zuludog

This might be interesting/useful. At the end there is a link for sharpening a JLK

I use a Japanese Leather Knife for skiving, and you mention that you would also consider one. As with most tools, including leather tools, you can spend more or less as much or as little as you want, but have a look at this video. As far as I can tell he uses Craft Sha knives from Weaver Leather Supply, (although they're not named) and they are reasonably priced https://www.weaverleathersupply.com/catalog/item-detail/65-2864/flat-leather-knife/pr_60362/cp_/shop-now/hand-tools/knives-scissors/knives Search YouTube, there are several videos on Japanese Leather Knives, for both skiving and cutting Rocky Mountain Leather Supply have JLKs, mostly expensive, but there is one at $59-99 Besides the JLK I use a Stanley/utility/box cutter knife. Although the blades are disposable I resharpen them on a fine stone & strop, and they seem to work better, probably because that reduces the shoulder of the bevel and polishes it. And even new blades are better after a strop. I think Exacto knives are bit too light for leatherwork, that's why I use a Stanley. Have a look at videos by Ian Atkinson, aka Leodis Leather, he uses a Stanley knife for most of his work.

Harry Rogers uses a lot of old/traditional/secondhand tools, and that edger looks like a traditional English style, probably Dixons, which are no longer made. In fact that style doesn't seem to be made by any current manufacturer, the closest I can find is by George Barnsley https://www.georgebarnsleyandsons.co.uk/product-page/edge-beveller I think that style was also made by Vergez - Blanchard, but they, too, seem to have been discontinued. All I can suggest is that you Search around and see what comes up. I don't know many suppliers in the USA but Rocky Mountains Leather supply look like they would have something decent Or Search for 'Etsy - leather edge bevelers' There are usually loads to choose from, and you might see something you fancy

I've never made a holster, and probably never will, but the usual ways to hold leather are with a small clamp called a stitching pony, as shown by FREDK - you put it on a chair or stool, and then sit on both the pony & the chair....... Or a larger clamp called a saddlers clam, which you place on the floor between your knees. Traditionally it's made from steamed & curved wood, but also from straight lengths hinged at the bottom, a bit like a larger version of the stitching pony ......Or a combination of a stool and a clam together, called a stitching/sewing horse, as shown by TSUNKASAPPER Shop around & Search on YouTube and Google to see what's available, YT has videos of making your own clam/pony/horse, there are several variations on the theme You don't have to be an expert cabinet maker. I made a stitching pony from scraps of wood and a hinge rescued from a broken door, just bound with a bungee, as used to hold things on a bicycle luggage rack; not very neat, but good enough. But I think it's more common to line the jaws with leather Ah, I've just re - read your post ...... a common way to sew leather, and the way I make my knife sheaths, is to glue the edges together with contact glue and hold them together with spring clamps all around the edge until the glue has set, then just hold the piece in a sewing clam/pony/horse to do the actual sewing. Again, there are many videos about this, and it's the same sort of method for most items - sheaths, wallets, pouches, belts, and I assume for holsters as well.

Aah, pricking irons! ......... I think we have some confusion here Strictly speaking pricking irons just mark the position of the stitching holes with a shallow impression, then you follow this with an awl to make & complete the holes. A stitching chisel has prongs that are long enough to both set the spacing/position of the holes, and penetrate the leather to make & complete the holes. Although described as a pricking iron, the prongs on Sinabroks are long enough to act as chisels What sort of leather are you using? Stitching chisels can be used on their own for thinner leather, but will only go part way through thicker leather, so you must complete the holes with an awl If you need an awl, almost any kind of diamond awl with a narrow blade would do; try an Osborne #42 or #43. You can mount the awl blade in a simple haft or use a haft with a chuck. Or see what you fancy from Rocky Mountains Leather Supply. Whichever awl you buy it will almost certainly need sharpening, as it is only the expensive custom made tools that can be used straight out of the box. There are several videos on fitting & sharpening an awl Have a look at this video - SINABROKS PRICKING IRON REVIEW & DIY HOW TO SADDLE STITCH TUTORIAL - YouTube Also look videos on stitching chisels, using an awl, and so on, to get a better idea of how they are used

Just a short comment ......... if you leave plain, natural, undyed veg tan leather as it is, and just grease it, it gradually darkens to a sort of mustard yellow or pale tan colour on its own

They are not very expensive, you could buy a couple and see what you think; say 2" & 2,5". similarly the beech wood hafts are only £2-49 each, and I prefer pale wood anyway. Or contact Barnsley to check for the exact length Saddlers Awl | George Barnsley and Sons

I'd say get a 2,25" or a 2,5" blade ; that will give you plenty of length to knock into the haft - which you will have to buy of course You will also need to sharpen & polish the blade as it is only the expensive custom awls that you can use straight out of the box - there are several YT videos about mounting & sharpening an awl Just one thing - the usual way to mount the blade is to hold it in a vice and then knock down the haft onto it, but you need to pad the steel jaws with something slightly softer so you will not scratch or damage the awl blade. Copper coins are often suggested for this, but British 'copper' coins are no longer all copper, they are copper plated steel, so use something else, like aluminium or hard plastic

What to back/support your leatherwork when using stitching chisels? I used to use a typical plastic/HDPE kitchen chopping board, about 8 or 10mm thick .... then one day I couldn't find it..... and still haven't, it must have been thrown out in one of my infrequent but ruthless tidy outs So as a quick & temporary measure I used an old magazine - and it worked perfectly! It is firm & resilient enough to support the leather but soft & yielding enough not to blunt or damage the chisels .... and it is effectively free. As it gets damaged just move it around so you always have a new/good surface to work on. That was 2 or 3 years ago, and I've been using them ever since, and intend continuing to do so

My guess is that a hardware store scratch awl will have a bigger & thicker blade than a proper scratch/round awl. It will be OK for marking out a pattern, but not so good for aligning & slightly enlarging stitch holes, teasing out thread, and all the other general poking & prodding jobs that we do in leatherwork So perhaps in the not too distant future you could buy a proper scratch awl from a leathercraft supplier; they're cheap enough, unless you really want one of the expensive custom made brands, and it does no harm to have two.

No, I don't put anything on top of the Edge Kote, but I wait till it's really dry, probably 2 or 3 hours, then burnish with a typical wooden burnisher. I haven't tried burnishing with cloth such as canvas or denim, perhaps I will next time

It looks like the process is - 1) Gum tragacanth ------ 2) edge paint ........ 3) Tokonole; burnished after each application. The edge paint looks too thin to be Fiebings Edge Kote, which is probably why he uses Tokonole as a top coat My method is to edge bevel & sand, then -- 1) Gum tragacanth, or more recently Tokonole ......burnish ........2) Fiebings Edge Kote ...... burnish

I haven't sharpened a rotary punch, but this is how I would do it based on how I sharpen my individual punches - Mount the punch in a vice with either soft jaws or padded with scrap leather. Turn the head expose each punch in turn Sharpen the outside of the punch using a strip of abrasive cloth or paper and the see - saw method. Depending on how blunt the punch is, start with 400 grit then go up or down the grades as required Sharpen the inside of the punch with a round fine needle file such as a Vallorbe #4 cut. But don't be too severe, all you need to do is to gently remove any burrs and polish the inside of the rim; you don't want to cut too deeply into the circumference of the punch

I don't do stamping/tooling, ie making patterns on the leather, but just like FREDK I keep all my leatherworking tools in a mechanic's tool chest which has a cupboard base for some of the bottles & jars of dyes, oils, & solvents. This leaves my desk top completely clear for work I use the drawers for leather tools like knives, awls, edge bevellers, needles & thread and also for rasps & files for knife making I have a plastic storage box for most of the dyes, solvents, & glues, to contain any possible leaks & spills I keep my whisky in a cupboard in the kitchen, but it's only next door, so that's not a problem

Here's a suggestion - have you got a strop yet? You'll need one for sharpening your knives, whatever type you get Make your own from oddments of wood & leather, it's easy enough and will get you used to cutting and using leather. Search YouTube for 'how to make a strop', there are loads of videos Green chromium oxide stropping compound is as good as any; it's cheap and a small bar will last for ages

As you've noticed, there are all sorts of knives available for leatherwork, at all sorts of prices. Search YouTube for 'knives for leatherwork' ; 'beginners tools for leatherwork' and similar headings, and you'll see what's available, and their pros & cons. Also watch videos on the things you'd like to make and you'll see what other people use. Here are a few comments, in no particular order -- Round knife - it has a semi circular blade with two points and will do most things; the disadvantage is that it takes practice & experience to use well, and they are expensive Head knife - similar to a round knife but it has only one point, which makes it cheaper and easier to use. Have a look at videos by JH Leather, she uses a head knife for most of her work Stanley/utility/box cutter - simple, cheap, and easy to use; you can re sharpen the blades, and even new blades work better if they've been sharpened on a fine stone & a strop. You can do good work with a box cutter, have a look at videos by Ian Atkinson/Leodis Leather, he uses one for most items Clicker knife - with a chubby handle and interchangeable hooked or straight blades; reasonably priced and easy to use & sharpen Rotary cutter - such as Olfa or Fiskars; good for straight cuts on thinner leather like wallets or some bags Japanese Leather Knife - with its distinctive asymmetric blade, but once you get used to it, it's good for straight cuts, gentle curves, & skiving; reasonably priced and easy to sharpen Basic leather knife - a simple style with a wooden handle and a thin blade about 4" long; cheap, easy to use & sharpen Small craft knife or scalpel - such as Exacto or Swann Morton; replaceable blades; OK for thin leather & fine work such as wallets or watch straps, but too light for anything thicker Skiving knives - There are two main types - one is like a hand held chisel, and the other is usually just a plain strip of steel with an angled blade at one end. As you watch videos you'll see them both in use. These are, I think, the most common types, but no doubt you'll see other styles & variations as you gain experience My suggestion - start with a box cutter, you probably have one already, then once you've got used to leatherwork, decide what's next Whatever you choose, you will need to be able to sharpen, usually with a fine stone or abrasive paper, and a strop - but that's another story Just one thing, a draw knife is a two handled knife used in woodwork, not leather.

Yes, just this...

Here are a couple of suggestions that might help - Search the Net for 'adjustable table for wheelchair users' Then you can position the table and your work better to suit you, and possibly at a slight angle Try a Japanese Leather Knife; you don't need as much finger strength for these as you hold the knife in your fist. This video shows how to hold it, and how to cut thin leather without stretching it where you run off the edge. There are other videos about JLK s; perhaps watch a few and see what you think. Leathertoolz is left handed, I think most other videos will show right handed leather workers. You can also use a JLK for skiving As with just about all leather tools there is a range of prices, but a mid priced one about £30 = $40? will do the job. They are also easy to sharpen Consider using a steel straight edge for cutting as they are stiffer and heavier than an ordinary ruler and don't slide as much. Here's the sort of thing, but you'll have to find an American supplier. I notice that Nigel Armitage uses one for most of his cutting. A 12" one is OK for making wallets Straight Edges & Rules | Accurate | Safe | UK-Made | Maun (maunindustries.com) If you're considering a rotary cutter there are several YT videos; here's Ian Atkinson using one to make a wallet. I don't use a rotary cutter, but I think the two best makes are Olfa and Fiskars (2) Making a Handmade Leather Wallet - YouTube Here's an idea - the usual way of holding a round knife is flat in the palm of your hand with your fingers on top of the blade; but try holding it in your fist like a JLK. And at the end of a cut instead of just running off the edge of the leather and stretching/distorting it, stop short and finish the cut by rocking or rolling the knife so you're pressing down Also, whichever knife you use, as you get towards the edge of the leather stop short and start again from the edge inwards to complete the cut, so you never run off the edge of the leather

The knife shown in the OP is an old French style leather knife. I haven't been able to find a picture of one, but Mike Rock has managed to. This is a plough gauge; yes the knife does look vaguely similar, but is definitely not the same type https://www.georgebarnsleyandsons.co.uk/product-page/plough-gauge

I don't know much about the French Style leather knife, but it's an established design so it must work well enough to remain in production. I imagine it's a what you get used to, although if the internal curve shown on the right hand side is sharp that may well be useful for trimming edges But it would be nice to see it restored, and although I expect you are capable enough, there are loads of videos on YouTube about restoring & repairing knives, axes and so on. Yes, I would use a ferrule; obviously it will reinforce the handle, but it will also provide a nice contrast. If you can't re-use the existing tapered ferrule, a piece of brass or copper tube/pipe will do the job All the woods you mentioned would be OK; Jacklore uses masur birch, which is nice, but I prefer something plainer, like beech, which is a traditional material for tool handles; still, it's your knife. Here's some masur birch -

Sharpening a stitching groover is easy, just load some thread with stropping compound and pull it backwards through the hole to strop the tiny blade inside. I didn't need to do it very often as even with the cheap Tandy groover I was using, I only needed to do it occasionally. Now I don't need to sharpen it at all as I no longer use a stitching groover, I mark my stitching line with dividers It is normal to sharpen and strop your round knife frequently, it's just one of the things you get used to. I don't have the Al Stohlman round knife; I hear it's not the best, but even so you should be able to get it sharp enough. There are a few YouTube videos on sharpening a stitching groover, and several on sharpening a round or head knife.

For years I sewed fabric to repair tents & rucsacs; I just threaded the needle, folded over the thread, and left it at that Then I went on a leather craft course for a day and was shown how to do double hand sewing /saddle stitch including piercing the thread and locking it onto the needle ...... then I saw the same thing in a leatherwork book ...... then on YouTube videos ...... then I thought - why? So now I just thread the needle without bothering to lock the thread, and it seems to work well enough. The thread can be moved along to prevent wear on the fold over at the eye, and my thread is waxed well enough that the needle doesn't slide off of it's own accord. Now I haven't bothered locking the needle for years

In 'normal' leather you should be able to hand stitch and pass the needle through the stitching holes with your fingers for 95% of the time, the exception is when back stitching. There should be just a slight resistance - I've seen it called 'a satisfying drag', but the needles should not be so loose that they fall out on their own. If you're struggling to pass the needles through with your fingers alone, then the holes are too small or the needles are too big, or both I don't see why sheepskin should be any different, but then, I've never sewn it. When the needles are tight I use a small pair of general purpose type pliers with wrapped some tape to protect the needles. Also instead of placing the needle along the length of the jaws, place it across so the needle lies along the small grooves of the jaws

I have a few awls with blades by Tandy & John James, but my favourite is an Osborne Saddler's Harness Awl Blade # 42. It needed much less sharpening than the others ; though perhaps by the time I'd sharpened & polished all the others I'd finally learned how to do it?! Some of my awl blades are knocked into plain wooden hafts in the traditional way, which is fiddly. For the last two I drilled the haft and glued in the blade with rapid set epoxy glue, which is still fiddly, but at least it goes in straight If I ever get another awl I'll almost certainly get a haft with a collet or chuck, so thanks for the info & warnings about Osborne hafts & blades

MTLBIKER - I wonder, what awl are you using? The Tandy Craftool 4 - in - 1 awl 3209 isn't very good ( that's the polite version!). You're better off dumping it and using a fixed blade awl like the Craftool Stitching Awl 31218 or the TandyPro Awl 86001 - 0026..... or perhaps someone can suggest other alternatives?