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@Sheilajeanne I'll certainly post photographs,

I will. Rather excited about it.

Ha! Just got an email from Tandy - I believe they are providing all the tools and she was mistaken. That's a relief, though I will be taking along my swivel knives because I am comfortable with them. Thank you all for your input, guidance and information.

@dikman I could not presume that, not these days where even Amazon has earrings for men. LOL Joking aside, it really helps and I showed the photographs in detail here, for precisely that reason. Get the colorful ones from Temu and the variety of earring-backs as well so you can decide which work best for you.

Yes. That's true. While I cannot say I am skilled.. neither sufficient time nor practice at it, I am in the process of trying to make my own stamps. I love to try everything. so... getting some large flat headed nails... drills ... Let's see what I can come up with, if anything.

He is teaching how to refine skills, yes, which is precisely why I want to take those classes. I do know tooling and have done it, just not to a great extent. While I have some 40-50 stamps and sufficient swivel knives, I do not have all those required for extensive tooling or all those in the list, . But I do want to learn more so I can decide whether it is something I want to invest in or do further. I am at least planning to go refine my swivel knife skills.

LOL. It is 2024. In my case it is the wife collecting the knives.

Yes, that works for laced bags as well. I am working on reproducing a 1970s Tandy pattern and that is how I made the gusset and it fits well.

@DieselTech just the leatherwork ones - round knives, head knives... These days I refuse to look anywhere where there are knives. Strong self control needed. LOL The thing is, all I really use in my leatherwork is a box cutter from Stanley, their cheapest, fixed blade older model and one of two round knives, a vintage W Rose west Phila when I need a smaller round knife and a Henckel when I need a larger one. The rest look beautiful on my wall and keep me busy every few weeks cleaning and re-waxing them. LOL I use them periodically for the fun of it but can manage fine with just the regular 3. In fact, I guess I could manage with just the box cutter too. But that is no fun and for me, leatherwork is mainly fun and relaxation.

Recently, when I attended all the beginner's classes in Tandy, they provided everything. They have all that is asked for except for some of the specialized stamps and I would have understood if they had said we need to bring some of those. But the number and sizes requirements, including the basic items, is ridiculous. If theft were a concern in my local Tandy, they would not provide all of those for their regular classes. I have been provided most everything except for the specialized stamps in earlier classes - not kit associated either. I suspect this is the tools list provided by Jim Linnell and the manager is just passing it on instead of checking that she has those and letting attendees know which Tandy will provide and which to take to the class with them.

@bruce johnson I will look into subscribing for ShopTalk. I would love to learn about what stamps are available and which would serve my purpose. Do you recall which issues have your articles? Sticker shock is more because I dislike spending more than I need to. I have no issue with spending well for items that I actually need and will use. And of course, tooling is finally a matter of tooler talent, something which I have to work on quite a bit yet. An artist can do great work with ordinary tools, a not-so-talented person cannot , even with the best or most expensive of tools. I would like to work to at least not be in the latter category, even if I do not get into the former one. And trade shows? Would love to go to them but in this atmosphere, I am a little reluctant to travel to unknown places in the mid-West. Safety is prime, especially in election year. About the Jim Linnell classes at Tandy, they are during their open store hours on Friday, Saturday and Sunday and will be held in the same place where they have their regular classes, with their staff present. In fact, their staff expected to provide the tools until the manager 'enlightened' them. I can understand needing to take tools and stones to trade show classes. That is not a regular class venue held by the show organizers who also hold similar classes while providing all the tools. Anyway, I'll decide over the next few days. One of the classes does not have such a big list and I will probably attend at least that. It is being held locally and how can I not grab the opportunity to learn from one of the best? @DieselTech yes, that is what happens. Since for me leatherwork is a hobby, I am reluctant to spend more than I need or to end up with boxes and boxes of tools that I will probably not much use. Like my knife stock! I would like to try different things and then decide, which is what I was hoping for with these classes. Even if I decide to sell, I doubt it will be tooled items - more like well constructed items like bags and footwear and sundry things. But I want to learn tooling as well. It is such a big part of leatherwork. And your first attempt is great; you are right to be proud of it. @jrdunn thank you for the link. I will watch it some time today.

@jrdunn I think the link did not get attached. @DieselTech exactly! Those stones are so heavy! That list is cut and pasted from Tandy's email to me telling me what I need to take along. for the class. Puts me off completely. I know Jim Linnell has his own site and classes I can buy for much less. And learn at home. Won't be the same but I won't need to carry along so much or buy so many instruments just to learn from him personally. I suspect Tandy is not much pleased with him for some reason. Normally, in all Tandy's classes, they provide the tools. So this is surprising. I have some stamps, not too may because I am not yet doing much tooling or stamping. But I do have loads of leather sides of all types and so many knives! Can never resist them although I have just 2 all time favorites. The rest look nice on my wall. Taken down periodically, cleaned, waxed and kept back... used rarely. LOL We should have a thread of tools for leatherwork - tools actually, most frequently used and needed versus 'great brands' so newbies do not die of sticker shock like I did a year ago.

Some tools, yes but tooling stone? That's a bit much. I need to carry in a suitcase for the class. I would have thought, if Tandy provides the tools then attendees would learn and buy what they need after the class, like happens in their other classes. Here, we will buy things elsewhere and they will not get much sales. This becomes a case of getting all the tools even before knowing whether it is something one wants to invest in. The list of tools needed is quite detailed and substantial.

I was planning to attend Jim Linnell's classes at Tandy next week-end but might drop the idea. Tandy insists that I bring all the tools - tooling stone, mallet swivel knife, strop, stylus, modelling spoon, hair blade, wing dividers, petal lifter, basic floral carving stamps in medium to small sizes, figure carving bevelers of medium to small sizes, and background matting stamps. I am surprised because they normally provide all that during their own classes, so Tandy has the stock to provide to attendees.. I don't have all that and hoped to learn how to use them and then buy what I needed. Will not attend that class now. Is this how it always is for Jim Linnell's classes or anyone else's classes in Tandy? Does anyone have any experience with this?

@DieselTech thanks. I'll look it up.

@DieselTech that's the best part then, even more than not causing a knotty problem when stitching! Thank you for showing it to me.

This is probably already known. To digress a little to the stitching., I discovered yesterday that when I do the S-pattern of threading, presuming I am doing it correctly, I can unknot the thread - just slip my fingers in between the 2 threads forming the S- formation and separate them. So I can remove the thread from the needle smoothly without needing to cut it, whenever I reach the end of the length of thread. So there is no real knot, it is just the thread twisted to prevent it from coming off the needle. It appears that while an ordinary knot is uncontrolled tangling, the S-method is a controlled one. The controlled tangle can easily be untangled. I'm not sure if I make sense but I'm so pleased. Even if I am doing the S-thingy incorrectly, it is correct for me. This is so convenient! I no longer have to cut the thread each time I make a mistake and end up with different lengths on ether side of the leather when saddle-stitching.

These are the plastic earring base and backs, again, different types of backs. The larger ones work best, the smaller ones are too tiny but might work well for smaller items like watch straps.

These are some earrings I was considering on Temu - less than $1.50 for 20 pairs, small, convenient and brightly colored, so easily visible. I prefer choosing my own earring backs though because some of them are tinier than others. A search for earring backs on Temu gives a good range as well. Okay my earlier photographs disappeared, so posting them again. These are the earring bases: Metal earring backs: Earring base in use: Earring back in use:

@dikman Here they are. These are earring bases and different types of backs. You can always get ready paired tiny earrings from Temu for a song. Will put that up in the next post. I am using these all the time. Photographs in my next post.

Did you measure to check which is the most accurate? I made a bag from Dieselpunk recently where he suggested that we use a 6mm stitching chisel set, sine he had set the stitching holes accordingly. Tried mine from Amazon - the distances were slightly off. I could only use the 2 tine one but at least it cut the punching time in half. He uses Sinebrok. No idea which is more accurate and not buying expensive chisels.

@Gosut makes sense for a belt though. A narrow strip of leather, the stitching will be visible, so might as well make it beautiful. And think of how smug you will feel once it is done! Smug, not just satisfied. LOL I would, with all the stitching work involved.

@sparctek I thought all pricking irons are like the traditional ones. If the ones by Kevin Lee and Amy Roake and other allow punching through the leather, that is one good reason to buy their instruments. I do not use leather thicker than 5-6 oz anyway so they should work for me. Usually I avoid expensive tools - seem to do perfectly well with more reasonably priced ones. I am a hobbyist too and I guess if I was doing this professionally, the tools would matter more. When you say 'and others', who else, do you know? @Mablung I learnt how to use the edge of the leather for punching holes on both sides from one of the patterns I bought online. Don't remember where. If I have to do it, I use an iron with round tines since I do not have opposite facing angled irons.

LOL. Exactly. it requires a bit of practice to get the angle absolutely 90 degrees to the leather for each stitch. One way to avoid this, is to punch holes on both sides. For this you will need 2 sets of chisels - one angled in the opposite direction from the other. Maintain the proper distance by starting with one point over the edge on the same edge on both sides. I'm not sure if I am explaining clearly. Incidentally, when I said this earlier, I meant angled stitching. Else it makes no sense.

@Mablung, yes they do. They make fine, angled pricks on the leather. The final stitches look so beautiful, but a lot of extra work, pricking each stitching hole before placing a stitch. I am lazy though. I try to make items where the stitching is not on display, use thread of exactly the same color as the leather and do simple straight stitching - no angles at all. Took a bit of practice to get that but it works for me. French pricking irons take too much work, . Imagine a backpack done that way! or something bigger! I do practice saddle stitching though, in case I decide to use its beauty. But I doubt I will use French pricking irons. No patience. @sparctek, the French clam is a bit awkward to use, since it has to be positioned with ones own knees. I have an English style one, with a seat. One of the first things I bought. It's great. But people used to the French one swear by it. So to each his own, I suppose. What made you decide to get a French stitching clam?