View Full Version : Leather
Ok, all you lot out there. I need a little help, yes, I know, I've been in need of help for years! (Thought I'd get that in before anyone else did. Yes, I'm a spoil sport, I know:nana: ).
As per my blog I'm going to start making some of my own kit to try and save money, and not feel so left out at meet-ups.
One problem, my two big bags of assorted pieces of leather have gone for a walk...:***:
Anyone know where I can get small quantities of leather? Say a few square feet at a time? I don't really need to get a whole side, or even a half, just to make a few pouches.
TIA.
tenbears10
20-12-2004, 11:44
Have you tried charity shops Jak? I know a falconer who uses any leather clothing or old bags he can get at car boot sales to cut up and make new kit.
Or these guys (http://www.leprevo.co.uk/leather.html) have specials which include off cuts sometimes
Bill
Yeah, I used to check the charity shops when I did LARPing, but can't seem to find anything suitable in them right now.
I've already checked Le Prevo, but they didn't have any 'scraps', just full or half sides.
tenbears10
20-12-2004, 12:33
Then what about evil bay? search for falconry because leather returns 1000's of results but people list small sides of leather as falconry supplies.
Shame you dont live near me mate - bachelor brothers sell scrap at a £ for a LB!!
Jak, try ringing local sadlemakers, i'm sure they will have a few off cuts they would be willing to give or sell.
10B, yeah, got fed up searching.
Gary, I'll bare that in mind for future ref.
Steve, nice call guy! We've got one in Reading...
mmcniven
20-12-2004, 18:48
Hi
I have a rather large piece of 3.5mm veg tanned leather which i will probably never need all of, if this is suitable i could give you a couple of square feet.
Failing that try le prevo leather they do sections of around 10 square feet leather in various thicknesses for alot less than you would think and when you think how much you could make from it works out really cheap and will last you for a long time. www.leprevo.co.uk ......they are very helpful on the phone.
Hope this is of some help
Michael
TheViking
20-12-2004, 18:55
Failing that try le prevo leather they do sections of around 10 square feet leather in various thicknesses for alot less than you would think and when you think how much you could make from it works out really cheap and will last you for a long time. www.leprevo.co.uk ......they are very helpful on the phone.
Have a look in the 2'nd and 3'rd post. :wink: :D
mmcniven
20-12-2004, 19:01
Oops didnt read them, still it is worth looking at their prices for sides, they are not as expensive as most people think.
Carcajou Garou
20-12-2004, 21:40
Have you tried salvage clothing stores sometimes a real good buy (leather coat) for less than the going rate.
just a thought
Celtic Dragon
11-01-2005, 16:43
I to am on the lookout for cheap leather. I have tried the saddlers in my area but all their leather is 5mm thick, which I find is to thick for a sheath (thats what the current 1 is made out of). Thanks for the heads up on the locak charity shops, I'll go looking next week. Not only do I want a new knife sheath, but want to make a belt pouch for a torch, a small knife, multi tool and possibly my phone, although I may make a seperate 1 for that.
The only thing that worries me is that the clothing leather is too thin for what we want to do with it.
The only thing that worries me is that the clothing leather is too thin for what we want to do with it.
Look for old handbags then, I think they tend to be thicker.
The norm for sheaths & similar is 7-8Oz or 8-9Oz. This is the approximate weight per sq ft of the leather; not that much use per se until you find out that the thickness conforms - more or less - to 1Oz per 1/64". So 8Oz is about 3.2mm, 5mm corresponds to around 12-13Oz...
Garment and handbag leathers tend to be around the 2Oz mark tops, AND they are usually chrome tanned, not veg tanned - chrome tanned leather has chemicals remaining in it that can corrode steel.
I have a good relationship with a small family leatherworking business. They make everything from saddles, down through clothing to strops and keyrings. Nice people too.
If you have a specific requirement, PM me and I will see what I can squeeze out of them.
beachlover
12-01-2005, 19:58
Hi Rob,
What about leather belts? I was going to buy one from the Ray mears site, but if there is and equally good deal about????
And what about a nice possibles pouch?
greg2935
12-01-2005, 20:04
As per previous post, I've bought good hides off Ebay from American sellers, there is usually a good range of weights available too.
Greg
Hi Rob,
What about leather belts? I was going to buy one from the Ray mears site, but if there is and equally good deal about????
And what about a nice possibles pouch?
PM Sent
Rob,
Please share or PM me as I've been waiting for someone to reply to Beachlovers post :?:
As per previous post, I've bought good hides off Ebay from American sellers, there is usually a good range of weights available too.
Do you not get slammed on shipping? There's also the caveat emptor thing, I guess...
I noticed today that http://www.traditionalmaterials.co.uk/html/main.php also does leather in small pieces. £6 per sq ft, plus a cutting charge (which seems only reasonable, really!)
outdoorgirl
17-01-2005, 11:06
Look for 'leather factors & merchants' in the yellow pages.
The other place to get leather from is re-enactment fairs. The best one is the Original Re-enactment Market, now heald near Coventry twice a year, but if you Google 're-enactment' and 'market' or 'fair', you should get a fair list of dates and places. Many of the traders also provide a postal service, and will often send samples, or bags of off-cuts...
Good point, although a large number of shoe shops seem to be listed there too...
http://www.kellysearch.com/gb-product-55400.html - I usually use Kellysearch for industrial materials, it hadn't occurred to me to look for less technical things too!
if the leather is too thick you can shave it down a bit with a piece of broken glass. dont get cut though...
beachlover
18-01-2005, 20:25
The other place to get leather from is re-enactment fairs. The best one is the Original Re-enactment Market, now heald near Coventry twice a year, ...
Do you happen to know when those are held, before I go googling?
Ok Guys. If you are out shopping and googling and stuff, check out these people, and make sure you let them know that Rob sent you. I wont get anything out of it, although I might be able to prise a bacon sarnie out of them at a shoot. :-)
http://www.theworkshopuk.com
I use them, and they are most helpful, and reasonably priced. :biggthump
outdoorgirl
19-01-2005, 10:12
The original Re-enactors market is held mid-march and mid-november... Actual dates for the next march one:
Spring Market 2005
11th 12th and 13th March
Opening times
Friday 12.00 to 6.00
Saturday 10.00 to 5.00
Sunday 10.00 to 4.00
It's much quieter on Fridays, usually with just mad people like me, and other traders shopping. Saturday is always packed, and Sunday too, although you can get a bargain at the end of the day...
There's an entry fee of £3 per day, or a fast-track tickets of £7.50 that lets you all for the whole show, and lets you bypass the (usally very long) queues.
Hundreds of suppliers there, selling everything from raw materials to completed items - fabrics, leathers, etc, to daggers, knives, swords, full suits of armour etc... :)
Bardster
28-04-2005, 22:28
I am an amateur leather crafter as can be seen at my site crafts.probetech.co.uk and often have a few ofcuts lying around if you want to contact me. Also the identity store http://www.theidentitystore.co.uk/store/index.htm
does offcut packs (they are the tandy leathercraft distributor in the UK)
Hey Jak, I'm in the middle of trying to persuade the maintenance men to give me some leftover green leather if you're interested (and anybody else for that matter). I'm not sure how much yet but I'll post when I do.