Macca

Wise words sir

Definitely interested in good quality tools Ren.

Thanks for sharing the info. Do you have any links to the irons you posted in the picture & the other higher quality Chinese makers ? Very interested in these ones, not so much the shiny, polished one (that looks like it needs sharpened)

The jaws lock with the hardware Trox, I can confirm that, I have one. The jaws lock but adapt to the thickness of the piece you are working on, thats what the lever arrangement is for Very clever design.

Newer ones are like that, cheaper to make I guess. I have to ask though, how the heck is it flying out of your hand ? How hard are you hitting it ???? I have the old & new versions & I can't say I've noticed much difference in use, but then, I don't try & use them as punches, only to put enough of a mark to guide my awl, not punch through all the way.

great post Walter, thanks for you efforts ! Hello to all the old familiar faces, hope you are all doing well

http://www.gemata.it/a_3_EN_2_1.html & no, you don't get desktop versions..

Damm, thats a huge loss Fingers crossed they can get back on their feet.

Do the replies so far not give you a strong enough hint that this idea is ridiculous ? Why am I even bothering, I've just seen who the OP is

hmmm, only other thing I can suggest is maybe youtube ?

want to show me somewhere else in the world you get taught Euro leather working techniques by an ex Hermes artisan for less ? look at what the students produce, looks like good value to me if thats the quality you can potentially produce afterwards Courses are always sold out, might not be cheap, but seems there are enough people who consider it good value Valerie Michael also offers a shorter course, cost per day is pretty much the same & you have today for materials on top https://www.leathercourses.co.uk/product/bags-design-construction-of-leather-bags/ anyway, back on topic. I doubt those books are going to cover what you need, its really so much easier being taught in person, especially for making bags, reading is one thing, someone teaching you as you do it is so much better. I'd try & hunt out a class or two local to you.

The classes are aways full, the students produce some fantastic work, Its one of the few places in the world that you can learn this type of leather working, wouldn't say the cost was outrageous at all

The euro ones Ray posted about above are much better than those tandy ones

they are not from the same tannery, Hermes get their lamb & calf from different tanneries (& now own most of their tanneries) those are either distributor or retail labels where did the pictures come from ?