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Hello everyone! I have read through a number of posts on here, and found some of the info invaluable! I messed around a bit with leather projects as a kid, and I have always stayed a big leatherphile… If that’s even a word! NOTE feel free to skip my rambling and go to my actual question below the tools list if ya want!!! I suppose the simplest way of putting it is, I’m sick of buying stuff that isn’t built over the top enough for myself! I want super thick leather (maybe as high as 14oz) and the best solid brass and Stainless hardware across the board. My custom belt in 14 oz English Bridle I ordered awhile ago is great… Except the buckle that has the finish wearing off. Not cool. So I want to make some of my own things… But more than that, already being self employed, I am toying around with the idea of starting a company. I think others will appreciate my overzealousness. Leather crafting is fortunately one of those things where it’s not TOO tough to start out small, and work your way on up. You don’t HAVE top spring 20 grand for equipment right off. So I figure, why not? I know a guy who owns probably the best known “rock shop” in Seattle, so there’s my test market! I could ask a million questions, but I think I’ll hold off and try to stay focused. So my “idea” if you can call it that, is simply to start off with belts and bracelets. REALLY beefy ones. Simple enough. I’m probably going to start off with some plainish stuff, and some basic studded/spiked stuff. Researching the tools I would need to get going there’s a lot that’s obvious and comes easy. I do want to go made in USA or Europe for all of my tools if I can. Shouldn’t be too tough as far as I can tell for the most part. I also want to go 100% made in USA for all components, for the most part I think I have this down too, but that’s another story entirely! - Drive punch for doing the end of the belt. There’s the multiple size in one tools, and the specific size. I could go either way, but it’s simple enough. Osborne, unless someone suggests otherwise for this or any of their other tools. - The oblong punches for the belt buckle prong. Edger. Mallets, grommet, rivet, and snap setters. Osborne. - Nifty hand hole cutter for doing nailheads. Check, although not sure if made in USA. Other misc things, I think I have them all tracked down. The thing that’s killing me though, is something to streamline and make consistent the holes for the belt. Maybe I’m over thinking it, but it seems like it’s going to be tough to get perfect spacing and perfect centering consistently, and I want my stuff to be perfect. In my research to seems like there’s no “in between” tool for this. As in it’s either straight up hand done, or you’re buying an expensiveish machine. Weaver Leather has a “self centering” guide that looks like it would work for doing single row. It apparently adjusts to the strap width and helps you lock in on where stuff needs to be. Hard to tell from the pictures, but it seems like it might work. Anyone have any experience? So that should work, maybe, for single row holes… However I wanted to do some 2 prong belts as well. It looks like the way it works is the fit to the width of the belt by pushing the tool against the edges of the belt, and that centers it. So I can’t see where it could do rows of 2 as they don’t mention there being a multi row option. The only other method I’ve seen is to make templates. A cardboard template would just go too quick, but is making a thick plastic template a viable way to do this? Metal sounds cool, but I could see that damaging the leather and being a pain to make. I’m somewhat handy, but I don’t have all the tools to drill steel plates or whatever laying around. I think I could manage finding some 1.5” wide plastic piece and getting some perfectly spaced holes in it though. So, what do you other guys out there do to get consistent holes in your belts??? Especially double prong holes, as I think the Weaver thing might work for single. I haven’t got their catalog with pricing, and am weary of placing a 500 dollar minimum first order to get going, but I COULD order from them as I submitted with my other companies EIN to get their catalog. A good alternative sounds lovely though, either in method, or simply in retailer! The other option that had hit me is ordering sides from someone like Weaver and having them do a lot of this stuff in my leather of choice. But I like the idea of saving the money and doing it myself, even though I’m sure I’ll be making 2 bucks an hour for my trouble because their operation is so much more efficient with all their machines. Also I just want to learn how to do it all for the sake of knowing how it works! Thank you guys in advance for your help, and sorry for writing such a novel! I hope I get some good advice from all of your really experienced guys that are on here! VK PS I thought about the user name after the fact, and given the reputation Seattle has, and the alternative meanings of being a “Leather” in certain contexts… Not my bag! Definitely not into any crazy bondage stuff, just so ya know