zuludog

Oh come on, Alex, and shape up! If you're going to college you'll have to learn to do your own Homework/Research/Reading Around The Subject/and so on, and not expect to be spoon fed! I've just Searched Google for - 'Sewing Machine Supplies' and 'Sewing Machine Repairs' in Middlesborough, and Northumberland; and Cleveland; and Newcastle, and got lots of hits - from Whitley Bay to Leeds, and from the east coast right across to Cumbria - Look for yourself! On a slightly calmer note, I agree that going to some of Nigel's courses would be a good idea in theory, but I think you would find them expensive; and more so as he is based in Burton - on - Trent, so you would have to allow for travel and accommodation as well. There might also be an age limit Search Google for 'Craft Courses'. There are other courses. I remember there were some in Bishop Aukland and Newcastle - on - Tyne, but check for yourself. You would still have to pay some fee, and perhaps a better idea would be to look at videos by Nigel Armitage and IanAtkinson. You might also consider joining Nigel's Vimeo Channel, where he goes into more detail, and at a slower pace. It's about £3 per month, but you can cancel anytime Any money you save on course fees you could put towards tools & sewing machine, and this might interest you - George Barnsley was a traditional Sheffield tool maker who ceased trading years ago. But they've started up again, and produce a full range of good quality leatherwork tools at reasonable prices. I have one of their head knives and it's excellent. Just Search Google for George Barnsley. They're still in Sheffield and you might be able to visit them.

Well firstly, be patient! Although it's based in USA this is an international forum, with members all over the world, in different time zones. We have jobs, families, & other things to do, and believe it or not, I like to sleep sometimes. You only posted your complaint after 8 hours, hardly enough time at all. I'd say that for most queries you need to allow 3 or 4 days to get a decent response. And you would have done better to post your question in the 'Sewing Leather' section You should be able to pass a needle & thread through the holes easily enough with just your fingers for 95% of the time, with just a slight resistance. What you're looking for is that mythical engineering term 'a snug fit', which I have also heard described as 'a satisfying drag'. The exception is when you're back stitching, when you might need to enlarge the hole with a round awl and/or use pliers, in which case wrap the jaws in tape to avoid damaging the needle. Nigel Armitage is an acknowledged expert on leatherwork; have a look at some of his videos and you'll see that he whizzes through his sewing with very little effort If you are struggling to get your needles through a hole there can only be two reasons - 1) The hole is too small; but 1,5mm is reasonable enough 2) The needle & thread are too thick, and I think that is the source of your problem, and not whether you are using flat or round thread - John James needle sizes are a bit confusing. Check that you are using size 002, which is a very common and recommended size for most leatherwork. It could be that you are using size 2/0 which are too big 1,2mm thread is quite thick for most sewing. Think about it; at the fold over of the thread at the eye there is 1,2 + 1,2 + the thickness of the needle, which will make quite a big lump to pull through a 1,5mm hole. Why are you using such a thick thread? Most leatherwork uses thread that is about 0,6mm diameter, or sometimes up to 0,8mm. Nigel Armitage makes belts, pouches, and all sorts of items, and he finds 0,6mm thread to be thick enough. I'll bet you struggle to get 1,2mm thread through the eye of the needle as well I use 18/3 linen thread, which is about 0,6mm dia, and various synthetic thread, again with diameters about 0,55 to 0,65mm Here are some makes and suppliers to try - You can pick up 18/3 linen thread anywhere, but recently I've been using 0,65mm linen thread by Yue Fung, from www.blackmountainsleather.com, and it's excellent www.identityleathercrasft.com stock Ritza/Tiger thread, and 0,6mm waxed nylon thread, which I like, and think is underrated www.blackmountainsleather.com Besides the linen they also stock Yue Fung 0,55mm polyester www.artisanleather.co.uk stock 0,65mm Amy Roke polyester, and I think it's very good. They also have 0,6mm waxed nylon thread www.abbeyengland.com are the UK's main stockist for Ritza/Tiger thread All these synthetic threads will be strong enough for most leatherwork If you are no longer struggling & forcing the thinner thread through the needles and holes you may well find that it doesn't fray or twist as much There is, though, only one way for you to find out if there's any improvement, and what suits you, and that is to try a roll here & there. Abbey sell Ritza in full rolls which are expensive, but Identity sell shorter lengths, or try Amazon & eBay, Don't buy anonymous linen thread off the Net as some of it isn't very good. Go for a decent brand, like Somac, Crawfords, Fil au Chinois, or from a leathercraft supplier

For leather I mainly sew 2 to 4mm veg tan by hand, but I also have a sewing machine. I use this to modify & repair tents, rucsacs & clothing for backpacking, but I have used it now & again to sew thin leather Most large towns & cities have a sewing machine repair shop. Tell them what you would like and they should be able to find you a decent secondhand/refurbished machine at a reasonable price. That's how I got my machine, it's a s/h Janone; £50 about 30 years ago and it's worked faultlessley ever since Home sewing is not as popular as it was. I used to work in a charity shop, and there were about 12 or 15 machines in the back storeroom just gathering dust because no-one wanted them - and we didn't bother putting them out on display for sale for the same reason. So ask nicely and they might let you have one for next to nothing Put the word out among friends, relations, neighbours, colleagues at work (if you've started) or ask your parents to do the same. You might just hear of someone who has Aunty's machine or Grandad's tools just packed away in a shed and waiting for a good home. If you don't ask you don't get. And if you can do minor repairs to cases, handbags, outdoor jackets, put new zips in, and so on, if you spread the word, that will bring in some money Any such machines will almost certainly be for fabric, but a good domestic machine will also handle thin leather. Get one if the price is right; it will do to get you started, and for thinner items, while you look out for something that can sew thicker leather. You say you have no experience with a sewing machine, so this will be a help. And by asking around someone might offer to show you. Also get some books from the library. They will probably be on dressmaking, but the principle is the same In fact if you can only sew thin stuff, consider mixed materials. Search YouTube for 'making canvas and leather bags' and 'making canvas and leather clothing'. Follow the videos and you'll get lots of ideas & inspiration Search Google for 'leather sewing machines', there are several references, including www.sewingmachineexpert.co.uk and www.preloved.co.uk For something quiet, consider non - electric, either hand or treadle. Friend of a friend sews sails, boat covers, and similar boating stuff on a treadle machine as he says it gives him more control. Manual machines are cheaper too. How close are you to going to college? They might have some kind of subsidy or grant scheme; or if nothing else there may be the usual wanted/for sale notice board, and another group of people to ask around

I no longer use a stitching groover, I just use a pair of dividers to mark the stitch line, followed by stitching chisels along that line. You can set the dividers to any distance you want

I assume we are talking about the two wheels mounted in handles. They are not edgers, they are for marking the line or position of stitching, and for the spacing of the stitching holes The one with long, narrow, pointed prongs on the wheel is a POUNCE WHEEL - Search Google & YouTube for similar models, and how to use it. Basically you lay tracing paper over a pattern and run the pounce wheel along the lines. Then place the tracing paper onto your workpiece and force coloured powder through the resulting holes by dabbing the holes with something like a muslin or fine nylon mesh bag containing the powder. You can use this technique for sewing, and also for woodcarving The wheel with blunt prongs is a stitching wheel, aka an overstitch wheel for leatherwork. You roll the wheel directly onto the leather and it makes a row of indentations to show the position and spacing of the stitching holes. Then you make the holes themselves with an awl. This wheel looks like it will give very closely spaced stitching You could use the pounce wheel as an overstitch wheel

Well, well, you live & learn. I stand corrected that it is not a modified hacking knife. That's what forums are for

It looks like a glazier's hacking knife that has been ground down. The notch was probably for removing small nails Search The Net for 'leather paring knife' and 'kiridashi' and you'll find something similar

Play around with the Search function on Google and YouTube. For example on YT try - how to repair upholstery; how to repair leather furniture; how to repair carpets, and so on. There are lots of videos Search Google for - forums on upholstery; forums on carpets. I have found - the upholstery forum.com; upholster.com; the flooringforum.com, but there are others

This sort of question has been asked several times before. Search the 'Getting Started' and 'Leather Tools' sections Also search YouTube for 'making a dog collar' and 'beginners tools for leatherwork'; there are loads of videos. Then if you need to, come back with any more specific questions You can sew the leather with the saddle stitch, for which there is lots of advice, or use rivets. Search YT for 'using saddler's rivets', especially the video by Ian Atkinson But if you've never worked with leather before, Search YT for videos on leatherwork and watch anything you fancy. The same sort of techniques are used on a variety of items - belts, sheaths, wallets, bags , etc as well as collars - and it will all help A quick & easy way to start would be to buy a kit. Tandy Leather do them, or Search Google for 'dog collar kits'

You want some thread that's about 0,6mm diameter Ritza 25, aka Tiger Thread, is popular and frequently recommended but I don't like the way it feels/handles. You might, and there's only one way to find out. Rocky Mountain Leather Supply sell smaller reels Mostly I use linen thread but when I want to use synthetic I use Tandy's Waxed Nylon Thread, which is twisted, not braided. I find this easy to use, and I think it's underrated Recently I've been using Amy Roke 0,55mm braided polyester and I quite like this; I may well change to this in the future Search YouTube for 'how to make a leather knife sheath'. There are lots of videos, and you'll see how different people make the same sort of thing

I make knife sheaths from 3 to 3,5mm vegetable tanned leather At first I used Tandy Craftool Stitching Chisel # 88046 - 02 which is 2 prong, 4mm spacing, but recently I've changed to Seiwa European 2 prong 4mm spacing as this has slightly thinner prongs I ordered the Seiwa from Goods Japan, which took a few weeks to arrive. The Tandy would be easier to get hold of, and probably cheaper But there are several other makes available, some more expensive. Search the Net and see what you fancy. Nigel Armitage has several review videos on YouTube A sheath has a front, a back, and a welt, which means the total thickness will be around 9 to10mm; so you might still have to do some additional work with an awl Briefly, this is my method - After I've cut out my leather I glue the welt to the front of the sheath, then mark the line of stitching and make the holes through those two thicknesses with a chisel Glue the front & welt to the back Make holes through the back of the sheath with an awl, using the holes in the front as a guide Finish the sheath - trimming, burnishing, sewing etc. I no longer use a stitch groover, I mark the line of the stitching with dividers

I'm sorry, but my computer skills are even worse than my leatherworking skills, and I don't know how to post those sort of links or pictures. I've said this before, so my apologies to anyone who finds this a bit tiresome, and it's getting frustrating for me, too This computer I'm using is old, slow, and wobbly (not unlike its owner) but my plan for the coming winter is to buy a new computer and a few books, then lock myself away and try to catch up. However, back to sharpening - Search YouTube for 'How to Sharpen an Edge Beveller'. There are several videos, including those by Tandy; lb custom knives; Harry Rogers; and Leathertoolz. Here's how I made my sharpening board. The dimensions don't have to be absolutely accurate or precise - Take a piece of plywood or similar board about 240mm X 160mm Get a piece of vegetable tanned leather about 3 to 3,5mm thick. Bevel both sides of one edge. Cut off that edge 4mm wide and 190mm long. Glue down the strip on its flat edge, so the double - bevelled or domed edge is uppermost. This will give you a narrow strop that will fit into bevellers; as you use it, it will conform to the profile of your beveller Glue down a length of braided nylon cord about 3mm diameter and190mm long, and a metal rod about 2,5 to 3mm diameter and 190mm long (brass/steel/aluminium is OK). These form a base for laying over some fine abrasive paper. I use 2,000 and 3,000 grit wet & dry paper, but you could use finer grit as well I've added a piece of leather 180mm X 35mm to make a small strop; not strictly necessary as you could use your main strop, but it's convenient to have them together. Load this and the narrow strop with stropping compound. You can use metal polish, but I suggest you treat yourself to some proper stropping compound; a small bar is cheap enough and will last for ages I used general purpose glue for this, and let it all set overnight. It looks very similar to that by lb custom knives To sharpen the inside edge of a beveller - clamp it in a vice, using soft jaws or rag so you don't scratch the handle; plait 3 pieces of 18/3 linen thread about 500mm long; load it with compound and pull through the beveller

Yes, a strop is just about the easiest piece of leatherwork you will do, and you generally make it early on. It will get you used to handling leather, and you will, of course, need it to sharpen the tools you need for other work. There is loads of information on this forum, and videos on YouTube about making a strop. It doesn't have to be absolutely brilliant & wonderful, just good enough; you can always make another one as you gain experience I made one from a scrap piece of wood and some split leather that came as packing/wrapping for a delivery of better leather I started out with Autosol metal polish as a stropping compound but that was a bit messy, so I changed to a bar of proper honing/stropping compound Recently I cleaned up my oilstones and made a bench hook for them. I also made a new strop that fitted on the bench hook I've also made a sharpening board for sharpening edge bevellers, as shown on YT videos

Calculating & converting so many individual measurements would be tedious and easy to slip up and make a mistake or two, and rounding up or down would lead to more errors Easiest would be to just buy a metric ruler - a long and a short one if necessary. And of course, once you have them you'll have them for any future work, leather craft and others

My favourite wallet is just the right size & number of pockets for me, but it's nylon and showing its age - worn, threadbare, and fraying Do you think that if I carefully unpicked it I could use the pieces as a pattern or template to make something very similar from leather?

I forgot to mention flattening the stone. I used a sheet of 100 grit wet & dry paper on a sheet of glass, which was the oven door from an old cooker. I lubricated everything with paraffin which stuck the paper down onto the glass and lubricated the cutting/flattening process The paraffin kept the dust down so there was no need to use a mask Fortunately my stone was in fairly good condition so it needed very little flattening, just enough to remove any ingrained dirt or metal particles After flattening I washed any loose powder off the stone then laid it on old rags & newspaper overnight to allow any paraffin to drain off

Yes, I also find flat braided thread tricky to use, so I use mostly linen Rocky Mountain Leather Supply sell the Chinese Yue Fung threads under their own label of 'Twist'; both synthetic and linen. I reckon their linen thread is easily as good as the much vaunted Fil au Chinois thread An 80m reel of 0,55mm linen thread is $11-99. They have other threads While you're at it, get some John James size 002 needles, JJ product code L3912. These are considered some of the best, and not too expensive; also stocked by RMLS. I changed to these from Tandy and that improved my stitching A few months ago I bought some hemp carriage thread when my nearby Tandy store had a closing down sale. It's nice thread, but not a chance of my paying full price! I also use Tandy's ready waxed nylon thread. Although it's synthetic, it's twisted, not braided, so is round, and easy to use You could Search for 18/3 linen thread; that's reasonably priced, but get it from a leathercraft supplier or buy a reputable make, like Crawfords, Coates, Barbour, Somac. Don't buy anonymous linen thread off Amazon or Ebay as some of it isn't very good

I inherited an oilstone which, if not as old as that, was in a similar state I cleaned it by soaking it in paraffin/kerosene overnight, then scrubbing it with a nylon pan scourer. I used an old plastic food container as a bath to submerge the stone. You could probably use any similar solvent - mineral thinners, petrol, and so son Traditionally carpenters made their own wooden case for an oilstone, but I didn't have the skill or the patience for that so I just bought a plastic one off Amazon They are usually 8" X 2" but check As the stone will have been cleaned of all the old oil & grease it will soak up a fair amount of oil at first, but this soon slows down It's certainly worth keeping and trying it out Search YouTube for 'cleaning an oilstone'; there are several videos

You look as though you are covering most things, and are happy to start at a simple level. My tools are mostly Tandy or home made, especially the knives, though I did buy some Seiwa stitching chisels from Goods Japan there are several YouTube videos on sharpening bevel edgers; they do work much better if you can get them sharp. It's easy enough to make a sharpening board like those in the videos by Tandy and LB Custom Knives, though I think most of them show something similar To sharpen the inside of a bevel edger I plaited 3 pieces of 18/3 linen thread about 50cm long and loaded it with stropping compound. Clamp the tool in a vice fitted with soft jaws then run the thread through the tool

Hello Woldbill. Remember. of course, that you will need some leather! Leather is the skin of a cow, and different parts will have differing quality & thickness, and be priced accordingly Somewhere on Tandy's website there is a guide to the types of leather and what they might be used for I make knife sheaths from 3mm vegetable tanned shoulders. I've just had a look at Tandy USA website and they're $39-99 each Veg tanned belly isn't as good, but it would still be OK for making smaller, simple items, like small sheaths, coasters, key fobs, a strop, and general practice. The advantage for beginning & practising is that a belly is $15-99. You probably couldn't make a tool bag out of it, but you could make a belt pouch or a small possibles bag. They wouldn't be as good as using top class tanned & coloured leather, but neither would they be as expensive, and you've gotta start somewhere. Search YT accordingly. Or you could make a roll for some tools & spanners (wrenches to you!)

Yes, the question about tools for beginners has been asked several times before, just look through past Threads on the Getting Started and Leather Tools sections There are also some videos about beginners tools on YouTube, though you will notice that each one is slightly different Wizard's suggestions are good, but before you buy anything I suggest you look at videos on holsters, sheaths, and the rest of the items you've mentioned. That way you will see how other people make them, the tools they use, and how they are used. I make mostly knife sheaths from 3mm vegetable tanned leather. Here are a few things to get you started - A cutting mat, the usual green thing from a craft or hobby store; get the biggest you can manage A utility or craft knife A stitching chisel. Tandy Craftool 2 prong 4mm spacing. In theory they replace an awl, but when you have a few thicknesses of leather to penetrate you need to do extra work with an awl. You can start with a steel hammer if you already have one, but this will damage the tool if you use it regularly so you will need a soft hammer/mallet - nylon, hide, wood, but not rubber as this will bounce too much Needles; Rocky Mountain Leather Supply sell an assorted pack of John James needles Thread; Tandy ready waxed nylon thread is good & cheap, or see what your local craft shop have Dividers, to set the line of stitching and it's distance from the edge; or you could use the stitching chisel An awl. Don't be tempted by the 4-in-1 awl sold by Tandy, and others, it's expensive and not very good. Just get a simple, ready mounted, fixed blade awl An edge beveller; Tandy Craftool size 2 is a good one to start with. It's fairly cheap, and easy to use & sharpen A tube of contact or general purpose glue An edge burnisher Beeswax Even if you get disposable blades they can be improved by a bit of extra sharpening, plus you will need to sharpen the awl. There is loads of information about this - various stones or wet & dry paper, and making a strop is just about the easiest piece of leatherwork you will do Have look through the websites for Tandy, Rocky Mountain Leather Supply, and other leather craft suppliers. Even if you don't buy anything from them you will see the sort of things that are available

TYRA - I make mostly knife sheaths and belts from 3 to 3,5mm thick vegetable tanned leather, and this would not be suitable for wallets. Not sure what I would use if I did want to make a wallet, so I would need to ask for advice as well, either here or from the supplier I have heard that this is a reliable supplier of leather, though I haven't used them myself; they ship all over Europe https://buyleatheronline.com Use the Suppliers! They will know their products, both tools and leather, (that's their job!) so contact them and ask their advice. For leather try leatherhouse and buyleatheronline Have a look at this video - 'How to Make a Simple Hand Made Wallet' by Nigel Armitage He discusses the thickness and types of leather, as well as making wallets

Well done for making something so soon, and with basic tools Soon after I became interested in leatherwork I went on a beginners course, and it was very good, I probably learned as much in that course than many, many videos - there's nothing like talking to real people! I have found this company in Brussells - NIYONA. They mostly sell finished goods but they also have training courses, from beginners to advanced I made my scratch awl from an axle off my son's broken toy car, glued into an old file handle, and sharpened on an oilstone I use a vegetable peeling knife as a leather trimming knife, but you will need to be able to get it very sharp Here are some suppliers. You don't have to buy from them, but you will see the sort of things that are available. And as you watch videos and follow Threads on this forum you will learn more & more www.leatherhouse.eu www.goodsjapan.com www.identityleathercraft.com www.tandyleather.com www.abbeyengland.com There are lots of videos about leather, but I think we all agree that two of the best channels are by Ian Atkinson and Nigel Armitage Remember that the same techniques of planning, pattern making, sewing, burnishing, etc. are used on all leather items - bags, belts, pouches, & wallets

For skiving you should work on a hard glossy surface such as a polished stone slab (which can be a bit expensive) or a sheet of glass like a glass shelf from an old fridge. I use the glass oven door from an old cooker Skiving knives need to have an edge that is absolutely as sharp and as polished as possible. There is a section about sharpening on this forum, and loads of YT videos about sharpening stones, making & using strops, and how to sharpen Unless you get the very expensive top range knives, most makers only give you an averagely sharpened knife as that keeps the cost down, and you are expected to do the final work yourself Either of the knives you mention will do the job. I would choose the Japanese style as that is easier to sharpen and you can also use it for cutting. You could also consider an English style leather paring knife - Search Google & YT Yes, veg tan is a bit easier if you dampen it slightly Round, head, half round knives are OK but good ones are expensive, and you need practice & experience to use them Search YT for skiving leather and any of the other things mentioned that look useful

Hello Tyra, and welcome to the forum. Here are a few comments for you - Have a look at YouTube videos on making wallets; the methods & principles will be the same as for your project. There are lots of videos, watch as many as you have the stamina for and you'll start to see how things are done. You'll be using thinner leather, say 1,5 to 1,8mm thick, so you should get a smaller sized edge beveller, size 0 or size 1, and learn how to sharpen it. Again there are YT videos about this As you will be cutting thin leather, and straight lines, a rotary cutter is fine, but you could use a utility knife if you already have one, and save a bit of money You will need something to mark the line of stitching, and the spacing of the holes. I got a divider from a secondhand stall, about £2-50, say just over $3. Set it to 2 or 3mm; put one point on the edge of the leather, and mark the line with the other point there are two options for making the holes - mark the position with a rotary stitch marking wheel then make the actual holes with an awl. Or use a stitching chisel which both makes the holes and sets the spacing. In theory a stitching chisel means you do not need an awl, but it's always useful to have one Assembling the pieces for sewing is easier if you glue them in place first with contact glue A block of beeswax is cheap and used to wax the thread, burnish the edges, and other odd jobs in leatherwork A steel ruler or similar straight edge is used to cut the pieces Search YT for videos on leather working tools for beginners, there are several, and as you will see, each one is slightly different I assume you are American. Rocky mountain Leather supply has most of the things you need. At the moment they have an awl on offer at $16-99. As far as I can tell from the pictures it looks pretty good, and good value https://www.rmleathersupply.com for sewing leather you almost always use a two needle method called the saddle stitch, find it on YT. RMLS have a mixed pack of John James needles (which are the best) and will cope with all you want to start with Before you go straight into your wallets & cases you could try making something simple from cheaper leather, like key fobs. That will get you used to how the tools & materials work Oh yes, I nearly forgot. You'll need a cutting mat; the usual self - healing cutting mat from a craft or hobby store. Get the biggest you can manage