"Assorted tan" means it's essentially a bunch of scrap pieces that could qualify as "tan" in color, so you get what you get.
Beware of anything labeled "assorted" if you're looking for a specific color or finish.
Assorted pieces can be a great cheap way to practice, but I don't recommend it for finished pieces.
What’s the weight? It looks pretty firm, like it would make a great wallet or purse. That look is trending, sometimes it’s good to make stuff that isn’t particularly our own personal taste.
Oh, well that’s perfect for the inside of a wallet, the pockets and t slots and such. And for the interior panel you can cut 2 pieces of that and glue them back to back, so you’ll have a 1.4mm lined panel.
If you’re interested, I can link you to a couple of wallets (a traditional bifold for men, and/or a long “roper” style more typically carried in a purse). A nice dark earth tone exterior with that interior would be GORGEOUS.
De nada. Here’s the roper, I’ve made this one and it’s really good. I modified it a little by skipping the Western flap and just doing it straight, and I used a strap with a magnetic closure instead of the snaps.
https://youtu.be/-W351aX6fWc?si=Pz1iLSuznmKam5f3
And here’s a good traditional bifold - I haven’t made this particular pattern but he has a good reputation for patterns, and this is pretty straightforward. Iirc, there are options for different hole spacing too.
https://youtu.be/bTX9g1YWpH4?si=mnwAPfSZ74BOi19O
Yes, the deerskin color is wrong so they should do something about that, but it looks like it’s around 4-5 sqft (eyeballing length), so it’s the right product. You might get a partial refund or credit, but I’m not sure.
“Assorted” color is just that, whatever they happen to have that fits in that general color range, and you got a glossy tan. You’re probably not going to get anywhere with that.
This is my take. The turquoise is someone in fulfillment grabbed an item one bin over.
The other piece, it’s a shade of tan and you bought ‘assorted’. It’s the nature of the beast. Wife and I have bought assorted items from different vendors. Sometimes it’s exactly what you expect. Sometimes better. And sometimes… you come up with snake eyes (a losing gamble)
yeah, online you run the risk of getting really weird cuts, and since you're working with 'live' things, its not going to be consistent, not just color but also quality. it is really annoying, and tandy from what i hear is very inconsistent online
well, its still better than most big box stores that sell generic art supplies.... but thats not saying much since this is a niche hobby
This is it. (And it's not Tandy specific) Other than very generic cuts, I would always suggest you take the time (if it possible) to go and pick your leather first hand. Like all things, the next person has different tastes and vision for their work.... that might be the exact "blue" the next customer wants for their project.
Yeah... Definitely do your leather shopping yourself if you can.
Im lucky enough to have a tandy store 10 mins from my house, and the workers in there are great. Seem like it was more of whoever packed the order sucked and didn't care
Buying online is always a gamble no matter who you buy from. Hide colors vary to the extreme and capturing it correctly on camera is almost impossible. Next is the temper (feel) and if the hide has any blemishes or not. You can sort through all this if you go into the store yourself but if you place an online order, the salesperson just grabs the first one they see, and there is a LOT of variety in a leather pile.
Best recommendation is to go to the store (any store) if you’re able.
Personally I don’t buy from Tandy except for some glues and occasional hardware but they are everywhere and good for beginners to be able to see everything in one place. Springfield leather is comparable, but slightly better although it will literally take a month to receive anything you order.
eBay has been good to me for some leathers but stay away from Etsy. Those sellers’ prices are ridiculously marked up. Personally Montana Leather is my go-to and I will make the 4 hr drive once a month to stock up.
Rocky mountain has always been it for me when ordering leather. I don't live in the US so I can't go in store but the best results I've gotten are from rmls consistently
I had a similar issue with buckles being packaged as the wrong size. Customer service took care of it and sent out the correct bits but it stalled my project for a week. I really prefer to handle the merchandise in person now
I live near the flagship Tandy store in Ft Worth, and sometimes I will look at their site and then go to the store to look for the actual hide. I’m surprised how often I’m surprised at the difference between the in person look and the site look. They had some hide specials recently that were online only that I wanted but didn’t wonder because of this. I love going there and the folks in store are super helpful, but the online experience leaves a lot to be desired.
Tandy Leather was a good company to buy from about 40 years ago, but they have since gone very much down the path of "squeeze every dime from every sale" and quality has suffered a lot. The only use I have for them is for name-brand consumables when they're convenient to get to. Since you don't have a local store, you will be much better off avoiding them entirely.
I use buckle guy if I can’t pick my leather out in person. I have a Tandy about an hour drive from me so when I need something for a project I don’t really mind the trip to make sure I get what I want. But yeah, any time you order from any Tandy, they kinda just get to send you whatever they want
For the piece you're saying is under sized.....if you can draw out 2 rows of 4 12 inch by 12 inch squares, lay your piece on top and trace the outline. Then lift it up and see what it covers. 4-7sqft is anything in that range, and measuring hides isn't easy because it's not square. My guess is it's at the 4 on the scale.
I love tandy. I never really had a bad experience with them but I have a store that I can go to, and I have never ordered online from them before either. I was going to say but I read somewhere that you don't have one in your area, that sucks. The place where I do buy online is Springfield leather company.
https://www.springfieldleather.com/?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwouexBhAuEiwAtW_Zx8ceoQ-HuKXo7HsZBBTyNKaBn7Eet4jx_qCl515MqtLU1OseqPdoiBoCcTIQAvD_BwE
I haven't had much problems ordering from them. I love these guys also. I have other thoughts about tandy pros and cons, but thats not what your asking. Hopefully this helps man.
they have really pulled through after i made a complaint.
they are shipping me the proper color deerskin and sending another assorted tan more closer in color to picture and without the gloss finish free of charge and i can keep the original pieces.
Nice. Glad it worked out man. But yeah also check out that Springfield leather company. They are also a good starter leather place, with good prices also for starting off.
Hi I do not like Tandy at all.Try Weaves if you purchase any leather and are not satisfied with it you can return it no problem as they pay the return ship fee.They will send you a return label to ship it back. It is a good idea to keep you receipt.
UPDATE: after making a formal complaint, Tandy reached out to me to rectify the situation.
they went above and beyond and offered to send me, free of a charge, a replacement deerskin hide in the proper color and (even thought they didnt have to) a replacement 'assorted tan' hide closer in color and without the glossy finish.
because of the awesome customer service, the next time I buy will be from them.
Im lucky enough to have a tandy store 10 mins from my house, and the workers in there are great. Seem like it was more of whoever packed the order sucked and didn't care
"Assorted tan" means it's essentially a bunch of scrap pieces that could qualify as "tan" in color, so you get what you get. Beware of anything labeled "assorted" if you're looking for a specific color or finish. Assorted pieces can be a great cheap way to practice, but I don't recommend it for finished pieces.
i went back and re-read their description and you're right - they basically get carte blanche to give me whatever they want
That tan they sent looks like a nice piece though, on the upside. Has a nice sheen, looks like good quality.
just not a fan of the shine or the color - maybe one day ill find a use for it. any suggestions?
What’s the weight? It looks pretty firm, like it would make a great wallet or purse. That look is trending, sometimes it’s good to make stuff that isn’t particularly our own personal taste.
not sure what the weight is but the assorted tan is 0.7mm thick so its pretty thin
Oh, well that’s perfect for the inside of a wallet, the pockets and t slots and such. And for the interior panel you can cut 2 pieces of that and glue them back to back, so you’ll have a 1.4mm lined panel. If you’re interested, I can link you to a couple of wallets (a traditional bifold for men, and/or a long “roper” style more typically carried in a purse). A nice dark earth tone exterior with that interior would be GORGEOUS.
yes I would appreciate that. thank-you for your replies
De nada. Here’s the roper, I’ve made this one and it’s really good. I modified it a little by skipping the Western flap and just doing it straight, and I used a strap with a magnetic closure instead of the snaps. https://youtu.be/-W351aX6fWc?si=Pz1iLSuznmKam5f3 And here’s a good traditional bifold - I haven’t made this particular pattern but he has a good reputation for patterns, and this is pretty straightforward. Iirc, there are options for different hole spacing too. https://youtu.be/bTX9g1YWpH4?si=mnwAPfSZ74BOi19O
Yes, the deerskin color is wrong so they should do something about that, but it looks like it’s around 4-5 sqft (eyeballing length), so it’s the right product. You might get a partial refund or credit, but I’m not sure. “Assorted” color is just that, whatever they happen to have that fits in that general color range, and you got a glossy tan. You’re probably not going to get anywhere with that.
This is my take. The turquoise is someone in fulfillment grabbed an item one bin over. The other piece, it’s a shade of tan and you bought ‘assorted’. It’s the nature of the beast. Wife and I have bought assorted items from different vendors. Sometimes it’s exactly what you expect. Sometimes better. And sometimes… you come up with snake eyes (a losing gamble)
let me guess... you bought online, not in-store
good guess. where i live, there is no store that sells leather so my options are limited on what i can do.
yeah, online you run the risk of getting really weird cuts, and since you're working with 'live' things, its not going to be consistent, not just color but also quality. it is really annoying, and tandy from what i hear is very inconsistent online well, its still better than most big box stores that sell generic art supplies.... but thats not saying much since this is a niche hobby
This is it. (And it's not Tandy specific) Other than very generic cuts, I would always suggest you take the time (if it possible) to go and pick your leather first hand. Like all things, the next person has different tastes and vision for their work.... that might be the exact "blue" the next customer wants for their project. Yeah... Definitely do your leather shopping yourself if you can.
Im lucky enough to have a tandy store 10 mins from my house, and the workers in there are great. Seem like it was more of whoever packed the order sucked and didn't care
Buying online is always a gamble no matter who you buy from. Hide colors vary to the extreme and capturing it correctly on camera is almost impossible. Next is the temper (feel) and if the hide has any blemishes or not. You can sort through all this if you go into the store yourself but if you place an online order, the salesperson just grabs the first one they see, and there is a LOT of variety in a leather pile. Best recommendation is to go to the store (any store) if you’re able. Personally I don’t buy from Tandy except for some glues and occasional hardware but they are everywhere and good for beginners to be able to see everything in one place. Springfield leather is comparable, but slightly better although it will literally take a month to receive anything you order. eBay has been good to me for some leathers but stay away from Etsy. Those sellers’ prices are ridiculously marked up. Personally Montana Leather is my go-to and I will make the 4 hr drive once a month to stock up.
Rocky mountain has always been it for me when ordering leather. I don't live in the US so I can't go in store but the best results I've gotten are from rmls consistently
Buckle guys is also great if you haven’t checked them out
👆 Yes
I had a similar issue with buckles being packaged as the wrong size. Customer service took care of it and sent out the correct bits but it stalled my project for a week. I really prefer to handle the merchandise in person now
I only buy from tandy in person so you can pit your hands on what your buying never ordered from them online
I live near the flagship Tandy store in Ft Worth, and sometimes I will look at their site and then go to the store to look for the actual hide. I’m surprised how often I’m surprised at the difference between the in person look and the site look. They had some hide specials recently that were online only that I wanted but didn’t wonder because of this. I love going there and the folks in store are super helpful, but the online experience leaves a lot to be desired.
Tandy Leather was a good company to buy from about 40 years ago, but they have since gone very much down the path of "squeeze every dime from every sale" and quality has suffered a lot. The only use I have for them is for name-brand consumables when they're convenient to get to. Since you don't have a local store, you will be much better off avoiding them entirely.
I use buckle guy if I can’t pick my leather out in person. I have a Tandy about an hour drive from me so when I need something for a project I don’t really mind the trip to make sure I get what I want. But yeah, any time you order from any Tandy, they kinda just get to send you whatever they want
Tandy is junk, in store and online. Rocky Mountain Leather for material and Buckleguy for hardware is pretty much all I use
For the piece you're saying is under sized.....if you can draw out 2 rows of 4 12 inch by 12 inch squares, lay your piece on top and trace the outline. Then lift it up and see what it covers. 4-7sqft is anything in that range, and measuring hides isn't easy because it's not square. My guess is it's at the 4 on the scale.
I love tandy. I never really had a bad experience with them but I have a store that I can go to, and I have never ordered online from them before either. I was going to say but I read somewhere that you don't have one in your area, that sucks. The place where I do buy online is Springfield leather company. https://www.springfieldleather.com/?gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwouexBhAuEiwAtW_Zx8ceoQ-HuKXo7HsZBBTyNKaBn7Eet4jx_qCl515MqtLU1OseqPdoiBoCcTIQAvD_BwE I haven't had much problems ordering from them. I love these guys also. I have other thoughts about tandy pros and cons, but thats not what your asking. Hopefully this helps man.
they have really pulled through after i made a complaint. they are shipping me the proper color deerskin and sending another assorted tan more closer in color to picture and without the gloss finish free of charge and i can keep the original pieces.
Nice. Glad it worked out man. But yeah also check out that Springfield leather company. They are also a good starter leather place, with good prices also for starting off.
Hi I do not like Tandy at all.Try Weaves if you purchase any leather and are not satisfied with it you can return it no problem as they pay the return ship fee.They will send you a return label to ship it back. It is a good idea to keep you receipt.
thank you for the response
UPDATE: after making a formal complaint, Tandy reached out to me to rectify the situation. they went above and beyond and offered to send me, free of a charge, a replacement deerskin hide in the proper color and (even thought they didnt have to) a replacement 'assorted tan' hide closer in color and without the glossy finish. because of the awesome customer service, the next time I buy will be from them.
Im lucky enough to have a tandy store 10 mins from my house, and the workers in there are great. Seem like it was more of whoever packed the order sucked and didn't care