Im hoping somebody can advise. I am just about done making my own pattern for a wallet. I am going to start testing/prototyping and would like to know the best leather for doing so?
Thanks
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As Roger mentions, you'll have an easier time with vegetable tanned leather as it is generally more forgiving to work with.
If you are just trying to get proof of concept to make sure your design works, bonded leatherboard which is stiff and available in many thicknesses, may be better. You may not even need to stitch it if you just need a general idea, simply use glue or narrow double sided tape.
By coincidence, I discovered this video about 3 minutes after I wrote the below.
The first question he answers is "Leather for wallets"!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSNpvjls0No&list=PLIeeCmBpQ2m6FX1aabN664aA6cySSThgC&index=2
First of all - I am almost as new as you, so I am in NO WAY an expert, but I can relate what I did wrong - I started with chrome tan leather, that did NOT work out for me, specifically I failed to understand why my stitching irons wouldnt penetrate after having seen "half of youtube" doing it with 1-2 hits with a mallet. Also, it was stretchy and hard/impossible to cut pieces that overlapped perfectly at my skilllevel.
I have since tried 2 "good value" (read: not optimal quality) veg tanned leathers, one rather thin at less than 1mm and one around 2mm.
In my case, I was able to get a wallet that worked for me with the thinner leather of about 1mm (it was buffalo calf), but it didnt turn out nice in any way at all, which was to be expected.
If you want your wallet to turn out "fine leatherworking", I have zero advice for you, but for me at least, I am OK with producing ugly stuff for now since I need the practice, and in about 5000 hours I an produce marketable goods if I wanted to. After all, it does take about 5000 hours to be good at anything in life.