Advice on making exotic leather bags
Here is a PDF from Pan American Leathers Inc on how to choose exotic leather when designing a bag, specifically handbags.
There is some handy advice too on sewing around and dealing with the calcium deposits present in some reptilian skins that may also be applicable to hand stitching as well.
What tips did you find most useful? 🐊
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@Terry Millard There are a few challenges regarding skiving and splitting leather both by machine and by hand. You tend to need more pressure to compress the skin to the same thickness so that you remove a uniform amount or you risk cutting through the gaps between the tiles.
Stitching is also a consideration as the gaps also expose a softer looser fibred layer where a stitch can sink in very easily throwing off the look.
Skins for bags will usually require backing, or areas between the tiles will fold easily losing shape.
Traditionally this was done with sheep skivers/splits or Chamois, today mainly non woven synthetics.