The Leather Element: Hardening Leather

[@bobbobbing4220]

i seriously love how excited this man is to talk about making leather stuff,

[@leadhead880]

*smashes 100+ hour project with hammer* See? not a scratch. That's confidence.

[@TheBees95]

Its like shamwow but actually good

[@TLAS]

Weaver Leather is beyond fortunate to have him. His genuine and positive energy is rare.

[@wormhole331]

He's the perfect host for a show.

[@kylestudinski9633]

I tell people he is the Bob Ross of leathercraft. Bob Ross inspired my girlfriend to start painting and Chuck Dorsett inspired me to start leather craft.

[@Rick_Sanchez_C137_]

You mean Master Sergeant Robert “Bob” Ross, United States Air Force, retired?

[@noboby4904]

@@Rick_Sanchez_C137_ yes that guy.

[@PetrusGladius]

yo, i was JUST thinking this. I just bought my first swivel knife and stamp set sitting here soaking up knowledge and practicing.

[@rwtheomighty867]

Just got into leathercraft a month and a half ago. Made a holster, put it in water and then used my foodsaver to vacuum all the air out and wet formed the leather. Then stuck it in the oven to cure! Thanks for your videos!!!

[@WeaverLeatherSupply]

That's great, Ron! Thanks so much for watching!

[@julialewis8794]

There is a Tandy's near my house but I've decided in going to buy some stuff from Weaver just because of these videos.

[@billman6364]

that's the general idea julia

[@jonathanwall5784]

I would love to see a more focused in depth video on the "curing" of the leather

[@manuelkong10]

ME TOO

[@Pfurlan26]

Just recently picked up leatherworking because I'm a competitive axe thrower and throwing coach and wanted to make some sheath and axe beards. These videos have been incredibly helpful in explaining the little things that will make my projects go much smoother. You've got good energy, are concise and provide great examples. Your work is much appreciated.

[@WeaverLeatherSupply]

Thank you so much!

[@ATD-crafting]

After much trial and error I finally nailed this process. I actually think this might be the superior hardening method out of all of them

[@TheRychanek]

could you demonstrate this technique

[@calebjensen1560]

I second this notion

[@tingcraft3920]

I third it

[@robertdelisle2412]

Soak it in bakeing soda and water

[@wyattschmidt4166]

Hey Chuck! Love your videos! But can you cover when to stitch hardened leather? I love to use contrasting thread to my main leather color, so would it be possible to chisel and stitch my pieces after it's been hardened and dyed, or would I have to do this beforehand?

[@podjawsomness4642]

A hammer to my project? I am an blacksmith.. thats kind what i do! Loved the vid and youre energy :)

[@DougWC]

These videos are exceptional. So informative and the passion for the craft is infectious. I never feel like you are pushing your products (which I'm sure match the high quality of the videos) but rather genuinely looking to share your knowledge and tips for the betterment of the art form. I've watched most of the videos twice and eagerly await the next ones. Thanks so much (from Canada, "eh")

[@KevinSmith-gh5ze]

Very impressive demonstration on the armor. It's always nice to see a craftsman who is confident in his methods.

[@Thea_MojaveOutliersWhipmakers]

Note to self: Do not sass Chuck when he has a leather mallet in his hand.

[@grenshaw6836]

or talk shit about leather, he will turn you into leather

[@jethrox812]

or when he is wearing his leather armor

[@maryrosecarroll4558]

🤣

[@famvirious]

Dude, your projects are amazing and your craftsmanship is incredible. I love your content!

[@WeaverLeatherSupply]

Thank you so much!

[@craigells4151]

My first project in leather was my hat. I accidently made it hard as a rock by wet forming with boiling hot water and then the dye hardened (dried) it even more. I ended up having to treat it with steam from a boiling pot on the stove to rehydrate the leather a bit to regain some flexibility in the leather and to adjust the fit. It was a learning experience lol. I know I could have taken a hammer to it it was so hard but I didnt.

[@OkieRCguy]

I think it would be great if you could do a series on the layout and construction of leather armor IMHO.

[@WindWolfAlpha]

Absolutely! That's a great idea!

[@urielcantarero4965]

Chuck....You 'Da Man!!!!! I was just looking into hardening leather to make some ladies bangles. This video is very timely. Thank you.

[@AaronLyNxAI]

Been learning leatherwork in my free time and these videos are amazing faucets for knowledge

[@heinzerhard5031]

Hey Chuck nice teaching out there in your videos! I have some specific questions about the when to do what and would be so glad if you, or anyone out there, can help me with this. I am making myself a leather armor. Do you tool and dye before you soak it and "bake"/cure the pieces? And do you assemble it after you cured it or before? Same question with paint or antique etc. I hope you´re doing well and i wish you all the best!

[@lazywolf8297]

I dont look up "Weaver leather craft" videos. But it seems every time I'm looking for an answer to a question on leatherworking this man here always has exactly the answers I'm looking for. On a completely different note I happened to buy some of their leather for a project recently and that was some of the finest leather I've ever used, most even thickness, not a visible stretch mark, scars, or tooling marks on it, and the backside looked like they went though and groomed it, no fibers hanging off it at all.

[@WeaverLeatherSupply]

Thank you so much, so glad the leather was good to work with and that the videos have been helpful!

[@Generalphoenix8438]

Im actually looking to do this for some leather projects im doing for uni. Im going to try this for pieces, does boiling water really work well. Ill put an updatevon how it goes.

[@waytograce]

Thanks Chuck! I thought waxing was the only way one could go for hardening. Sooo much easier and delimiting for finishing. Fantastic and simple.

[@WeaverLeatherSupply]

That is great to hear - so glad it simplifies things for you!

[@rikospostmodernlife]

@@WeaverLeatherSupply Tod from the channel Tod's workshopp has a video where he hypothesizes it was made by soaking the leather in hot glue so that it becomes a composite material and it may have 'boiled' by bubling up air and gases. What are your thoughts on that method, sir?

[@robertkirkpatrick75]

Thanks for sharing your knowledge.We never get to old or to good to learn from others.

[@ScootLetsGo]

Hi. I hope you can help. I’m building a Viking round shield for full contact fighting. Should I harden the leather or just oil it to give it some give?

[@davel2734]

I was thinking of making bicycle fenders for a 20 inch wheel out of leather...u think it would work?

[@WeaverLeatherSupply]

Hi Dave! That sounds like a cool project and I don't see why this application wouldn't work for hardening the leather. Hope it works and you'll have to let us know how it turns out!

[@davel2734]

Ok so...I guess if I first soaked the leather fenders in water and then form the shape and let sit to dry, then bake them in the oven they should come out hard and hold their shape...then I can apply a nice dye...I wonder if a wood stain would work too..and then clear coat

[@glentweedie602]

Hi. Is there a % shrinkage, or stretch, after the baking process?? Or more precisely: Can I put final cut size or shape into the oven??

[@JCraftvfx]

A couple questions on the baking process. I had already dip dyed all my parts, pro dye. Would it still work or should I have baked it first prior to dip dying? Also for the baking process, is it alright to roughly place rivets into the parts and put them together to help keep the shape I want them to be during baking?

[@jurgenruttlowsky3302]

leather, colored ore not, will darken in the hardening process. uncolored Leather will become Tan-coloured, middle brown will turn into ebony and dark brown into black... If you don't have a workshop-oven, do yourself a favor and use only undyed leather. Don´t turn the Oven higher than 80 °C because otherwise the water inside the leather will begin to boil and the leather will get too hard. That will cause the structure to crack. Don't close the oven completely during the drying, so the moist can escape. (Sorry about my bad English, I´m from Germany)

[@magnusvorland9249]

If i use the curing method on a pair of armguards will they still flex enough to be tightened with a drawstring? Can you perhaps make a video where you demonstrate this method?🙏

[@WeaverLeatherSupply]

Hi Magnus, The arm guards will flex enough to tighten them down, but, the cool thing about that is that they will almost snap onto your arms and lace isn’t really needed (not totally but almost!). If you have a much heavier weight (10/11 oz. or more) I may not harden since the weight will hold a good form and will be a little more flexible. Good luck with the arm guards and I hope they come out nicely!

[@magnusvorland9249]

Weaver Leathercraft Thanks for the advice😊

[@Earth.Plant.Protein]

Hi Chuck, really grateful for your videos. I veggie tanned a deer leg skin, does it make a difference how stiff your leather is to start? And what animal it is??? My deer leather is 1/8" thick fairly soft tanned.

[@bs78315]

Love the energy he has you can tell he loves what he does

[@scopescaroutdoors]

I’ve been using oak bark to tan my alligator hides for a few years now. I normally use neatsfoot oil. How do you think beeswax would work on alligator?

[@sarahk.6474]

1) I cannot discern the time, 20 or 3 mins? 2) Is this done after the dying? 3) Is this done after antiquing or engraving? Thanks!

[@patriciabradish1168]

Will there be any shrinkage? What If if want to wrap a piece of wood very tightly with it? Can I bake it with the wood in it? How much difference does the weight of the leather make?

[@joelheffelfinger2253]

Can you do this after it all put together for a knife sheath?. Been stitch up and rivets in

[@WeaverLeatherSupply]

Hi Joel, You should be able to since the oven is at such a low heat, the only thing to keep an eye on is to make sure the thread doesn't burn. You may want to test a piece of the thread you use in the oven at that temperature and see if it affects it in any way before trying it with the sheath.

[@georgegoble5461]

Is there any shrinkage with this method? Thanks in advance...

[@WeaverLeatherSupply]

Hi George, There should not be any shrinkage using this method. Thanks!

[@patrickgoodrich9623]

I have a leather coat with a short collar style meaning a collar you can not flip up or down., the kind with a snap on it. The collar has got weak and flimsy and I would like to make it stand up more, how do I reshape it and stiffen it up?

[@andyd2960]

I just started working with leather today and I want to make one of those armored suits now. Looks awesome.

Hi there! I actually have a leather corset-like vest that I want to SOFTEN. Any suggestions? I want it to be very soft and supple. Thanks! 😊

[@Advansite]

what do you put the leather on in the oven when baking

[@JRBrown0016]

I am making a technicians pouch. Should I harden it?

[@gaaraxluvr]

Great video! This is exactly what I was looking for. Quick question for clarification: when hardening using the oven bake method, are you dying/finishing your project before or after the bake?

[@lukemorris261]

Hope you get an answer, I was wondering the same thing!

[@gobblerridgefarms22]

Same here. I came across this video after I dyed the cover of a leather book but think hardening would be nice. But, since it's already dyed, I don't know what the outcome would be....

[@chrisapattee]

So, Chuck, you mentioned soaking the leather armor before baking but you did not mention soaking when you FIRST mentioned putting it in the oven. (2:25) Are there times when you put it in the oven dry and other times wet? Thank you!

[@WeaverLeatherSupply]

Hi Chrisa, You'll want to wet the leather before baking, otherwise it won't work very well. So soak your leather, let it sit for 15 - 20 minutes. Form it and let it sit for an hour and then bake for 20 minutes, remove and let it sit and dry for 24 hours.

[@Out_Law_Forge]

question can you use an electric toaster oven to bake? Not large pieces but lets say arm guards/bracers/knife sheaths?

[@joe4freedom676]

Are there step by steps on how to make archer arm guards?

[@hijodelmaize6084]

I have a question! Do I tool the leather first before baking or after?

[@snakekitchen9069]

If you tool something and then want to wet mould it- what would you advise?? Soaking it in the water for a minute and a half would loose a lot of the tooling details wouldnt it? Advice appreciated

[@WCollinsWhiteIII]

I tried this on a 2mm piece of veg tanned and it worked, but only marginally. What can I do to improve the effect? More time? Higher heat?

[@CaulderLeather]

Hey Chuck do you think we could get a Leather Element strictly on the oven baking method with demonstration. Ive followed your steps best I can from this vid but cant get it to seem to turn out the way your armor does.

[@jacelittleton6620]

Is it okay if the project is already

[@nafnlaus]

I've got two questions on this: 1. Can you bake leather to harden it after it's been sewn with wax coated thread? 2. How do you soften leather instead of hardening it?

[@WeaverLeatherSupply]

Hi Bryan, Since the baking temperature is so low, the thread should be ok, but, we would recommend testing it out first. Just place a piece of the thread you're using in the oven at 250 F and see how it fares. We really don't have a solution for softening leather, about the only thing you can do is work it with your hands and apply a leather conditioner. But use and wear is really what will soften it.

[@rowandrake2045]

When baking, should the piece be in its finished shape? Stitched together? If not, can I manipulate it after it come out out of the oven?

[@WeaverLeatherSupply]

Hi Jessica, You'll want the stitch holes and any rivet holes to be punched prior to baking, or you can drill them in after baking. But, the piece does not need to be stitched together until after. You can manipulate it a little bit after it comes out of the oven, but, it will be noticeably harder.

[@richardkatzman1215]

Chuck, I can't believe how beautiful your Coat of Armor is! I'm going to use your method for another purpose. I don't plan on going to war with my project. I need to use your method to protect the skin my arms from the elbows down to my wrists. Whenever I do some work where my skin comes in contact with an object, I get bruising on my skin. I thought if you can use your suit of armor to protect your body from joisting and fighting with axes, I should be able to get the same protection from rubbing my arms against wood or steel. Thanks Chuck, you're the best. Best regards, Richard

[@samantha8740]

Will baking shrink the leather at all?

[@Corbyloc]

Thank you. This is great information. I would like to make a valet tray with a soft leather because I will be machine embroidering a monogram on the inside piece and glueing the front and back pieces together. I’d like the finished tray to be a harder leather. How do you suggest I do that.

[@WeaverLeatherSupply]

That’s going to be beautiful! I would say that backing the embroidered piece with a heavier weight veg-tan would give you some good strength and you can wet form. And it’s possible to harden that with some baking (we have a Leather Element on this) or use our Leather Firmer and use this piece as a backing.

[@Corbyloc]

Weaver Leathercraft Thank you for your response. I will look at your site and contact you when I have more questions. It will be my first real leather project; I’ve made some simple key fobs. I’d love a bit of hand holding so it doesn’t look like a Girl Scout project. Thanks again.

[@evren.builds]

So.. You can just wet form leather and after that bake it to harden?

[@WeaverLeatherSupply]

Yes, that's correct!

[@evren.builds]

Will give it a try as soon as possible Also you might be interested in this @@WeaverLeatherSupply medium.com/@jasontimmermans/a-comparative-study-of-leather-hardening-techniques-16-methods-tested-and-novel-approaches-8574e571f619

[@thedude5880]

Could you do a video demonstrating the leather firmer and what the final result is?

[@AllThings357]

I need to stiffen cow hide with hair on. Can I use the oven method on it without damaging the hair? What method should I use? It’s natural tanned hide. Or should I just use a piece of stiff backing leather? Overall thickness is an issue for its application.

[@WeaverLeatherSupply]

We wouldn't recommend this with the hair on unless you tried a test piece first. It is a very low oven temp but it could still affect the hair. We would go with a lining leather if possible to help stiffen the piece.

[@ajameshardwick]

How much shrinkage is there?

[@mhaubrich07]

I did the suggested time and temp and it was still not hard. Does the leather gauge and amount of time in water effect how long you should make it for.

[@rthj6446]

is there a benefit to drying raw leather under high pressure? Would it make it denser and bond harder between the epidermal cells in the leather? I am talking pressure such as placing a house on top of a piece of leather and let it stay there until fully dried. Several tonnage per square cm, sort of thing.

[@mattphipps1368]

@Chuck Dorsett Chuck, I like the idea of hardening the leather in the oven, but can I tool, dye and seal the leather before hardening?

[@flamesofhellstudio]

Does this work with all types of leather, or does it require a specific tanning method, or specific animal hide. Like can I harden vegetable tanned goatskin?

[@WeaverLeatherSupply]

It should work with any vegetable tanned leather. If the leather is thin, like goat, it's best to experiment with scrap because it will take a lot less time in the oven and thinner leather tends to wrinkle easier so definitely experiment with it.

[@manuelkong10]

curing the leather in the oven....does it shrink??

[@ILLDreams]

I have to say thank you. I have picked up this art and your videos have more than helped me on many subject's. Keep up the great videos.

[@DanOReilly46]

I tried this but got absolutely nowhere and can’t tell what I’m doing wrong. I soaked it for a few, in the oven for 20 at 200 and i just got kind of hot leather. It’s already dyed black- does that matter?

[@MarvolOhWhat]

I've got a gallon of the Leather Firmer and I'm planning to use it in a couple days to make a couple "crowns" that will keep their stiffness through all the points, etc. I have a couple questions about using it and I'm hoping you can enlighten me. -Is there anything special about the process of using the Leather Firmer? I.e is it necessary to dip the piece in the solution or can I brush the solution onto the leather? -Since these pieces will be round and therefore difficult to dip without a large quantity of Leather Firmer, would it be possible to dip them or brush the solution on while they're flat and then quickly stitch them into the final round shape after I've applied the Leather Firmer but before it cures? As in, apply the leather firmer after tooling and making the stitching holes, then sew together as soon as the firmer has been applied. Or, would shaping the piece in that window of time compromise the hardening of the leather? I've got a bit of wiggle room on these pieces since they're not supposed to be hard-wearing, but it would be great if I didn't have to worry about them deforming in transit. Thanks! Alex

[@WeaverLeatherSupply]

Hello, We would recommend trying the brush application method after you’ve sewn them. This should work and give you the desired outcome. If not then you may need to give the dip method a try, if you do that then I’d use a flat container such Tupperware large enough to lay the straps in full length and then you’d just need about an inch of firmer in the bottom and should be able to submerge the entire strap. Hope this helps!

[@JCraftvfx]

Hey...I was wondering your take on wearing your armor outside in rain? I applied a good 2-3 top coats to everything and should be pretty well water proof, but i put alot of time and work into it and would hate for it to get ruined. I guess what would you do?

[@kevingubelman6427]

Do you dye the leather before or after baking it?

[@WeaverLeatherSupply]

Hi Kevin, I dye and top coat after baking.

[@un-gunnedoutdoors8591]

Does the leather shrink and the oven curing process?

[@WeaverLeatherSupply]

Hi Scotty, Lighter weight leathers may shrink a little bit but the heavier leather like the one Chuck uses for his armor should not shrink.

[@davidsuzitaylor6756]

Couple questions, I've made a 8"X8" purse and wet formed it after assembly. Will the 200 degree oven hurt the hand stitching I've done ? Should I leave the forms in when baking ? Thanks

[@pietervandertuin4069]

Would the microwave work or present problems?

[@madhatterrx7]

Can you do this after you made the item? I.E. I already sewed it with artificial sinew, dyed it and put the wax coat over it.

[@mhaubrich07]

I am making a demi gauntlet and the wrist portion is circular. Should I stich it first to hold the shape during the bake?

[@mrtadreamer]

Can a leather scabbard for a sword or dagger be hardened?

[@dougpeery8494]

Hello Chuck, I truly enjoy your videos. I have a question for you. I wet a leather holster and to shape it with suction. When I baked it, it shrunk into a piece of wood half the size it was. Was my leather too wet?

[@mikepaulson5345]

I know this is an older video so I'm not sure this will be seen but.....I'm carving a 12 in round piece if 12oz leather. I'm assuming I would use the leather hardener after carving and paint. Am I correct or no?

[@flytyer232]

Question: what if I wanted to slightly harden leather - for example I am making stitched belts out of 8-9 oz veg tanned bends. I would the leather to be able to hold its own shape - but not be like a piece of wood. I was thinking of stitching the leather before hand, wetting it, and then putting it in the oven for maybe 5mintues and seeing what that gives me? Thanks!

[@WeaverLeatherSupply]

I may go with something like our Leather Firmer before the oven approach. Hardening in the oven will make it pretty stiff, but, it will crack. Also, if you’re lining it and use a good contact cement (Barge) between the ply’s and then sew it you will have a pretty stiff belt.

[@franciscomoreno9916]

Man, you are amazin teacher, I learn so much from you, I bet you are the number 1 employee of the hole company, cheers and keep those vids coming

[@WeaverLeatherSupply]

Thank you, Francisco

[@jrmorrisjr1471]

I have been waiting to get a closer look at that suit... THANK YOU!

[@danielpaulson786]

Hello Chuck,my name is also Dan and was wondering about layering multiple layers of thick veg tan leather.would it be best to harden the outer most layer before I combine the layers?and should I glue and stitch them together and rivet the layers together also?I'm not concerned on weight as much as I am function.also would it be possible to use a resin along with Kevlar or fiber glass in between the layers?what I'm trying for is an armour without a lot of metal that's functional also.thankyou.

[@nic-yx5xm]

How can I harden the leather on the toe of my boots? I wear steel-toe leather boots for stonemasonry work. Thanks

[@WildBraptor]

could you use this process after a project is dyed, sewed and snaps/rivits are set?

[@WeaverLeatherSupply]

Hi Barret, Yes, you most certainly can. The only thing to watch is that your thread can withstand the heat and doesn’t melt when being baked. On most thread this won’t be an issue but just something to test and keep an eye on.

[@WildBraptor]

@@WeaverLeatherSupply thanks very much I'm gonna try it out

[@mhaubrich07]

Prior to baking the leather, would you already burnish your edges? Specifically with Gum tragacanth I am curious if I finish my edges will that be affected during the bake?

[@WeaverLeatherSupply]

We would recommend burnishing after you bake. You can dye, top coat and edge finish after baking.

[@tangokilo4673]

Hi guys. I have a question. I'm only new to leather works and I followed instructions in this video to harden my piece. Vegtan leather 4mm thick. 200C in electrick fan oven and after 5 min it looked like burned slice of bacon. All wrinkled, shrinked and some juices visible on the surface. Was the temp to high or a piece to small- maybe 6 sqare inch. Or maybe with electrick fan oven temp must be reduced? Thanks, Tom

[@WeaverLeatherSupply]

Hi Tom, I apologize that you had this experience! The oven temp should be 200 Fahrenheit so I think that is probably what caused this. I would try it again at 200F (or 93C) and it should work out better for you.

[@tangokilo4673]

@@WeaverLeatherSupply That actualy occured to me some time later and I had a good laugh about it. Lucky I've used a piece of scrap instead of the actual project. I'll try it again. Thanks for the clarification.

[@jfiles640]

is there a way to un-harden leather once it has been hardened in the oven? Can i dip it in water after? Is baking leather permanent?

[@WeaverLeatherSupply]

I suppose if you soaked it long enough, you could probably soften it. I've never tried it so I don't have a good answer for you but baking will harden it pretty good!

[@marktaylor8659]

I realize this video is a few years old, however I have a question regarding the baking process. Do you place the leather on the rack or perhaps on some aluminum foil? I have some large pieces that I want to harden/stiffen flat, so I'm wondering if I should place the pieces on foil or something to prevent the rack from showing and/or heating too fast. And should I be concerned that the leather might curl during the baking process. Thanks.

[@LordHonkInc]

I might be a year late, but thank you. I recently started planning to make a custom sheath for one of my tools (old cheap one wore out) and was hunting endlessly for a nice and concise solution for hardening the leather. I've found so many pro/con lists for any imaginable method, but after watching this video and some time looking for second opinions (hope you don't consider that a slight) it seems oven hardening is the most reliable (or, better in my case, foolproof) option. Again, thank you!

[@WeaverLeatherSupply]

So glad the video was helpful, thanks for watching!

[@CCruz-hl5ik]

Can you use any of these techniques to make a sheath for a hunting knife?

[@WeaverLeatherSupply]

Yes, you can use this technique. Just make sure your stitch holes and any rivet holes are punched prior to baking because after it's baked it will be too hard to do this. Hope that helps!

[@CCruz-hl5ik]

@@WeaverLeatherSupply can I harden soft leathers? Or does the swatch already have to be somewhat of a tough leather?

[@WeaverLeatherSupply]

@@CCruz-hl5ik We would recommend only hardening natural veg tan leather, chrome tanned leather cannot be hardened.

[@grimlock1471]

0:26 Is there any way to tell the difference between natural veg tan and the waxed stuff when it's in the scraps bin at the local makerspace?

[@jimmchugh4923]

So do you put anything on the leather before you place it on the oven or do you just throw it in? And also if you’ve already crafted the leather into say a case or something can you still use the oven?

[@WeaverLeatherSupply]

No, you don't have to put anything on the leather but it does have to be damp, otherwise it will burn. Soak your leather, form it into the shape you want it and then let it dry for about an hour and then bake around the mold or form so it holds its shape as you bake it. If you've already crafted it, you'll still need the leather to be damp if you are baking it.

[@lancem5147]

Can you stitch the leather after doing this? With a heavy duty sewing machine

[@WeaverLeatherSupply]

Hi Lance, We would recommend punching the stitch holes before baking.

[@andrewhoffman4993]

I am working on a piece of shoulder armor that consists of several parts sewn together to cut down on some shaping... Would baking to harden it once the parts are sewn effect the stitching or should I bake first to harden and then sew and shape?

[@WeaverLeatherSupply]

Hi Andrew, Ideally you would sew and then bake and it shouldn't affect the thread but every type of thread is different. The best way to test it is to put a piece of your thread in the oven at 200 F for 20 minutes and see how it handles it. That way you're not out an entire shoulder piece. Hope that helps!

[@jamieknoy3581]

Will this technique work to stiffen a leather handbag? I prefer the sides of my handbags to be stiff and structured so they don't collapse onto themselves, but it's hard to find structured leather handbags that don't cost an arm and a leg. The bag in question is cloth lined with a brass zipper. I was going to toss it then realized it would be a good item to test on. If you feel the oven technique wouldn't work, could you please suggest a few other things I could try? Thank you very much!

[@WeaverLeatherSupply]

Hi Jamie, If the bag is made of chrome tanned leather, which it probably is if its soft and supple, this method will not work. It only works on veg tan leather. Unfortunately, there isn't anything that I'm aware of to harden chrome tanned leather, sorry we don't have a solution for you! If you think the bag is made of veg tan then you can certainly try the baking method, just keep an eye on the cloth. It shouldn't burn at such a low temperature but it depends on what the material is made of.

[@bullandtimber]

Awesome demonstration Chuck!! I remember seeing that armor at Tandy when you worked there, it was pretty impressive then and still impressive now

[@VahnWyrde]

Question! what if... you use air fryer instead of an oven? Do you guys think it will produce the same result?

[@WeaverLeatherSupply]

Sorry, we have never tried using an air fryer instead of an oven so we really don't have an feedback for you on your question!

[@codymcdowell316]

I'm redoing a sheath for my son on a 1950s hunting knife. I had an old cowhide rug with the hair on it that had gotten some moldy spots and hair was falling out in areas because it got wet and sat outside awhile. I cut a good piece off to redo the top piece of his sheath where the knife busted through and it was torn or dry rotted. I just cut the stitches and rivets and cut the new hide to match the old pattern. then plan to punch holes and stitch/rivet it back together. my question is the old leather obviously is stiff. the cowhide I have is soft and floppy. how do I harden it but keep the hair on it so it will last?

[@tossedsalad1532]

I am confused about one thing. Say I am making a holster I want to be as hard as possible. Do I cut out my pattern and shape it THEN bake it or do I cut it out, bake it and THEN shape it? I want to make a holster that will retain it's shape even if the wearer is caught in a soaking downpour. Any info would be helpful.

[@WeaverLeatherSupply]

Hi there, You will need to shape it and then bake it. Once it's baked you won't be able to re-shape it. Hope that helps!

[@tossedsalad1532]

@@WeaverLeatherSupply Indeed! Also, I just recieved my order consisting of S-18, Resolene, a wood strap cutter and a set of diamond chisels and cannot wait to use them. The cutter and chisels are outstanding!

[@stewy1412]

Can you dye the leather first, and then cure it?

[@trevorcook8051]

I am new in leathercrafting and I was wondering if you can wet mold a piece of leather and then bake to harden while still keeping the mold intact?

[@WeaverLeatherSupply]

Hi Trevor! You may need to experiments a little bit, but try this: mold the leather and when it’s just dry enough to hold the form, but still wet, bake it. Low temp and for a short amount of time. Then let it air dry on the form if needed until totally dry. This should keep the mold unless the mold design is pretty complex. Without knowing the weight of the leather, shape of the from…I can’t give a really good answer but see if this works.

[@trevorcook8051]

@@WeaverLeatherSupply Ibwill give it a shot thank you! I am trying to make bracers.

[@bkzwolf]

Chuck! So a bought a box of scraps to make a nice simple journal cover for myself. But I came to find that they are chrome tans, which wasn't my intention, but I'll deal with that. However! I find that these leathers are all very very supple. And I'd like them to be a little stiffer. What can I do? I can't seem to find the answer online. I'm brand spankin new at this.

[@WeaverLeatherSupply]

Hi there, Unfortunately about the only thing you can do to stiffen chrome tan is to double up on the weight. A lot of Chrome tan leather will be soft and supple, this comes from the way it is tanned. Hope that helps!

[@bkzwolf]

@@WeaverLeatherSupply thank you!!