Need Leather Ideas

[Steve Clarkson]

I met with a guy today that can supply me leather.....CHEAP! He wants to sell me scraps (some are 3'x2' and most are 2'x1') for $1 per POUND. He also told me that he can get me the whole side of a cow (uncut) for $200.....he showed me one....and by God, it really did look like half a cow! Anyway, I think I'll be able to get it for free, since he wants me to make him some business cards out of leather.

Most of the leather he has is dark with heavy oils in it (he wants me to use this stuff, but I told him the contrast wouldn't be very good). But he also has some nice light brown stuff (which is what I told him I wanted), that I think would engrave nicely.

Yes, I know it stinks and I'm not looking forward to that.....but I like free.

So what can I make with all this leather? Here is what I think I can make:

Business Cards
Key fobs
coasters
photo portraits
plaques/awards
belts
guitar straps
bible covers

But, I don't really have any templates for this stuff. Yes, I can cut a circle and call it a coaster, but does anyone have any advice on how to make NICE ones? Glue it to a round piece of wood and THEN call it a coaster? How about bible covers.....yep, I can cut a rectangle and fold it in half, but won't the bible slip out?

So any ideas or files for making things out of leather would be greatly appreciated.

[sean m. titmas]

leather wrapped handles on a tool chest, box, bats, etc.

leather covered inset panels on cabinet doors

desk with leather top insert.

for book covers you need to add a 2" strip on either side of the inside so that the edges of the book can tuck into them.

i would be interested in buying some from this guy if comes in a steel gray color. i have a table and chair job where i need leather cushion seats and writing surfaces.

[Phil Salvati]

Steve,

You hit quite a few ideas....

Depending on the thickness...book and bible covers are going to be tricky.

Watch your heat when making designs on a finished product that has to be flat...ie., coasters and key fobs.... lazing leather is like branding a cow... to much heat will shrink the leather causing it to curl.

A few more ideas for you....

I use it for Dream catchers. We cut odd shapes and tie them in. We distress the edges with a 60 grit sanding wheel, then heat an old branding iron to give the edges some color. Add to it a little brown leather dye.... done!

We have made several Bow sleeves for the local 4H shooting team too.

I also make quite a few name patches and POW-MIA patches for MC vests.

If you have civil war reinacting groups around your area... they will love what you can do! We make ball pouches, Powder horns (you will need cow horns) we wrap the tops with leather and engrave military company insignia's on them. Gun slings, etc...the list is long.

You will get used to the smell.... I happen to like it...but we brand and de-horn cattle quite a bit 'round these parts! If your laser is inside your house.... I would let the fan evacuate the work area completely before opening the cabinet. The smell does linger a while!

[Steve Clarkson]

Thanks for the ideas.

Phil, do you have a pattern that you can share with me for the bow sleeves and gun slings?

Oh......and can leather be glued? Or does it have to be sewn?

[Mike Null]

Steve

I have made and posted a few items from vegetable tanned leather (tan in color) and it works great. An inlay for a box and and inlay for a plaque jsut to name a couple.

[Steve Clarkson]

Yea Mike......I did read the old posts and saw your stuff. It was really nice....like that bible quote on leather mounted on the piece of wood.

That's actually where I got the plaque idea that I posted.

And I GUARANTEE you Bill Cunningham is going to tell me that the color of the leather will "depend on the last meal the cow had before meeting her maker"!!!!! LOL!!!

[Tim Bateson]

Are the cow hides from grain fed or free range cows?

[Bruce Volden]

Are the cow hides from grain fed or free range cows?

Now I don't care what you say, that there is funny!

Bookmarks are something to add to the list.

Bruce

[Dee Gallo]

Hi Steve,

I saw some really nice leather mousepads - if your leather is heavy enough to lay flat, they'd be easy to make and they were selling for $40 each! (I didn't buy one...)

cheers, dee

[onur cakir]

Lampshades

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachme...6&d=1233773186

[Robert Snowden]

Book mark's cut cross and ingrave praying hand's.If you come uo with a good bible cover please let me know.

[Steve Clarkson]

How could I forget bookmarks? And a mousepad is a great idea too. Onur....it's too thick and too small....I think.

Well, the burgandy stuff engraved OK......but the over three dark colors, you really couldn't see. The light brown engraved beautifully, as expected. But I'm having a devil of a time cutting this stuff. Corian was almost easier to cut!

[sean m. titmas]

what about a leather shop apron with a nice custom logo burned into the front?
or some a$$less chaps?

either one would work well in the shop and i would buy the apron.

[Dee Gallo]

Long long ago, someone posted some really nice loose-leaf notebooks. They were for a ranch or something, but they would be nice for real estate companies, wedding pictures, camp albums, etc. You just have to buy a cheap plastic ring binder and cut out the rings, then glue them to the leather cover.

Also, if you get into the glue-construction, you can make CD holders and checkbook holders.

There have been a bunch of clock designs posted in wood lately, but I think a clock face in leather would be rather unique.

There is a new thing for bookmarks where you use a thin magnet and the bookmark folds over the page, so it doesn't fall out, although that might be better suited to very thin leather.

dee

[Larry Bratton]

Problem I have had with leather is that the thickness varies. However, the lighter color engraves nicely. Most people that engrave it, put a leather sealer on it first. I use one called Neatlac from Tandy. That will keep the residue from smearing and making your piece unusable. Your right, it stinks when being cut and I don't know a remedy for that.