smirak

Supposing you had a budget of $100, $200 or $300 to spend on getting into the leatherworking craft. Give me your "go-to" tools for those budget ranges please. No leather in those ranges. I have $170 of other money's allocated for just leather. My birthday and father's day are coming up and my wife asked me to give her a list of stuff I'd need/want...I have a mini-punch set and a 1/4" letter set (both Tandy products). I also have an olfa rotary cutter and olfa cutting mats already. That's the extent of my "tools". Trying to decide between a "starter kit" from Springfield or buying individual tools. I'm interested initially in belts, wallets, cuffs, holsters, small stuff like that. I'd like to eventually make bags and the like. I'll be hand stitching all initially to see if it's something that I'd like to go further with. Wife is just looking for an excuse to buy another sewing machine...she's into quilting, but her two (a bernina and a baby-lock) aren't the right type for leather. Let's hear it... Thanks, Kevin

I just gotta ask a) how much time did you spend on the black holster? And how did you mold it?

Instead of making a new thread, I'll post a new title in this thread... HELP ME SPEND BETWEEN $200-$250 First off, I have absolutely nothing leather working related except for a Tandy Mini Leather Punch Set. I have wholesale pricing at Springfield Leather. First projects "out of the gate" will be a belt and a wallet. Bring on the suggestions! **Edited to add: I'm not so much into tooling leather right now, so gear this more toward non-tooled stuff, hand stitched stuff.**

I'm no expert by any means. However, that appears to have been there for some time. If you blow up the second pic, it appears that the edges of the cut are "worn", meaning it's had someone rubbing against it with their back while sitting...at least that's what it looks like to me.

Ummm...yes...as a beginner, I concur.

Shooting bags...need to ask what the person wants inside for weight. You can get similar ones at Walmart for cheap if you want one to take apart for pattern work?

Thanks for the reply Monica...funny thing...I move to NH from Buford... Anyway, for the first one, I'm most likely just going to make a small business card holder. I'm in corp America and take business cards with me everywhere. Currently, they are in the "nasty" plastic case that comes with the purchase of like 10 million business cards. I'm looking for something that will hold about 16-20 business cards. I want it to be bi-fold wallet style where each side would hold 8-10 cards and fold in the middle. I'm not sure what I actually want, but I do know what I don't want. I'll most likely buy a pc of leather already dyed from springfield for this project, but don't know which weight/thickness. I am thinking I want this case to be lines or double thickness as I don't necessarily like the "fuzzy knap" on the underside of some leather, but have no idea what that's called or even if I need to worry about it.

So, I can spell leather, and that's about it. I need something to occupy my hands... Anyway, want to get started making some things... (In order of what I perceive to be easier to harder)... 1) business card case 2) bifold wallet with ID pocket and bill storage, so no "card wallet" style 3) gun belt 1 1/2 wide and maybe double thickness? 4) OWB pancake holster 5) purse for the wife I live in west central NH about middle of the state on the NH/VT border. We have no leather supply stores anywhere near..,nearest Tandy is near Boston 2-3 hours away. So, all my stuff will be Internet orders. Tools I think I need... Stitching groover Awl haft and blades (which ones?) Needles/thread Over stitcher? Knife of some sort Edge beveler Hole punch(es) Hammer of some sort Dye goods - have no idea what to get... Slicker for burnishing Leather - I have no idea what leather to get...I know I'm not going to (initially) spend like $300 on a whole hide (if that's what it's even called). I see all the different weights/thicknesses, aides, saddles, shoulders, etc... Is there a "beginners guide" somewhere in this forum/site I can reference? Thanks much, Kevin