Leather Workers

[wareagle]

Ya know I understand some people on this board consider leather working an industry and as such won't share how they do something when asked, I'm fine with their attitude and understand why they do that. But Leather working is also a dieing art that needs to be passed on to our future generations, and if all of the leather workers took this view we would soon be without the art of leather working, and left with the mass producers turning out second rate knock offs of some of the best work here.

I for one came here to learn new techniques and advance my leather working knowledge, also to impart what little knowledge I have from the techniques I have learned over the past 30+ years.

The statement I remember most from the different teachers I have had is the way you learn is when you see a new skill, research it, study it, then adapt it for the way you work and make it your own.

Also there is no one way to obtain the same results. for example looking at the various ways of skiving.

[terrahyd]

the very reason we are here;;;;share and help,,

[dustin29]

I know I am very grateful of the veteran leatherworkers on this site that are willing to share their tricks and techniques. Thank You for all of your help!! With out your help and advice some of us greenhorns would be lost.

[rdb]

Never knew anyone on this board that didn't try and help someone with a problem, and there are thousands here!

There is a competitive edge between professionals, and rightly so. Not everything is going to get shared. Leatherwork is not a dying art. It takes long naps, and wakes up strong.

Patternmaking/Custom design is too hard and tends to be a lot of original thinking, so no, a pattern, or trademark type super secret construction method, may not get spread around willingly. But there are standards that everyone recognizes, and are perfectly willing to tell you the ins and outs...carving, stamping, lining up basketweaves, how to do binding, etc.

In different fields, like bikes, saddles, or holsters, it's hard to get picked out of the crowd by a customer. You have to have something special to stand out....so, maybe that little something doesn't get shared. A person has to try and make a little money at things first, before they give it away.

[King's X]

Did something happen off this forum?

[dirtclod]

I have to agree with rdb on that some things are given freely while other are not. Bottom line is it's a business for alot of folks. They don't have a job that pays the bills except for what their able to make and sell. It's their way of making a living.

If you have a question and i think i can help i will or try to anyway. I have learned lots of new ways of doing things on here and i'm gratefull for that to. Found some places to get things that i have looked for, for years but didn't know the right name for when i did a search.

Personally for me i have a couple of things i have been working on off and on for a couple of years trying to get them just right. I have sent alot of time making patterns trying to get them right. Lots money on leather for things that didn't work and had to be trashed. I have a box full of them right now. This is my living not a very good one right now but it's all i have. When i get it right it will be for sale and hopefully i can make some good money. But i'm not going to just give the working patterns away as soon as i get them done. It's just like if you invented some super dupper product after months or years and thousands of dollars spent, your not going to give it away for ever body to make. You want to at least get your money back before you tell ever body how to do it. Just like a secret sauce their not going to tell you ever thing that's in it.

[BAD HIDE]

Dying art - I can see how one could argue that, especially given the last 100 years or so. The biggest blow is the loss of the horse as a mode of transportation. The turn of the century, almost every family had at least one horse that needed saddles and tack, and every town had a leather worker to fix them. Then came plastics, vinyls, and more durable fabrics which replaced all the leather bags and cases that people used to carry around, and today's shoemaker is massively out gunned by cheap labor elsewhere. The old timers that did this before us didn't leave us very much for documentation, so that which we have is valuable and worth sharing.

So where does that leave leathercraft? There's still plenty of saddle makers still around, 'cuz people still have horses. There's plenty of pros that still make bags, wallets and everything else, and there's even more hobbyists and enthusiasts putting their time in. It's not dead so much as it's been spread a little thin. It might be harder to find someone else locally who wields a head knife, but they're out there, which is what this site is all about.

Instead of mourning the death of leathercraft, I mourn the death of having a hobby. I honestly don't know what other people do when they go home at night, other than plopping in front of the TV, getting stoned or drunk, or playing video games.

[ferret]

Can't say I've noticed a lack of help on here. When I signed up I thought I knew something about working leather, a quick browse through the forums showed me how wrong I was. I've never needed to ask a question because most of the answers are already here, along ways of avoiding problems before I knew they existed. As for "trade secrets" there is really only one, and that is frequently repeated on here, "keep practising" .

[UKRay]

Ya know I understand some people on this board consider leather working an industry and as such won't share how they do something when asked, I'm fine with their attitude and understand why they do that. But Leather working is also a dieing art that needs to be passed on to our future generations, and if all of the leather workers took this view we would soon be without the art of leather working, and left with the mass producers turning out second rate knock offs of some of the best work here.

I'm truly amazed to read this post.

I can honestly say that in the time I've been associated with LW I can count on the fingers of one hand the few miserable specimens who have been 'dog in the manger' about their knowledge. Generally they don't last long here - about as long as those who make sweeping statements that don't stand up to inspection and those who are simply trying to stir up trouble.

People on LW are hugely generous with their knowledge and expertise. 'Ask and you shall receive' would be a good motto for this board. Maybe the problem is that questions need to be asked the right way. Politely, with humility and respect - rather than issued as a demand or expected as a 'right'.

People come here for all kinds of reasons. Some to learn and others to teach. Some just come for the company and fellowship offered by the board members. Nobody comes here to fulfil the intellectual wish-lists of those too idle to do their own research. Those of us who run businesses may not always have the time to respond fully to a poorly phrased question but I'm absolutely confident that most leather business people are happy to help in any way they can. I can cite numerous instances when business folk have done precisely that thing for me at a cost of hours hunched over a computer keyboard explaining fine details or even sending me tools, patterns and detailed instructions. God bless you all!

RDB makes a very relevant point when he says that unique patterns and techniques aren't often shared - you are welcome to check some of my previous posts for my personal opinions on this, but essentially we all spend years learning how to make good patterns and developing better ways of doing a task and don't generally feel inclined to share this around the leatherworking community unless we are being paid to teach a class. These things are the intellectual property that makes our businesses unique. They are business critical knowledge and the foundation of our business success. If you want this stuff then do what we did and work for it - put the time in on the bench, read the books, watch the DVDs, visit and talk to other leatherworkers, learn to use your tools and try to understand your materials. eventually, and with any luck, the 'Force' will be with you!

Personally I don't see 'second rate knock offs' here on the board and I don't see requests for help ignored; I do, however, see a huge number of people working hard to develop their skills, build their knowledge bases and businesses without expecting others to do all the hard work for them. I also see a vast number of innovative, exciting and often potentially commercial ideas shared with enthusiasm by an amazing bunch of people.

Are you looking at the same posts as me?

Ray

[Luke Hatley]

I'm truly amazed to read this post.

I can honestly say that in the time I've been associated with LW I can count on the fingers of one hand the few miserable specimens who have been 'dog in the manger' about their knowledge. Generally they don't last long here - about as long as those who make sweeping statements that don't stand up to inspection and those who are simply trying to stir up trouble.

People on LW are hugely generous with their knowledge and expertise. 'Ask and you shall receive' would be a good motto for this board. Maybe the problem is that questions need to be asked the right way. Politely, with humility and respect - rather than issued as a demand or expected as a 'right'.

People come here for all kinds of reasons. Some to learn and others to teach. Some just come for the company and fellowship offered by the board members. Nobody comes here to fulfil the intellectual wish-lists of those too idle to do their own research. Those of us who run businesses may not always have the time to respond fully to a poorly phrased question but I'm absolutely confident that most leather business people are happy to help in any way they can. I can cite numerous instances when business folk have done precisely that thing for me at a cost of hours hunched over a computer keyboard explaining fine details or even sending me tools, patterns and detailed instructions. God bless you all!

RDB makes a very relevant point when he says that unique patterns and techniques aren't often shared - you are welcome to check some of my previous posts for my personal opinions on this, but essentially we all spend years learning how to make good patterns and developing better ways of doing a task and don't generally feel inclined to share this around the leatherworking community unless we are being paid to teach a class. These things are the intellectual property that makes our businesses unique. They are business critical knowledge and the foundation of our business success. If you want this stuff then do what we did and work for it - put the time in on the bench, read the books, watch the DVDs, visit and talk to other leatherworkers, learn to use your tools and try to understand your materials. eventually, and with any luck, the 'Force' will be with you!

Personally I don't see 'second rate knock offs' here on the board and I don't see requests for help ignored; I do, however, see a huge number of people working hard to develop their skills, build their knowledge bases and businesses without expecting others to do all the hard work for them. I also see a vast number of innovative, exciting and often potentially commercial ideas shared with enthusiasm by an amazing bunch of people.

Are you looking at the same posts as me?

Ray

Well put Ray............