Finding leather

[Mr Addams]

I stopped using T Andy more than ten years ago for that very reason.
The aforementioned Le Prevo is based in Newcastle which is another 200 miles to the North, but they offer first rate assistance over the telephone, anf their mail order service is very good.
 

[Tatjia]

I realise that I'm very late to this discussion, but I just wanted to thank everyone for the amount of information on this post.  A huge, huge help.

Thanks.

[Fat Spider]

Heads up for anyone in West Yorkshire, Fabworks in Dewsbury http://www.fabworks.co.uk/ sell off cuts of upholstery leather and even have larger pieces, as it's upholstery leather it will have a limited use but should be fine for adding to clothing or making pouches etc.

I would telephone first if traveling some distance and make a note of their opening hours (no weekends).
Also well worth a visit if your into making your own clothes.

[Bines]

Tandy Leather sells all manner of leather and leather working tools. Hobby Lobby sells DIY leather holster and sheath kits, and some tools.

Flea markets sometimes have whole piece and scrap vendors.

As mentioned, look for second hand leather items such as sofas, shoes and coats at thrift stores and roadsides.

You could also take up alligator wrestling.

[elShoggotho]

Try ebay. I once got a complete hide for less than €20.

[sebastian Inkerman]

Tread resurrection powers ACTIVATE!!!

It's a bit of a craps shoot on eBay though. I have had good experiences and I have had horrific experiences using that particular portal.

just to let people know that while Tandy are still very expensive, if you use them regularly, I would heartily recommend getting the platinum (or whatever it is) card, the savings really are worth it. I do shop there occasionally now as I get the discount it makes it worthwhile and I can telephone them without them getting belligerent at me (not so with LePrevo any longer sadly)...

There was a point to this, what was it???

Oh, yes... That was it... Tandy have a shop in Manchester now too so you don't need to schlep all the way down to Northampton if you want to see the skins, accessories and tools in the flesh.

[elShoggotho]

There's also the possibility to check Alibaba for leather, if you don't care that it's shipped from Pakistan. I've spotted prices around $30 per hide, minimum one. Problem: you can't check the quality.

[Hmbab2000]

Keep an eye out for old leather furniture people are throwing out. I got an entire couch of leather for free.

[Banfili]

Got to watch imported leather here. Can't come into the country unless it has been sterilised  - same with any organic product. Unless it's legally imported it's a non-no to bring it in to the country.

[bicyclebuilder]

I think it's been mentioned before, but try to find a leather sofa. Plenty of leather in those!
Downside is that you have to find a way to get rid of the frame and filling.
The Bay of E or The Book of Faces are a good way to find sofa's, but local online trademarkets are also good.

[RJBowman]

I was once very lucky to have a book of discontinued leather samples from an office furniture supplier; nice 18x12-inch rectangles of soft leather in a variety of colors. Don't limit yourself to obvious sources.

[MWBailey]

I'm about to go through a similar search for leather, as I have acquired an almost-basket-case chromatic harmonica (one of the pre-WWII hohner 10-holers), and need to do major surgery on it. The current windsavers are all an odd, blondish-brown, extremely thin yet stiff-ish leather, kind of like calf vellum (what used to be called "parchment"), but with a definite curing sheen on the hair side.