Vice jaws - lining - where to get some suede?

[ChippyKlutz]

I need some suede leather (or very similar) to line the face of my new wooden vice jaw. Am Googling about but I haven't found anyone yet who meets the bill. Does anyone know of any good suppliers of such, preferably who would despatch through the post, etc.?

 

[graduate_owner]

Try recycling. I use old footwear as a source of leather for such things as strops. I have an old worn-out, leaky pair of rigger boots and some leather moccasins which I have partially cannibalised and they work fine. Getting furry linings off can be a bit of a nuisance and you have to keep your paws out of the way when cutting the stitching but, hey, they were free. I am thinking also of an old leather belt wrapped and glued around a ply or MDF wheel for a rotary polisher or honing wheel.

Would that be a possible way forward for you?

K

 

[kevinlightfoot]

Try a material shop where dressmakers buy their supplies they usually have bags of off cuts which can be had for a couple of pounds.

 

[marcros]

ebay

 

[MrTeroo]

http://m.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_nkw...28.l1311.R1.TR9.TRC1.Xsuede+off&sqp=suede+off
Try ebay

 

[NazNomad]

https://www.yelp.co.uk/search?cflt=fabr ... n%2C+Essex

 

[AndyT]

Recycle or buy a window cleaner's chammy.

 

[AJB Temple]

Or go to charity shop and pick up cheap leather jackets etc for very little.

 

[profchris]

Or go to charity shop and pick up cheap leather jackets etc for very little.

Or suede handbags, even cheaper.

 

[n0legs]

How big a piece do need?

 

[ChippyKlutz]

Thanks everyone, for your responses. I did in fact receive an eventual reply from a place I'd Googled before posting and they pointed me in the direction of
https://leather4craft.co.uk/ - I've contacted them and some 'seconds' suede will soon be on its way to me!

 

[rafezetter]

I keep an eye out for cheap leather items on ebay, I bought a pair of very 80's "MC Hammer" style ladies leather trousers for the princely sum of £20 inc delivery last september, should keep me stocked for a while.

 

[custard]

You need the really thick stuff for vice jaws or general workshop duties. Most suede is around about 1-2mm thick, with the ultra fine pig suede I use for lining boxes coming in at 0.5mm. That wouldn't last five minutes in a vice, aim for 3 or 4mm thick at the very least.

 

[jlawford]

I used eBay, the supplier was Grant's Leathers if I remember. Various sizes of offcuts in different thicknesses. Bonus is my vice smells amazing!

 

[bugbear]

If you're using soft liners to protect surface - beware; soft materials with an open texture (e.g. cloth, carpet, suede) can readily get dust, grit, swarf embedded. This changes them from the soft surface you desire to rather an effective abrasive.

BugBear

 

[Dan j]

Charity shops. You can buy suede jackets/vests that went out of fashion years really cheap. Worth avoiding anything dyed in case it comes into contact with damp or a solvent and stains your work.

 

[ED65]

If it's not too late Chippy you don't need to go for suede specifically, the flesh side of any split hide will provide the surface you want (v. grippy) which opens up the possible sources of leather enormously.

 

[ChippyKlutz]

Thanks all, for your responses. As I mentioned in my 2nd Feb post, Leather4Crafts.co.uk came up trumps. I duly received a large-ish offcut of 'seconds' brown/natural suede for a very reasonable cost and the vice is now functioning well!