How To Make a Leather Wallet

I suppose if you search far and wide enough you could find the pattern to make a leather wallet from scratch, but why go to all that bother? If you don't get the holes lines up perfectly and each piece cut just right, it'll be a mess. Leather wallet kits are made in bulk, precision cut by machine.

Leather Wallet Kits

If you've been curious about making a leather wallet, it's much easier than you think. Buy yourself a leather wallet kit and you're off to the races. Novaleather.com has a great selection of leather wallet kits, and practically anything you can imagine in leather crafts. A quick search online for "leather wallet kit" will give you lots to choose from. There are tons of pre-stamped designs to choose from, so you should be able to find something to match the leather wallet theme you're looking for. Some designs even come with a blank area to let you stamp your name on it. If you want to design the cover of the leather wallet by hand, you'll need a few tools and an idea of how to stamp the pattern. If this is your first time, you might want to talk to somebody about which tools to start with. There are a lot of stamping tools available, but you only need a few to get started. Here's a quick "how to" guide to give you some ideas.

Preparing The Leather Wallet Cover

The ideal condition for stamping is leather that has been wetted, and then dried until it is cool to the touch. Success depends upon accurate placement of the stamp, and correct pounding of the mallet. A lighter mallet works best on small, delicate impressions and gives more control than a heavier version. Sharp blows leave a nice, crisp impression in the leather. The leather should be a darker brown color at the bottom of the impression. Make sure you hold the stamp firmly on the leather so that it doesn’t wiggle when you’re pounding it. Practice makes perfect here, like anything else in leather working, do some samples first and get a feel for how much pressure you need to exert with the mallet. The leather wallet cover you get in the kit is thick enough to make leather wallets that are quite attractive with the embellishment of various stamps. Seal the leather wallet or any other small leather items you might want to make with Super Sheen leather sealer for a protective barrier that protects against moisture and stains.

Stamping the Leather Wallet Cover

You simply wet the leather, place alignment marks on the leather so that you know where to place the stamp, and then pound the design of the stamp into the leather. Use the skin side of the leather for stamping rather than the flesh side. Try out your stamping skills out on a scrap piece of leather first to get a feel for it.

Tools to Use

• Stamp
• Mallet (lighter for more delicate stamps)
• Board on which to pound the leather

Summary

• After wetting, make sure the leather is allowed to dry until just cool to the touch
• Position the stamp over the leather exactly where you want it
• Hold the stamp firmly when pounding with the mallet
• Use sharp blows of the mallet for crisp results