Leathercrafting Creations: PYC

[TheBlackGoat]

this weeks bounty of orders, two horween horsehides and a horween Huntsmen brown CXL mid wallet.

[corter]

I seriously don't think, anybody here should be talking negatively about another craftsman's work. At least not in public. Especially, when you have nothing bad to say about his work.

What I mean is that you can charge whatever you like for a product. You charge according to the customers, you want to attract also. If you want to sell -what is supposed to be perceived as a luxury product- then you don't price it at $10. If you set the price for your wallet at $1000, then you might not sell anything, but if you sold one to one happy customer, then I don't see the problem.

But I think, that many of you probably feel a bit insufficient, when it comes to your work. This could be because most of you are self-taught. Because you know the limitations of your current skills. Because you see all the tiny mistakes in your product. Or because you just don't realize how talented you are. Therefore you don't dare setting the price, that your product really deserves.

I know this is the case with myself.

Having a design degree and many advertising classes under my belt, I completely agree that if someone can get that price for their work, markets accordingly, and has a product that stands up to the price, then it's completely fine. Look at Grey Goose vodka, etc. also agree that many people under value their work. To the contrary, I think you can make your "limited skill" work to your advantage in today's market very well because heritage, artisan, maker, one-of-a-kind is directly on trend and selling like mad for crazy prices. The wallets in question aren't perfect technically- round awl, no groover, etc-but they're beautiful to look at, and that imperfection is probably at least 50% of the appeal to the customer. I think once you see the work that costs that much literally falling apart, you have the right to speak about it. Like I said, great craft and nice design, but a customer shouldn't have to worry about a $500 wallet falling apart in 6-8 months. The materials need to be beefed up to warrant the price.

I think this is one of the biggest issues with all of the pop-up leather and bag companies in general, lack of testing. I saw a large $400 duffel a while back that used single strips of 5oz leather for handles- those things are going to be on the ground with any normal use after a year. We've all made a proto and put it online to see if it sells. However, you learn that it's important to make a few, get them in testers hands, and wait a few months to see how they perform, refine, redesign ,etc until things are perfect. That's the real test, and that's the true mark of a good designer and craftsman. It's frustrating to see others not doing the same sometimes.

[ItsJustNC]

Those would make insane button flys.!

[JoeySullivan]

That's great, are you routing out the inside when you drill? The brass would mushroom right up in the expanse, so solid.

No need to routing out. The cooper shaft expend when hammered and the attachment is really strong. However, i'll try to cut a thread with a tiny tap to test a screw attachment...

[McBaine]

Well said, Corter. I completely agree that product testing is of the utmost importance, and yet oftentimes, regardless of the field, products are pushed to market before they are ready. I know that I won't consider selling an item until half a dozen or so have been used for a number of months. I was out with a group of friends last night and we had 15 of my pieces and prototypes between us that we were all testing the durability of.

[simontuntelder]

Well said, Corter. I completely agree that product testing is of the utmost importance, and yet oftentimes, regardless of the field, products are pushed to market before they are ready. I know that I won't consider selling an item until half a dozen or so have been used for a number of months. I was out with a group of friends last night and we had 15 of my pieces and prototypes between us that we were all testing the durability of.

That's good, that you are doing that. Kudos.

But you are both just assuming, that Barrett Alley is just putting stuff out - without having tested it. Not all wallets are meant to be carried in the back pocket for instance, some are meant to be carried in the jacket pocket.

I'm just saying, don't badmouth another craftsman, when it's based on rumours, assumptions and the likes. It can really ruin a man's reputation.

[corter]

Business tip- You can't just sell something without pointing out it's limitations in normal, average use if it has any. That won't end well. Would you sell a hammock without stating it's 150lb weight limit? It's safe to say that a classic 7 slot bifold will be put in a back pocket, and nowhere does it state any limitations concerning where you carry the wallet. It should have been fine.

I don't know if the products are tested, but I've seen one of the pictured wallets evolve month by month for the last 8 months with my own eyes (not rumors) and the stitching is literally falling apart, the leather has stretched and thinned to about 1.5-2oz thickness, and the leather looks terribly bad- it's black and flat like an over oiled piece of old veg tan yet has never been oiled. This would have been picked up within a week of testing.

I think it's also important to note that I'm not badmouthing another craftsman as well. The craft is really really nice, very much deserving of the price if he can get it with his brand placement in the market. it's the materials that need reworking. You'll learn to welcome constructive criticism, because that's how you get better and evolve. Often times it's easier to take that than compliments for some creatives I know, because they know they'll learn way more from crit than compliments.

[JAW]

This is kind of fun, a knife roll I made a little over a year ago for my chef friend. The very first one I ever made. Tons of funky stuff going on, but it looks great. Starting to break in:

And here is the last couple days, smaller size knife rolls:

[McBaine]

Love it, JAW. I've been thinking about making one for a while now, just haven't had time.

[ItsJustNC]

Not all wallets are meant to be carried in the back pocket for instance, some are meant to be carried in the jacket pocket.

I'm just saying, don't badmouth another craftsman, when it's based on rumours, assumptions and the likes. It can really ruin a man's reputation.

No offense but that is quite absurd. Its as good as saying that you designed a wrist watch that tells the time with perfect precision but starts losing accuracy whenever you walk.

The standard benchmark a craftsman has to hit for a bifold is for it to be able to withstand the abuse of a person putting it in the back pocket. Thats the most common place a bifold is placed, unless you are catering to a niche market of jacket-wearing-wallet-carriers.

And i wouldn't say that we are defaming him and ripping on him. Anyone who offers or creates anything should be able to take constructive comments in stride. My $0.02

[ItsJustNC]

On a side note, something i recently made. Oil tanned with brass and copper hardware.

[raWorkshop]

Back in the game, my first attempt at a long wallet. I made the apron as well. Looking for some crits if y'all don't mind.

The shape is derived from a wallet on one of those Japanese leather ad-mags.

[marineabilly]

^Very Nice!

[corter]

Latigo & Suede

[unlucky]

This one is burgundy cxl with a veg-tan pigskin lining.

[rkusmant]

Thanks Scott!

Horween Chromexcel Color #8, Brown/Natural, Veg Tan Horsehide.

Design: me, Leather artisan: Scott Willis (unlucky)

Front View

Front View #2

Side View

Top View - Fully Opened

Top View - 1/2 Closed

Top View - Closed

Straps

[lazybum]

Sheath for my newly acquired vintage cs osborne knife

And some bracelets

[corter]

working on a natural nato for another company, kinda fun project

[McBaine]

Looks great, Corter. I did one a while back and they break in beautifully.

[corter]

thanks! I'd love to see yours broken in. I'm not a watch wearer myself, things around my wrist bug me when working, but I'm going to try and wear this a bit to see how it wears.

[hollowsleather]

Someone finally convinced me to make a shoulder bag, I'm really proud of this one:

Sore fingers.

[simontuntelder]

I'm not religious. But oh jaysus, that's AMAZING!!!

[Happy Hooligan]

I like the two tone of the leather...

[TheBlackGoat]

Hollows!!! God damn!! Nice bag!

I understand the amount of work went into that bad boy, hope the owner enjoys it. How many hours you put into it? 30+ I imagine?

P.s. package is in the mail!

[=SUMI=]

eBay x-kaijin-x sote here!!

http://myworld.ebay.com/x-kaijin-x

[unlucky]

This one is all veg-tanned, Horween horse and Herman Oak strap. Tomorrow it gets oiled. Machine stitching these things is hard enough. I can't imagine doing it by hand. Nice work Hollows!

[lazybum]

@Hollows

Love the way you do the edges of the opening of the bag. I think it would have been even more perfect if you did the same for the edges of the lid of the bag. But that's going to be tricky work. How thin is the leather covering the edges?

[raWorkshop]

Hollows, looks great. How do you test/account for dye-fastness/rub off?

[hollowsleather]

Thanks all. Definitely over 30 hours in that one, though I wasn't keeping track. Projects like that are why audiobooks exist.

I considered rolling the edge on the flap as well, but I wasn't 100% confident that I could do it around the curve as nicely as I would want, and it looks almost as good with the plain edge, so I thought I should just leave it alone. It's maybe 5-6oz throughout.

It's a pre-finished oil tanned leather, seems like it's pretty colorfast. I went at it with a dry rag a bit to see if I could get any color to transfer and it was pretty minimal.

If I ever find the time to make myself something like that, I might do something similar with two straps, I'm a backpack guy.

[raWorkshop]

Hello best thread on the internet! How is everyone?

It has a pretty satisfying density to it. I finished it in one day, design through burnish, which I'm pretty happy about.