what do you do for a living

[OdinUK]

Dave, I never regarded myself as an artist either, I'm still not sure, but the leatherwork has definitely brought out my artistic/creative side. I agree about what you say about the cheap tat thats sold everywhere. Friends think I'm being pedantic when I point put a mass market belt has been sewn incorrectly and the edges arn't burnished or even beveled and buffed.

[Troy I]

I am a lieutenant with a Sheriff's office...will be retiring in December.

[stuarty66]

I`m an upholsterer by trade but have done a few jobs since.....van driver(2years), outdoor centre storeman(2years), shelf packer, BT engineer (13years), Territorial Army(10years) and for the past 5 1/2 years have been running a shop selling pet supplies where I sell some of my leather work (collars,harness and belts).

[J Hayes]

15 years as a goldsmith, repairs, custom work basically whatever comes across my bench. Many other things prior to that, cabinet factory, roofer, cable guy, whatever. Leather work for about 2 years, mainly conceal carry holsters. I would like to learn carving. I've done a few bags as well. I help out at a local gun shop/indoor range a few times a week and have some of my product in there and am getting more exposure and requests for the odd ball guns. Works out pretty good. Got into it by not finding a rig I liked and read tons of information here, thanks to all that post and share here!

Edited November 14, 2013 by J Hayes

[misha01]

I graduated university with a degree in computer science, then went to Japan for 3 years to teach English. When I got back home I worked in software development for about 9 months until I got into law enforcement. I've been there for almost 5 years so far.

[TZHunter]

I am a missionary in Africa (going on 20 years).

[Hansons Carriage]

Which day...or what part of the day? haha! Primarily, we raise cattle and Clydesdale horses. Right now, we run about 75 pair of Black Angus cows and 9 head of Clydesdales, and one huge Percheron. I also build sleighs and carriages. I'm just getting back into the shop after a busy summer, and have 3 sleighs and a vis a vis carriage waiting for me. I also own a couple trucks, although they are both sitting right now. In my spare time, I restore antique airplanes (been an aircraft mechanic for a little over 30 years) and in the summer time, my wife and I run a gravel crushing business. Needless to say, we don't like to sit still!

[papadanny]

Grew up on a cattle and chicken farm in western arkansas went to college and got a degree in marketing. Started working part time with our maintenance department in college and stayed with it after graduation. Been a master electrician for 25 years and director of the department for 15. Had a box of leather tools in my office that were left one semester loving the leather loving the learning.

[AndiH]

Its nice to see what everyone else has going on. I'm on disability due to a multitude of physical issues and a few psychiatric as well. When I was working I worked in a vet hospital for a while, as a lab tech in a rural hospital, quality control in a shoe sole factory, and off and on as a medical transcriptionist. Since leaving my last job I've searched for a hobby I could get into with just a little bit of outlay and I think I've found it. Ever since I started researching leather work and craft my imagination has gone crazy on what I can do. Hopefully the body will keep up! I live in a rural area that is quite a distance from any Tandy stores or other leather shops (as far as I know) so this site is going to be my main source of information along with reading the books available. Thanks to those who have taken the time to help educate me.

[Jim]

Well, seeing as how you asked . . . After getting out of the Navy I worked a couple of cattle ranches, rode some saddle bronc alone with some team roping, drove a truck in the oil field and over the road, been a mechanic, pipe fitter, steel fabricator, process piping designer, and even worked in a convienience store while healing up from a back injury. (Now there's a life changing occupation!)

Presently, I'm back driving a truck in the oil field as a well treating specialist. (That's a fancy name for Chemical treater.)

Oh, did I mention I used to have a small leather business? Nicknacks mostly.

Jim