chuck123wapati

welcome!!! the search feature is you friend tons of answers to your questions already. I agree with the pastors recommendation, buy tools as you need them for projects then slowly expand as your abilities grow. "leather work" covers products from car seats to watch straps, wallets to armor. you need to decide what you are going to make, that will point you to the right tools and what your needs will be 1.i would suggest you start with hand sewing because you will at some point have to learn it plus it makes more of an impression for customers buying handmade stuff. Hand sewn (wow ) machine sewn (meh) no matter which is better one sounds better and more personal. PS machine sewing is an art also that needs training and experience and a learning curve easily as hard as hand sewing. you need to connect any leather together some how so sewing stuff is a must have, hand sewing is cheapest to start you don't need a 250 dollar chisel set you need two chisels a multi tooth and a double tooth what ever stitch length fits your project. rivets and snaps are a need. a maul or hammer, and a stitching pony. a sewing machine is a very large investment that leaves you in the red for quite a while, think how many wallets will it take to pay off, and no one machine can sew all leather, takes up permanent space in your shop. 2. stamping and tooling is optional you don't absolutely need them to make fine leather goods. So buy these as needed or when you decide to try tooling or stamping, which are kind of the same but different. I didn't tool or stamp at all for years after I started, just worked on the basic processes to make nice looking plain stuff which a lot of people prefer. I still make mostly plain holsters and belts. 3. you need finishing stuff glue, dyes, and sealers, conditioners. and a way to apply them. 4. cutting, you can get by with any number of cutting tools you probably already have in you home, knives and cutting boards etc. sharpening tools. But a strap cutter is a must imo doesn't have to be expensive but it saves tons of time as almost any project takes a strap or two it seems. 8. think outside the box when thinking about tools you can make many and probably have many good substitutes already laying around or you can pick them up at the local hardware store, flea market, yard sale, dollar store. Good luck and welcome, post your stuff for us to see!! and ask questions.

Thanks Bert!!

i cant help but ask if you know how maps were done why are you trying to do them differently? If for one of those reenactment things someone will surely call you on it.

here is another thread on the subject. with a picture.

you should consider some of the thinner hides that were traditionally used for writing and maps and such. sheepskin , goat skin, calf skin. Deer is another good supple leather that could be used.

Thanks Frodo , I don't think I'm ready for a motor yet lol I'm still going one turn a time. it definitely has a learning curve to get a straight stitch.

thank you!

I'm sure everyone has a little different minds eye definition when the word is said. i pretty much define the terms loosely through satirical comedies with no ill intent meant. Sort of old fashioned now a days and sure to piss someone off that doesn't remember a time when we could kid around with who we are without being offended. Everyone connects Sherlock Holmes to the hat style , wasn't he an English Gent? but in my case my minds eye sees the this English cartoon character from the old rocky and Bullwinkle show and now i cant remember his name. And my redneck is that get er done guy Larry. lol. you've seen my redneck bill the other would probably be a beautiful English pointer or red Deer. My disclaimer!!!!! if I offended anyone I'm sorry.

oh yea thats nice!!!!! I like that tooling.

lol i could do redneck on one and English gent on the other that way you could just turn it around depending on which pub or bar you were in . thank you!!

lol that would be awesome but what motif? i know redneck, thanks guys!!

thanks!!

Thanks no it doesn't i thought it would but its not noticeable at all. lol that comes from living in Wyoming to long.

thanks!! your work does inspire folks lol.

most cannons are mounted on wheels lol but your holster is some awesome work indeed

Thanks Fred you know i was thinking about your your hat bands and contemplated making the band a bit wider and adding about three 22 cal bullet loops on each side.

Thanks guys !!

get the msds sheet don't rely on what people "tell" you about any chemicals. https://archpdfs.lps.org/Chemicals/Leather-Dye_Tandy.pdf

So after searching the globe for a new ball cap and not finding anything i liked i decided to just make one. Pulled a wallymart hat on close out for 4 bucks. Made it into oil cloth first then added the brim and band. It is dyed and finished only with antiquing and super shene, Skived the edges so it doesn't look bulky and sewed it on with my Chinese shoe patcher. I screwed up a few stitches but the patcher didn't, it ran flawlessly. This was the test run for my patcher and my it did great I'll be selling these bad boys they are soooo redneck lol.

you need to be truthful with him and if he still wants them then make them if you want. You are right they wont hold up that's why your don't see hair on elk woolies I imagine its been tried more than once in the few thousand years of leather crafting., another thing is elk hide isn't that strong compared to other deer species( from the book deerskins into buckskins) so you may need a backing like woolies have. woolies are meant to keep your butt warm in the winter i dont know how well an elk hide will do that.

just to let you know they are heavy and not water proof i'm in the process( thinking stage) of building a day pack. I'm leaning toward a pack similar to the old swiss "salt and pepper" military pack, using oil cloth canvas with leather bottom and straps. just finished dying my canvas then i'm gonna make it oil cloth.

that looks a lot better.

i'm sorry it just hit me as funny, but ya gotta wonder what the person was doing when that crossed their minds to try lol. I tried some once but didn't like the taste .........ruined a perfectly good peanut butter sammich lol. But i would try it too if i had any.

i'm tryin that tomorrow.

i about shot beer out my nose on that one!!