Help with buying leather

wildmanh

wildmanh

Part time Leather Bender/Sheath maker
Joined
Jul 9, 2000
Messages
7,764
I going to be buying some Leather soon for sheath making. I don't want to spend more than $40 to $50 right now if possible. What do you guys sugest? Am looking at buying from Tandy Leather. Are there any other good leather dealers in Utah or online?

Also I've had my eye on the Vegetable Tanned Tooling Bellies from Tandy Leather. Cause I can get one for around $20. What do you think of these?

Any and all info would be great.:)


Note, I already have the basic tools; neddles, thread, tools to cut leather, punches, stamps, rivets, eyelets, snaps and so on. Am just lacking the leather.

Thanks,

Heber
 
I've used Tandy leather for sheaths for folding knives and concealment holsters for snubbies. I am very satisfied with the quality of the leather. Just inspect what you are buying well and it should give you very good service.
Bob
 
Wildmanh, before you buy any leather or go any farther on this project(which I'm rather jealous of ;) ) I suggest you read through the following thread, and the links included in it. This is about best collection I've seen of infomration to get started on sheathmaking, from what cuts of leather, what tools, how to, etc. I think it'd be very helpful to you.

http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=262848&highlight=leather

Contributors to this thread know a lot more about this stuff than I do(not counting my posts, of course. :)
 
Our local store always has several remnant boxes
of many types of leather/cuts that can be picked through.
Most large enough for most sheaths.
 
Heber my friend don't use bellys as they're too thin for sheaths except for small folders or the like.
You need at least 9-10 ounce leather for sheaths and 10-12 ia even better, 'specially for khuks!!!!
 
ok, someone else said it, good. :)

I've been told Belly's were too thin, and often stretch or something(read that thread, that's where I learned it), but as I haven't tried it myself, didn't feel right giving you that advice. So far have paid other people to do my leather work.

But since Yvsa already said it, I'm find agreeing. :)
 
You don't want bellies, you want sides for sheaths. Sheaths should be stiff and sides are better in that regard. Tandy has always been a reliable source of supplies for me.
Another thing - wash the residual tanning salts out of the leather by soaking it through 3 or 4 changes of water for several hours before use. Prevents blade rust later.
B.
--
 
So, the bellies are different? hmm, I didn't know that. Does Tandy sell smaller sides? I don't want to have to lay down $70 to $100 right mow for leather. I just want enought to do say 3 fixed blades (Like the SOG Field Pup), and maybe a folder or two. With some leather left over.

Dean, the remnants Bag sounds like a good idea. I got one of those 8 years ago and was able to made a few sheaths. Should have remembered that. Thanks.

Now, what does the ounce thing mean? Is it how much it weighs per square inch or what? And, how thick is 7 to 9 oz. leather and also 9 to 11 oz. leather?


etp777, thanks for the link. I've book marked it and will read it soon.

Thanks again and keep it coming.:)

Heber
 
Originally posted by wildmanh
the remnants Bag sounds like a good idea
Click to expand...
Our local Tandy doesn't sell bagfuls,
they sell individual remnants so you can pick & choose.

Sometimes in remnant bags elsewhere I've found useful pieces,
but most often the bags really contain scrap with a couple
of useful sizes thrown in to make them marginally attractive.
 
Originally posted by wildmanh
So, the bellies are different? hmm, I didn't know that. Does Tandy sell smaller sides?...............and maybe a folder or two. With some leather left over.


Now, what does the ounce thing mean? Is it how much it weighs per square inch or what? And, how thick is 7 to 9 oz. leather and also 9 to 11 oz. leather?

Heber
Click to expand...

Heber the "ounce thing" is the way the old leathercrafters designated the thickness of leather and it's hung around as such things do.:)
An ounce is the same as 1/64" so 9-10 oz leather is 9/64ths" to 10/64ths of an inch and so forth.
Tandy has shoulders that you can usually find some sheath material in.
Just talk to the store help and they will fix you right up. Here in Tulsa we're very fortunate to have a couple of places besides Tandy to deal with.
One is Mid-Continent and the other is LC Leather if I remember correctly.
Both of them do shipping to all over the country so it's an option if you need it.
Actually the back and neck are the thickest parts of cowhide, and Buffalo.
The Plains Tribes used the neck skin of buffalo in a detailed and drawn out method of wetting and heating to make their shields.
A properly made shield would actually turn away many of the old black powder bullets!!!!:eek: :D


I've never had any problems with the Live Oak or any vegetable tanned leather etching a knife blade or anything else steel I've stored in it.
I've got a special little handmade damascus ceremonial skinner wrapped up in a piece of commercially tanned deerskin and it looks as good today as it did when I put it there about 3-4 years ago!!!!
It's been used in ceremony on me when I did a flesh offering back when.;)
 
Thanks for the help guys. Tuesday I went to a Tandy Leather store and looked at the scraps. I didn't see anything I really liked so I talked to one of the employess. He pointed out some nice Vegetable Tanned leather he had cut that morning. They were all about 12" x 20" or so, in verying thicknesses. I bought a 9/10oz piece.

Am making a sheath pattern right now based off of the SOG Field Pups Leather/Kydex sheath. Though mine will be crossdraw instead of strong side.


Yvsa, that must be some THICK Leather to stop black powerder bullets. Hopefully it wasn't your flesh in the offering. :eek:
 
I had some real nasty red stuff grow on a carbon steel knife that was in a leather sheath during foul weather. It apparently got a little damp in there. Randall Made cautions owners not to store knives in their sheath for that reason.
Here's a test; take a piece of new, clean vegetable tan leather and put it on your tongue. Tastes bitter, like nasty salt, right? Do the wash thing through 3 or 4 changes of water, dry the leather and now taste it again.
Brian;)
 
Originally posted by wildmanh
Yvsa, that must be some THICK Leather to stop black powerder bullets. Hopefully it wasn't your flesh in the offering. :eek:
Click to expand...

I'm told as much as 5/8 to 3/4" thick in som cases Heber.

Yup, it was mine. Barbie helped me by holding the pieces of my upper arm up with a needle while I cut off the pieces with the knife. Ceremonial doesn't hurt and helps a great deal, although it can bleed like crazy.:D If my little granddaughter doesn't get real better real quick I'm a mind to do it again. It helped the last time.
Different strokes for different folks and that's about all I'm allowed to say about it anywhere.;)
 
Originally posted by Yvsa
I'm told as much as 5/8 to 3/4" thick in som cases Heber.

Yup, it was mine. Barbie helped me by holding the pieces of my upper arm up with a needle while I cut off the pieces with the knife. Ceremonial doesn't hurt and helps a great deal, although it can bleed like crazy.:D If my little granddaughter doesn't get real better real quick I'm a mind to do it again. It helped the last time.
Different strokes for different folks and that's about all I'm allowed to say about it anywhere.;)
Click to expand...

*Shudder*:eek: You are a lot braver than me.:) I'll stick to praying for your granddaughter.;) Hope she gets better soon.
 
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