Couple of questions for the bag makers out there.

[MIOutdoorsman]

I’m starting another bag, and this time I’m using some oil tanned leather. I have been unhappy with the stiffness of the bags I’ve made with regular tooling leather, so I’m trying something a little different.

As the leather is very supple, I’m planning on lining the interior with tacking material that I’ve seen some folks use. Other than sewing the perimeter to the leather, do you use some sort of glue to stick it to the leather too?

Also—considering buying and attaching a woven strap instead of leather. Looking for a recommendation for where to buy those kinds of straps?

 

[smo]

I’ve used adhesive spray too glue cloth to leather for bag lining.
However, I’ve never used it on oil tanned leather.

You might try a sample piece too make sure it adheres.

Not HC/PC , but no one knows unless you tell them.

Post pics when you’re done!

 

[MIOutdoorsman]

I’ve used adhesive spray too glue cloth to leather for bag lining.
However, I’ve never used it on oil tanned leather.

You might try a sample piece too make sure it adheres.

Not HC/PC , but no one knows unless you tell them.

Post pics when you’re done!

Thanks! Will definitely post a few pics when I’m done. Still mentally planning it out...

 

[Artificer]

I’m starting another bag, and this time I’m using some oil tanned leather. I have been unhappy with the stiffness of the bags I’ve made with regular tooling leather, so I’m trying something a little different.

As the leather is very supple, I’m planning on lining the interior with tacking material that I’ve seen some folks use. Other than sewing the perimeter to the leather, do you use some sort of glue to stick it to the leather too?

Also—considering buying and attaching a woven strap instead of leather. Looking for a recommendation for where to buy those kinds of straps?

What Oz. weights of tooling leather have you previously used? Have you ever heard of bending/folding/some call it "breaking down" the leather to soften it? I do this especially on the straps of pouches around the area it goes over the shoulder, with heavier military strap leather. I also do it on belts. I also do it on pouches and flaps if they are a bit stiff, as well.

There is a very real chance glue won't stick to Oil Tan leather, because of the oil and or waxes already in it. Not sure if contact cement would work, but I would first try it on some scrap/s before I used in for pouch construction.

Personally, I don't care for adding cloth liners to pouches, but you don't need to glue the cloth to the leather. Use the Ancient tip of every couple inches or so of just sewing a sacrificial loop stitch along the stitching holes and cut the sacrificial loop out as you get to that point when stitching. Not sure if this is clear?

Gus

 

[MIOutdoorsman]

What Oz. weights of tooling leather have you previously used? Have you ever heard of bending/folding/some call it "breaking down" the leather to soften it? I do this especially on the straps of pouches around the area it goes over the shoulder, with heavier military strap leather. I also do it on belts. I also do it on pouches and flaps if they are a bit stiff, as well.

There is a very real chance glue won't stick to Oil Tan leather, because of the oil and or waxes already in it. Not sure if contact cement would work, but I would first try it on some scrap/s before I used in for pouch construction.

Personally, I don't care for adding cloth liners to pouches, but you don't need to glue the cloth to the leather. Use the Ancient tip of every couple inches or so of just sewing a sacrificial loop stitch along the stitching holes and cut the sacrificial loop out as you get to that point when stitching. Not sure if this is clear?

Gus

Hello Gus. I believe I received assistance from you when I started my first bag a couple of years ago... thanks for chiming in again!

I had not heard about softening up the leather on my first bag prior to assembly, so it’s really stiff. I attempted to soften it after assembly with some Lexol (advice I received here also). That helped a wee-little bit but still so stiff that it’ll be hard to use. It’s a great wall decoration for now, though I may just haul it around the woods in a couple of weekends just because.

I do have a leather strap that I was thinking of using for this bag if I can dye it close enough in color, or a complimentary color. Was also going to stitch a similarly stained thin strip between the front and back of the bag too for added strength and to match the strap.

Can you explain to me how I would soften up the strap piece?? Is there some sort of trick or technique other than just bending it back and forth???

 

[Artificer]

Hello Gus. I believe I received assistance from you when I started my first bag a couple of years ago... thanks for chiming in again!

I had not heard about softening up the leather on my first bag prior to assembly, so it’s really stiff. I attempted to soften it after assembly with some Lexol (advice I received here also). That helped a wee-little bit but still so stiff that it’ll be hard to use. It’s a great wall decoration for now, though I may just haul it around the woods in a couple of weekends just because.

I do have a leather strap that I was thinking of using for this bag if I can dye it close enough in color, or a complimentary color. Was also going to stitch a similarly stained thin strip between the front and back of the bag too for added strength and to match the strap.

Can you explain to me how I would soften up the strap piece?? Is there some sort of trick or technique other than just bending it back and forth???

OK, the method to soften veg tanned leather is so simple, that even I discovered it on my own many years ago.

What you do is fold the leather in half and press down on it in your hands. You do this in one spot, move the fold a bit and do it again. Continue this along the length of the area you want softened. I even turn the leather over and fold it the other way flat and do the same thing along the length you want softened. What you are doing is slightly breaking down the fibers of the leather, but you are not doing any real harm to the leather other than softening it. You can even do this on the bag you already made, though you probably won't turn it inside out like you can on leather before you sew it up.

Gus

 

[Brokennock]

Hello Gus. I believe I received assistance from you when I started my first bag a couple of years ago... thanks for chiming in again!

I had not heard about softening up the leather on my first bag prior to assembly, so it’s really stiff. I attempted to soften it after assembly with some Lexol (advice I received here also). That helped a wee-little bit but still so stiff that it’ll be hard to use. It’s a great wall decoration for now, though I may just haul it around the woods in a couple of weekends just because.

I do have a leather strap that I was thinking of using for this bag if I can dye it close enough in color, or a complimentary color. Was also going to stitch a similarly stained thin strip between the front and back of the bag too for added strength and to match the strap.

Can you explain to me how I would soften up the strap piece?? Is there some sort of trick or technique other than just bending it back and forth???

I use a similar method as Gus for "breaking" leather for flexibility. I kind of roll the fold back and forth too. Like I'm rubbing the pieces of leather past the fold against eachother, hard to explain without a visual. Also for really stiff straps, I clamp a square shafted screwdriver in my bench vice, fold the strap around it, and work it back and forth, pulling one end then the other, essentially moving the fold and rubbing the leather against the corners of the shaft.

 

[MIOutdoorsman]

Thanks Gus and Brokennock.. I'll get to work on softening my existing bag --likely while watching the idiot box at night before going to bed! And I'll try the square-shafted screwdriver trick on the new strap.

On this next bag, rather than sewing the strap directly to the back of the bag, I'm going to sew in a couple of rectangle "buckles" on the bag itself, then the strap will also attach to the buckles so that I can remove/replace the strap if I want to eventually. I'm considering a woven strap like I see some guys have, though I haven't yet identified a source for them. I'm not going for 100% PC, but I'd like to keep things similar to what they would have been. Heck, my flintlock is just a Lyman GPR, so not really 100% PC, but close enough for my use, since I'm not participating in demonstrations or rendezvous.

 

[smo]

Don't forget too angle the attachment points a little to make the strap conform to your body better...

Just thinking out loud, I'm planning another bag at the moment myself....

 

[Mad Irish Jack]

I use "Barge's Rubber Cement". Years ago (mid 1980's) it was advice given to me by a German shoe cobbler in his shop in Greensburg, PA. His family immigrated here just after the turn of the century (1900). He took over his fathers business. You can't find these craftsman anymore. A real shame. I use it on new makes, repairs and where the instruction dictate I can use it. (Barge All Purpose Cement in blue tube or can. I like the can; I use a small disposable brush to apply. [search it])

 

[MIOutdoorsman]

...Also for really stiff straps, I clamp a square shafted screwdriver in my bench vice, fold the strap around it, and work it back and forth, pulling one end then the other, essentially moving the fold and rubbing the leather against the corners of the shaft.

Wow-the square screwdriver trick works wonders on a stiff, unstained tooling leather strap! Thanks much for this idea!!

 

[Brokennock]

Wow-the square screwdriver trick works wonders on a stiff, unstained tooling leather strap! Thanks much for this idea!!

You're welcome. Think about how that fold is moving and apply it to folding a bigger piece of leather and working it to soften it. It isn't just the friction of the screwdriver against the leather that is softening it. It is moving that fold, breaking down some of the grain structure.

 

[smo]

Put a little saddle soap or mink oil on the leather to help soften it, shaving cream with lanolin will help leather soften to.....less rubbing too.

Twist ,pull and stretch the bag/leather as much as possible it will soften over time.