My parents named me William my Marines named me "Doc" and I am a leather-holic.
I began working leather in the Summer of 1974 with the Leatherwork Merit Badge while attending camp and never looked back. When I got home I begged my parents to take me to the local Tandy Store which was about 20 miles away from home. Once they relented and I got there, I took my birthday money, paper route money, and money I earned on my family's dairy farm and bought the basic tool set, a number of books, a few kits and some tooling leather. I also picked up a couple back issues of Tandy's Make it With Leather Magazine. I managed to convince Mom to write me a check to subscribe to the magazine and I gave her the cash for it. I made belts and wallets for family members and even made a few cases and bags. Once my folks saw that I really was going to stick with this, they became classic enablers. I got kits and tools for Birthdays, Christmas, and just about any other occasion. I devoured the magazines and the "Craftool" books. I taught myself to mend tack and saddles and just about anything else that I could. After high school, I enlisted and served as a Corpsman (hence Doc) with the Marine Corps for 13 years. Even during that time, I managed to crank out a few projects now and again. I got back into it seriously about 5 years ago quite by accident. I was sitting outside one of the courtrooms at the court house waiting for the trial to start (I am a career fire investigator and this was an arson trial) shooting the breeze with one of the court officers. She complained that the snap on her magazine case for her side arm kept popping open. I told her I'd take a look at it for her. The snap had simply worn out. I told her I could repair the snap and have it back to her in the morning. I swapped out the snap for her and brought it back the next day. She was thrilled. I didn't charge her (like a good dealer the first taste is free). I less than a week I had repairs in from court officers, Troopers, Investigators from the DA's office, even one of the Judges wanted the saddle bag on his Harley fixed.
About three years ago I quit Civil War re-enacting and got into Cowboy Action Shooting. I made my own holster and belt, cuffs and other parts. Fellow shooters asked where I got my rig and now I get calls from shooters for repairs, new gear and so forth.
I still make goodies for me for fun and I still enjoy the hobby aspect that got me hooked all those years ago. I just finished a holster for my Dad's new .22 pistol as well as a sheath for my multi-tool and flashlight.
Looking forward to talking to others with my affliction.
Doc
