srudy said:

@Duke ManteeThere isn’t a prettier bag, can’t wait to get it! 

Don’t say ‘pretty’ … it might put off some prospective macho buyers      

[l13902733261]

Degermann baranil marine

[Duke Mantee]

Are you making these?

[l13902733261]

41 minutes ago, Duke Mantee said:

Are you making these?

Nope those wip are form the infamous xbxs aka brass dongguan,I commission the boots and send them the leather.