Leather Supply ?

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Hylander

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So I would like to try my hand at making a possibles bag  and a few other items.
No experience at all with leather working.
First is where to get some leather ?
I have looked a bit and it is very expensive, seems it would cost me more for just the leather alone to make a bag than to buy them already made.
I live close to a Tandy's, but again super expensive.

Also what type of leather and weight for a possibles bag.
 
I have some lamb hides that I could sell cheap. $5ea a hide + shipping. They are butter soft and 2oz weight. I made a bag out of one hide along with some ball bags and its a great leather. 4 to 6 sq ft.
 
FrontierGander said:
I have some lamb hides that I could sell cheap. $5ea a hide + shipping. They are butter soft and 2oz weight. I made a bag out of one hide along with some ball bags and its a great leather. 4 to 6 sq ft.
Thanks,
PM Sent
 
FrontierGander said:
I have some lamb hides that I could sell cheap. $5ea a hide + shipping. They are butter soft and 2oz weight. I made a bag out of one hide along with some ball bags and its a great leather. 4 to 6 sq ft.
Send me two hides Jonathan.
 
Hermit said:
Howdy:

Got any of those lamb hides left?
I got 4 left after I send 2 to Buck.

If you are interested they are $5 each + shipping.
 
Yes and thanks, that is if you still have them. Let me know what to do next and we will wrap it up. Thanks again.
 
When I started making the small pouches, accoutrements and other leather items, I was very cost aware. I went to flea markets, garage sales, thrift, salvation army and other resale shops. I bought old leather coats, jackets pants, skirts, belts, etc. Old jackets and clothes may have torn out seams. SO! Buy them, rip out the seams saving the leather to make smalls items from. Belts and straps of any type leather make nice lacing and ties. sections of clothes and coats can be heavy cowhide to soft suade. I also was able to do a good trade in wool blanket materials and used to make different sized plain and fancy wool capotes, huntshirts and leggings. Your imagination on the search and ideas from pictures or patterns is the limit for making anything. I found silverware. handle proper styles and cut spoons to make patch strip holders for on pouch strap; and flatten the spoon and file to shape arrowheads for hunting arrows of the archer, etc. etc. Easy!!!! see couple pics below
 
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View attachment 287Wool Shirt 1.jpgIMG_0177.JPG
When I started making the small pouches, accoutrements and other leather items, I was very cost aware. I went to flea markets, garage sales, thrift, salvation army and other resale shops. I bought old leather coats, jackets pants, skirts, belts, etc. Old jackets and clothes may have torn out seams. SO! Buy them, rip out the seams saving the leather to make smalls items from. Belts and straps of any type leather make nice lacing and ties. sections of clothes and coats can be heavy cowhide to soft suade. I also was able to do a good trade in wool blanket materials and used to make different sized plain and fancy wool capotes, huntshirts and leggings. Your imagination on the search and ideas from pictures or patterns is the limit for making anything. I found silverware. handle proper styles and cut spoons to make patch strip holders for on pouch strap; and flatten the spoon and file to shape arrowheads for hunting arrows of the archer, etc. etc. Easy!!!!
 
... I found silverware. handle proper styles and cut spoons to make patch strip holders for on pouch strap; and flatten the spoon and file to shape arrowheads for hunting arrows of the archer, etc. etc. Easy!!!! see couple pics below
Now that's really innovative making arrowheads from spoons. How were they attached to the arrow shaft?
 
You cut the spoon off about 1/2" up handle from the spoon. Either file or heat and hammer this handle and spoon flat. It should be able to fit in a slit shaft with a period or modern glue and wrapped with sinew or thin rawhide lace. Measure the blade shaft length and tie the Arrow with sinew there. After you shape the spoon to your desired form, then install it to the arrow shaft. You can sharpen prior to each use. Stainless needs heated hotter than silver. Make as flat and straight as possible. The aerodynamics of the arrow IS important so it flies true. Soup spoons have larger heads with wider cut area, while the dessert spoons smaller size will be lighter and narrower in cutting width. The spoon handles can be bent with the deco part forward. 1,5" from end, bend 180 degrees leaving about 1/4" space within the bend. About another 1" bend 180 degrees forming sort of an 'S' shape. Cut off the excess 1" below the second bend. To use as a Shooting Patch Strip holder, make a slit wide enough to insert the back bend in and down and crimp the end to the leather. Install for your functional use where it serve you best. You can make a lot and use as trade goods.
 
I made the mistake of renting a house to a pair of Crows (kids in their early 30's). They started doing brain tanned leather for the locals in the backyard. After two seasons of this operation they asked me about all the hair from the hides, it needed to be removed (got real slippery when wet and the smell would knock you down). I had to use the backhoe and drag that stuff out to wear there was room to load in a trailer, then go to our dump and dig a hole to bury that hair. I had more stuff made from brain tanned leather in those days (complete set of skins, pouches, bags of all sizes - top of the line stuff).
 
I got a nice sheet of soft, pliable leather from a friend who did refinishing to furniture and automobile interiors. He said he just DIDN"T want to throw it out. He knew I'd put it to good use. He said I could have it and I smiled. He had a CVA .45 rifle he hunted PA's extra ML season for deer. So I made him a fancy, fringed gun sleeve with a touch of beadwork for the gift I'd received. You can get scraps for your craft work if your not to shy. Ask folks with these type shops for small scraps they might throw out. All they can say is NO. and that costs NOthing. I occasionally get a couple sets of horns from a couple of the slaughter houses I check at. They occasionally give me a couple. But no gain if you don't inquire. FYI
 
I got a nice sheet of soft, pliable leather from a friend who did refinishing to furniture and automobile interiors. He said he just DIDN"T want to throw it out. He knew I'd put it to good use. He said I could have it and I smiled. He had a CVA .45 rifle he hunted PA's extra ML season for deer. So I made him a fancy, fringed gun sleeve with a touch of beadwork for the gift I'd received. You can get scraps for your craft work if your not to shy. Ask folks with these type shops for small scraps they might throw out. All they can say is NO. and that costs NOthing. I occasionally get a couple sets of horns from a couple of the slaughter houses I check at. They occasionally give me a couple. But no gain if you don't inquire. FYI
Nothing to loose either by inquiring to manufacturing facilities about their scraps or rejects. When I lived in PA I'd go to the Woolrich Clothing Woolen Mill whenever I was looking for craft materials such as leather, lace, buttons, fasteners, fabric, etc.. Their scraps or rejects were high quality and very cheap to buy.
 
I make holsters for a living and my scrap skirting pile just hit the ceiling! Seriously..the pile is that high! It is mostly all 10/12 oz vegetable tanned, American made leather that I paid $9/sq ft for. Shipping is the killer here, but if you boys want some, let me know what size pieces and how many pounds that you want
 
I make holsters for a living and my scrap skirting pile just hit the ceiling! Seriously..the pile is that high! It is mostly all 10/12 oz vegetable tanned, American made leather that I paid $9/sq ft for. Shipping is the killer hedere, but if you boys want some, let me know what size pieces and how many pounds that you want
Whats the difference between American or foreign made leatther ?
 
Whats the difference between American or foreign made leatther ?
The stank of urine. And the feeling of patriotic pride.

But I suppose the biggest difference is consistency in the product... I know what I'm going to get every time. I've had some pretty good foriegn leather but sometimes it's hit or miss.
 
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I know in deer our latitude produces the best leather for coats, north more they have thinner skin and more fur
 

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