How to Make a Leather Desk Pad | Beginner Leather Tutorial

[@JamesKGraves]

Tutorials are back!!! What's the next project you're starting?

[@martinandroid2538]

That mouse mat looks really good. Your office set up looks so nice, so good to see natural wood and leather, you can't beat it. Definitely going to make a couple of these. Cheers.

[@wilkoten7829]

hey would love to see James make a vintage leather gym/yoga mat

[@isabellesantos4656]

your videos are so satisfying

[@JamesKGraves]

Thank you! Glad you're enjoying them! 😅

[@omgitscha]

This is awesome. Ive jst strted to learn about leather crafting.Super useful info

[@JamesKGraves]

Thanks, Charmaine! It's an awesome craft to learn; I'm glad this was helpful! 😊

[@AestheteUltra]

Wow! This is pretty cool! I gotta say, I'm inspired! Thank you James!

[@JamesKGraves]

Thank you! Happy to hear it 😊

[@MJBGL]

Nice work sir👍

[@JamesKGraves]

Thank you!

[@ashleyjaytanna1953]

Very useful and great to learn something new. 👍🙏

[@JamesKGraves]

Thank you, Ashley! Glad you found it useful!

[@SandyDriggers]

Thank you for sharing!

[@JamesKGraves]

Thanks for watching!

[@bubrupamjcb]

Thank you for this amazing video!

[@JamesKGraves]

No problem! Great to hear you enjoyed it!

[@dianachesser218]

Hi I want to make something similar to this but with faux irridescent smooth leather it usually comes in a roll but it’s thin… any advice on how I can make it thicker?

[@marcodibari5713]

Great video .. unfortunately the website fornthe leather do not work...where can i get the leather, please??

[@howie582]

I would like to see a video overview of that desk itself. Nice setup. Did you make the desktop?

[@JamesKGraves]

Thanks, Howie! Yes I made the desktop; I'm not currently living there but I released a vlog back then showing how I made the desk and shelves if you're interested 😊

[@DavZell]

If you are open to a very specific project idea... I had a wallet which I loved and am unable to find a replacement. I would love to make one, but am unsure how to go about it. The wallet had a zipper across the top and down one side. When unzipped, both sides opened accordion style, forming V's. Neither end was open; both had accordion ends that kept everything in. Inside the v-shaped compartment was a single divider that itself held 3 cards in a tiered fashion, similar to how one side of many billfold wallets are. This left a large, unstructured area on either side of the divider. The wallet was about 3 inches tall, maybe slightly more, by about 4 and a quarter. It sounds, and is, simple, but I can't figure out how to make it. I should note that this was originally nylon/canvas. I have it still with broken zipper. It seems this might teach a lot of skills and considerations in design and construction.

[@JamesKGraves]

Hi David, I'm always open to new ideas! Sounds like an interesting challenge. I think I understand the design, if I'm visualising it correctly. I'll take a crack at getting something drawn up! If you have Instagram or Twitter and could potentially send me a photo, I'd love to see the one you have to confirm I've got the correct design in mind. Thanks for the idea!

[@raphaeltsakirellis2809]

awesome video! one question i have is how you stop the leather from curling or buckling ? is it simply i have to choose a better leather or is their some treatment i need to do ?

[@JamesKGraves]

Thank you, Raphael! Do you know which type of leather you are using, and what thickness? Generally, leather is pretty malleable so don't be afraid to be tough with it; I sometimes get mine flat by rolling it up really tight in the opposite direction and then laying it down flat with something heavy on top. Failing that, there are ways to soften the leather to make it more flexible if need be, such as using conditioners or something like coconut oil (I personally use a cheap animal fat to soften mine). I hope that makes sense!

[@namename1674]

amazing tutorial. especially the idea of round edges with the help of coin is genius! thank you a lot! I will also create my own Dest Pad! Where did you get the stamp? Will the stamp on the Desk Pad stay forever or will it vanish someday?

[@JamesKGraves]

Thanks so much! The stamp was a gift from my partner; I believe she bought it on Etsy, there are a load on there! Not too sure on the longevity to be honest; these do typically disappear after a while on wallets, but I suspect it would last a while on a desk pad since the leather won't be moving too much!

[@namename1674]

@@JamesKGraves thanks for the hint. I will look on etsy for it

[@cjesser14]

Im in the US. Does anyone have any recommended sources for leather for this type of project?

[@ann-ingridhelik3056]

Hi, I'm new to leather working, i make handmade books. I would love to know how to cover a book with leather. The front chipboard cover has different thicknesses . That is my main problem , but the cornersare a worry as well. I have seen a few videos but the ones that have various thicknesses all have advance equipment, which i don't have. I'm hoping you can help, please!!!

[@coledheart01]

new sub! love this!

[@JamesKGraves]

Thanks so much! Welcome to the channel! 😊

[@tacyepengelly7443]

A Passport holder would be useful. They make great presents. I am not sure if the new UK passport is the same size as the EU one though. 🤔

[@JamesKGraves]

Great idea! I'll have to give that a shot!

[@saasbert4819]

Awesome video! What would you recommend to keep the leather in top condition ?

[@JamesKGraves]

Thank you! I personally first apply a conditioner to keep it soft (I use a natural animal fat, but there are lots of different options available - be aware that some of them darken the leather a little, giving it more of a 'wet look'), and then I go over with a beeswax to seal it in and protect it from scratches and water damage. That's just what I found works for me; some people don't apply anything, some just do one or the other, and some do something else entirely. Hope that helps 😅

[@daithibailey]

Hi, where did you source your leather? Anything I've looked at seems to cost about 3 times as much :(

[@JamesKGraves]

Hi, David! Mind me asking where you're based? I gotta admit, finding good leather at a reasonable price is no easy feat 😅 I got mine from a site called Majestic Hides in the UK; I bought 21x21" sections of veg tan for £30 each. I think the price has gone up to closer to £40 now, but still great value for the quality you get.

[@daithibailey]

@@JamesKGraves I'm based in Ireland. Thanks for your reply, I'll give majestic hides a looksee

[@miltongeovannyrodasrodas4163]

Yo tambien tengo las bocinas Logitech Z200😎

[@RoboticusMusic]

Is it good for gaming?

[@JamesKGraves]

I couldn't tell you to be honest 😅 I haven't tried using it for gaming or anything fast-paced, but I've not had any issues with day-to-day editing, 3d modelling etc!

[@maillardsbearcat]

You just saved me alot of money. Thanks. Although when I make this it will probably look like a 5 year old made it. Still I could make a whole bunch of them for the price I was about to drop on a name brand one. Edit: I'm having trouble finding a sheet (or "shoulder" I guess?) of leather comparable to the name brand desk mat I was going to get with .25" thickness and a nice suede on the underside. Looks like I'm falling down this rabbit hole over the next couple weeks lol.

[@JamesKGraves]

Hi RJ! That's great to hear! 😆 Mind me asking which country you're in? There are good suppliers around but they're usually rather difficult to find; it's a minefield 😅

[@maillardsbearcat]

@@JamesKGraves Hey man, thanks for the response! I'm in Denver, CO.

[@cjesser14]

@@maillardsbearcat I'm in Denver as well. did you end up finding a leather source for this project?

[@bryanacosta7444]

How thick does the leather have to be

[@JamesKGraves]

Completely up to you! I personally think a thick 3mm stiff leather works best, but you can go for something a little thinner if you don't want it to be so substantial, or if it's kinder on the budget 😊

[@simiyuhuchora955]

kazi safi!

[@maximusnemo]

где взять кожи то столько?

[@Blove0130]

Why didn’t you line it with something so it wouldn’t slip around so easily and add a stitch line. Would have looked more finished

[@JamesKGraves]

Because it doesn't slip, and I like how it looks.

[@andyespinal78]

Instead on spending so much money on real leather if I’m not mistaken vinyl (good type of vinyl) will also do the job. 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@greatodinsraven]

It might look nice, but leather is way nicer and if taken care of will probably last longer. It’s not always about what’s cheapest.

[@GwynBleys]

Thought he was gonna use an old leather jacket or something lol... that piece of leather is already a mat wtf