zuludog

A bit of Surfing shows:- http://www.theidentitystore.co.uk is Tandy's agency in UK, and sell Tanners Bond Cement at £29-47 per US Quart, which is 946 ml, or as near as dammit 1 litre. I have seen on YouTube a recommendation, possibly by Ian Atkinson, to use Evostick Timebond, which is a contact adhesive. Prices for this seem to vary considerably 65 g tubes are about £3-70 to £3-99, and so too expensive for a large amount 250 ml tins are mostly about £6 to £9, but I have seen them at £16 1 litre tins seem to be about £20 to £30, but Homebase are selling them for £12-99, and I think you get an over 60s discount as well, if that applies to you. But I know you are disabled, so perhaps you know someone who is old enough to do the shopping for you, with a discount, if you give them a precise order. Often a local shop will be as cheap as any, so shop around. And there will be no shipping costs. If you order by Internet/mail order, is is more than likely that Royal Mail will class it as hazardous, and so refuse to handle it. That means using another carrier, so don't forget to check the delivery/shipping/p&p costs. I use Bostik, UHU, or own brand contact or general purpose adhesive from discount stores, whichever is the cheapest, Typically they are £1 to £1-50 for a 65 g tube. When my current tube runs out, I'll get some Timebond With these or Timebond I would use small dabs of the glue, just to hold the leather in place, not to have a continuous 'run' of glue. But if you already have the Gorilla glue, and it does the job, just carry on using it.

Thanks, Matt T, for posting the link; my computing skills are even worse than my leather craft skills! The chisels he uses for demonstration are from ALDI. I wonder if Americans have heard of them? Both ALDI and LIDL are German supermarket chains known for being no - frills, reasonable prices, and good value for money. They have recently become popular in Britain. They sell mainly food, but also hardware and tools; probably not the very best, but good enough for amateurs.

I've just been browsing through YouTube and found this video, well worth watching. 'Preparing and Sharpening a Woodworking Chisel' by Paul Sellers Obviously for a chisel, but the techniques could also be used for leatherworking tools, especially a skiving knife. He includes a cheap method using wet & dry paper on a glass plate. I already have a glass plate, it was the glass oven door off an old cooker; I got it originally for skiving.

BuckeyeGuy; considering the health problems you have described I'm sure we all congratulate and admire you for starting any hobby that requires some sort of physical activity. My physical health isn't too bad, though I have diabetes, but I, too suffered from depression when I was made redundant. I am mostly free from it now but i always have the feeling that it is still over my shoulder; so yes, it is good to have some hobby that you can lose yourself in. See if you can get a book on leathercraft, perhaps secondhand from Ebay or Amazon. Otherwise work your way through this forum and/or YouTube. You don't need a powered edge burnisher, you can get a hand one, or cut a couple of grooves in a piece of old hammer handle and polish it up. This is a tip I was shown by a professional saddler. Take a piece of scrap leather about one inch square and about 6 to 8 oz. Treat the edge of your work with your usual finish, say gum trag & Edgecote, or just beeswax. Fold over the leather piece, hold it down with your fingers, and rub it along. It's slow, but free. The more you use it, the better it gets. Speaking of beeswax, even if you use prewaxed thread, beeswax is handy for topping up, and for various little jobs in leatherwork, and is cheap enough. Nigel Armitage has a video - 'How To Make A Simple Hand Made Wallet'. Obviously on a wallet, but it is also a good guide to simple, easy leatherwork, and you have something useful. It includes edge finishing and using a hand slicker, towards the end. You might be able to sell them to get a bit of pocket money. If you have a Dremel you can use 1.5 mm drills to make stitch holes. Purists might not like it, but it's easy, and does the job. You might find these websites useful. http://www.britishblades.com they have a section in the forum on leatherwork; sections on finished knives often show their sheaths as well http://brisa.fi Mainly a supplier of knifemaking blades & materials, but also tutorials on sheath making http://bowstock.co.uk A British supplier of leathercraft tolos and materials. They have some good tutorials on basic techniques on their website, including a comparison of leather measurements Sometimes the links don't work, but it's worth putting them into your search engine (Google!) manually

I've been reading your last post, above, and also looking at Tandy USA's website, and there's something I can't follow. I think perhaps you or I have made a misunderstanding. Craftool Pro Diamond Awl Blade # 8302 - 01 or 02 or 03 is $24 - 99 each. But that is for the blade ONLY. You will also need the handle, called a 'haft' - Craftool Pro Diamond Awl Haft # 83021 - 00 is $39 - 99 So the total cost will be about $65 I suggest you consider getting the following:- Stitching Awl With 1 1/4" Blade #31218 - 01 is $16 - 99 Proline Diamond Stitching Chisel, 4 - prong, 1/8"/3 mm spacing # 88045 - 04 is $13 - 99. This can be used to make holes through the leather, or just as a pricking iron to mark the positions & spacing, then follow up with the awl. You can start with an ordinary hammer but the steel head will burr over the end of the tool, so you should get a wooden, or hide, or plastic mallet asap. Don't get a rubber one as it will bounce too much. Or improvise yourself, with any lump of wood Cheaper still is to make up your own sewing awl. I have seen the blades on Tandy's website for about $5 to $6. In Britain you can get the handles/hafts for less than £3, say $5, so I assume they will be similarly available in USA. Ask around and shop around.. You might already have something you can use as a haft - an old screwdriver; an old kitchen tool; cut down the end of a broken hammer handle, and so on Even if an awl blade is described as ready sharpened you will almost certainly have to do the final polishing yourself, using P600 to P800 grade wet & dry paper followed by a polishing compound. There are lots of threads here, and videos on YouTube on sharpening an awl. Just use any scrap of leather or stiff glossy card till you have a strop. They are easy enough to make yourself. Plus, of course, get your new, exchanged, scratch awl

I'm sure there will be several helpful replies here. You could also put 'leather awl' into the search box of YouTube. But it shouldn't be too difficult to make the hole on the haft smaller by fitting a sliver of wood then fit the blade, according to the method given in books, videos or elsewhere on this forum Something else to consider is using a stitching chisel. This is essentially a set of prongs like awl blades on a handle, the whole thing is a single piece of steel. You hammer it into the leather and probably won't need an awl, or perhaps just to tidy things up. A 4 prong with 3 mm spacing should get you started. Have a look at Tandy's website, they seem to be about $12 to $14 There is a good video on YouTube about them. Put 'Armitage Leather' into the search box then scroll around to find 'Pricking Iron Review Part 1 Tandy'. Just read your second post. A scratch awl, aka round awl, is used mainly for marking out patterns on leather, or teasing out existing holes. To make holes for sewing you need a saddler's awl, aka harness awl, which has the slightly flattened blade, often called a diamond or rhomboid cross section. Don't get the 4-in-1 adjustable awl. It's not very good, and is quite expensive. As you have a round awl, all you need is a saddler's awl. See if you can have a browse round this forum, or YouTube. As you are able to get to a Tandy store, don't just buy something straight away, explain what you want to do and if the staff are any good they should take the time to have a chat and advise you. If you can get to a Tandy store I assume you live near a decent sized town, so ask at the library if they have any books on leathercraft.

This method isn't very stylish, but it's simple, cheap, and does the job, at least in the medium term. Get a piece of scrap wood; proper timber or chipboard. Knock in some nails partway, at appropriate spacings. Pull off 10 to 12" thread, wax it, and rewind. That will be enough to stick the thread and prevent it from unwinding Place the reels or bobbins over the protruding nail heads. Lay the thing flat in a drawer, or fixed up above your work station. You could make something very similar, but posher, with nicely stained or varnished wood, sanded or turned dowels or pegs, and so on; just up to you.

Yes, according to 'Leatherwork - a Practical Guide' by Chris Taylor the best & traditional base or surface for punching holes in leather is lead. Say 6" diameter or square, and about 1" thick. He gives advice on making one. Sometimes you see such blocks on Ebay. Unfortunately I haven't used such a block, but I have made one. I left the block and the old pan in my back yard for a couple of hours to cool while I had my dinner, and someone stole it!

Oh, Monica! Are you going to help? Thank you very much! I'm afraid I've bitten off more than I can chew. As I've indicated, I'm more than willing to make contributions on 2 or 3 subjects, but I don't have enough understanding of computers or leatherwork to do the whole thing. If you confirm this I will post updated lists of resources & basic tools. I could also try to explain the thickness/sizing measurements for leaher

Art, let's see if I've understood correctly. You will create a pinned thread if other members will post the advice? Well, I don't claim to be an expert, but I would contribute a couple of posts, similar to those I have made in the past; one on references, and one on a basic tool list. No doubt others will add their views, and cover other aspects, in a similar manner to other pinned threads. That's what a forum is for.

Not sure if this is the correct section, but there didn't seem to be anywhere else. Next week the BBC will be broadcasting a few programmes on traditional crafts, with the general title of 'Handmade'. They are expected to be good, with sympathetic camerawork, editing, and minimal voiceover. They will be shown on BBC 4 as follows:- 4th May 9-00 pm Handmade - Glass 4th May 9-30 pm Handmade - Metal Repeated at 01-00 on 5th May 6th May 8-00 pm Handmade - Wood Repeated at 01-00 on 7th May 'Metal' will be making a damascus steel knife. 'Wood' will be making a chair. Unfortunately there will be nothing on leather, which has disappointed a lot of people, but I think that many of the Members of this Forum will be interested in all types of crafts, so I've posted the info. Perhaps if there is sufficient response they might make a programme on leather in future. If you miss them, or live outside Britain, you can see them for up to 28 days afterwards on the Internet. http://www.bbc.co.uk Click on 'iPlayer'; then either go to 'search box' or 'A - Z Programme List'.

There are frequent requests for help & advice on getting started by beginners. That means they receive very similar replies each time. There is already a section on 'Getting started'. How about creating a sticky/pinned thread in that section entitled 'Help For Beginners' or 'Advice for Beginners' It would include things like a list of references to books and YouTube; suppliers; and a basic tool list. Does anyone else think this is a good idea? Or not?

You do blacksmithing, work with clay, and are keen to start leatherwork, so it sounds as though you are practical and confident at working with your hands. Then you could try making some tools yourself; keeps the costs down and is a satisfying thing to do. Try An edge slicker or burnisher A round/scratch awl - something like a thick pin or needle, a nail, or hard stiff wire, mounted in a home made handle. As I'm British I have used an old dart head A sharpening strop, from scraps of timber and leather. I just used ordinary general purpose glue and weighted it down overnight with a pile of books Perhaps a sewing pony. It doesn't have to be a shining example of the cabinet maker's art, as long as it does the job Get ideas from this forum, and look at the suppliers' websites for ideas. will give you an idea of what's available, and the prices - Tandy, Goods Japan, Osborne, Vergez-Blanchard; you will hear of others or surf the Net for leather tools, leathercraft suppliers, and so on

The problem with leatherwork is that like most other activities or hobbies, there is a lot to learn, understand, and buy all at once I suggest that before you buy anything you do some homework and then start simple Other people have posted similar requests, and the replies will also apply you. Here are some suggestions Look at previous threads on this forum, especially Leatherwork conversation, Getting Started, How Do I Do That? and Leather Tools There are lots of videos on YouTube. Just put leatherwork into the search box These two books will be very helpful The Leatherworking Handbook by Valerie Michael The Art of Hand Sewing Leather by Al Stohlman You can learn a lot by making a key fob - making a pattern, cutting out, edge bevelling, use of an awl, pricking iron, stitching chisel, saddle stitch, stitch groover, edge burnishing, and if you wish, dyeing and tooling. As for tools, your choice is either to buy a starter kit, or get them as you need them. My suggestion would be to only get a starter kit if you can get it at a reduced price. Buy tools as you need them, and understand what they're for, and how to use them.

I've just had a fiddle with my post, and can't get the link to work, but the address will work if you put it directly into Google. Here it is again http://www.bowstock.co.uk

Yes, work your way through this forum and also YouTube; there's loads of information, it will be time consuming but do it in smallish chunks Get Valerie Michael's book as mentioned above, and Al Stohlman's 'The Art of Hand Sewing Leather' This company's website has some good tutorials on basic techniques and also a comparison of leather thickness measurements http://www.bowstock.co.uk The 4-in-1 awl sold by Tandy and others isn't very good. You're better off getting two separate fixed blade awls; one diamond cross section and one round/scratch awl. Will probably be cheaper too Don't get a steel hammer, get a hide/wooden/plastic mallet You will also need a stitching chisel or pricking iron; 4 mm spacing is as good as any to start with Start with something simple like a key fob Learn and practice the saddle stitch, you will use this for most sewing I use a craft knife, often known in Britain by the most common make, a Stanley knife; I think you call them box cutter knives in USA. Find a couple of blades that fit well without wobbling, they seem to get better as you resharpen them The usual green cutting mats with the grid markings are cheap and good Don't be in a hurry to buy a load of tools at once; do your homework and get them as you need them; should help prevent you making mistakes if you understand what each tool is for and how to use it As an indication or guide, I make knife sheaths from 3.5 mm vegetable tanned leather, which I think is about 8 oz. For wallets you'd want something thinner, say 1.5 to 2 mm, but I'm sure others with more experience might correct this You'll start to see makers & suppliers mentioned. Have a browse through their websites to see what's available; Tandy, Goods Japan, Osborne, etc. Best Wishes, and have fun!

I think Thornton has a good idea Make the holes in the leather first, by whichever method you use - stitching chisel or pricking iron + standard awl Then tack the webbing in place with a few dabs of glue or clamp it with Bulldog clips; pad them with scrap leather or thick fabric as they might mark the leather Push through the holes in the leather and then into the webbing with a round/scratch awl so as not to cut the fibres and sew with a harness needle Or you could try missing out the round awl and using a sharp needle I assume the webbing will be synthetic. You can heat seal the ends with a match flame but it's not very neat; it's more usual to turn the end under and sew across. Or bind as has been suggested I've done repairs & modifications of rucsacs; sometimes webbing and thick nylon fabric can shred the thread as you sew, so use synthetic thread in preference to natural I'd use a saddle stitch as widely spaced as you think you can get away with. Use a stitch groover on the leather and nothing on the fabric. Bash it down with a mallet to settle the stitches when you've finished When working from the webbing side, mark the line as you've said, and prod around carefully with the round awl to find the holes in the leather. It's surprising how quickly you learn to estimate this

play around with the search box on YouTube, there are several videos. This is good How to sharpen an edge beveller. by lbcustomknives

Yes, TwinOaks has it right. If you unpick the patches the stitching holes will always be there but they will reduce or 'mellow' with time. Try working the vest with a small amount of leather grease, that might help Only you can decide which is preferable - wrong position or holes

Remember, as all the books & videos tell you, that it's easier to use and control a very sharp knife than a blunt one

A friend has a set of knives & little marble slab like those in your photograph, Wicked Welts. They're a set of cheese knives, intended to be used & displayed in the dinner table, to be used with different types & textures of cheese Still, if you can use them for leatherwork, do so

The workmanship itself is first class, but you might find that the flat surface right at the top is too wide to push your needles right into the leather. If you have a look at commercially manufactured stitching horses & ponies you'll see that the tops of the clamps are quite narrow, almost blade - like You could try cutting back the outside corners at the top of the clamps Also, you usually line the insides of the clamps with leather, to avoid making marks or impressions on your workpiece. Again, look at manufactured ones. It would look nice if it was stained, to darken the wood slightly, and bring out the grain But please, these are meant to be helpful suggestions, not serious criticism; it's much better made than mine!

There's loads of advice on sharpening, here and on YouTube. Chiefjason's is typical, and if it works, use it. I use a Stanley knife with a blade that has been resharpened a few times, and it seems to work better than new Here's a tip I've heard of, though I don't use it myself. Mark out the pattern first with a scratch awl (hence the name!). That will make it easier for the knife to follow the pattern. Draw the pattern first with pencil, or go straight to the awl, whichever suits you When you're using a strop make sure the blade is kept at the correct angle right up to the end of the stroke, then stop, and lift it off. There is a natural tendency to start to lift the handle of the knife as you reach the end, ready for the turn; ie the edge of the blade will become more perpendicular to the strop at the end of a stroke, but while the blade is still moving. This will automatically blunt the edge . In practice this is a bit difficult to do, you have to really concentrate. It's easier if you make 3 or 4 strokes in one direction, then 3 or 4 in the other; it's the turning at the end of a stroke that causes the problem of rounding the blade edge.

Picture D - 'Maid o' Metal' look like some sort of fids, probably for lacing.

What material is A made of? It looks like it could be a laboratory spatula, for transferring and weighing out small quantities of powdered chemicals, but they're usually made out of stainless steel or nickel Looks as thought there could be some engraving or stamping on the central 'body'. Try cleaning it up with fine abrasive paper, or just giving it a wash. For years in hardware & craft shops you could get a set of cheap Japanese carving tools like those shown. Besides the gauges the set included chisels & angled blades. I picked up a couple a year or two ago at a car boot sale (similar to US flea market or garage sale) for pence.. Cleaned them up & sharpened them; they turned out quite good.