Great Leather!

Got any great sources for leather? Tools? Machinery? Looking for sources?
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Re: Great Leather!

#551 Post by jesselee »

Nat,
Thanks, they have some nice stuff. I requested samples.

Cheers,

JesseLee
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kemosabi
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Re: Great Leather!

#552 Post by kemosabi »

Good folks there at Waterhouse. I've ordered from them before, talked on the phone etc.

Been using their cream cow liner and 5.5oz oiled sides for awhile now.

Nice to do business with a place that wants to be in business, eh? Seems like too many nowdays don't care anymore. Sad, but true.

-Nat
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Re: Great Leather!

#553 Post by dw »

I got some samples from AA Crack today of a soft Italian calf and an Italian veal. Both are struck through and look very much like the "French calf that has been on the market domestically" but which now seems to be drying up.

I would not hesitate to use this leather for shoes or even boots.

Checking on Crack's site both leathers come in a wide rage of colours and are about 3.5 -4 ounce in weight (1.2-1.4mm). I was quoted £4.11 which at a rough estimate is about $8.00 a sq. ft.--a very good price, although it does not take into consideration the shipping.

Crack also carries a lovely veg tanned baby calf in a 2.5-3 ounce which wants to be burnished or antiqued. A baby buffalo that is retanned and quite good looking, a large colour range of nubuc and several other promising leathers. I don't have price quotes on these other leathers so some further research will be needed..

Their website is http://www.aacrack.co.uk/

I am thinking of doing a group buy so that shipping can be kept at a minimum.

Anyone interested?

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Re: Great Leather!

#554 Post by romango »

DW, I'm interested.
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Re: Great Leather!

#555 Post by dw »

Rick, et al,

I think that makes five of us now....maybe more in the offing.

I see this essentially as Buyer's Consortium with no one making any profit--like when we bought from Baker or Goetz.

The next step is for all those who have contacted me to check out the Crack website and make a list of what they want and in what quantities.

I will then contact AA crack and ask for a break-down of prices on each item and an estimate of shipping costs for the lot.

I will then forward those figures back to participants in the consortium for confirmation and payment.

Proportional shipping fees may be included in the initial arrangements. But each person should be aware that forwarding fees to their specific address as well as customs and brokerage fees will apply once the shipment is in country.

All further arrangements will be made through email.

Rick...interesting set of tattoos.

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Re: Great Leather!

#556 Post by dw »

Finally! A source for decent suede.

Bokay Leather in St. Louis--bokaylea@aol.com 314-835-9441 is an agent for C.F. Stead in England. He is offering Stead's Janus Calf--a top grain French calf finished for use as a legitimate suede.

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Re: Great Leather!

#557 Post by courtney »

I'm exited to hear about it! Thanks!

Courtney
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Re: Great Leather!

#558 Post by romango »

Anybody have a suggestion where I might find some navy colored leather? I have a customer that wants a pair of navy shoes. GH used to have a navy french calf but no longer carry it.

Hide House has a navy calf but it is not struck through.
michael_nash

Re: Great Leather!

#559 Post by michael_nash »

Hi Rick, I just got some Navy Chromexel from Horween that looks really good.
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Re: Great Leather!

#560 Post by lancepryor »

Rick:

Crack have it in a variety of hides. You could add it to the HCC group buy.

Lance
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Re: Great Leather!

#561 Post by fishball »

Lance,

Thank you very much for your help.

I finally got my first shippment from Baker last week!

They do ship small amount with no extra cost for handling. I just bought 6 pairs of (insole, outsole, heel lifts, stiffeners, welts) and one pc of small belly. it weight 10kg.

Alexander
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Re: Great Leather!

#562 Post by simon_brusa »

Hello everyone, I would ask if anyone knows something about the leather tanning "eduard Galluser"
14820.jpg

and "double leather tanning" (leather amphibian)
14821.jpg


I would like to learn how to make hard boot (simpler than those of the picture) and these two types of leather would be the most suitable as they are the most resistant and waterproof.

I would not know where and how you can buy and the internet I do not know answers, surely you'll know more than me!

Thanks for the help
Greetings to all
Simon
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Re: Great Leather!

#563 Post by xenon »

DWFII and Lance,

I am late to this game, so I didn't see the AACrack group buy.

In any case AACrack are a pleasure to deal with.

Bought some kip(thanks for the heads up Lance) as well as Saint Crispin Babycalf, Baby Buffalo (also veg tanned) and Glace Kid. Just be aware that the Italian Veal and Italian soft Calf all have painted finishes. If you don't like the finish it comes off easily with lacquer thinner (MEK). The Soft Calf finish is quite thick, the Veal less so. I have a sample of the purple Veal and took of the finish to reveal a relatively nice deep purple naked leather. Actually if you are going to take of the finish, stick to the veal since the dying is good and uniform. The soft calf, although still fully stricken will look a little faded.
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Re: Great Leather!

#564 Post by farmerfalconer »

I see a lot of shoes here made of GH French Calf.
what is it and what does GH stand for?

Also I saw some shoes Jon Gray made in the gallery (Nice!) and he said they were Shrunken shoulder. What is that?

Thanks,
Cody
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Re: Great Leather!

#565 Post by romango »

GH stands for Greg Houchester (sp?) in Texas.
713-670-9800.

This French Calf is a highest quality product with a clear grain. It is a little thick for shoes but I use it anyway because it is very nice stuff.

Be prepared for sticker shock though. It is quite expensive.
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Re: Great Leather!

#566 Post by jon_g »

GH French Calf is good, but to be honest I don't like it nearly as much as the French calf that used to be available through Hardke. I've heard that they were planning to find a substitution but I don't know what happened. I think Rick mentioned something a while back about a box calf available through Hardke. Rick, can you elaborate? That said the GH French Calf is available and is probably better for a beginner anyway.

If you're looking at a pair I made from shrunken shoulder you're going way back (when I was a beginner). That was an odd lot, I've seen leather from Harke that was similar, their Karabou and Taurus.

Good luck
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Re: Great Leather!

#567 Post by farmerfalconer »

OK thanks.
Im 16 and looking for a job. I get sticker shock at 15 dollars Image

cody
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Re: Great Leather!

#568 Post by farmerfalconer »

I also see things on here talking about leather being, or not being, struck through. What is that? And I was still wondering what shrunken shoulder is Image

Thanks,
Cody
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Re: Great Leather!

#569 Post by kemosabi »

"Struck through" means the dye-stuffs fully penetrate the leather from top to bottom, or grain to flesh. If you cut through it, you won't see an area in the middle of the thickness that's natural flesh color or light-blue in the case of chrome-tan.

Maybe someone else can help with shrunken shoulder as I've also been wondering what that is.

Cheers,
-Nat
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Re: Great Leather!

#570 Post by dw »

"Struck through" means that the leather is dyed the same colour all the way from the grain side to the fleshside. This isn't always obvious...you have to cut a piece and look at the interior...because all leather is dyed on the fleshside and on the grainside.

Shoulder is a section of the hide that is relatively loose fibered (also long fibered). It gets that way because the animal is always turning its head and moving its shoulders.

The prime leather on any mammal hide is from around the backbone and over the kidneys.

So, on any given bovine hide the best cuts for vamps and quarters will come from the kidney area. The shoulder is not considered prime and is usually set aside for midliners, etc..

But some tanners will subject the shoulder to a chemical and mechanical process that tightens the fiber density and creates...at least temporarily...a leather that is firmer and less stretchy. It is pretending to be prime but it is really not.

Even so, many makers...esp. commercial outfits...will readily cut vamps and quarters from shrunken hides, and present them as something unique and quality.

Most of the time Bullhide (another name for shrunken shoulder) is not even bull hide.

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Re: Great Leather!

#571 Post by farmerfalconer »

Thanks to both of you! Thats helpful. Is there anything wrong with leather that is not struck through?

Cody
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Re: Great Leather!

#572 Post by kemosabi »

So many misnomers in this trade. "Bull hide" that's not bull hide. "Lemonwood pegs" that aren't Lemonwood... etc. Image


Probably lots of opinions on this, but my preference is struck through when using chrome and it doesn't matter with veg-tan. If the leather gets scratched deep enough it will reveal the lighter color underneath which is unsightly. As far as strength; I don't know of any difference, but I'm willing to be educated otherwise if this is incorrect.
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Re: Great Leather!

#573 Post by farmerfalconer »

Another Question,
In Mr. Frommers video on holing the insole he says that you want a fleshy loose leather (not "flinty" )
so that your stitches dont pull through and for greater flexibility so that the insole wont fail.
So my question is...
Where can I get good stuff? Does anyone have a source for leather that they have used before and liked? Im new at this so I have a hard time choosing leather as I aint a great judge of qualityImage

Any leads would be appreciated!

Thanks,
Cody
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Re: Great Leather!

#574 Post by brooklyn_edie »

Cody

This of course is a subject that would be answered differently by many of us. And it's the same question I was asking not too long ago. So here is what I was told by someone I respect a lot, and I've learned that I like it:

I mainly make cowboy boots, so I wonder how different it is for shoes.

Argentina sole bends are good..... for soles, counters, arch covers, heel lifts, and leather toe boxes. I get the 11/12 iron but for thinner soles you could get the 10/11 iron (some prefer a lighter sole, 11/12 will produce a heavier sole..... not suitable for shoes)


Mexican belly strips (10 iron) for insoles..... I buy them with the grain on and buff it off..... in the old days they would remove the grain with a scrapper, glass or metal..... you can ask if they sell it already grain buffed off if you like.

Although this isn't the only supplier, I go to Keystone Leather
http://keystoneleather.com/index.php

Dave Murdock
Keystone Leather
dcmurdock {at] keystoneleather dot com
Phone 570-329-3780
Fax 570-329-3779
Cell Phone 570-439-0304

I like their products, and although I'm a bit of a beginner, like you, I know many experienced bootmakers use them all the time. I buy mine in sheets, pretty big, and use them for various parts. But they also have pre-cut soles and such products if you don't wanna buy a lot.

Good luck buddy
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Re: Great Leather!

#575 Post by farmerfalconer »

Thanks Edie!
Ill look in to that. I keep seeing precut soles but nobody sells them in size 17 EEEEEE so I cut my own Image
Thanks again,
Cody
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