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View Full Version : Sourcing leather for vise faces


Jon Crowley
10-27-2009, 1:57 PM
I've read in multiple places that covering wooden vise faces with leather greatly improves the grip. So I decided to try it out. Two local craft/fabric stores - nada. Searching the internet for a supplier is overwhelming... there's chap leather, garment, rawhide, sheep, ostrich... and most are only sold in huge amounts. :eek:

Where can a person simply and inexpensively find a little bit of leather to cover some freaking vise faces? :D
Jon Crowley
10-27-2009, 2:03 PM
Mods - please move this post to the General forum. Thanks!
Bob Smalser
10-27-2009, 2:13 PM
ebay has the best prices and availability.

Search for " veg tanned cowhide"
Joe Close
10-27-2009, 2:18 PM
Just search for leather stores in your town. I think I saw a Tandy leather in Cincinnati.
David Christopher
10-27-2009, 2:24 PM
Jon, ya'll have a Tandy leather store 771-0245

http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/

they should have everything you will need
Gary Benson
10-27-2009, 2:47 PM
Jon,
I bought a couple of remnants that were left over saddle skirting. The craft/leather store had dozens of boxes of different scraps. I think I paid by the pound. Works great, attached the rough side to the vice jaws with white PVA glue.
Gary
Randy Klein
10-27-2009, 3:26 PM
ebay has the best prices and availability.

Search for " veg tanned cowhide"


+1. I got mine from this dealer (http://stores.shop.ebay.com/Dangerous-Threads__W0QQ_armrsZ1), Dangerous Threads.
Tom Vanzant
10-27-2009, 8:43 PM
Try your neighborhood shoe repair shop...
ROY DICK
10-27-2009, 8:58 PM
Tandy leather.

Roy
gary Zimmel
10-27-2009, 9:11 PM
One more vote for Tandy Leather.
Thats where I picked up a nice thick piece for vice face.
Didn't have to get a huge piece as they have a scrap bin.

All I have to do now is glue it on....
Dave Lehnert
10-27-2009, 9:27 PM
Jon, ya'll have a Tandy leather store 771-0245

http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/

they should have everything you will need


DAMN!

I have the day off from work tomorrow and was just thinking I was just going to stay in and relax. Now I know there is a store, I never knew existed, in my home town.
And to make matters worse I just Googled the address and it is right between Rockler and Woodcraft. :-)
Frank Drew
10-27-2009, 10:51 PM
FWIW, I've used both smooth (polished) face and rough-out face for bench-vise linings and found that the rough-out gripped the work much better, with noticeably less vise pressure.

Either one would be easy to apply with a good spray adhesive, like 3M's Super-77.
Kenneth Moar
10-28-2009, 2:10 AM
This is the best place I've ever dealt with for anything leather! five stars

Located in Lewiston Maine
John Powers
10-28-2009, 10:22 AM
that Brettuns website has a nice chart that translates weight in oz into thickness. Like everything else there's a whole terminology. If your at tandy you might want to buy a nice hole punch, the wheel type and make yourself a plane holster. its easy and cheap. I like to keep some leather around.
Bob Easton
10-28-2009, 6:02 PM
This is the best place I've ever dealt with for anything leather! five stars

Located in Lewiston Maine

To save everyone else searching for the URL: http://www.brettunsvillage.com/leather/
Brian Ashton
10-28-2009, 9:39 PM
I think the type of leather you maybe looking for the the shoe leather specifically for the sole of the shoe. This is often very thick hard and stiff leather unlike the material used on the upper shoe.
Jon Crowley
10-29-2009, 8:15 AM
Thanks all for the replies... I think I found the stuff I need. Ordered some of this:
http://springfieldleather.com/store/product/22538/Strip,Horse-Butt,Each/

Should be good for strops also.