What are your favorite tools

[IndianaLeatherWorker]

I am still new to leather working. This site has just blown me away with all of the great info. I am trying to make the best choices for tools that will benefit me the most over my lifetime. Just curious what everyone recommends tools and brands.

I still use mostly Tandy tools.

[SmokinP]

Some basics to start with.

A set of dividers, straightedges of different sizes, a good awl, good lighting, sharp knives and shears.

Better keep some imagination, patience, and a few choice words in the toolbox too.

Most important tool of all....bookmark to leatherworker.net

[esantoro]

Some basics to start with.

A set of dividers, straightedges of different sizes, a good awl, good lighting, sharp knives and shears.

Better keep some imagination, patience, and a few choice words in the toolbox too.

Most important tool of all....bookmark to leatherworker.net

Some of the best choice words that work for me begin with "C," "B," "W," and "F." Most of them, if not all, also end in a consonant.

But, as always, your mileage may vary.

Ed

[Leather Bum]

I am still new to leather working. This site has just blown me away with all of the great info. I am trying to make the best choices for tools that will benefit me the most over my lifetime. Just curious what everyone recommends tools and brands.

I still use mostly Tandy tools.

I think it kind of depends on the type of leather working you do. . .

For leather carving/stamping tools, try Siegel of California or Hidecrafter for good quality (IMO, much better than TLF) at a reasonable-price. I don't think Hidecrafter has an online catalog yet; you can ask them to send you one. And be careful ordering on-line from Siegel of California. . . my orders are very frequently messed up one way or another. . . <_<

As far as I know, both places also have a larger selection of higher-quality hand tools (not made in Taiwan/China) than TLF. Of course, many times the prices are higher, but I think the higher quality is worth the higher price. . .

EDIT:

Here's a topic that might give you an idea of what others think of some of the higher-quality tools as well. . .

L'Bum

Edited February 9, 2008 by Leather Bum

[Jordan]

A good mallet to hit stuff with when I screwup :deadhorse:

[SCOUTER]

"And be careful ordering on-line from Siegel of California. . . my orders are very frequently messed up one way or another. . . <_< "

Indian, Leather Bum is right, Learn from my mistake, don't be fooled by lower "advertised" prices by any particular company. Find a good leather shop that you can trust and save yourself the aggravation. After waiting for months for tools that never shipped from one company (who's name I won't mention) I got them from Zach White in less then a week!

[Art]

It never ceases to amaze my wife how I can use all those words and several others (of course with certain adverbial derivations) in one coherent sentence.

Art

Some of the best choice words that work for me begin with "C," "B," "W," and "F." Most of them, if not all, also end in a consonant.

But, as always, your mileage may vary.

Ed

[KAYAK45]

Do not get into buying tools! It will become an addiction. Buy what you need for the job you are working on, and buy the best you can afford to geterdone. A large collection starts with the tools you really need, and use, over a lifetime. They'll add up on their own.

The observation of a tool addict. I need a good twelve step program!

Kevin