Leatherwork Best Practices

[JethroLeatherMan]

I'm new to leatherwork so I was wanting to get some advice on a belt that I am working on. First off, when cutting my rawhide which I am doing while it is dry, I am also using a Hercules HRC-100 which is a powered fabric cutter but it is also more than capable of cutting up to 1" leather. Is this something that would be considered taboo? Also, when clamping my leather end where the buckle rests, I am just using a simple hand-clamp instead of leather clips. Again, is this adequate or another practice that is not suited for leatherwork? My thought is that using tools that were not necessarily designed for leatherwork but achieve the same result is perfectly fine but I wanted to see what experts in the space thought.

[Northmount]

On 8/14/2024 at 11:18 AM, JethroLeatherMan said:

First off, when cutting my rawhide

Are you actually using rawhide or are you calling it rawhide as you haven't done anything to it yet? 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rawhide_(material) for a little info on rawhide.

[JethroLeatherMan]

Are there any methods in leatherworking that are balked at or taboo? For instance, I use a Hercules HRC-100 fabric cutter to cut my rawhide. I know it is not specifically designed to do so but it is functional and leather is one of the fabrics that it advertises that it can cut. Also, I use any old hand clamp, (recently been using Irwin Grips) to hold down a leather fold for belt buckles and such. They do not leave an imprint but again, is this seen as a taboo thing to do or more that if it works than it is completely fine.

I'm just curious how the leather community at large views methods like this.

[SUP]

Leather has been used for thousands of years. People through the ages will have used whatever tools were available to them. It is the same now. Use what is comfortable to use or you have at hand. You can use the most expensive of tools or whatever you have at hand, but ultimately, it is the efforts and talent of the leatherworker that is the most important. If you want to know more about leatherworking tools, there are many threads here which do give that with information, provided by experienced, wise and very helpful leatherworkers. You could look those up.

[fredk]

  

Use what you have, if it works  it works

[JDFred]

As long as what you are using isn’t damaging your work or causing injury to you and it is doing the job it’s probably just fine.  But always look to improve your process with better tools don’t fall into the I’ve always done it this way rut.

[Northmount]

2 hours ago, JethroLeatherMan said:

Are there any methods in leatherworking that are balked at

You have made two related posts with the same title.  Let's not fill the forums with new posts that should be kept in one thread.

I have merged the two threads into one.

[fredk]

ISR reading once that some people use a woodworking band saw to cut their leather. You can get knife-blades for some band saws, also a jigsaw/ sabre saw(?) to cut leather

C or G clamps/cramps to press an embossing stamp in leather

I use a piece of sheep's rib I found over 50 (!) years ago as a bone-folder, a slicker and a fold press 

[dikman]

There are no "rules" or "laws" that say how you must do something in leatherwork, you do whatever works for you. There are proven methods that work well for some things but if you want to do it a different way that's also fine. Some people believe in only doing things by hand (no machinery), again there's nothing wrong with that it's an individual choice.

Just go for it and enjoy yourself.

[Sheilajeanne]

Al Stohlman's first leather stamps were made from nails and scrap metal. Whatever works...just be careful when using saws and other sharp instruments!  This hobby has a tendency to make people bleed, and it's very hard to get the blood off the leather!  

[SUP]

10 hours ago, Sheilajeanne said:

This hobby has a tendency to make people bleed, and it's very hard to get the blood off the leather!

So true!