Hello Phil, I m making a bifold wallet with ostrich exterior that will be lined with suede.
the ostrich is 0.65 mm and the suede is 0.8 mm and I’m debating whether I should put some reinforcement between the two.
I may be using pva glue for added stiffness.
what do you think?
thanks!
Hey,
Well there are two ways of looking at this. One is to leave out the reinforcements and have a much more flexible wallet when empty, the other is to have a stiffer wallet with reinforcement that holds structure when empty, but is thicker overall due to the added mass.
When you put cards and cash into a wallet, you are effectively adding a level of stiffness that no reinforcing material could ever compete with. So regardless of whether you choose to leave the wallet stiffened or un-stiffened, once it's in use it will hold shape just fine.
If you go without reinforcements, I recommend gluing the ostrich to the suede and letting the two dry on a flat surface under a paring stone. Ostrich is not very uniform, so it will improve the outcome. Greaseproof baking paper helps avoid any sticky issues.