Markwell

Howdy! I have made belts and straps in the past. But I have never been too systematic with the holes I punch into a belt. I just used what fit the buckle. Thinking about it though, especially when making templates, I'd like to use a standardized hole size. Is this even possible? Is there a hole size for belts that fits most buckles? Much obliged, Mark

Thank you for the comments guys! I really do agree and can also recommend reviews by Nigel. Alas, the only way to actually see how a tool will perform is to actually try it. This can get quite costly, since tools don't come cheap, especially if your are trying out multiple tools with the same function. Anytime you are buying online, you are basically kicking in the dark. But as @ContactCement stated, an accurate description of the tool goes a long way! Mark

Hey guys! I have seen some leather workers confuse the pricking iron, stitching chisel and the lacing chisel. So I though i'd briefly describe and show you the difference. The basic concept: - pricking iron- marks the holes for piercing with the awl. Requires you to master the awl - stitching chisel- not only marks the holes, but also pierces them. So basically a combination tool of a pricking iron and an awl. Easier to use than using the pricking iron and awl combo - lacing chisel- a different tool, used for lacing. Works on the same principle as the stitching chisel. It marks and makes the holes, but for lacing. The holes are usually horizontal (sometimes slanted) and wider. A closer look: I hope this will help some tell the difference! Mark

Hey guys! I have been thinking about cutting leather lace with a strap cutter (draw gauge) for a while. Naturally, it should work when cutting lace out of a square/rectangular piece of leather, since lace is just a thin strap. But what I wanted to know was if I can use it for cutting longer pieces of lace out of a round. So I gave it a shot. Short story, it works. You can use a strap cutter for cutting lace, as long as the strap cutter allows for narrow straps. A few tips: - Sharpen the cutting blade as much as you can (this will reduce the need for pulling on the lace, which can break or stretch it) - cut the round just like you would cut a strap, so the round needs to be moving symmetrically to the strap cutter. A simple demonstration: Maybe this comes in handy for some of you guys as well! Mark

Hey guys! So I just made a video showing how to make a simple strop used to maintain knives as well as other leather working tools. This design is one that is probably the most prolific. It is done by gluing 2 pieces of leather onto a piece of wood, adding compound or other abrasive and you are good to go! I carved out the strop by hand using a bushcraft knife, which was quite enjoyable :). I would love some critique if possible, although I think the tutorial is fairly straightforward. Mark

In this video you can see a draw gauge being used. It takes a while to learn, but after that it is a joy to work with.

Hey guys! I heard of people using toothpaste to sharpen and polish knives. So I thought I'd give it a go and share my findings! Knife sharpening can be quite a costly affair, so what if you could do it on a budget of a few bucks? Naturally it depends on your knife and the sharpness that you want. So below you can find a few tips on stropping with toothpaste. The process I took a regular, cheap toothpaste. Just like compounds, toothpastes are also abrasive to be able to clean your teeth. It is best to use pastes that have the same ingredients as compounds would...for example aluminum oxide. Teeth whitening pastes should be more abrasive and therefore more useful (generally speaking). All you do is apply toothpaste to a scrap/strap of leather evenly and let it dry. Then strop. After a while reapply toothpaste to get more of it on. I repeat the apply/dry/strop sequence a few times to get a really nice strop going. The results I tested out stropping a dull blade and a sharpened, non stropped blade. As far as sharpening a blade on such a strop, it goes slowly. But it can be done. Polishing actually works quite well. Naturally getting a mirror finish is a different story, but just polishing to get a nice, sharp blade is completely viable. So I hope this gives you some useful info. It was fun testing. You can see some video of the action below:

Thank you for the reply! A lot of good points there! Those tandy cutters seem decent design (I will have to try them myself!), but as you stated, plastic is just not a good material to use. I have not considered the safety aspects of it, since their strap cutter has a similar design. I have had no issues with it at all as far as cuts go. Mark

Hey guys! I have made a short video demonstrating the Osborne lace cutter (Western lace cutter). It is quite difficult to find information about how it is used, so I hope this will help those that are wondering how it works. The cutter itself works differently than most cutters. It cuts from the inside of your leather piece towards the outside. Not what I am used to, but it works (once you get used to it)! In any case, I hope this comes in handy, Mark

Hey guys! I have prepared two tutorials on trick braids that should be handy for those that would like to make braided straps such as belts, bracelets and the likes. The trick braids are also known as the "Secret plait" or "Mystery" braid. These have been covered by a few authors such as Ron Edwards and Bruce Grant. I think they deserve a bit more attention though, they are really useful. Now, when I started to learn these braids I was a bit unsure if I will be able to do them. Looking back, they are easy to do! I made two tutorials so you can compare the braiding techniques for both and apply it to other braids as well: The 3 strand trick braid (the most common): And the 5 strand trick braid (in my opinion the most useful): I hope these help! Be sure to ask if you need any help making these!

Hey guys! I have just made a fairly basic tutorial on setting snaps into leather. I'd really appreciate if you guys could give me some feedback about the tutorial. Is it presented well?

Hey guys! Just wondering which companies and tool makers would you recommend. I need to get a general feeling about what is worth the price and what is not. Mark

Howdy there! I have been interested in getting into leatherwork for a while now. I have been braiding for a few years, so I would like to use some of that in working with leather. The main question I have is getting the actual leather and rawhide. Since I am completely new, I have no way of judging price, quality and such. For example, I have been looking into rawhide lace. A 5/32 inches wide, 20 yard long spool costs up to 30$ which is at least in my opinion extremely expensive. So, back on topic where do you get your leather and lace and how much do you expect to pay? I know there are many grades of leather and thicknesses, as well as sources. But what do you recommend for beginners? The second question is on the actual tools you use. Is there a company you trust as far as quality goes? Thank you in advance for your replies, Mark