Jump to content
Sign in to follow this  
TheThousandfold

Essential Tools?

Recommended Posts

I'm just getting started, and glad to have found this place! I'm new to leather crafting, but in my experience, there's generally a very small number of tools that one needs to complete a job. The specialized tools are very nice to have and make certain aspects of a task easier, but there are only a few essential tools one uses everyday. So the question I'm asking is, what are the essential tools I need to get started? Which ones is it ok to go cheap on and which ones do you want to be of the highest quality?

To help get this rolling: The Swivel Knife seems to be an essential tool. Which one would you recommend and why?

Thanks in advance!

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Your essential tool list is going to be totally dependent on what type of work you are wanting to get into. I f you could tell us what direction you are wanting to go, people can help a whole lot more. If you are wanting to do any floral tooling, a swivel knife will be on that list. I tooled for years with a Tandy knife and have upgraded to an SK3 from Leather Wrangler. The main difference is in the blade quality and the ability to hold an edge. Until you know if you are going to stay with this, and are serious, I wouldn't be buying the highest price to start out with. You can get a Tandy swivel knife for under $20.00 where a knife from Leather Wrangler is going to be over $125.00. Tandy has a lot of tools that helped thousands get started, and then you can upgrade as your skill level improves, and you have a better idea of where you are going.

Hope this helps,

Terry

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Before buying anything you must ask yourself, am I going to specialize in any particular type of leather work? If so, what? Then you can get into the essential tool thingy.

I sepcialize in leather gear from the 1750-1815 time frame in American history specifically frontier life, therefore a swivel knive would be a waste of money for me.

Of prime importance to me are needles, type and style and special use. A good knive. I use an old straight razor. I do a lot of riviting, mostly copper so a good pair of heavy duty wire cutters, an appropriate sized monkey tool and a small but heavy ball peen hammer, plus a small steel block are a must.. I do not use any thread that was not available during the time frame indicated, therefore waxed linen, hemp, jute and sinew are basically my only options.

Think about what you want to do THEN buy your tools accordingly.

BTW I'm also a blacksmith, so I make a lot of my own tools. It has been said that a blacksmith is the only craftsman that will make a tool to help him make another tool.

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Alright, that's all very helpfull! Thanks!

I'll try to narrow it down a bit, but I'm interested in trying my hand at most of the skill-sets I've seen. So I'll just throw out the projects I know I'm going to be doing. To start with I want to make a sheath for a bayonet as a gift to my brother. I'd like to pattern the sheath in a fairly elaborate style. I have some leather hiking boots I haven't worn in a while that need some restitching, I figure they'd be good to practice on. I want to make a belt. I'd also like to try and build a custom messenger bag, similar to the ones used during WWII.

Those are where I'm looking to start.

Incidently, I'm also in the process of trying to find some instruction on blacksmithing. My uncle is a bladesmith, that's where I'd like to end up, but going to learn from him is a bit out of reach for me at the moment. He recommended I read "The $50 Knife Shop" to get started. I read through it, but I'm a bit more shy at trying my hand at it without some basic personal instruction. Don't want to blow something up.

So for those projects, what do you think I need?

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Here we go:

1. Hand Sewing Book and Craft Tech book, both written by Al Stohlman, and both available at Tandy.

2. A good quality round knife. I am currently using an old Osborne, and it works well, just have to keep it sharp. When I upgrade, it will be to the new knife being made

by Leather Wrangler, but it is $250.00. There is a video on U Tube that Paul from Leather Wrangler has compiled demonstrating this new knife.

3. An awl haft (handle) and a diamond shaped awl blade. Both available at Tandys. If you want the best, that be the one sold by Bob Douglas in Sheridan Wyoming.

Do a search on this website, and you can find his number, no email.

4. Swivel knife, already been over this one in earlier post.

5. A maul or rawhide mallet, don't buy the cheap wooden mallet. This is one tool that I would go for the best, and that would be a brown maul made by Ed the

Bearman. It will be around a $100.00, but it is well worth it, and will last you a lifetime. I believe there is a current thread in this section of the forum by Ed

showing some of his mauls.

6. For stamping tools, I would start out with Tandy or the Pro series sold by Hidecrater. After you read the book by Stohlman, you will have a better feel for what you will

need and what each type accomplishes.

7. A good piece of marble or granite for a tooling surface. If you have any granite counter top manufacturers in your area, a sink cut out is good option, and many times

are free. They usually throw them away..

8. A good quality leather hole punch. The Pro series punch sold by Tandy shoud be pretty good.

9. Some jewelers rouge for stropping your swivel knife and round knife..

This should get you started and hope it helps,

Terry

Edited by terrymac

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

For the boots. Go to a local sporting goods store that sells fishing tackle and look for 'spider-wire' fishing line. Its sold just like regular fishing line, but its really a kevlar like thread. Use heavy guage stuff. 20-50 lb test. or higher. The messanger bag, I'd use a good waxed linen thread. For the sheath, I'd go with black leather and copper or silver rivets but only if you do not want to cut or stamp designs into the leather. If you use a belt loop, no problem, for a belt clip. Find an old spoon with a pretty design on the handle, Break or cut the handle off then bend into a spring clip shape. Attach to the sheath with small rivets. Theres a thread around here somewhere that shows an eye glass clip made from an old spoon handle. Check out threads by Treereaper.

For the blacksmithing. Check out some of the schools or classes across the U.S. I took the begginers class at the JC Campbell Folk School in Brass Town NC. Its a week long and I stayed in the camp ground. Other than that I'm pretty much self tought.

Edited by Historybuff

Share this post


Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Sign in to follow this  

×
×
  • Create New...