Yesterday I went to our local Tandy Leather store and got a crash course in leatherwork from one of the guys at the store who makes gear and armor for re-enactors. Yup, I’ve decided to make the leather seats for the Roorkhee chairs from scratch.
Well, almost scratch, I didn’t raise the cows or murder them.
There is a surprising amount of overlap between the crafts of leather and wood. Sharp tools. Shaping curves using moisture. Dyes. Finishes. Metal hardware. After all, in both crafts we’re dealing with a fibrous, natural material. One just happens to have roots. The other one moos.
I’ve done some basic leatherwork before – covering an ottoman with pigskin, recovering spring seats for side chairs etc. But nothing this involved. But it looks like fun and these sling seats are a good beginner project.
I bought three unfinished skins, which should be more than enough for two chairs. I wanted to have enough to make a few mistakes. And I want to make some Anarchist underwear – whipstitching and rivets all around.
— Christopher Schwarz
As cool as that Anarchist’s Underwear sounds… it also sounds damn uncomfortable :0)
I’m sitting here wondering. Really, what does your wife think of you? You is a crazy dude. I guess that’s what makes your stuff a fun read.
Chris,
In an earlier life (as a teenager) I taught leatherwork merit badge at Boy Scout camp. And you are right. It is not terrible different from hand tool based woodworking. This chair seems like a fairly straight forward adventure. Straight cuts mostly and a bit of stitching. I always prefered round holes (as opposed to slits) for any stitching. It seemed easier with such thick material (though I do not know which is historically appropriate). And I liked the saddle stitch, which I usually did with two opposing needles weaving back and forth. No need to tie knots in the waxed thread, just weave the ends back in a couple of stitches.
Anarchist Underwear. Use thick enough hides and you won’t need to wear a cup. Also, stamp your logo on the scraps and you’ve got Lost Art Press strops for sale.
Some of the best period slipseat reproductions I’ve seen used reindeer hide. Beautiful stuff. Plus, it puts an end to all those irritating reindeer games.
You’re right, Chris, there is a lot in common between woodworking and leatherworking. These activities are as ancient as each other, and wood and leather have been used together ever since humankind first worked out how to utilise these wonderful natural materials.
I assume your crash course included chamfering the edges, top and bottom. There is a special tool for this. You’ll love it. Makes a huge difference to the quality of the finished product, having the edges chamfered. It’s a kind of rounded chamfer.
I note that the leather you have bought is natural – its got that pinky bleached look. So you will need to colour it before you sew/rivet it up. Dyes come in both spirit based and water based forms. Whichever way you go you will need to apply a sealer over the top. I have always found that it is easier to get an even finish if you spray the dye on, rather than trying to wipe it on. Just as some timbers take stains in blotchy ways, so too can leather – especially when wiping it on. Make sure you do both sides of all your pieces, too.
Anyway, hope this is helpful. Enjoy the primal joy of leatherworking!
Well, leather and rivets does sound like a good idea for drawer pulls or chest handles. Not sure about the underwear, but I suppose that if anyone could convince me, it would be Mr. Schwarz.
Chris,
Boxers or briefs? Or, do I have to say it? Bikini. There I said it and now it’s out there for all to see.
Have fun…and put me down for 1 boxer, 1 brief and errrr 1 bikini.
Michael
Two words: Cowhide Speedos.
When you think leather, you automatically think thong, right?
Um, I floss every day. But not there.
Budge-smugglers, or more a style of leather battle short? A few rhinestones (i’ve heard) can do wonders for the impact of finished product too…
First you’re a millionaire playboy woodworking mogul and now a cattle barron 🙂 Plus there is talk about enterying the world of fasion.
Seriously, are the seats to be stiched or rivited? Stiching is a lot of work, but would sure look good. (waxed linen thread of course)
Highly reccomend a awl and haft by Bob Douglas, there is no comparison to the ones Tandy sells. A stitching pony will also come in handy.
Welcome to the world of leathercraft! Lots of fun and a nice complement to woodworking.
Family secret: Since teen years, Christopher has been pining for a pair of leather pants. Fulfillment may be around the corner, and I foresee more trips to Tandy Leather.
And this, people, is why you should never tell your parents that you have a blog.
No pics of the underwear needed…..but an audio clip of you screaming/warbling “Captain Caaavvvvemaaaaaaaaannnnnn” at the top of your lungs while wearing them would be good. Oh wait, rivets and cave era don’t jive. Sinew?
Real anarchists “go commando.”
Paul is right. Underwear sounds like conforming to norms. But if you’re determined, rivet first, wear second.
Uh, I hear tell there are places you can already buy, uh, leather “underwear” with rivets. . . And chains.
The back and seat cushions on my Morris chair are made from off-cuts of stair carpet from a charity shop. To test how the cushions would look, I stitched them together with lots of electrical ties. I recommend this as an inexpensive testing method. In my case the ties don’t show through the carpet pile, so they’re still there, but I don’t think they’d do well with leather underwear.
Just make sure you have the rough out on those anarchist fruit of the looms.
On a completely different note, I think it is funny how soooo many people own that little, hidden, Ridgid spindle/belt sander. It kind of reminds me of a red-headed step child, only with super powers =)
Leather Underwear with rivets! That’s messed up, Steve!!! (I mean Chris)
You mentioned canvas & leather in earlier post.
thinking para cord looped through punched holes(round) with knots at ends. A little extra to bundle the chairs together for carrying, and possibly hanging shade.
Underwear? Nein. Lederhosen, ja!
I’m wondering if that leather is going to be too thick and stiff for the seat and back. Definitely not good for underwear. For that an anarchist needs to hunt a deer. With the deer you first fill the larder, then dehair the hide and use the animals brains to tan the leather… that’s the anarchisticly correct path to soft supple leather suitable for hedonistic comfort in boxers, briefs, or even bikini’s! If you use the Tandy stuff don’t say you weren’t warned! 🙂 Use the sinew for thread. Anarchist’s don’t waste resources!
For a person who loves working with his hands and making useful things all I could think of when you mentioned buying leather to finish your chairs is – a first step on a very slippery slope.
Hi Chris- I’m a bit late offering a suggestion- plus (!) I don’t know if it’d be authentic to campaign furniture- but anyway-
there is a great group of artisans in Minnesota at Frost River Reliable Softgoods (frostriver.com – symthe disclosure, etc)
They do lots of wondrous things with heavy weight waxed cotton and stand behind their work. I’d be very surprised if they couldn’t do the seats & backs (and probably the leather parts too).
Hell- they might even do waxed cotton underpants!
Seriously though- I encourage you to check them out- might even detect a bit of anarchy over there.
The name ‘Roorkhee’ suggests an origin on the Indian sub-continent – that part of the world had quite an influence on British culture, as you’re no doubt well aware. Seeing that cows are sacred in that part of the world, is it possible that the originals used something like goatskin? (I think we can discount elephant and tiger skins, execpt perhaps for the real show-off models; and availability for modern reproductions may be tricky as well. They may not be ideal for underwear, either.)
Interesting question, David! Do we know what other leather goods were made of? It might be important to differentiate between time periods too; as it before and after 1850. I have to believe that there were a lot of leather goods in use in the British Army and in the civilian population. My bet is that there wasn’t a lot of sensitivity to sensibilities.