#leather

1 messages · Page 1 of 1 (latest)

ancient nest
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Does anyone know where I can get decent leather and leather stuff without breaking the bank?

sand lion
tidal niche
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that's one of the major drawbacks of leathercraft as a hobby; the materials are expensive.

If you're buying gear, low price usually means lower quality, but your experience may vary.

Some options for getting materials;

  • look for discounted hides from reputable suppliers; you can score about 40% off for slightly damaged hides (Tandy does this)

  • wholesale fabric/supply stores may offer hides at lower prices, but I find these are often chrome tanned or otherwise pre-finished and likely have minor damage

  • if you're not picky, you can look for chrometanned leather jackets or handbags in thrift stores to modify

  • if you're really not picky, you can look for abandoned leather couches/chairs and bring a knife... (these will almost always be chrometanned, and may be the fake stuff)

sand lion
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Relatives and friends can also be a good starting point. I got about 2 square metres of good leather from my aunt's old leather couch. Leather like this is usually too thin for armour but otherwise in relatively good condition.

jovial siren
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As far as stores go, Tandy really is the best budget option for a beginner. They're the Walmart of leather working so you'll want to stop using the crap they sell as soon as possible, but everything they sell is good enough to let you begin

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I'm still using most of my tools from them since I can sharpen most of them myself

ancient nest
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Thanks for all the help!

red cradleBOT
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GG @ancient nest, you just advanced to level 1!

storm escarp
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Don't be afraid to shop around on line is my advise...............I've never been able to find one place that has all the types of leather I need or at a reasonable price (I never buy from Tandy because they charge way too much for stuff that isn't really all that great)

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I'd Recommend The Leather Guy, Maverick Leather and Montana Leather (some excellent bison hide here for a good price)

tidal niche
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are those available internationally? not everyone is in the US

storm escarp
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I buy/have bought most of the leather I use on-line because there are no decent leather outlets anywhere near me "locally"

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I have seen quite a lot of decent sellers in Europe as well (for example) but often the price after S&H is prohibitive as I live in The US

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I also get certain types of leather on Etsy these days................but those places tend to have a limited or specialized selection.........So again back to the advice above: Shop around and buy from places that have what you want (rather than looking for the "one stop shop" that has everything you might need. mostly because with leather it probably doesn't exist.)

potent arrow
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You can try Frog Jelly Leather.

https://frogjellyleather.com/

Frogjelly Leather
Frogjelly Leather - Leather and Leathercraft Supplies

Over 75 years of leather experience and expertise covering everything from the hide market to the finished product, Frogjelly Leather is the company helping you and your business be the best. Shop leather, dye, finishes, leathercraft tools, hand tools, and more. We are a distributor for Angelus Brand Paint & Dyes

storm escarp
exotic yarrow
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I have used brain to tan my own hides I hunted but it is a messy process boiling the brain mashing it smoking the skin after can be very intricate.