Hello from new member in Chicagoland

[Scoutmaster]

I am very happy to have discovered this forum and fellow leather workers with such depth and breadth of experience. I hope that at some point I will have something to contribute in return.

I recently returned to my childhood interest in leatherwork (even found my old tools), and joined the Prairie States Leather Guild. Like so many of us hobbyists, I have the tools and leather, now I just need to make the time.

As my screen name suggests, I am a Scoutmaster for Boy Scout Troop 270 in Mount Prospect, IL. Most of our Scouts have earned the Leatherwork Merit Badge (not entirely my influence).

Thanks,

Steve Crumbaugh

Edited August 9, 2009 by Scoutmaster

[OdinUK]

Welcome Steve,

I was a scout in my early years:)

Im new to leather working, my gran gave me a lot of leatherworking tools and some books,so Im about to embark on my leatherworking learning curve. Ive not been on this forum long but there is so much to read and learn. Hope you find it as useful as I have.

[TomSwede]

Hi and welcome to the board Scoutmaster!!!!

There sure is a wealth of information to read and look through here but best of all is the generosity when it comes to sharing secrets of the trade. People are very openhearted and helpful so you'll find what you need here.

Studying discussions in the threads can be very rewarding since the poster of something that catches on to peoples eyes often get questions and explain how things were done.

Tom

[The Major]

Steve,

Welcome to the board from a fellow Scouter and Chicagoean and PSLG member. Maybe I'll see you at a meeting sometime.

[resqman]

Welcome! When my father died, I rummaged through the basement and found the Youth Leathercraft kit leftover from when he was ASM of our troop 30+ years ago.

Now I offer intro to leather crafting to the troop my sons and I belong to. My oldest never had an interest in leatherworking. We were on family vacation last month and my son had invited a buddy along. I was pounding on leather and the buddy wanted to try. His buddy made a simple keyring for his girl. Next thing I know, my son is making a keyring for his girl friend. Since then my son has made half a dozen keyrings for his girl friends family. This morning he pulled out the tools, and within an hour had cut, stamped, dyed, rivoted and finished a keyring.

I never forced my sons to work with leather. They both had tried it just to see what dad was doing. The younger one played for an hour or so and walked away. The older ignored it for almost a year before any interest. He has gotten pretty good at stamping. Hasn't tried carving yet.

Thanks for keeping leatherwork alive with the younger generation.