Leather grades
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As far as common opinion, it seems that 4-5 ounce top grain comes in high. Some prefer pig, goat, deer, elk.
As for myself? No leather furniture on the side of the road is safe from me. When flensing couches and recliners the best bits are the cushion covers/seats. Next are the top of the arms, the front part of the back and kick places. The foot cover on a recliner is probably the best. Those big inviting sheets that cover the side and back panels are great for making ammo pouches but not sling pouches.
People will direct you to thrift shops for leather coats, purses and shoes(you would be surprised at how many handmade shoes of top leather you can find). Tandy Leather and such. Welders aprons and gloves. The list of free or cheap leather is limited mostly by imagination. You can buy a kangaroo hide (Highly Recommended) for relatively cheap.
It is nice to be able to make your own, but there are so many vendors that make excellent pouches of a wide range of materials that their is no real reason not to buy them. I still make my own but they are usually for my own shooters and I put store bought's on trades and give-away's.
I doubt if this ramble helped; But I hope so.
As for myself? No leather furniture on the side of the road is safe from me. When flensing couches and recliners the best bits are the cushion covers/seats. Next are the top of the arms, the front part of the back and kick places. The foot cover on a recliner is probably the best. Those big inviting sheets that cover the side and back panels are great for making ammo pouches but not sling pouches.
People will direct you to thrift shops for leather coats, purses and shoes(you would be surprised at how many handmade shoes of top leather you can find). Tandy Leather and such. Welders aprons and gloves. The list of free or cheap leather is limited mostly by imagination. You can buy a kangaroo hide (Highly Recommended) for relatively cheap.
It is nice to be able to make your own, but there are so many vendors that make excellent pouches of a wide range of materials that their is no real reason not to buy them. I still make my own but they are usually for my own shooters and I put store bought's on trades and give-away's.
I doubt if this ramble helped; But I hope so.
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537 Posts
Hi,
I agree with above 3-5 oz (1.2 - 2mm.) You could talk to leather shops as they will send small sample off cuts, which will let you cut a couple of pouches for trial, if you ask them.
Kangaroo is one of the strongest leathers for it's thickness... it's expensive & no readily available to buy over here.
If you are looking buy a skin or part skin: all leathers will stretch in one direction & much less in the other. This direction can change throughout a skin. Some pouch suppliers dont know (or do & don't bother about) this... I've previously bought some nice 60mm long die cut leather pouches that have elongated enuf to lose a few f.p.s. on my active & speed junkies like me dont like this
All the best, let's ken how you get on!
I agree with above 3-5 oz (1.2 - 2mm.) You could talk to leather shops as they will send small sample off cuts, which will let you cut a couple of pouches for trial, if you ask them.
Kangaroo is one of the strongest leathers for it's thickness... it's expensive & no readily available to buy over here.
If you are looking buy a skin or part skin: all leathers will stretch in one direction & much less in the other. This direction can change throughout a skin. Some pouch suppliers dont know (or do & don't bother about) this... I've previously bought some nice 60mm long die cut leather pouches that have elongated enuf to lose a few f.p.s. on my active & speed junkies like me dont like this
All the best, let's ken how you get on!
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If you can find it, nothing beats Kangaroo. Very thin, very tough.
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When I was cutting my own, I had very good luck harvesting the leather from Harbor Freight welders gloves. As time went on, I found that I could buy high quality pouches from reputable suppliers that have already done the hard work of figuring out what works well. Looking back, I wish I had spent my time shooting, instead of searching for materials, cutting and experimenting with shapes, thickness, laminations, etc. Can't get that time back and I'd be shooting a lot better now. I totally get it that some people just like to tinker and test. My advice to new shooters (My lesson learned first hand.) is to try several ready made pouches. When you find the one that you like, buy 20 - 30 of them and then shoot for a couple of years without ever having to think about them again! Just my $0.02.
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Car seat leather is pretty good. I read where it has to meet fairly high strength requirements. which makes sense. I came across trim scraps from a car seat manufacturer so I have a lifetime supply. Junk yards or reupholsters shop might have scrap they will give you.
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I personally prefer kangaroo leather, you think it will rip because it is thin but it is super tough. Just my $0.02
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Thanx to Konrad! The kilo of veg tanned 'roo cut offs for $20 looks to be a best buy.
https://www.birdsall-leather.com.au/Kangaroo-Skins/pl.php?resetbrand=1
https://www.birdsall-leather.com.au/Kangaroo-Skins/pl.php?resetbrand=1
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Agreed! Based on recent cost for me to ship to Canada and Scotland that it would be much steeper. Actually pretty reasonable!
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If shipping costs from U.S. to Scotland were the same as the U.K to U.S. I'd be a happy man & buy more stateside, I think U.S. shipping costs are a bit ott in this day & age.
I remember buying 3 small boxes of Ironwood from AZ (the smallest boxes FedEx had) about 15yrs ago, each box weighed around 14lbs & it cost me well over $200 shipping then & the import tax here made me cry!
I also bought some small barrel laps from a western state a couple of years back & was quoted $35 for couple of items that weighed <4oz, after an email pleading pensioner poverty the kind woman managed to get me the shipping for $18.5. I sent her my thanks & kisses.
$20AUS or U.S. is a good price !!
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