Valleee

I am assuming this is cheap garbage? www.ebay.ca/itm/Craft-Sha-Leather-Craft-Kit-Stitching-Wheel-Groover-Spacer-Wax-Needle-Awl-Set-/120947283846?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item1c29051786

Thank you very much, Matt S. and JinxedDream. I appreciate the advice and suggestions. I bought the al stohlman book about leather tools, so I'll be able to get a better understanding of all the tools you've mentioned and understand what they do. I will definitely be sticking to the basics with supplies. I got over excited and starting spending way too much money. I have a friend that is very creative and will be able to make me some of the tools I need. I've accepted that it will be a slow learning process, but I am very passionate (obsessed) with this venture lately lol. I decorated a headstall with rim sets and swarovski crystals tonight and it turned out great. I also did a tonne of gluing crystals onto conchos and playing with a 1950's Tandy beginner leather kit that we got for $20 today :D so now I have some cheap stamps and a swivel knife to play with. My work area sure has bloomed into a full out basement shop area lol. Now I'll have to get creative with organizing it. I live in Canada, and today a friend of mine found a place that will give me their leather remnants instead of tossing them in the garbage. So I'll have some stuff to practice on for free

I love the steam punk bag, very original design and nice detail. Steam punk is definitely a cool and interesting niche, amazing what things like that sell for. The bag isn't too over the top, I really like it.

I bought a bunch of the al stohlman books inexpensively on ebay, so that'll keep me busy for a while. Then I can start experimenting and I'll be back with a million questions as I go lol.

Oh sorry. Its an Osborne automatic awl. I'd like to play around with hand stitching. The costs to start up with leather crafting are astronomical! As always, I'm open to any and all advice.

Is this worth buying? www.ebay.ca/itm/Pro-Grade-Leather-Shoe-Repair-OSBORNE-Automatic-Awl-T-413-/150924083629?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2323c6c1ad I bought an Osborne #2 edger and a skiver

What's a good kind and brand of rawhide mallet?

If I can't find a great supplier, then I may have to start making my own sooner then I had planned :/ hopefully I'll be able to find some used quality tools. I've been searching ebay for stamps.

It is sooo expensive to make tack! That's why I'd like to find a maker. Of course I'd like to make my own tack one day, but for now, I think decorating is a good way to get my foot in the door. Making my own would be out of the question financially, as well as inefficient time wise.

Yikes!! That's a lot of stuff that I have no idea about!

I'd like to venture into making my own headstalls, if its cost effective. I can't find a good blank tack supplier so I'm going to have to try making my own. So I'd like some advice form experienced leather workers please! I need to know what tools I need, and advice on which brand of tools is the best. There are so many options, and I'm on a crazy tight budget, having just started to get my business going. Any advice will be much appreciated. I'm very eager to learn.

I'd like to know this too!!

Thanks for the reply. I'm not seeing any horse tack on their website. I didn't expect it to be this hard to find a good supplier at all.

I need a good supplier of headstalls and matching breast collars for starting up my business. I have been googling like crazy, and have not found any. Must be able to ship to Canada without charging a crazy amount, or be a Canadian company, preferably. Riata leather is out of the question, as they haven't returned my emails Please help me! Thank you!

Ok thank you! I think I'll switch to rivets once these are used up, they seem to be way too time consuming.

I see what your saying. I need a press that is not too expensive. Unless I can make one. How do I hand press the rim sets into leather? Do I need to punch holes in the leather first somehow?

Oh and I bought this: www.tandyleatherfactory.com/en-usd/home/8114-50.aspx To use for spots, can I use it for anything else?

It says that u place the settings in the bottom die, prongs up, I'm assuming that means it is bottom loading. So I need a top loading press? And how do I get them onto the leather? I am so confused!

What about this setter? www.allstarco.com/shopping/shopdisplayproducts.asp?id=64&cat=Rhinestone+Stud+Setter

Thanks for the reply. I accidentally ordered 4 prong instead of 2 prong so I have no idea what I even need to get the rhinestones in them, and into the leather. I've been asking around, and so far its been hard to get good advice. Rivets are more expensive, but are they faster and easier to install?

Thanks for the reply. I ended up finding the rim sets for less $ on ebay, so I bought those. I am definitely not able to buy an expensive machine right now, so I'll need to find tools that work effectively but aren't expensive.

No advice? Anyone? Please?

Hello all! I've recently become determined to start decorating tack blanks, after a long search for the 'perfect' headstall. So I bought a few headstalls, including one that I already trashed trying to glue flatback Swarovski rhinestones onto with E6000 glue. I am looking into either rim setting my own Swarovski crystals, or buying the Swarovski rivets. I am looking for advice on what the most cost effective (including tools needed as well as supplies) method of decorating headstalls would be. Keep in mind that I am a complete beginner with any kind of leather work, and am eager to learn :D I also need to find a great Canadian supplier for these supplies, or one that will ship to Canada for a decent price, So any advice on rim set vs rivets, as well on advice for the best tool makers and suppliers would be great! Thanks in advance.