Teri Grey’s General Leather Crafting – Wasteland

By Teri Grey

General Leather Craft (as it applies to the projects here)
Last revised 1997 March 14

I am not expert on leather craft or any thing else for that matter. However I would like to share what works for me. Much of it comes from books and other sources of leather craft knowledge. Some of it is of my own discovery. I recommend experimentation. Remember that what works well for one person may not for another.

Here are 13 basic steps in the order I use:

θ Gather Materials and Tools
θ Cut Shape(s)
θ Groove
θ Trim Corners
θ Bevel Edge
θ Make Saddle Stitching Holes
θ Oil
θ Dye
θ Sew
θ Punch Holes
θ Slick Edge
θ Wax
θ Assemble

Gather Materials and Tools

It is best to collect the tools and materials ahead of time. It can be very frustrating to be within one or two steps of a complete project and lack one item. Using the wrong tool for the wrong step can lead to damage or injury. Many of these tools are sharp!

Try these sources for tools and suplies:
Tandy Leather Company
P.O. Box 2934
Fort Worth, TX 76113
DJ Associates, Inc.
8411 South Zero Street
Fort Smith, AR 72903

DJ Associates is particually good for “safety hardware” such as roller buckles and rectangular metal loops for “keepers.”

Cut Shape

For most my projects I use moderately heavy (8-10 ounce) tooling leather. This is generally vegetable tanned and accepts oils and dyes very well.

Short straight lines are best cut with a sharp utility knife. I find a metal straight edge works best. Some metal drafting triangles come in handy too.

For long cuts I use a strap cutter. This takes some practice to use so experiment on short cuts first. I lay the leather down on a clean carpeted floor and work my way down the cut in one motion. Stopping and starting can result in an accidental change in direction. Keep the blade very sharp.

For thin or soft garment leathers use a good pair of sharp scissors. Thin leather tends to stretch too much for cutting with a utility knife. Get a good pair of scissors especially for cutting leather and other thick fabrics. However, remember, if the scissors can easily cut leather then they can just as easily cut flesh.

Groove

Grooving use a special too that cuts a very thin, string like, line out of the top surface of the leather. This is to provide a place for the saddle stitching to lay down so as to be flush with the surface. Even without saddle stitching it can provide some orimentation. I tend to place this line about 3/16 to 1/4 inch from the edge. Sometimes I set the tool to the same width as the leather.

Trim Corners

I generally trim about 1/4 inch off the corners. This is for both aesthetic and practical reasons.

Bevel Edge

Beveling involves another special tool to remove a thin, also string like, portion of material along the edge. Not only does it give the project a more professional look but also makes slicking the edge easier.

Make Saddle Stitching Holes

After trying a number of different tools I have found a four pronged chisel to be the best for punching saddle stitching holes. The process is simple but tedious. Lay the punch prongs down in the stitching groove. Punch the first four holes. Pull out the punch and use the first prong in the last hole for alignment. Punch three new holes. Continue until complete.

As with all metal punching tools use either a plastic or raw hide mallet. Also use a rubber mat or wood block under the leather.

As you can imagine this is one of the more long and tedious steps. Probably second only to sewing the actual saddle stitching.

I have learned to do this step before dying the leather. Punching on dark or black leather requires a lot of lighting and can still strain the eyes.

Oil

I prefer to give the project a oiling with neats foot oil prior to dying. It seems to reduce the amount of stiffness in the leather after the dye has dried. As far as I have been able to tell it does not interfere with the dye penetration. In fact it seem to help it cover more evenly.

Applying the oil from a squeeze bottles works very well. I proceed with the dying process as soon as the oil has soaked into the leather. This can be as short as a few minutes.

Dye

I recommend a good quality oil based dye. These seem to penetrate better and cover in one coat. Of course, most of may projects are dyed black. Allow to dry for one or two days. I also recommend the use of latex gloves to minimize stained hands. Dye can usually be removed from skin with isopropyl alcohol.

Sew

This is the most tedious step. However it can be done while watching television or talking on the phone, etc. It is also great exercise for the hands.

I use a thick waxed nylon thread and large blunt end saddle stitching needles. These are almost impossible to break by accident. Although I recommend buying extra in case one gets lost and for multiple projects. I sew both edges of a project as the same time.

The actual process is too difficult to describe here. There are plenty of sources for detailed instruction in this skill.

Punch Holes

This step is done after the sewing for the simple reason that the sewing process can stretch , shrink or otherwise distort the leather. Since these holes may need to line up later for assembly they are best punched after sewing. Again I recommend good steel punches. I have used a pliers punch but now prefer one piece metal ones used with a mallet. It helps to apply bees was to the punch edge between every few holes.

Again use only a plastic or raw hide mallet with steel punches. Also use a thick rubber mat or wood block under the project.

For many of my designs I use a ?X-hole? pattern for both aesthetic and functional reasons. I think the pattern looks more heavy duty, rather medieval, and perhaps even a little menacing. Additionally the pattern can be used to fasten different items together forming more complex fun stuff.

Since we punched the holes after dying the leather the holes need to be dyed. I use a simple cotton swap for this. You may need a number of swabs since the tip tends to come apart after a few uses.

Slick Edge

Thicker leather looks better if the edge is smoothed with a slicker tool. This can be a round plastic wheel with a indentation along its perimeter. It is rubbed along the edge to press and smooth the edge. I also use a neats foot lotion to soften the leather. Let dry over night. A nice smooth edge reduces the risk of snagged stockings and irritated skin.

Wax

Perhaps not actually wax, but I use a heavy wax like leather treatment for the final step. This gives the surface a little bit of a shine and softens the leather. It also protects against drying. This should be re-applied about once per year.

Assemble

Now is the fun step, second only to trying the newly finished project. Collect all your hardware parts such as buckles, keepers, screw fasteners, etc. Also have any tools ready.

I prefer to use screw fasteners rather than rivets. Screw fasteners (sometimes called Chicago Screws or Key Posts) allow the equipment to be dis-assembled for cleaning, oiling, maintenance, and most importantly, to be combined with other compatible designs. Use good strong nickel plated steel screw fasteners especially for any equipment involving suspension. I resort to pressed or hammered rivets only for decoration. Unlike rivets I have yet to have a well tightened screw fastener fail. However they do require regular inspection to make sure they are tight.

As with other sports involving certain inherent risks always exercise caution and a sense of vigilance with bondage play. These activities can be immense fun. The last thing you want is to put a loved one in the hospital.

Teri Grey
PO Box 71463
Pittsburgh, PA 15213