Leathercrafting Creations: PYC

[GriffingAve]

Nice bag jaws. Can you show some pics of the inside? Do you line it?

Andrew

[OkayOkay]

hey everyone, I'm looking for someone who can make 20 key fobs, 20 snap closure bracelets, 20 half-moon style zip pouches, and 20 bifold wallets for me. If you can do it, PM me and we'll chat details / pricing.

Thanks!

Edited April 10, 2012 by OkayOkay

[public denimy]

I am currently in experimenting/upgrading phase, so I cannot make a contract with you. I just want to know what you plan to do with the bulk order?

[corter]

I got the final samples of the bottle hook in- came out perfect. I'm super excited.

[JAW]

Whoa man, those turned out awesome. Did it end up being copper plate?

[corter]

thanks! Yea, copper plating was the plan from the start, as it needed to be cast in steel for strength. Brass would be too soft in the long run.

[TheBlackGoat]

WOWZA!!!!!!! BAD ASS MR CORTER! I wants one!

[t.wayne]

corter they look amazing. are you still doing this as a kickstarter project? keep us posted!

[ItsJustNC]

WOWZA!!!!!!! BAD ASS MR CORTER! I wants one!

I got the final samples of the bottle hook in- came out perfect. I'm super excited.

DAMN.... GREAT STUFFS... Out of the world leather and mad cool hook.! I'd like one of that hook too.!

[corter]

Doing a shop order with some of the Horween Natural and Burgundy Chromexcel, really nice stuff to work with! Late night quality check on the stuff I made this week, I've gotta do these in black chromexcel horse hide next which I'm looking forward to doing.

Edited April 14, 2012 by corter

[TheBlackGoat]

here is a full blown Japanese sized billfold. its a damn monster of a wallet.

[simontuntelder]

I almost forgot posting pictures of the bag, that I recently made.

More info can be found on the blog

[JAW]

Nice one simon. Thought about grabbing some of that football leather. Looks awesome

[t.wayne]

i'm looking for some recommedations on some good reading material for leatherwork. maybe specifically some japanese stuff, or anything really. i'm just looking for some magazines or books to have around for inspiration and design ideas. maybe even some technique material would be cool as well.

also, does anyone have a good source for some thick leather cord that they'd like to share?

thanks!

[simontuntelder]

Nice one simon. Thought about grabbing some of that football leather. Looks awesome

I think Brettunsvillage has some original football leather at a reasonable price.

[TheBlackGoat]

i'm looking for some recommedations on some good reading material for leatherwork. maybe specifically some japanese stuff, or anything really. i'm just looking for some magazines or books to have around for inspiration and design ideas. maybe even some technique material would be cool as well.

also, does anyone have a good source for some thick leather cord that they'd like to share?

thanks!

I really like these books, these books really are my bibles.

http://www.etsy.com/listing/96896301/hand-sewing-leather-craft-odds-ends?ref=sr_gallery_22&ga_search_query=leather+books&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=US&ga_page=2&ga_search_type=supplies

http://www.etsy.com/listing/94952078/making-of-leather-wallet-japanese?ref=sr_gallery_11&ga_search_query=leather+books&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=US&ga_page=3&ga_search_type=supplies

http://www.etsy.com/listing/50658174/leather-craft-custom-remake-technique?ref=sr_gallery_17&ga_search_query=leather+books&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=US&ga_page=3&ga_search_type=supplies

and this book is my newest obsession, been wanting to toy around with some wet forming, i want to make a new line of more GOROS

inspired wallets for my next design look. I TRULY LOVE THIS BOOK!

http://www.amazon.com/Leatherworking-Handbook-Illustrated-Sourcebook-Techniques/dp/1844034747/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1334582340&sr=8-1

[simontuntelder]

I can vouch for all the books, that Ray mentions there. But I've ordered them all from Japan, and they were expensive as hell, though you can find them relatively cheap through Amazon.jp sometimes.

I would also like to mention Salaman's book on leatherworking tools. It's a nice read.

[ItsJustNC]

Almost anything Stolhman will do. But this particular one is a must have.

http://www.amazon.com/Leathercraft-Tools-Al-Stohlman/dp/1892214903

Lists almost every tool in leathercrafting and how to maintain them.

[public denimy]

I can vouch for all the books, that Ray mentions there. But I've ordered them all from Japan, and they were expensive as hell, though you can find them relatively cheap through Amazon.jp sometimes.

I would also like to mention Salaman's book on leatherworking tools. It's a nice read.

That book was highly recommended to me, so I bought it last week. It should come in maybe the next day or so. It's supposed to be the definitive work on tools in the Anglo=American tradition from the 17th century to the present.

[simontuntelder]

Didn't you talk about getting stitches, that run like this ///// compared to ----- ?

I had a friend of mine come over to do some leatherwork, she works with leather on a semi-daily basis making prosthetics and stuff like that. We both used my Kyoshin Elle pricking irons, and my stitches went ----- and her stitches went /////. What I'm trying to say, is that, I don't think you need the old English pricking irons to get that stitch. I think it's mainly about having the right technique.

I'll have her over within the next couple of weeks, and hopefully I'll be able to pick up on her technique and if she doesn't mind it, I can try to take some pictures or make a small video, if you're interested.

[public denimy]

That's not entirely true... She pulled the threads in a manner that causes the \\\\\\\\\\\\\, but it's probably very minor. If you use an English pricking iron, the slants become more exaggerated. If you've seen European hand stitched goods, you will know the difference. I could actually tell the difference between the two instantly. I've seen the japanese pricking irons and one of them produces ////////// like marks rather than a more squared diamond. It you use that one, you might get stitches similar to the European style. It really depends on what the holes look like.

[corter]

it's usually diamond awl for //// and round awl for -------

if you're getting ---- with a diamond awl, your pricking angle is off. This is also dangerous because the stitches can actually rip through the leather over time. Stitching technique is also important, learning how to stack stitches, but the awl technique is what will most quickly help you for that look. The stitching in the Hermes videos is just that- they've got years and years of practice hitting that awl at just the right angle, and always put one needle in over the other.

That being said, I've never used the ones that make wide line marks, so I have no clue what the deal is with those.

[public denimy]

Sometime's it's not just because of the angle being off. Some diamond shapes aren't good for \\\\\\\\ stitches. If your holes look like this....

$(KGrHqN,!mEE69UrpGP+BPCwNk37U!~~60_1.JPG

.... It'll be ---------. If \\\\\\ occurs, it should be pretty minor. If you look at the picture, it's the same angled holes in the Al Stohlman book. If your awl is flat and angled in the exact way the english pricking iron dictates, you'll get the \\\\\\\ in full effect. The japanese pricking iron that might look like \\\\\\\ is this iron:

$(KGrHqF,!hsE7EzK)OScBPCwNfcIjQ~~60_1.JPG

Edited April 17, 2012 by public denimy

[corter]

That's the exact same style fork I use for work like this. The reason for the diamond shape is to put one stitch below the other in the stick hole. If you have diamond shaped holes like that and don't get stacked stitching, it's a stitch technique issue.

Edited April 17, 2012 by corter

[t.wayne]

thanks for the book recommendations.

[public denimy]

That's the exact same style fork I use for work like this. The reason for the diamond shape is to put one stitch below the other in the stick hole. If you have diamond shaped holes like that and don't get stacked stitching, it's a stitch technique issue.

I see what you mean with the stacking, but I still consider it to be --------, because it looks closer to that in my opinion. So anytime I reference --------, I'm referring to the straight line stitches or "stacking" stitches.Whenever I mention slanting stitches or \\\\\\\\\\\\\, I'm referring to the stitches used by the French and English (Hermes/Alfred Dunhill).

[corter]

There's nothing subjective about the stitch though- either it's stacked or it's not. the only reason for a diamond shaped hole is to prevent pressure points in each hole from lining up and ripping together.

[simontuntelder]

It's nice to have a good discussion going on.

I'll see, if I can give some input. I can say though, that her stitches were really slant compared to mine, Corter's - and basically most people here - stitches, which are also slant. I think it's something about technique.

BTW Public Denimy, I think you have some slightly wrong ideas about European/British saddlery. Here's an example of an old Danish saddler - using tools, that are like 200 years old and having been in the trade since the late 40's or early 50's.

[public denimy]

I will admit that I still have a lot to learn, but I am training under the instructions of Francis Burdett-Mills and I'm also getting advice from two other craftsmen. One was taught by a Hermes artisan and the other was a bespoke shoe cobbler in London. Francis and the cobbler are very old and they have been in the trade for many years and they both use pricking irons, because it's the standard with the London bench and they are old tools. If anyone is the most qualified in teaching traditional english leather craftsmanship, it's Francis. Looking at the picture you've posted shows excellent craftsmanship, but I'm pretty sure that pricking irons were not used to help create the stitching. Check out this link, it shows the holes created with Blanchard irons and Fil Au Chinois thread:

http://blog.naver.com/PostList.nhn?from=postList&blogId=not_exist&currentPage=5

If you guys don't want to use the english pricking irons, that's great. Both you and Corter produce excellent work. Corter is a beast with all the mass production actually! It actually makes me happier that fewer use these pricking irons. I like the exclusivity, but I hate locating them here in the States.

Edited April 17, 2012 by public denimy

[simontuntelder]

Just a really quick question.

A good friend of mine is in the US - in Chicago. And she is staying close to Horween. So now I'm trying to convince her to buy some Chromexcel or what other good stuff, that they have. And maybe some more shell of course.

But does Horween offer sales to private persons directly from the tannery?

Any help is much appreciated