Quick Tip: Checking, Managing and Storing Your Leather

► Buy my patterns and leather goods here: leodisleather....
► For more information see: ianatkinson.net...
In this quick video I'm showing some tips for people who are new to leather to help them with checking the quality of what they've bought. There are also tips on cataloguing your leather and storing it correctly.

[@fredprobst199]

Great tips and video. One thing I like to do to track the information for my leather is to use cardboard tags. (I use the 3" X 6" tags. )That way I can record a lot of information on the tag such as; Weight, Square Feet, Vendor, Date, Price, Grade, and etc. I also measure the usable area of the leather in square inches. Then I take my initial cost for the leather and calculate what it cost me per square inch just for the usable leather. I record this on the tag also. That way I know later on how much to charge for that leather, just to break even. Once you get all the information you want on the tag, just punch a hole in the edge of the leather and tie the tag to the leather. When the leather is used up you can file the tag, throw it away, or reuse the back side.

[@HLSstephen]

Fred Probst 7

[@ArcticArsenal]

Some good tips here, thanks! I have gone from buying leather as I need it, to slowly building an inventory. I'm going to employ your labeling and bookkeeping methods.

[@andreat8440]

Good, solids tips Mr. Atkinson. I like your idea of keeping scraps of leather in a book for later reference. The one thing I might ad would be trying to keep your leather from getting damp so that it doesn't get moldy or spoil.

[@lexboegen]

Perfect timing Ian--I'm getting my first order of "real" leather in two days (Herman Oak belly, for wet-forming sheaths).

[@TheLordArion]

Great tips, as usual time to go correct my misstakes allthough I was kinda lucky that I wasn't far off this time.

[@robertk-qn6mg]

I don't know about the UK, but here in America or at least where I buy leather, it's wrapped in a heavy duty paper (that I use for dying and painting under the leather) but also in a long box. Keeping it in the cardboard box should be good, right? As a beginner, I'm always looking for these tips. Thank you.

[@Leodis.Leather]

Yes if you have the space keeping the cardboard boxes is a good idea

[@crypto_pinto2660]

Ian buddy is there a book you can recommend for a beginner to help out improving skills when it comes to detail work or even small projects I fell in love with leather crafting I've only been doing it about a month on and off for the last 3 months totaling a month consistently. my projects are okay but they need a little Improvement in certain areas. What leather would you recommend for knife sheaths and holsters I assumed 9 10 oz was good but after talking with Springfield leather company they telling me that's too much go with the 7 to 8 oz

[@Ronaldg333]

Great job. hope u do more.

[@NSTRAPPERHUNTER]

Great tips and thanks for sharing. Later and all the best.

[@thedeviathan76]

That was very informative. thank you.

[@beheadoth]

great video Ian!

[@stevecoster322]

Great info as always, thank you.

[@OMGWUNSIU]

I should have watched this video a while back...looks like I'm going to have to make small projects out of the rolled up leather I kept by the window. :/