ZeeBee Leather
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Hello! I posted this on Facebook on the ZeeBee Leather page https://www.facebook.com/zbleather but I wanted to share it in here as well.
I wanted to take a minute to answer a couple of the most common questions people ask me about leather working.
- "Where do you get your leather?"
Most of my leather comes from Horween Leather company in Chicago, Illinois. It's Chicago's last tannery and they're still tanning leather the old-fashioned way. It comes in rolled-up pieces ranging from about 12-26 sq. ft. They supply leather for many things you may already be familiar with. Allen Edmonds shoes, NFL footballs, and Aero Leather jackets to name a few. Read more about the famed tannery here! https://thedistance.com/horween/ - "How do you poke holes in the leather (for stitching)?"
I have an awl with a very sharp diamond shaped blade. The diamond shape gives the stitching the angled and stacked look. I have to hold the awl haft at a certain consistent angle every time I pierce the piece so that the stitching is straight, and has a consistent appearance. Every stitch is carefully placed, one at a time with a technique called Saddle Stiching. When I begin stitching a piece, the first thing I do is thread a needle onto each end of a length of 100% waxed polyester thread*. For a belt, I start with a single 30 foot length of thread, and a wallet requires about 15 feet. A tool that really helps make this process a little easier is a Stitching Pony. It's a long wooden clamp with the tips wrapped in leather, that holds the piece steady so I can use both of my hands for stitching. The next thing I do is make my first hole with the awl and thread the first needle through. I pull the needle through so that both needles have the same amount of thread on each side. Once both sides are even, I being the Saddle Stitching. I do this the old-fashioned way with a classic Saddle Stitching grip. I keep a needle between each of my fore and middle fingers, and the awl in my rights palm. I make a hole in the leather with my right hand, use my left hand to pass the first needle through, use my right hand to pass the second needle through, and use both hands to simultaneously draw all of the thread through the hole, making sure to pull it tight, meanwhile never putting the awl down. When I get to a stress-point in the piece, I'll backstitch a few times to add strength.
I've added some pictures below to illustrate the process a little. There's also a diagram that shows the difference between a machine made Lock Stitch and a handmade Saddle Stitch. I really believe that if you're going to invest in one of my products, you need to confident that it's going to last forever, which is why I have no interest in getting a machine for stitching. It's faster, easier, and more economical to use a machine, but I won't compromise on quality, ever.
*Why 100% Polyester thread? Polyester thread is very strong and won't ever rot and it won't wear away easily. I expect my products to last a lifetime and linen or cotton thread will break down over time. I get all of my thread from Maine Thread Company and use it with pride!
- "Where do you get your leather?"
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Trying to use photo bucket to embed this video but it's not working. Click the link to watch!
http://vid135.photobucket.com/albums/q142/zepicurean/Belt time lapse_zpszxsixgl4.mp4
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Really pleased with the way my new belt came out. @madmonday said once that craftsmen always make nice stuff for others but never for themselves, and I thought it was time to make myself a nice belt. This is tooled Veg-tanned leather saddle-stitched to Horween Essex in Teak with olive thread. I'm absolutely smitten.
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Nice work! Be careful now that someone doesnt buy it off you
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Nice work! Be careful now that someone doesnt buy it off you
I of course royally screwed up at the end, and secured this belt forever as mine and only mine. I could never in good conscience sell it to anyone with the giant chunk I cut out by mistake. I'm always happy to make a new one for someone though
Beautiful!!
Thank you!
Simply beautiful.
Thank you very much!
We say, the cobblers children go barefoot….
Truer words have never been spoken.
This belt is gorgeous @seawolf - excellent craftsmanship!
Thank you
This belt feels great, and I absolutely love the olive thread. It's subtle yet quite striking. -
It's been a while, but there's a good reason for my absence lately. I've been designing a briefcase, and it's mostly done being stitched together. Well, the bag itself is done, but I still need to make the straps, etc. It's made with over 30 square feet of leather and 200 feet of thread. Horween Latigo leather is something really special, and this briefcase is going to be a hard-wearing beast. Here's a teaser shot.
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Wow, I can't wait to see the rest.
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the suspens is killing me
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You guys ready?
The briefcase pictured below is made of Full Grain Horween Latigo leather in Rio, and the straps are made with Horween Chromexcel in Black. The bag is completely lined with Latigo and Chromexcel. Latigo leather is both chrome and vegetable tanned, giving it the best qualities from both worlds. It's prized for its toughness and durability and has been the top choice for use in saddlery and tack or wherever soft and durable leather is needed. The entire bag is hand-stitched with Maine Thread Co. 100% waxed poly cord, and it's secured with solid brass and copper rivets which add significant strength and support to areas that endure additional stress. All of the straps are double thick Chromexcel which have been stitched together and riveted to solid brass hardware.
This original ZeeBee Leather Briefcase is built for functionality and durability. It has an internal pocket that fits a 15" laptop snugly and securely, a small pocket for pens, and two internal pockets with flaps and stud closures. The pockets are designed so that small items like thin notebooks or envelopes can be neatly stowed behind them. It's outfitted with a heavy, solid brass YKK zipper on top, and a sleek Riri zipper on the back. The back zippered pocket is fully lined and perfect for documents or small items that need to be kept safe.
ZeeBee Leather is now offering Bespoke Bags. Click http://zeebeeleather.com/bespoke-bags/ to learn (a little) more
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Holy shit. Amazing.
