What got any of us started with leather?

[roo4u]

i had an old saddle that needed the skirts relined as it was hurting my horse so i went to a tandy and got some fake sheepskin and an awl and new saddlestrings and did it up. while there i looked around at books and such, but didnt buy any. well my mom had a nice rawhide bosal and one day her little dog got it and chewed the heel knot side buttons and the nosebutton off of it....so i remembered a book called how to make cowboy horse tack by bruce grant went back to tandy and bought the book and some calf lace and now been braiding for 20 plus years but only serious for the last few.

[Double U Leather]

Well....here's my story. I started tooling leather when I was a kid in 4-H. I had an uncle who was a saddle maker and he kinda helped me some.

Then I got my hands on a sewing machine while I was in high school. Since I was a high school rodeo bum (bullrider), I figured I could make a little money by building chaps. I made chaps for a long time, and one of my proudest moment was having Lane Frost buy a couple pair from me. In fact, he was on the cover of the Sports News in a pair I made.

At that point, I had about quit tooling, and was just making chaps. Back then, not many chaps had tooled yokes. At the time, I was still riding bulls. Then, in the early '80's God put me on a different career path. I started announcing rodeos. Somewhere along the way, I started pounding leather again a little bit. I was just doing basic basket stamp stuff then.

Fast forward to 2007. I had been wanting to do something other than basic basket stamping, and started really looking at and studying Sheridan style tooling. Try as I might, I couldn't figure out how to make that work. Then, while announcing a reining horse show in Denver, I was introduced to a man who is a very talented leather craftsman. I was at the announcer's table trying to draw circles for Sheridan style patterns with no luck. He sat down beside me for a couple hours, showed me how the flow of the vines was supposed to go, and lo and behold, I figured it out...sorta.

It's amazing to look back only 3 short years ago and see the progress. I just finished a notebook a couple weeks ago that is night and day different from a notebook I'd done a couple years ago. I thought the one I did a couple years ago was the cat's meow. Now, when I hold up the new one, I can't believe I even carried the old one around!!! My next challenge is to perfect Sheridan style belts.

I do have to say, LW is an awesome place, and I have learned a ton hangin' out around here.

Be Blessed ya'll!!

[BIGGUNDOCTOR]

My Mom started leather working in the early 50's when Dad was stationed at F.E.Warren AFB in Cheyenne Wyoming. She was a great leather worker, and got me started when I was young. I ended up teaching the LW merit badge at a couple of BSA camps years later. I drifted away for a number of years, but recently got back into it.

[druid]

For me, it was out of necessity.

Hunting cabin with my dad, uncle and cousin......my fixed blade knife is an heirloom handed down from my great grandfather [skinner blade style]. The sheath was probably as old as the knife itself and fell apart. We went into town [general store] to find a new one, none to be had in that blade style. However, there were leather work bibs and a Handy stitcher [sewing awl]...so I made my own.

Since then, the things I make are more "utilitarian" in nature...only having started to dabble in "art work" as of late. I rarely post my works because I don't think they are nearly as quality as what I see here.

[rcsaddles]

While in Australia in 1988, I bought a Ron Edwards book. I started braiding belts there. In 1993, my wife got me the Encyclopedia of Rawhide and Leather Braiding by Bruce Grant. In it I found Mary Fields who lived about 15 miles from me. I met her and see "took me under her wing" and taught me how to make and braid rawhide.

In 2004 a friend talked me into going to Saddle Building School. My employer gave me a 6 week leave of absence to attend. I was blessed with most of the equipment I have also. Been doing leatherwork since 2004.

[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.

[radar67]

My two teenage daughters drug me to an animation convention last September. I was sort of a captive spectator since we were 3 hours from home. I wandered around looking things over, thinking to myself, Why? when I came upon a group who was dressed in leather armor and look like pirates, to an extent. I got to talking to the group about their costumes and curiosity got the best of me. Two of the members were sitting behind a table working on leather arm cuffs and all manner of leather. I have an obsession with tools, wood tools, blacksmith tools, just about anything to make stuff with, so I asked a lot of questions. The group was scheduled to have a hands on "How To" panel latter and invited me to come. I am still in contact with that group and they have given me some good pointers and advice over the last 4 months.

Long story short, my daughters liked the leather too and wanted me to make some of it for them. I have been buying tools and pounding cow since. I found this site about a month or two ago and have been reading everyday.

[bkingery]

As a kid we had a really old beginners kit that was in a box forever and I would pull it out and try it out every once in a while, never could get the hang of it. Put the box away when I moved out and got married at 17 never thought about it again until I decided to buy a 50.00 horse from my stepson some 20 years later and walked into the tack store and had the "Holy **** that **** is ********** expensive moment" and so I went home and found a few latigo belts that I had lying around from work and cut them up and made me some bridles and redid the leathers on an old saddle I bought and have been hooked eversince. Got the kit from my mom and started tooling met a few leather people bought a whole bunch of tools and then got divorced. X sold my WHOLE leather shop for 50.00 at a yard sale and it has taken me almost five years to get back half of what I had before, But thanks to this site I find inspiration and Love the people on here.

Peace

Bryan

[Dmitri]

I started learning about leather work from my father who learned it from an older gentleman many years ago.

My father was mainly into harness repair and production but also did some custom work.

I got away from it many years ago and am just getting back into the craft.

I am part of a medieval recreation group and we make alot of our own armour and other items. So leather work is a well respected and sought after skill.

I have just started building my shop up. Hand tools( some passed down from my father ), I just got a Mason openarm heavy machine, Robi Shoe 3 in 1, Foot press eyelet machine and a table mount snap setter. Now is the time to start making stuff again.

I am thinking about getting into medieval footwear as it is tough to come by at times.

[Historybuff]

My wife and I are both Living Historians, 1750-1812 peiods. After looking at the prices wanted for the leather accouterments I started making my own. I got into blacksmithing, woodworking, and schrimshawing for the same reasons.

My stuff may not look as good, but we portray average everyday folks living on the frontier and everything we had would have been hard used anyway.

[JohnBarton]

I love this thread. Especially the stories about not finding what you want and deciding to make your own. In 1990 I had a leather cue case and it was open and got knocked off the table and the cue shot out of it and got broken. While the cue was gone I decided that I was going to replace the interior of that case and make it more secure. I did that, crudely. When done I looked at the case and decided that I didn't really like it that much anyway and thought I could build my own in a style I liked.

I actually started with vinyl because it was easier for me to get and cheaper. My first use of leather came when my girlfriend and I took a trip to the Camargue in France and to get there we had to go over the mountains. Well she had done a little research and to surprise me she took me to a tannery in the mountains. I bought about $1500 worth of leather. I didn't know anything about what I was buying, I just felt the weight and texture and bought what I liked. I didn't know anything about having to skive the edges or how to turn leather etc.... But I bought the leather and started making leather cases anyway.

The rest is history and even today if you all were to give me a quiz on "working" leather I'd probably fail. But we sure have made quite a lot of nice leather cases over the years.

I have said it before but this never gets old, you all are some amazing artists and crafts people. Thank you for being here.

[Ellen]

... And a dissonant note:

Tough times, high unemployment rate, the university education no longer works for your advantage, one has to look out for anything else. Then accidentally finding the leatherwork photos, while were looking for something else. Can, like, can afford (half of what is required though), all would be fine ... if not where I live. :Sigh:

[JJLeatherworks]

Ellen, You and I are in the same boat. Hard times caused me to rethink my life. Only since last July have I been doing leatherwork. Now I have my own booth at Wimberly market days in Wimberly TX .

I'm also selling on etsy.com. We all keep doing what we need to do to survive.