Recycling Leather Furniture - Striping old furniture to provide materials for future projects

[@NomadMakes]

I find it strangely relaxing breaking down old furniture for upcycling. I've even found myself upcycle stuff I've made from stuff I've upcycled. Leather and exotic woods I find to be the biggest no brainers, but also flat surfaces and softwoods. Cheers and thanks for sharing.

[@TraditionalTimes]

@nomadmakes I agree, totally. Have just this week bought a van so that when we have moved house, I will be able to scan the local freecycle groups in search of upcycling and materials opportunities... So many possibilities... :)

[@MrDavidlfields]

I’ve made a good many glasses cases and pocket slips using up-cycled sofa leather. It is generally quite supple and has a nice hand to it. Inexpensive source for materials.

[@TraditionalTimes]

Absolutely... amazing what you can achieve with a little thought and a bit of ingenuity... 😁

[@susanamal7418]

13:14 Yes thanks for your video, definitely into recycling and upcycling too. Maybe will take me longer but 2 sofas to possibly dismantle. 👍

[@TraditionalTimes]

... and the best bit is almost all of it can be recycled... Wooden fram can be reused for woodworking (or keeping warm if nothing else), padding and foam can be bagged for future upholstery projects, metal can be recycled via the scrap man... really thre is very little that need go to waste. If I have encouraged one person to recycle a sofa... am a happy man... :)

[@Jorda5s]

Definitely needed this video thank you! To other salvagers be careful bringing furniture into your house bedbugs are really bad here in the midwest and very hard to get rid of. I recommend stripping outside of your house and change clothes before sitting on any furniture in your house!

[@TraditionalTimes]

Very good point actually. Having a workshop still means I would need to bear that in mind. Thanks for the comment. :)

[@Jorda5s]

@@TraditionalTimes no problem I salvage a lot and seen some bad stuff and even people online unfortunately will give away furniture with bed bugs luckly got rid of it before it spread

[@Rossco242424]

cheers!

[@TraditionalTimes]

Your welcome

[@rheablack6479]

I must say, YOU ARE SO RIGHT SIR!!! THANK YOU FOR MEN LIKE YOU! HARD TO COME BY! RESPECT 💖 🙏 🫡

[@TraditionalTimes]

Thank you for the kind comment. 😀

[@andreweastwood862]

On a smaller scale I did the same thing with a damaged black leather ladies full length coat. Loads of usable leather. Cost me next to nothing. Planning to re-cover a jewelry box with it. Top advice; thank you.

[@TraditionalTimes]

Andrew, Jewellery box sounds awesome. I've one of those is on my project list... ;)

[@thisquietplace]

What thickness leather is usually used for these 80-90s sofas? 1.5mm?

[@TraditionalTimes]

Yeah. Mostly 1-1.5mm for a sofa. Anything thicker would be a waste.

[@Spook3D]

after you recycle the leather, is there a way to remove that shine? or change it's color ?

[@TraditionalTimes]

I;ve never tried either myself. I tend to just use as is. However I do remember seeing a youtube video a while back on the subject of restaining old leather. I'll see if I can dig it out.

[@John-ji1fl]

Great video and advice,I popped up to a large charity furniture shop in the Rhondda, today I'm trying to source leather too make shoes, I thought I'd take this route to save money. Leather is expensive for an amateur like myself to waste,only problem is I'd have to strip the leather off the item,cut the frame down to fit in the mini and get it to the local recycling depot... doesn't sound much until your on your own outside the facility sawing and sweating.😕🫣🤭😁.but it'll be worthwhile it 🤔🤔🤔 should be a shoe in, i should walk it , i can always say cobblers to it.😢😂

[@TraditionalTimes]

@John-ji1fl Yes. Sometimes breaking down furniture can be hard work. But the pile of free leather at the end always makes me grin. Which reminds me. I have two thirds of a sofa in the back garden I must get the leather off before the weather goes bad. 😀