Christmas Greeting From Dezheng Factory
How to Make a Refillable Leather Journal
by：Dezheng
2020-04-09
How to make a refilled leather magazine/Sketchbook (
Closed with pen)!
As a person who often outlines my ideas (
Write down random things so I don\'t forget)
I found that I read a lot of sketches and magazines.
So, while I \'ve come across some really great leather magazines, I \'ve never bought them myself because I know that magazines that are beautifully bound tend to be expensive and (
This is a bigger problem)
I know I\'ll fill the page up quickly and when I\'m done I feel like I\'m wasting it.
A regular store that buys sketchbooks can be a bit expensive, even with these-
What do you do with random journals that you have used up and accumulated?
If you fill the pages with masterpieces, then it makes sense to grab them, however, if you need a place like me to put your ideas down or solve some design problems, then you need something more practical and economical.
So I recently decided to design my own sketchbook.
To create this sketchbook, I need to solve 3 problems ---
I need it durable (
Because I will reuse it)
, I need a way to easily delete and refill the page, I need it to be small enough that I can carry with me.
The design I showed here is the design in my store.
Geometric mountain sketchbook in Creme leather with pen holder-
It has a geometric engraving and a special pen closure system.
If you\'re going to make a leather magazine yourself, you don\'t need to make it look like this, you can add any design you like, or you don\'t add any design at all.
Also, I laser cut my design and will mention this in the direction, but the design is simple enough that you can cut from the leather by hand.
Supplies required: Since this leather does not wrap the notebook but needs to have its own hardness, you will want to pick the half leatherfirm.
You don\'t want it to be so stiff that it\'s hard to bend, but you don\'t want it to be so soft that it doesn\'t feel like it\'s going to hold on.
The leather I chose was hard enough that it could stand independently as a book, but soft enough that I could easily bend it to form the shape of my sketchbook.
The leather I use is embossed leather, but you can use vegetarian leather as it is easier to find and will usually be a bit sturdy.
They are also durable, which is important for the diary/sketchbook you will be refilling and using for a long time.
As mentioned earlier, I use the laser cutting machine to carve and cut my design (
I highly recommend a 3 W badge laser cutter if you can afford it).
The PDF file I attached for the template can be used as the basis for the laser cutting design, but can also be used to cut your shape from the leather.
Or, if you like, just cut a rectangle of 11. 75 inches x 6. 75 inches (294mm x 172mm).
To do this, the Rotary and utility cutters and the straight edges work well.
Once you have cut this, you will want to mark the position of the spine, as well as the two holes in the rivets or Chicago screws (
Connect the spine with the leather cover).
You need your metal adhesive spine in order to do this, but you can also use my template as a guide.
It is best to do this inside the leather as the traces will be covered with metal spine.
Once you have accurately marked the position of the spine, you will want to bend the leather so that it has more book shapes.
I can\'t do this with embossed leather, but with vegan leather, you can Wet the edges you bend and help it bend and keep it in shape if you feel it is necessary.
After you mark everything out, you\'ll want to punch holes in the direction of the rivets or screws.
For this, you will use a rotary leather punch.
You can also purchase individual punches that you hit with a hammer, but I find them more troublesome.
If you\'re going to add a long hole, you\'ll also need to create a long hole for the place where the pen closes the belt through.
There are several options on how to attach the spine to the leather.
Large-size metal rivets can be used (
Large shaft long enough to go through the spine and leather).
To do this, all you have to do is snap them together, pick up your rivet holder and knock with a hammer.
Chicago screws can also be used (
Or other leather screws)
Simply screw together.
Each option works and I continue to use both, but each has its own problem.
With the rivets, I can\'t seem to hit the hammer on the rivet Holder at a 90 degree angle, so they are always a little bent (
At least before I get a really good rivet press).
But the rivets are cheaper and do a good job.
Chicago screws are generally more expensive, but they are really easy to install and can be removed (
They provide a stronger connection).
Also, if you don\'t want them to lose, you can add a little Loctite before you screw them in and they are very safe.
Unfortunately, the shaft of the Chicago screws is sometimes too wide to hold some holes in these metal adhesive Spurs.
I have found some similar leather screws that are useful to me, but you have to find any screws that you have purchased related to the spine.
If you decide to keep your design simple, you may be able to do it at this point.
But if you want to add the pen holder I designed, you can do that now.
You need two kinds of rivets. -
Small rivets for connecting the strap to the leather cover and small rivets for creating pen rings. (
Fyi I can only find mini rivets in Tandy Leather. )
As I mentioned, I have a rivet press and now all my leather products use it, making it almost a pleasure to apply the rivets.
If you can\'t afford a hammer and you\'re good at it, then just use the rubber mallet with a rivet and carefully tap the head a few times. [
Tandy Leather has a video on their website showing how to do this. ]
The last part really depends on you.
If you\'re a snobit\'s okay--
I used to be one)
You can buy your favorite paper and have the print shop or staples cut it into a certain size and punch it in.
You may find some if you are not so picky
Cut 4x6 sheets of paper that work properly (
Of course it\'s a hole).
Whatever you choose, the advantage of remembering this refillable magazine is that you don\'t stick to a piece of paper or a limited amount of paper. Go crazy. :)
= If you have a problem opening or viewing a pdf template, I also
Closed with pen)!
As a person who often outlines my ideas (
Write down random things so I don\'t forget)
I found that I read a lot of sketches and magazines.
So, while I \'ve come across some really great leather magazines, I \'ve never bought them myself because I know that magazines that are beautifully bound tend to be expensive and (
This is a bigger problem)
I know I\'ll fill the page up quickly and when I\'m done I feel like I\'m wasting it.
A regular store that buys sketchbooks can be a bit expensive, even with these-
What do you do with random journals that you have used up and accumulated?
If you fill the pages with masterpieces, then it makes sense to grab them, however, if you need a place like me to put your ideas down or solve some design problems, then you need something more practical and economical.
So I recently decided to design my own sketchbook.
To create this sketchbook, I need to solve 3 problems ---
I need it durable (
Because I will reuse it)
, I need a way to easily delete and refill the page, I need it to be small enough that I can carry with me.
The design I showed here is the design in my store.
Geometric mountain sketchbook in Creme leather with pen holder-
It has a geometric engraving and a special pen closure system.
If you\'re going to make a leather magazine yourself, you don\'t need to make it look like this, you can add any design you like, or you don\'t add any design at all.
Also, I laser cut my design and will mention this in the direction, but the design is simple enough that you can cut from the leather by hand.
Supplies required: Since this leather does not wrap the notebook but needs to have its own hardness, you will want to pick the half leatherfirm.
You don\'t want it to be so stiff that it\'s hard to bend, but you don\'t want it to be so soft that it doesn\'t feel like it\'s going to hold on.
The leather I chose was hard enough that it could stand independently as a book, but soft enough that I could easily bend it to form the shape of my sketchbook.
The leather I use is embossed leather, but you can use vegetarian leather as it is easier to find and will usually be a bit sturdy.
They are also durable, which is important for the diary/sketchbook you will be refilling and using for a long time.
As mentioned earlier, I use the laser cutting machine to carve and cut my design (
I highly recommend a 3 W badge laser cutter if you can afford it).
The PDF file I attached for the template can be used as the basis for the laser cutting design, but can also be used to cut your shape from the leather.
Or, if you like, just cut a rectangle of 11. 75 inches x 6. 75 inches (294mm x 172mm).
To do this, the Rotary and utility cutters and the straight edges work well.
Once you have cut this, you will want to mark the position of the spine, as well as the two holes in the rivets or Chicago screws (
Connect the spine with the leather cover).
You need your metal adhesive spine in order to do this, but you can also use my template as a guide.
It is best to do this inside the leather as the traces will be covered with metal spine.
Once you have accurately marked the position of the spine, you will want to bend the leather so that it has more book shapes.
I can\'t do this with embossed leather, but with vegan leather, you can Wet the edges you bend and help it bend and keep it in shape if you feel it is necessary.
After you mark everything out, you\'ll want to punch holes in the direction of the rivets or screws.
For this, you will use a rotary leather punch.
You can also purchase individual punches that you hit with a hammer, but I find them more troublesome.
If you\'re going to add a long hole, you\'ll also need to create a long hole for the place where the pen closes the belt through.
There are several options on how to attach the spine to the leather.
Large-size metal rivets can be used (
Large shaft long enough to go through the spine and leather).
To do this, all you have to do is snap them together, pick up your rivet holder and knock with a hammer.
Chicago screws can also be used (
Or other leather screws)
Simply screw together.
Each option works and I continue to use both, but each has its own problem.
With the rivets, I can\'t seem to hit the hammer on the rivet Holder at a 90 degree angle, so they are always a little bent (
At least before I get a really good rivet press).
But the rivets are cheaper and do a good job.
Chicago screws are generally more expensive, but they are really easy to install and can be removed (
They provide a stronger connection).
Also, if you don\'t want them to lose, you can add a little Loctite before you screw them in and they are very safe.
Unfortunately, the shaft of the Chicago screws is sometimes too wide to hold some holes in these metal adhesive Spurs.
I have found some similar leather screws that are useful to me, but you have to find any screws that you have purchased related to the spine.
If you decide to keep your design simple, you may be able to do it at this point.
But if you want to add the pen holder I designed, you can do that now.
You need two kinds of rivets. -
Small rivets for connecting the strap to the leather cover and small rivets for creating pen rings. (
Fyi I can only find mini rivets in Tandy Leather. )
As I mentioned, I have a rivet press and now all my leather products use it, making it almost a pleasure to apply the rivets.
If you can\'t afford a hammer and you\'re good at it, then just use the rubber mallet with a rivet and carefully tap the head a few times. [
Tandy Leather has a video on their website showing how to do this. ]
The last part really depends on you.
If you\'re a snobit\'s okay--
I used to be one)
You can buy your favorite paper and have the print shop or staples cut it into a certain size and punch it in.
You may find some if you are not so picky
Cut 4x6 sheets of paper that work properly (
Of course it\'s a hole).
Whatever you choose, the advantage of remembering this refillable magazine is that you don\'t stick to a piece of paper or a limited amount of paper. Go crazy. :)
= If you have a problem opening or viewing a pdf template, I also
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