Source for leather?

[mballetto]

I'm looking for a source for decent leather, something that is not prohibitivly expensive. Anyone know of a decent supplier?

[waenlotien]

one thing you can alwasy do is check ebay. another idea is to go to a furniture maker in your area.

[wolf2hawks]

Two sources I've found for leather(besides the usual Tandy and the Leather Factory) are:
S-T Leather Company
830 S. 17th St.
St. Louis, MO 63103
ph:1-800-381-5965
(No website, but real good prices on tools and leather. Supposed to have some extra heavy leather(14-16oz) for making armor and shields for about 6.49 a lb(averages about 12-15 lbs a piece. You essentially have to buy it in full sides, just multiply 6.49 by about 15 lbs to figure out the price. The catalog calls them Armor Leather bends, Catalog #L3707)

Hide Crafter LeatherCraft
7936 Camp Bowie West (Hwy 80)
Fort Worth, TX 76116
Tel: 1-888-263-5277
e-mail:hcrafter@flash.net
web:www.hidecrafter.com
(Current sales flyer has 8-9oz double shoulders for 47.50,about 10-12 sq. feet of leather, good for holsters, belts, scabbards, knife sheaths, etc. Also has a good selection of books, tools and videoes. Getting ready to order some next week for an Indiana Jones holster and gunbelt, plus plan on trying to make some vambraces and a few other items. They also sell crafters packs of scrap leather that is good for practice, and making smaller items like vambraces and knife sheathes for 9.95 for 5 lbs.)

The good thing about these places are the catalogs are free, unlike $5 bucks apiece for Tandy and Leather Factory, which for me is good since I don't always have internet access.

Hope this helps, I'm new to leatherworking, too, and have been learning the stuff as I go along. I'll try to help out if I can.

[Christophe of Grey]

There is also the Leather Factory, which now owns Tandy Leather. Both have web sites. Depending upon where you live, there may actually be a store near you.

Another source I have recently come across in my area, North Carolina, is taxidermists. They often have lots of hides, usually deer though, and antlers. Great for buttons, handles on tankards, and weapons that would leave a gruesome wound!
:balrog:

[CB Swords]

I get it from ebay usually, big selection from small time taxidermists, hunters, or big places selling left overs.

[waenlotien]

Its hunting season here! lots of hides should and hopefully will be coming my way soon!! LOL

here is crossing my fingers!

After I tan it, I would be willing to part with some.

[Gregorius0202]

The leather factory is great. They have 66 locations nation-wide, and one within 40 minutes of my house. That's where I get all of my leather. Every month they have large sales on many items! I have a one year wholesale discount card (15% off everything) and this month, for example, people with those, in the halloween season, can get things at dealer prices! Things get cheap, fast...

In September their full hair-on cowhides (which I use for ancient Bronze Age shield covers, but could never afford) went on sale for HALF PRICE, from $275 to $130! And I got the 15% off on top of that, too!

They're great. The one I go to is in Fresno, CA. Get on their website (should be www.leatherfactory.com but it might be www.leather-factory.com) and check the locations. 66 leaves quite a chance you can find one, especially if you're in an urban area.

-Gregory-

[Ranger of the North]

I just looked in the phone book and found somebody that gave me a great deal

[standingbears]

I help out at a Leather and Native American craft supply store. They are a service center and authorized dealer for The Leather Factory, Tandy Leather, Hidecrafter, as well as other suppliers. They don't carry Tandy's leather - Mostly Wicket and Craig Veg Tan.
It's worth a shot if you want to check them out.
http://www.sbearstradingpost.com
There isn't prices on the site but the veg-tan is $7.49 a sq. ft no matter the weight and if you e-mail them they can reply with prices for anything and everything on their site.

Hope this helps