What got any of us started with leather?

[loopinluke]

My dad has always cowboyed for a living, and got started in leatherwork to make the tack that he couldn't afford. Then he started braiding some reins while working on a large ranch in Southern California. He passed down what he had learned, and cowboying for a living myself, I have continued to learn what I can and have recently started building a few saddles, and just finishing my second.

[FatSmitty]

My dad had a basic seven set and tooled a little in the late 70's and thru the 80's, and when me and my brother would go to visit we would make belts and stuff. I have always loved leather stuff, just the smell of leather alone, and growing up in Arizona with western art and style all around. I have always enjoyed arts and crafts, especially drawing, leatherwork just seems like a natural creative outlet. I enjoy anything custom made or handcrafted. A few years ago a friend wanted a nice western floral belt, and didn't like any of the embossed/china made junk they sell at most western wear stores these days, and I said that we used to do those when I was a kid, so I asked my dad about the tools and stuff and he let me borrow it all. Well it ended up being alot harder than I remember, (my dad did most the workback then) but I stuck with it and kept adding to the tools/books I had. I am a avid hobbiest and enjoy making gifts for friends and family. When my dad saw that I stuck with it and really enjoyed it, he gave me the leather stuff.

Edited December 23, 2010 by FatSmitty

[jthomas]

My father got me started at the age of 8, he was a very good craftsman and taught me a lot of tricks. I continued until after High School and then quit , just didnt have the time. My father passed away in 99 and left me all of his tools, I kept all of the tools and in 2007 I pulled out all of the tools to build a set of saddle bags for my bike. I had to relearn a lot of things but am back up to speed now and getting better everyday.

[Jazznow]

well it was some kind of "all together" (too much Western movies, too much Karl-May-Festivals (a german phenomena, i think) and too much reenactment and medieval markets). I always liked the cool leather stuff, people had but never had the money (and courage) to start with it myself. 

Some day i bought a bag of scrap pieces and just started to make a little belt pouch and a wristband. It was fun, so i started to buy more tools and more leather and now i am an hobbiest, who is on artisan markets occasionally, when my girlfriend tries to sell her patchwork and quilting stuff i place some of my bags on the table and sometimes sell one or two (I'm almost always working while waiting. The tocktocktock of the mallet makes people take a closer look) 

I now hope to become a apprentice saddle- or shoemaker next year, when i finish university, but it's hard to find a saddlemaker, who takes apprentices in germany (but i will get a 3-week-course in GB, which makes me very happy). 

hehe, i wrote too much again

Best regards, 

Jonathan

[TwinOaks]

As a 'thank you' for a friend in the horse business, I made a Christmas ornament by just rubbing in her horse's portrait on a scrap and cutting it into a circle. Then I got some more leather, made a few more things, found LW.net, joined up and have been hooked ever since. Learning as I go, I've absorbed as much knowledge as I can from other here willing to share. In return, I've shared what I know with those willing to listen. And always, always, try new things.

[katsass]

In the mid '50s, an old guy that prowled around the southwest with some donkeys and a home built 'covered wagon' with car wheels and tires on it, showed up at our place. His name was Jeff and he was probably in his late '50s or early 60s back then. He was a WWI cavalry vet that stayed out in the boonies, traveled where and when he wanted, panned a little gold, and live the life he liked. During the winters however, he would find someone willing to let him hole up, corral his donkeys (that pulled his wagon) and maybe feed him once or twice a day. He lived off of a WWI pension, what gold he found, and the generosity of others. We let him stay at our place that winter. I liked the old guy, and soon was watching him repair his gear for the upcoming spring. Watching and listening (he could tell a lot of stories) I would see how he repaired his tack and was fascinated by his sure moves and the few tools he used. I finally asked if I could help with anything. He said, "I'll teach you how to stitch, then we'll see if you can do any good." I spent about a week stitching up every piece of scrap that he'd give me. I found that the mechanics of the work were simple........the satisfactory completion of it was not. Finally however, after quite a bit of gruff criticism, I seemed to get the hang of things and finally was 'allowed' to work on replacing some portions of halters. That winter I received my first handgun....a S&W K-22 Masterpiece. I needed a holster for it and old Jeff hauled out some old leather, and old book of patterns, and his tools and told me to go to it. Under his eye I made the first thing I ever did in leather, enjoyed doing it and was proud of my endeavor. I wish I still had it. Jeff took off that spring and we never heard from or of him again. Mike

Edited December 28, 2010 by katsass

[swinewerx]

Mine, is rather simple,yet difficult! I had one motorcycle at the time,that needed a new seat cover. I wanted just a cross stitch laced leather seat, but, at 1500.00 a seat from very high end leather workers, I decicded to teach myself and now, that I have eight chops/bikes , and the little lady has three bikes,only one of the three is a chop, I went way over board in these eight years of leather werxing, The first two years were rough, cuz, I taught myself, but, now that I am pretty good I don't ever feel the need to redo, or make a new of any seat,saddle bag, tool roll bag, grips, frame covers,etc. Once you get this itch, you just want to make everything into leather creations without mercy!!!! And without holding back either!! I will do even more coverings as I go!!!! There was a person on this forum that covered his cupboards!! That about floored me!!! I will go that far in our house!! I guarantee it!! I just got to get enough leather and patients, once I can do this like I used to. I am still trying to recover from a car that hit me over two years ago!!!! I guess this is one of the reasons I am permanently disabled, pay is good, but the pain is not!!

[joquarter]

It started with repair my horse tack.

When I started Western riding , it was very hard to find the western stuff in the Netherlands, bought a saddle from someone who took it as a souvenir from Sweden.

After one year a lot of the stitching was gone and I decided to repair it by myself . Found a store wich wanted to send me needles and waxed thread and I restitch it.

A friend of me made the tack for his Fjord and bought a hide vegtan leather , he offered me half of it and I planned to make a headstall.

Never did it , 20 years later , there was a custome saddle maker on the Quarterhorses Western forum , who showed us how he build a saddle , I loved the carving he did and told him I wanted to learn that .

He send me a message that he went to Belgium to buy leather and if I really wanted to start leathercarving he wanted to buy the stuff I needed to start and send it to me cause it's cheaper to send it from the Netherlands, he also lend me a dvd .

Got my starterset ,book and dvd and did nothing with it .

A year later , I found the vegtan leather back , looked at the dvd and started practice and never stopped .

Found this site , and learn a lot from you all .

Don't have to much time ,cause I also started a study for bookkeeper, got a new job as a bookkeeper to, but every free minute I working on my leather.

[miguelm]

hello, I learned the art of braiding for 13 years. Here in Spain there are many artisan who make saddles.... and a lot of tanners. I traveled to United States and met to Gail hought.... I also learned of many book: Trenzas Gauchas, el arte gaucho del cuero crudo, mao gaucha, el trenzador sudamericano, el trenzado en la mesopotamia argentina, Advance leather braiding I,II. Encyclopedia Bruce Grant, Bryan Neubert DVD.......

greetings

http://www.secretosdelcuero.blogspot.com

[Fredo]

I needed a holster for my carry piece, it's been a love hate relationship ever since. I love working, touching and smelling leather. I hate when I dont have any left to make stuff with. Also it keeps me out of the bars.