Leather thickness question.

mccandmatt

mccandmatt

Joined
Oct 29, 2013
Messages
358
I have been looking at a lot of handmade sheaths of late and it seems to me in the pictures most crafters are using thicker leather than I have been, What I have been using is 6-7 ounce. To me it just kind if feels a bit thin, After doing a wet mold, dyeing, applying some neatsfoot, and stitching, it is pretty stiff (really really stiff) after a few days. Should I be working with thicker leather or is it mostly personal preference?

THanks,

Matt
 
For wet molding I use mostly 7/8 ounce, your right about 6/7 it just seems a little too thin to me. Others would disagree I'm sure so its simply personal preference.
 
Thanks for replying.
Next time I am out near my Tandy going to stop in and pick up some 7/8 and 8/9 I think.
 
Those two are my most used weights. :)

Aside from that I use a lot of 2/3 for lining snaps. Occasional 4/5 for frames.
 
Mr. Puckett maybe you can confirm this for me. I was at Tandy earlier and was looking through the single shoulder stack of what they call Craftsman, not oak leaf and definitely not European, but looking at the 7/9 ounce I saw some came from Mexico and some from Argentina, I also noticed that the leather from Mexico was much more stiff, and the Argentina leather was softer and looked much nicer. Is this just simply random?

Also I was drooling over the European cuts wow that is nice leather!
 
Good eye! Yes there is a difference in the places where that leather was manufactured. There are two tanneries in Mexico, one very good, and one not so much. But the difference is so huge its not a problem figuring which you are looking at. The bad tannery has stiff, uneven, and blotchy look to it, the good tannery is like the Argentinian stuff you found, its soft and even, good color and feel. Look at the back of the shoulder as well, if its got a lot of patchy fibers that pull up in chunks then your looking at second rate leather. Unfortunately for the local stores they have no control what they get, even my local Leather Factory is under the thumb of corporate and he worked there for a while.

Best advice, get to know your manager and talk to him about these tanneries and that you know the difference. If he is in the know then he will tell you when he gets the good stuff. Its not anywhere near consistent, but when they get it the locals do find out and then its a race. :)

The European bends and shoulders are so nice huh? Expensive but a true joy to work with, but worth it? Unless you work a lot of high end stuff its not, and yea, I still get both. When I can get my hands on the good tannery from Mexico I do it in a heartbeat. But when I have a customer who wants the best, well then the European tanned leather is the tip top.
 
Yeah the Argentinian leather is more supple (I think that is the right term) it is a tad darker, and even though it is thicker it is nice and loose.

Thanks for the advice!
 
Double tap. :o But yes, the more supple feel is key, and the back of the leather is just as important. Make sure its even and no loose fibers. If you see those loose fibers then its a pass as you will never get them off. I've tried with a free chunk I got and it just kept peeling off revealing another layer of loose fibers. Nasty.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top