Wish I started when I was younger

[Cactusman]

Started 3 years ago on retirement. Having a great time learning, mostly by trial and error... lots of those. Joining to learn smarter... by learning from others, too.

[TJ959]

Great carving. I have tried it a few times and can use a lot more practice on the knife work and the tooling too. It's never too late to start this stuff. I did my first piece several years after I retired. Wish I had started sooner too.

[DustinSmith]

That's actually really good, if you want to make those details really pop put a resist on it and use a dark brown antique on it, either way great work! Love the details

[doubleh]

That looks pretty darn good to me. I started long ago when the written word and drawings was the only knowledge available. I found Al Stholman's leatherworking books and everything in them worked. Even today with the internet I would recommend obtaining any of them available as the are easy to understand and spot on with the information they contain. 

Leather working has never been a cheap hobby and it certainly isn't today. However they are still good tooling leathers available and tools to do it with. I let my hobby lapse for around 20 years and just got back to it last year. I was quite surprised at the increases in costs. I wanted a couple of great grand daughters to have a belt made by grandpa. Boy oh boy, was I rusty plus having developed essential tremors during the time away. I have most of the rust removed now and with enough medication my fingers go where they are supposed to and I am enjoying making some things again. Got a holster in the works at this time. I started it before Christmas but Santa Clause brought me two gifts, a case of flu and covid at the same time. I'm in pretty good shape again and will get back on it during the coming week.

Keep on toolin'. I look at every project as more practice. 

[Bert03241]

very nice

[Bawarrior]

That bag is awesome

[GrampaJoel]

WOW!

that big horned mountain goat has a lot going on. So now that you are retired, you can become a master of leather. You have lots o& time.

Joel

Edited January 16, 2023 by GrampaJoel

[ElliotKennedy]

Woah thats an amazing work mate!!

[PastorBob]

The detail is phenomenal. Must have taken hours.  Sure to turn heads.

[wolfago]

an exceptional job and the details are very accurate. if you still have this hand after 20 years off, you'll do wonders in a while...

[Handstitched]

Man, thats so good, very impressive  , great detail,   I've worked in sheep shearing sheds, and the lines on those horns are spot on 

On 1/16/2023 at 1:31 AM, doubleh said:

Leather working has never been a cheap hobby and it certainly isn't today.

I won't go off topic,  a discussion for another thread,  but hear hear  

HS