AEBL

@Tim Schroeder - wow, those are nice!

When I think about gluing two pieces of leather together, I usually think about putting contact cement on both sides, waiting a bit for the glue to dry, and then pressing them together. With leather filigree (i.e., I cut holes in it for decorative purposes), if I put contact cement on the side that will show through ... I'll also see glue there ... and that'll be not good. How do people glue filigree to the backing?

So - someone posted this (very helpful) instructional video website here not long ago, and I was watching the instructor carving the coaster pattern ... I'm not a great judge of thickness, but that leather doesn't look much thicker than 2~3oz? Video 3, or thereabouts ... https://co4h.colostate.edu/colorado-4-h-leathercraft-instructional-videos/ He also mentioned that he put (ceral box) cardboard on the back of his "wallet thickness" leathers for carving/tooling. He put masking tape on the flesh side, then contact cement on the cardboard. The reason this is so important to me is that I have a LOT of scrap 3oz leather from a friend of mine that I'd like to practice with.

Thanks @fredk I also found this post to be relevant, for anyone else who was interested.

I know nothing about carving or casing ... or about anything in general, but I just got a lot of 3oz veg tan scraps (all about coaster sized or so). Is this too thin to try to learn carving on?

Ok - good. I like the lacing chisel also. Is there a leatherworking task that the round hole thing is best for, or is it just a personal taste thing? @fredk, I'm not sure what that item is ... but it looks well made, the black lace looks great.

I'm looking to make a wallet with "laced" edges, similar to how it is pictured below. I have some of those Craftool 1/8" lacing chisel - they make holes similar to the ones pictured. I was wondering if round holes were better (less tendency to rip?) or if the lacing chisel is the way to go? For other things, I tend to needle-and-awl ... so I am not sure what I would use round hole punches for ...

I picked up some of this in an estate sale. From the eclectic collection, he also picked his stuff up from an estate sale. I'm trying to decide which things to keep and which things to find a new home for. Thanks for the feedback folks.

I gather that half-round cutters are used to round off the ends of straps. I don't make a bunch of straps (yet?), but I'm pretty handy with a knife and can make something pretty round given a scratch awl line to cut to. I suppose the same goes for slot punches, I could round punch the ends and cut the flat parts out ... What sorts of drive punches do you guys consider to be most useful?

A friend of a friend is a widow of a fellow who had a small business doing leatherwork. He mostly worked in tooled belts, wallets and sheaths. I'm very new to leatherwork, and I don't really have a good idea what to offer the widow for the tools. There are shelves full of all sorts of leather, and a workbench full of tools. Some of it I can price right off of an internet search (such as the poly mauls, which are like ~30 USD. Then there's hardware (Chicago screws, rivets, etc.) and a few large (concho?) punches and

Thanks

Sorry if this is not the right place - but I'm sure someone here knows the right answer: I got a request for an "aviator" (winter) leather hat, with a shearling liner of some sort (perhaps even cloth). I know when I use hats I wind up using them outside, working, and my head winds up getting hot and sweaty. My hats are usually something I can toss in the washing machine, but I was asked to make a leather one. How on earth would they clean it? Would it make sense to have a removable liner or something?

Hey, thanks for the feedback folks! Looks like there's lots of options out there. I've been watching a lot of YT vids of Asian bag makers (Navico, Hahn's Atelier, Bitchen, KKomeda). They make the Japanese leather knife look like such a natural tool. Also appreciate the English paring knife - sometimes just knowing what a thing is called helps to find it.

yes - something like that, but I was thinking that I might find something less expensive if it were like a plane blade (just a beveled piece of steel). That said, I'm not opposed to buying something like that. I'm also assuming that RH skiver is for RH people?

I've bought $100 knives before and not passed out ... I understand that quality tools often have pricetags to match ... I guess since I'm new at this, I don't know enough yet to know what I like.

I'm right handed, and I am looking for a tool that looks like a wood plane blade with an angle on it. I'll probably cover it with leather for a handle. I like economy tools, but I'd rather not buy junky Asian tools ... I have a round knife, but I'm having trouble using it on the small stuff I'm making (wallets, card holders, small knife sheaths, etc.) Perhaps I should just figure out some way to hold it safely ...

Thanks for the feedback folks, looks like I will be ordering a groover

I'm trying to learn/practice saddle stitching with an awl, and I have heard two things "around on the internet": * stitching groover helps keep your stitches below the surface of the leather, and therefore prevents wear-and-tear on the stitches * that nobody should use a stitching groover (but no explanation as to why ...) I suppose if I were forced to invent a reason, I'd say that perhaps it weakens the leather there so that it might get dry and rip? Should I buy and use a stitching groover? (I currently don't own or use one).

Thanks all!

I don't (yet) have a leather sewing machine. I do have a "regular" sewing machine (like a cheap Singer machine a family member gave me). I'm not going to try and sew 10oz leather, but is there some really thin leather that can be sewn safely?

Hahn's Atelier has two glove episodes on his YouTube channel. This one is closer to garden gloves. He either has free patterns or sells them - check the comments in the video.

For "authentic" patterns I found this book: "Craft Manual of North American Indian Footwear" by George M White. It is a bit hard to find. https://www.abebooks.com/book-search/title/craft-manual-of-north-american-indian-footwear/author/george-m-white/

kkomeda on youtube has some design advice for those sorts of bags out of leather. If you navigate to her page, you have to click on "videos" to see it. She usually has a short video and then a longer video with better explanations.

Great, thanks - I'm already checking out his site just now.

I thought sewing with an awl was challenging at first - but I am really starting to like it. I can punch lightly with chisels and then make the holes to finished size with the awl. I think that the thickest leather that I'm likely to be using for a while might be for a knife sheath, so perhaps 2 or 3 layers of 6 oz leather? Right now I am mostly trying out bag patterns, wallets, etc. I might try thicker stuff later though. Is there a "new guy friendly" place to buy awl blades / hafts? The only places I have been shopping around on are Tandy, Weaver and BuckleGuy ...