Leather and wood - ideas for new projects

[Ray Hatley]

I am a Shropshire based leatherworker looking for ways to combine leather and wood to create finished saleable items and wondered if anyone had any good ideas.

I currently make all kinds of leathergoods including leather tops for three legged stools (hopefully one of the members of this forum will soon be making the legs for me) but my range of gift items needs to expand dramatically if I am to trade effectively next year.

I am sure all you woodworkers are extremely inventive folk so I'll throw this open and hope for some exciting ideas - and hopefully some collaboration on new projects.

I should probably point out that I don't have a clue when it comes to woodwork but I originally trained as a harness maker and have been working leather, on and off, for about thirty years - I generally have a pile of scrap leather to die for so do drop me an email if you need any for your own projects.

Please check out my website for contact info etc.

Ray.

 

[joiner_sim]

Hi and welcome to the forum!

beds...... desk chairs.....

i've seen a few pictures frames these days finished in leather too.

 

[wizer]

This is a tough question. Are you asking what you can make out of wood to add your leather work to? Or are you wanting to have things made for you?

You know the world of leather (pun intended) better than us, so what wood/leather items have you seen?

Norm Abram once did an Ottoman which was covered in leather. Or are you thinking small scale, like jewellery?

Not a lot springs to mind tbh

 

[Ironballs]

I think you're largely looking at chairs of one form or another, though if you made some strops for sharpening blades on you'd fine quite a few takers on here - not much cash in that though I would have thought as a good strop is a once in a lifetime purchase

 

[joiner_sim]

I'd buy a strop!

 

[Ironballs]

There you go, that's one! Actually two, I could do with a decent strop

 

[joiner_sim]

haha, i actaully aint got one, i try and use a bit of cloth, which probably does nothing. Give me a PM ray with a price please. Thankyou.

I am sure there are many on this site that would want one.

 

[Lord Nibbo]

I could do with a strop as well

 

[mailee]

Hmm, sounds like there are a lot of stroppy people on here then. :lol: Welcome Ray I have no suggestions at the moment but have the grey matter working on it. :wink:

 

[woodbloke]

I could do with a strop as well

...you don't need one :lol: :lol: - Rob

 

[wizer]

I need a strop too, not exactly a lucrative business for Ray tho

 

[Lord Nibbo]

I could do with a strop as well

...you don't need one :lol: :lol: - Rob

But I do :lol: It would look nice if it had a nice shiny buckle or hook to hang it from

Talking of mixing wood & leather, what about clogs, wood sole leather top like Scholl

 

[phantom of the offcut]

I'D like a strop also and some leather collars to go round a nice pair of oars.
How about asking traditional boat builders / owners for ideas.

Jason

 

[Chris Knight]

"Slipstrops" are handy for carvers - bits of wood with thin leather stuck on a profile suited to match a gouge.

Looking at the ridiculous price folk ask for regular strops, I reckon a good margin is available on both the regular strops and slipstrops.

 

[Benchwayze]

I could use a skiver or two, maybe a good set of handles for a repro 'steamer-trunk' and a proper 'suitcase type' carrying handle for an 'on-site toolbox.

As for gift ideas, How about bookends, made in the shape of a book, with a leather-bound spine and the outer covers?

Thin ply on the bottom that slides under the books, so when in place, it looks like a line of books on edge, supporting one another.

Round over the 'spine' edge.
Rout the other three edges to simulate the pages and boards.
A touch of off-white paint and some lines to make it look like page edges. The leather work I'd leave to you Ray!

Any good?

 

[Shrubby]

Ray
Could I suggest the 'Roorkhee' chair, a classic piece of campaign furniture.The wooden parts all turned on a lathe, everything else well within your area of expertise.
Matt

 

[maltrout512]

Ray, looks like you have the market sorted with strops. I will PM you Monday pm (not about strops). Welcome to the forum by the way.

 

[Ray Hatley]

Thanks for the welcome and all the kind replies and suggestions - I'd be happy to make up a few strops but would appreciate a few clues on the sort you need.

My own strops are 2 pieces of 3-4mm thick leather glued with contact adhesive to either side of a flat piece of wood. They measure about 12" x 3" and the wood has a hole in the end where I have tied a bit of leather thong to hang it up. I use two of these boards each with a different grade of polishing/grinding powder on each side (I should add that one side is simply leather).

Is this what you need? If not I'll need some instructions!

If anyone wants to make up some simple 1/4" thick softwood strop boards I'll gladly mount the leather on the wood or I'm happy to supply the leather on its own so you can make up your own - just let me know what you want and I'll do my best to be helpful.

FYI - the leather is top quality natural vegtan 4mm - ish thick and would be cut to size 12" x 3" or whatever size you need ready to mount on a board. Just send me a PM for a price if you are interested.

I'm still thinking about the other suggestions... once again, many thanks!

 

[Ray Hatley]

This is a tough question. Are you asking what you can make out of wood to add your leather work to? Or are you wanting to have things made for you?

In an ideal world, I would be able to order the wooden bits for my projects from the maker. This what I am hoping to do here. I am definitely NOT a woodworker and would like to collaborate with a number of woodworkers to produce a range of leather and wood items.

I tend to work with heavier leathers but have a stock of all kinds from paper thin skiver to 6mm thick oak bark tanned leather. I am not the best person to buy full skins from - you need a leather merchant for that. I am happy to help anyone who just needs enough leather to complete a job. I will gladly cut, stain and finish it if that is helpful.

Slipstrops look fairly straightforward but it would be best if the person who wanted one made their own shaped wooden base (profile?) and let me cover it with leather.

If you have a specific leathery requirement then please drop me a PM and I'll always do my best to help.

Now,has anyone got any more good ideas? <grin>