What are some tools that changed your leatherwork?

[Kenzi]

What tools helped enhance your leatherwork? Different types of knives, stamps, etc.? I am a intermediate leather worker, I believe that I still have lots of improvement to do and I am wondering what tools I can use to help me achieve this.

[Mablung]

My absolute favorite tool, and the only one that is not a relatively inexpensive Tandy buy, is my vintage (120 years +) C.S. Osborne round knife.  5.5" inches from point to point that I got for a song on eBay.  I have the tools and know-how to restore the edge, so I sharpened it myself.  I love that knife and do everything with it, from rough cutting to skiving to fine trimming.  The blade is thin, so the whole thing is light and very agile.  Next thing I'd like to upgrade is my stitching awl, but my Tandy Pro one still does the trick for what I'm doing.

But frankly, halfway decent beginner tools will serve you very well for a long time.  The biggest thing to work on, IMO, is technique.  I'm right there at the same stage of skill as you, and I don't think my skill has equaled or surpassed the quality of my tools.

[bruce johnson]

Tooling - Wayne Jueschke stamps and mauls, the mauls are ergonomic for me and the stamps are about as fine of an impression as you will find.

Knives - I still go back to my Dozier knife. I have had knives from about everyone and I still will never part with the first Dozier. Bob Dozier no longer makes knives.

Tooling bench - I have a granite inspection plate inlet into a bench I made. Solid support underneath. No bounce and the only noise is the soft "tink" of the maul striking the stamp.   

[Kenzi]

On 11/8/2025 at 2:00 PM, Mablung said:

My absolute favorite tool, and the only one that is not a relatively inexpensive Tandy buy, is my vintage (120 years +) C.S. Osborne round knife.  5.5" inches from point to point that I got for a song on eBay.  I have the tools and know-how to restore the edge, so I sharpened it myself.  I love that knife and do everything with it, from rough cutting to skiving to fine trimming.  The blade is thin, so the whole thing is light and very agile.  Next thing I'd like to upgrade is my stitching awl, but my Tandy Pro one still does the trick for what I'm doing.

But frankly, halfway decent beginner tools will serve you very well for a long time.  The biggest thing to work on, IMO, is technique.  I'm right there at the same stage of skill as you, and I don't think my skill has equaled or surpassed the quality of my tools.

Thank you. I have an older C.S. Osborne round knife as well and love it. I got given a lot of tools when I first got started and I am just figuring out how to use all of them. 

1 hour ago, bruce johnson said:

Tooling - Wayne Jueschke stamps and mauls, the mauls are ergonomic for me and the stamps are about as fine of an impression as you will find.

Knives - I still go back to my Dozier knife. I have had knives from about everyone and I still will never part with the first Dozier. Bob Dozier no longer makes knives.

Tooling bench - I have a granite inspection plate inlet into a bench I made. Solid support underneath. No bounce and the only noise is the soft "tink" of the maul striking the stamp.   

Have you compared the maul to a Barry king? I currently have a Barry king maul and I love it although when I tool for extended periods it gets quite uncomfortable to hold. 

[Tove09Tilda]

My quatermoonknife by a swiss knife factory - forgot the name and am too lazy to check. I would by now probably rather buy a Solingen Pik Ass, as they are cheaper here (and are supposed to have superior Quality) also I live somewhat close to Solingen. But since I own that knife and especially learnt how to use it, my leatherwork became much more intricate and life so much easier!

[DieselTech]

I am going to recommend you get a nice wet stone & a good strop board to keep all your knives sharp. 

Then spend some time practicing how to properly sharpen your tools. 

[MarshalWill]

I can't say any specific tools improved my working. That said, Any good quality tool does make your work better. Don't get cheap ones, you'll just wind up replacing them in the long run.

[bruce johnson]

9 hours ago, Kenzi said:

Thank you. I have an older C.S. Osborne round knife as well and love it. I got given a lot of tools when I first got started and I am just figuring out how to use all of them. 

Have you compared the maul to a Barry king? I currently have a Barry king maul and I love it although when I tool for extended periods it gets quite uncomfortable to hold. 

Yes I have compared them for years. Barry's are a good quality maul as well and we have both in the shop. It comes down to personal preference and feel. Wayne Jueschke's mauls are weighted a little more to head end - I can get more force with less effort. The head material on Wayne's mauls are a little grippier on the stamp but not rubbery. Wayne's handles fit my hand better, especially when I am rocking the maul with a rotating wrist action and not hammering. The tapered head from Wayne and Barry both allow you to keep your elbow lower or at your side. If you have had some shoulder or elbow issues then a tapered maul should be mandatory.
    I was doing a lot of contract and semi-custom orders at one time. My shoulder became a real problem because of previous injuries and added in repetitive motion at that time. The PT did not go well the first month and they told me, whatever you used to do or are doing - you need to change it. The PT and tapered maul was my ticket. 

My first encounter with Wayne Jueschke was totally accidental. I had just paid off some serious medical debt and had money to go to "Leather Paradise". We went to Sheridan with $1000 earmarked for tools, that should be enough right? They had a hard opening time of 9:00 am. I had one of Barry King's mauls and wanted another size. Barry King's booth was going to be first stop - it was a mosh pit at 9:01. I wandered around to kill time and go back. I found this large gentleman from Elko NV with mauls and stamps. I had heard the name and seen magazine ads. Nobody was looking there. I sat down and tried some mauls and a few stamps. By 9:10 I had bought two mauls and maybe 8 stamps - the tool fund was broke again. Circle of Life - for the past few years I sell Wayne's tools on my website and at leather shows. 

[chuck123wapati]

Books, books, and more books! Don't know if you would classify them as a tool. but the knowledge I have gained from them has enhanced my work much more than any specific tools have.