Anyone here into Leather?

I know there are a lot of crafty types here and I thought maybe someone could point me in the right direction.

I badly need to install a leather 'strap' like the one pictured here (random image) on my instrument:

I have one on a beater horn and it's proven to be a wonder-cure for some pretty bad wrist tendonitis that started when I began practicing regularly again.

Unfortunately the tubing on my "good" horn does not allow the part that wraps around the large tubing to fit (will try to find an image to illustrate). So it seems my options are to buy another strap and try to cut it and restitch it, or to start from scratch.

So my questions:
-would I find this sort of really thick leather in a normal everyday fabric store?

-would any "laypeople" be likely to have a sewing machine that would actually get the sticthes through?

-anyone think this might be easy work for them and want to earn some $$?

Thx...

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Permalink Reply by h' Zerocats on January 15, 2013 at 12:45pm

The picture on the right shows the width of the opening the wrap-around piece needs to fit through (the "hole" above the piston valve.) Although I think it may be a hair wider on mine.

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Permalink Reply by Lisa Curcio on January 15, 2013 at 12:59pm

Maybe willow can help. I know my machine could not handle it. If you can't find someone in the community I suggest a shoe repair shop. Cool horn, by the way.

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Permalink Reply by Apie (11) on January 15, 2013 at 12:59pm

Horween Leather Co is on 2015 N Elston, I would give them a call or stop by. They have the nice leather that I think you may be looking for. I'm not sure if they do one offs, or you may be able to find a proper size out of their scraps...The products they sell are top notch.

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Permalink Reply by h' Zerocats on January 15, 2013 at 1:07pm

Thanks-- I took actual pics of my own instrument last night but faded before getting them posted. These are just image search finds.

Lisa Curcio 4.0 mi said:

Maybe willow can help. I know my machine could not handle it. If you can't find someone in the community I suggest a shoe repair shop. Cool horn, by the way.

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Permalink Reply by h' Zerocats on January 15, 2013 at 1:08pm

Thanks!

Apie 10.64 said:

Horween Leather Co is on 2015 N Elston, I would give them a call or stop by. They have the nice leather that I think you may be looking for. I'm not sure if they do one offs, or you may be able to find a proper size out of their scraps...The products they sell are top notch.

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Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on January 15, 2013 at 1:08pm

Even a lightweight leather can be challenging to stitch with an average sewing machine. An industrial sewing machine is much more suitable to the task. I think Lisa's got the right idea with the shoe repair shop suggestion. Another alternative would be a dry cleaning/alteration shop that says they can handle leather jackets.

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Permalink Reply by Juan Primo on January 15, 2013 at 2:25pm

Your project looks pretty simple that I'd bet you can handle it on your own. Horween is indeed the place to go. If you can draw the pattern onto the leather, you can cut out the shape with a very sharp knife. Don't bother with sewing machines because they cannot handle leather.

You probably don't need a ton of stitches, so with your same leather-cutting knife, make little slits (not holes) where you want the stitches to go through. Get a really big needle and very heavy thread and make your stitches.

Try it - this is a cheap experiment. If you fail you can bail out and have a shoe repair do it for you but I think this is diy.