zuludog

There are about 10 to 12 pages of leatherwork on YouTube, each with bout 20 videos; watch as many as you have the stamina for, you'll soon pick it up. Sounds like you're already working through the relevant sections of this forum Keyfobs are good, Tandy sell a packet of the rings quite cheaply. They can help you learn pattern making, cutting out, saddle stitch, edge bevelling, edge burnishing, dyeing, stamping, and generally getting used to leather and the tools.

I've just re - read my post This part should be obvious, but lets clear up any possible misunderstanding When I wrote about lubricating the prongs with beeswax I meant, of course, as you knock the chisel through the leather, and not when you polish them with abrasive paper Use the buffing board dry or with water I've just searched YouTube for 'leather covered walking stick'. there are 3 or 4 videos that look relevant, but I haven't watched any of them

That chisel looks good value, but I think there could be a problem or misunderstanding You can sew leather with thread, and the chisel needs to have prongs that have a diamond shaped cross section, and set at an angle to the body of the chisel You can also sew leather with thin strips of leather, called lacing or thonging. The chisels for this have prongs with a flat section, like very small rectangles, and are set flat in line with the body of the chisel I can't quite tell from the picture, but it looks to me that this is a lacing chisel, which is not what you want. I think the word 'diamond' in the description just refers to the tips, which is confusing. Check with the supplier before you buy. Just tell them what you want to do, and they should advise you accordingly. I'd say prongs with 3 mm spacing Whatever chisel you get, it can be improved by polishing the prongs, especially the cheaper makes. Make a small file or buffing board by gluing some 500 or 600 grit wet & dry paper to a sliver of wood like a lollipop stick. And lubricate the prongs on a lump of beeswax as you use it In the short term you can hit the chisel with a steel hammer, which you may already have, but eventually this will damage the end of the chisel. You should use a soft hammer, like plastic or hide. Don't get a cheap rubber mallet, they will bounce and be difficult to control. Don't hammer on your cutting mat. I use a plastic kitchen chopping board about 12 mm thick Don't be tempted to wiggle the chisel around as you remove it, as this will distort the leather and possibly bend the prongs. Use a small length of wood to hold the leather down and go for a straight pull; the polishing & wax will help Depending on the thickness of your leather you might find that the prongs do not make perfect holes, in which case you will need to do some extra work with an awl, but cross that bridge when you come to it. I was going to reply anyway, as I don't think you can get 3 - prong chisels, you'll have to get 2 or 4 If you are going to make wrist straps they will be more comfortable if you bevel and polish the edges. Search YouTube and this forum for advice on that

I recently did the same thing with an old knife that was made in Sheffield, and the company ceased manufacturing in 1955 All the knife really needed was a good clean up & sharpen, but the sheath was in very poor condition so I made a new one. I could tell that although the knife was well made the sheath was just a basic commercially made one, which was another reason for replacing it - you can do better yourself Search YouTube for 'making a leather knife sheath'. There are lots of videos; those by Ian Atkinson/Leodis Leather and Jacklore are good, but the more you watch the more ideas & advice you will pick up. YouTube and these sections of this forum will show you the basics - Getting Started; Tools; and Hand Sewing. Tandy is the best known supplier for hobby leatherwork, but I'm sure American members will be along to give you more advice I use 3 to 3,5 mm veg tan leather to make my sheaths. To start with, Tandy's ready waxed nylon thread will be OK. I suggest you browse YT & this forum to get an idea of what & how, then visit a Tandy store to see what they have to say. You don't have to dye the leather; natural veg tan that has just been oiled or greased can look attractive, and will gradually acquire its own shades & patina Do not be tempted to get a Tandy beginners kit for tools & equipment as it will have things you don't need, and conversely there will be things you need that it won't have. In particular, the 4-in-1 awl isn't very good, you're better off getting a fixed blade awl, and a few other tools as you need them You might like this forum http://edgematters.uk

What a lot of messing about for something that could be done faster, better, & easier with a hole saw or a punch

Now we can see the size of it, it's even more impressive!

Search YouTube for 'leather knife handles', aka 'stacked leather knife handles', and also 'birch bark knife handles', which are of similar construction. They'll give you some similar ideas for a cane You could include short lengths or plugs of hardwood at each end of the cane to protect the ends

'Youth is a blunder; the middle years a struggle; old age a regret' - Winston Churchill 'Life is hard. Then you die' - Woody Allen

I looked these up on Amazon. They list several brands & makes of stitching chisels all very cheap at about £10 to £12 for a set. They have generally favourable reviews though a couple mention they can be improved by polishing the prongs, which is not surprising at that price They were in 4mm & 5mm spacing Amazon's related prompts had some nylon mauls, also cheap at about £10. Again mostly favourable reviews, though both these and the chisels included a couple of one star critical ones. Try 'Ignipion wooden handle nylon hammer' I don't do any stamping or tooling, and I'm happy enough with my hide hammer, but at that price I might just try a set of chisels

Very nice & neat. Would have liked to see something to give the size or scale; a coin or a ruler or something

There are other suppliers, and I have used them, but Tandy suits me as I do leatherwork as a hobby, and not a business. Though I have learned to choose their better makes, like Craftool Pro. As I am retired I can use my free bus pass to visit the Tandy store in Manchester, and I have the time to do so. This means there are no shipping charges; I can inspect the goods in the flesh, as it were, and talk to the staff, whom I have always found pleasant & helpful I don't do any tooling, carving, or stamping, but I might get a set of alphabet stamps so that when I make items, mainly knives & sheaths, for other people I could put their initials on them. ( the sheaths that is, not the people) I've tried various types of threads, including Tiger thread, but have settled on Fil au Chinois which I get from Buchertiger Supplies. I wouldn't mind trying Tandy's hemp/carriage thread, but even with a discount it's very expensive so it looks like my shopping list is another stitching chisel, alphabet stamps, dye, and anything else that catches my eye

Here's something for you to think about I have acquired a reasonable selection of tools and materials, and seem to have enough for the moment However, I've just received an offer from Tandy giving me Gold Discount for 3 & 4 November Now, on the one hand a bargain isn't a bargain unless you need it, but on the other hand this seems to be too good an opportunity to miss I could do with another 4 - prong stitching chisel, but apart from that perhaps I could just stock up with consumables like dyes & daubers. Any other suggestions?

Key fobs; dog collars; wallets There are about 10 pages, each with about 20 videos on leatherwork on Youtube. Have a browse through, there must be something to inspire you. Also the Show Off! section of this forum Nigel Armitage has a video entitled How to Make a Simple Wallet, or some similar wording; it shows how to make several variations on the designs Tool rolls & cases for chef's knives; woodworking & carving chisels etc., including a combination of heavy canvas & leather. Search YouTube People are willing to pay a higher price for individual, handmade items, but they usually expect a high standard of finish. You could offer/advertise a Handmade/Custom/Bespoke service. Have a notice made for your stall, and some flyers or cards. Get a set of alphabet stamps for names & initials Have a look at knife sheaths anyway, especially those by Leodis Leather & Jacklore Knives. The techniques are useful and can be applied to other things.

Well done! I'm a retired chef and kept my knives in a couple of scruffy old canvas or plastic rolls & cases. One of my plans when I retired was to make myself a decent knife roll out of leather or ballistic nylon & nylon webbing, hand sewn as for leather. That was about 5 years ago and I still haven't got round to it Search YouTube for 'Leather Knife Roll'. There are several videos which might give you some ideas I think you'd have been better to keep all the hilts at the same level, in a straight line. It would have looked neater, and probably be easier to roll up. Still, if it does the job.......

Don't be afraid to experiment; you already have the lip balm and beeswax is cheap enough I can't see any reason why lip balm should be harmful to the thread or the leather, but I suspect it may be too soft. On the other hand, beeswax tends to be a bit hard. In his book 'Leatherwork - a Practical Guide' Chris Taylor suggests softening beeswax with linseed oil to make it stickier, and you could try something similar I've had a stick of lip salve lying around for ages so I've just done a trial in the Leatherwork Research Laboratory (my kitchen). I mixed lip salve and beeswax about 50:50; they were completely miscible with each other, and when set the lump of wax was still quite firm. You could increase the proportion of lip balm till you get the consistency & stickiness you want. The salve is a stick, a bit like lipstick, and I suspect the balm will be softer, like a cream, but you could try it Make a water bath from a small frying pan and a small aluminium pie tray/dish. Heat the water till it's very hot, not quite simmering & stir the waxes together. Then remove the tray. When the mixture has set but is still warm and pliable, remove the wax and mould it in your hands to a suitable shape I sew with linen thread and wax it with my own beeswax & linseed oil mixture; don't see why this new mixture should give me any problems Or you could try using the balm as a leather treatment and see how it turns out

That sort of thing is pretty straightforward, the only problem might be fitting the eyelet as you will need special tools and a bit of practice. The tools are not that expensive, but it all adds up when you're starting out. If you just want one or two eyelets, try asking nicely at a leatherwork store. Alternatively fit a D ring, as in a dangler sheath Search YouTube for 'belt pouch'; 'knife pouch'; 'possibles pouch'; and 'dangler sheath'. When you've gained a bit more experience you could think about making a belt Incidentally, it looks to me as though the pouch you've shown doesn't have any burnished edges or much in the way of leather treatment. You can do better yourself, and also improve the one you have

Basic, simple leatherwork is not that difficult (even I can do it!) but you need to be patient, and like any craft or hobby it can be frustrating when you start. But as you go on it gets easier, and the standard of your work improves There is a lot of information for beginners in this forum, especially the Getting Started; Tools; and Sewing sections Last I checked on YouTube there were at least 10 pages, each with about 20 videos, on Leatherwork; watch as many as you have the stamina for! Those by Ian Atkinson/Leodis Leather and Nigel Armitage are often recommended. Also Jacklore has a couple of videos on making sheaths; even if you don't want to make a sheath, the techniques are very similar for a lot of leatherwork, and it's all good background Get a book on leathercraft, try your library. Most books will cover the basics, and have a few simple projects. This book is often recommended - 'The Leatherwork Handbook' by Valerie Michael Find out if there is a leather craft store near you. Tandy is the best known, but there are others. Call in and have a chat to them. I assume you are in the USA; if you tell us where you live I'm sure someone will advise you

CAVEDIVER Here are a few points for you to consider, as if you weren't confused enough already! As when buying anything off Ebay, do your research first - caveat emptor! Seiwa are a decent make, but Tandy's Craftool Pro chisels are also fairly good. If you're going to a Tandy store anyway, why not get a 4-prong 3mm spacing one to get you started. You can improve cheaper stitching chisels by polishing the prongs on a strop, or make a very small file by glueing some 600 grit wet & dry paper to a sliver of wood or aluminium. Then lubricate them with beeswax as you use them. To hit chisels you will need a soft hammer of some kind - wood, nylon, hide, brass or whatever. You can use a steel hammer at first, but replace it asap or it will damage the ends of the chisels I don't like replaceable blade awls as - they don't seem to grip the blade well enough, and it keeps pulling out when I try to remove it from the leather, especially on thicker leather; they are more expensive. If you're thinking of using the same haft for several blades, you will find that you are constantly swapping around. Unless you really want some exotic wood, just get a cheap haft for a fixed blade, it will be good enough Hafts come in 2 basic styles; a bulb or pear shape, and with a neck or waist to help you hold the awl in your spare fingers while you sew. This is considered the best technique, but it takes practice, so if you are only sewing smallish items the bulb shape is OK - just put it down as I, and I'm sure many other leatherworkers do Have a look on supplier's websites and YouTube, you'll soon see the sort of size & shape for awl hafts; or buy the Craftool and take it from there when you make your own. I've just measured my hafts- one is 95mm long X 29 mm dia at its widest; the other two are 90mm X 28mm. But the best size is the size that suits you The key to good leatherwork is to have very sharp tools. You can make a strop from oddments of wood & leather, there's loads of information on this forum & YouTube, it will be just about the easiest & cheapest piece of leatherwork you'll ever do. But treat yourself to some proper stropping compound. Have a look at this website www.bowstock.co.uk On the home page, top right corner there are some tips & tutorials for leatherwork, including a comparison chart of leather thicknesses

Ah yes, I'd forgotten the Craftool Pro Awl I have tried this at a Tandy store, and I think it's quite good, at about $30. Certainly you should have no problems using this on the type of leather you have described I didn't buy it as I have 3 other awls, but I would certainly consider it if I needed another awl Tandy Craftool Pro Stitching Awl #83020-00. About $30, or less if you use their discount scheme. You have to buy in to the scheme, but if you are starting out it's worth considering as there will be a lot of things you need to get, both tools & materials, and you will probably recover the cost Ask around if you know anyone who does woodwork; you could probably get a pony made for oddments for next to nothing

Traditionally you make your own awl by buying a separate awl blade and haft, then mounting and sharpening them yourself. This is a right pain, and will take a year off your life. I strongly recommend that you get one that is ready to use, and to buy the best you can afford. Even if you get stitching chisels, the two tools you will use mostly in leatherwork are an awl and a knife Even if it is ready for use you will still need a strop to sharpen it occasionally To save wear & blood on your fingertips, support/back your stitching with a champagne cork till you gain experience; that is yer actual cork, not the plastic things that come with cheap fizz. Try to push & pull the awl in a straight line, and resist the temptation to waggle it about as you remove it For the thickness of leather you are using get a small awl, then others as you need them Don't know which videos you've been watching, but those by Nigel Armitage and Ian Atkinson are good, and on other aspects of leatherwork too.

Hello Veej Britain did have a large leather industry, but it suffered from the advent of plastics/PVC and, like many western economies from competition from the far East, especially China. So now it no longer has any serious mass production leather industry, but has a lot of small specialist/upmarket/handmade suppliers. Without wishing to sound too biased, it is generally accepted that two of the best makers of leatherwork videos on YouTube are British; Nigel Armitage and Ian Atkinson/Leodis Leather. Also have a look at Jacklore Knives; although best known for his knives, he also makes the sheaths, and his videos on that are good & interesting. In fact there are about 10 or 12 pages on leatherwork on YouTube, each with about 20 videos - watch as many as you have the stamina for! Nigel Armitage's video 'How to make a simple Wallet', or some similar title is actually a good introduction to leatherwork, and a wallet would be a good place to start Try your library for a book on leatherwork. the one by Valerie Michael is often recommended, but just about any book will give you the basics. Also work through this forum, especially the sections on Getting Started; Tools; and Sewing

Tandy stock 'carriage thread', which I understand to be hemp. It looks nice enough, but at £32-87 for 100 yds it is very expensive. I would be interested in trying a sample length though. Is it worth it? or any other comments?

This is a reply to PABLO 27; though from about 5 years ago, others might find it useful The leather for a strop should be used flesh side up, ie glue the grain to the wood I have used Veritas Honing Compound product code 05M08.01 with no problems. It adheres to the leather OK and sharpens well. It is green, presumably chromium oxide based Recently I got some Schmidts Poldermedel, also green, but that was harder and didn't stick as well, so I made my own concoction based on it I made a water bath from a small frying pan and an aluminium foil pie tray,and used that to melt & mix some of the Schmidts, to which I added about 5 to 10 % beeswax and jeweller's rouge. This sticks better, doesn't clog up, and still gives a very sharp edge

JJ needles are preferred over Tandy needles because they have smaller eyes which are less likely to jam when pulling through the holes, and help to produce neater work. This does mean, though, that they will be more difficult to thread A needle threader might work but there's only one way to find out. Problem is, the needles are usually only available in packs of 25. Both the needles and a threader are cheap enough, but if this doesn't work you could then be left with some stuff you can't use You could ask around suppliers and see if they will sell you just one or two #2 needles as a sample or trial, no harm in asking. Alternatively, could some kind leatherworker in USA arrange to send you a couple? That's what forums are for Beware! the sizing system for needles in Britain and USA are different; make sure you get John James # 2 needles, under the British system. See my earlier post in this thread If you decide to stay with Tandy needles, a threader could help with those, too Go to www.jjneedles.com and use the search box to find 'saddlers harness needles' and you'll see what they look like. You could also contact them and ask their advice, I have always found their sales enquiries dept pleasant & helpful. They would also be able to tell you their American distributor. I notice they do supply easy thread needles, but I don't know if they would be suitable for leather; again, ask them

Have you got an actual web address for them please? I've found www.leatheronline.co.uk and www.leather-online.co.uk but both of them only seem to sell finished goods Edit - OK, I've done a bit more searching and found www.buyleatheronline.com, that looks more promising It looks like it's an Italian company so perhaps they sell in other European countries as well