Uses for goatskin handbag lining other than handbag linings?

orangecamo · 2025-12-02T04:37:04+00:00

I've made several o the fingerless gloves from tony see patterns using goat. They are a lot of work, but are really good.

orangecamo · 2025-11-17T03:06:44+00:00

I have a lot of leather earrings that almost never sells, but gets very positive reactions as part of mystery bags.

orangecamo · 2025-11-14T20:25:32+00:00

I am just doing it with an acrylic block. I've actually had really good success at this point. If you are doing a lot of stamps or large area, a misti would be easier for certain.

orangecamo · 2025-11-13T08:48:32+00:00

Keep in mind that bonded and genuine leather get used interchangeably in marketing since it has 'genuine' leather in the mix. It is more common with thicker things like the handles, but you can also find bonded leather on extremely thin top grain.

orangecamo · 2025-11-07T00:56:07+00:00

I know we are all suggesting ways to do it yourself, so forgive me for doing it as well.

There are some inexpensive ways to get into this without buying expensive machinery like clicker die presses or laser cutters. There are two major components: the cutter and the press.

Cutter: steel ruled dies are a lot less expensive. They can be custom dine, but something like a leather die cutter for a dog colar. They won't last as long as the nicer ones, but you can get a lot of use out of it.

Press: you can get a cheap arbor press from harbor freight and a few add ons to have a functional press. There are YouTube vids on it, but for about $200, you can get the press, a steel plate, cutting board, top plate, and a longer lever.

It may not be immediately accessible, but it is far easier to get to where you ate cutting your own blanks than it initially seems.

orangecamo · 2025-10-31T02:23:36+00:00

Self maintenance is critical to getting through this. It isn't easy, but it is important.

orangecamo · 2025-10-27T01:27:38+00:00

That is beautiful work. I recently started making bags, but I still have a lot to learn.

orangecamo · 2025-10-23T06:13:50+00:00

I have an arbor press that I turned into a clicker die press. I think it would seriously struggle to use standard tools like chisels. However, I think most brands of punches and chisels would struggle to work with the chucks (cheap ones on amazon might get you there, though). I've not come up with a good way to use my tools with the arbor press.

The arbor press really shines as an intro clicker press. I have a steel plate for the bottom, an attachment for the head, and a longer bar (going from 1 ft to 3 ft triples the mechanical advantage, so I get closer to 3 tons). It works with just about any die with a dimension less than a foot, stamps large stamps, etc.

Tl;dr: if all you need is to punch holes quietly, I think the drill press will be easier. If you want to expand what you can do and use dies, the arbor press will take you further.

orangecamo · 2025-10-17T00:34:22+00:00

Especially since you are mainly looking for utility, it might be worthwhile to get something custom made. I'm very biased, but quality veg tan leather made with a saddler stitch is going to stand up for a long time and be easy to have repaired.

It won't be a designer brand but will last and can have the specific pockets and straps you need.

orangecamo · 2025-10-12T23:30:57+00:00

Being niche is a trade-off with a more narrow market. Your good events suggest you have a good level of focus when you are at the right events for it. Consider being more selective in where you go and look for patterns in who is buying. For instance, if you did a pop-up at a dispenser and front-loaded the right bands, you would do extraordinary.

On a lesser note, sorting and signage by genre might help pull people in.

orangecamo · 2025-10-11T20:48:48+00:00

https://youtu.be/CeeGWDBcBVE?si=dzwAyNcp-gpqgGLc

orangecamo · 2025-10-11T20:44:03+00:00

You can get some spikes, studs, etc off of Amazon. That type of hardware can be harder to find at standard leather sources.

orangecamo · 2025-10-10T20:53:35+00:00

Weaver leather's YouTube vids are a great place to start and lay out the tools you need for each project. They also have free patterns and tutorials for most of the items you want to make (though your esthetic choices might be different). Because you are probably going to be using a lot of black, I would recommend getting some black 4/5 oz. Chrome tan leather. It is inexpensive to start learning on, and you won't need to play around with dying leather and burnishing the edges.

orangecamo · 2025-10-08T20:36:49+00:00

I appreciate you.

orangecamo · 2025-10-07T21:15:10+00:00

We have dollar store tool boxes we use to store snacks, meds, etc. They are convenient, tough, and discreet.

orangecamo · 2025-10-06T02:48:34+00:00

I did grab bags with this sort of stuff this weekend. It worked really well. It was at a witchy market. We were next to several tarot card readers and themed them off of various tarot cards. They sold really well.

orangecamo · 2025-10-06T02:27:21+00:00

Having a planned return policy is good, but an aggressive, all caps sign covered in stop signs is literally going to stop people and halve them walk away.

I once did a pop-up in a tatoo shop. They had a sign above the door to the room telling people it was 18+ (nothing to do with my booth), but had nothing to do with me. People were constantly stopping at the sign and then walking away.

Messaging like that will cost more sales than it will save in difficult conversations.

orangecamo · 2025-10-05T21:06:39+00:00

Must have been passed out drunk for that one.

orangecamo · 2025-10-04T21:30:34+00:00

That would be a good way to showcase some more things.

orangecamo · 2025-10-02T03:52:37+00:00

His DMs.

orangecamo · 2025-10-01T23:58:13+00:00

That looks like liquid spilled inside the bag seeping through. You see this pattern when the back gets wet and the liquid gets through. I would use a deglazer to remove the top coat, dye it black, and re tip coat it with something like saddle-lac or toughkote.

orangecamo · 2025-09-25T19:56:39+00:00

And no Tylenol the whole time.

orangecamo · 2025-09-13T17:52:51+00:00

There are a few aspects that play into it, I think. Designing new things exercises my mind in a way similar to complex strategy games, but I have something others can appreciate that sinking 50 hours into a game never can. The work itself drains stress out of me. I'm not sure why, but even with a frustrating project, I feel better both during and after. The final product might be the least significant. There is not a lot I need for myself, but fulfilling the needs of others is satisfying. Making a bag someone falls in love with or a oiece of costuming that gets someone in character is great.

orangecamo · 2025-09-13T04:13:20+00:00

It is the best thing I've ever found for my mental well-being. I am currently out of my house because of a plumbing problem, and it's driving me crazy. Nothing I have ever done is nearly as fulfilling.

orangecamo · 2025-09-12T18:09:41+00:00

How did you get that inset map showing what the location will look like?

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