The Properties of Leather
Leather, in essence, is skin. Just like human skin varies in tone and toughness (even over our own bodies – compare your knees to your eyelids!) so does a cow. It’s belly will have stretch marks and folds at it’s extremes and stretches nicely. It’s shoulders are fairly thick and make better belts. This makes it an extremely versatile material. A hide also tells the tale of the cow’s life. Each comes with it’s own unique grain pattern and set of scars: signs of it’s use in life.
That means that even though I might cut 3 bags or 3 belts the same pattern from 1 hide, each bag or belt will be unique from the get go – that’s before I’ve begun to colour or personalise it to your taste! Speaking of colour: each piece of leather takes the dye differently, and will age and fade differently according to it’s properties and how it’s treated. Every item we produce is completely unique before we’ve even started!
Versatile
Leather is adaptable to an infinite combination of designs and uses because of it’s uniqeness. Want a wallet? Choose a lighter weight belly hide. Want boots? A much thicker (sole bend) is required. But how about a hard-wearing messenger bag or pannier – but you need some softer but also protective pockets inside, and some flexible straps for fiddly buckles? Ok – you’ll need a range of hides for this project, but leather all the way! Want it really hard and protective (cod-piece anyone?) boil it!
As an example, here’s my old office / laptop bag. It’s rough because I made it from scraps, and used salvaged buckles, knackered lap top case handle, and bits of an old denim jacket just because I could. It straps on and off the bike in a few fumbly minutes – when you’ve remembered to take your gloves off again! It also has a shoulder / carry strap and handle (for when it’s really stuffed!) Inside I needed a protective space for a laptop in the middle, harder, secure but accessible pocket to protect the keyboard/mouse, and room either side for a couple of very full lever arch files! I know it needs a bit of re-stitching, but it was used daily and very abused, wind rain or snow for 3-5 years, and I didn’t do a proper saddle stitch because I always think my own stuff ain’t worth the fuss!
Also been meaning to add extra holes in the seat strap for years to
tighten that boy up! But it’s mine so it doesn’t get a look in!
Personalisation
When it comes to carvings and personalisation of our leather goods, we offer a completely custom service if you require something very different! Name or initial stamps are always popular. All three of these carvings were uniquely designed for a particular piece or customer.
I have offered “time flies” see photo below) as an option in the shop for our leather diary covers, I did this one for myself, and if I were to do it again, my tool would never land in the same combination of places over the thousands of hammer hits involved in this piece. Another one like it would not be exactly the same. Of course, I left mine natural: remember every piece dyes and ages differently, and you could always have a (now) ‘stock’ design like this and personalise it with intials! Check out Custom Ravn for a range of personalisation options.
I’m aware I’ve info dumped a bit on one of my favourite topics here, but I hope it’s been at least a little informative and gives some food for thought (or inspires a few ideas! Keep ‘em coming!)
Oh – before I go, I uploaded a short video to YouTube… babbling about the pleasures of working with natural, therefore unique materials. Find it here!
