What tools should I get to start off with?

[Hilly]

Hilly,

Did you buy a good one or a cheap one? There's a vast difference. Also, you must sharpen the tubes. I sharpen everything I buy simply because it isn't sharp enough.

I even sharpen my scalpel blades. (O.C.D.?-mmm, Maybe)

The reason for the rotary punch is to punch the holes in the field. He said that he was a working cowboy, so I figured a rotary would fit the bill a little better. I actually don't own a rotary, because I also prefer the single punches. (Which I sharpen the heck out of).

Marlon

I just bought one from Tandy, which I hated from day one. I found I still needed drive punches to make holes more than an inch from the edge of my project anyway, and pitched the rotary. Most people will still need the drive punches, so why bother with a rotary? Also, I have tendon problems and have lost much strength in my hands from tendon surgery, and repetitive use of the rotary caused me problems.

And you with your sharpening ! I wish you lived next door so you could show me the right way to sharpen! I'm so envious of your ability to do that! I'll have my head knife ground to a stub by the time I get the hang of that ! I'm getting a little better, but still not where I want to be... Thanks for reminding me though - I'm going camping this weekend, and I think I'll take my knife and skiving knife along and work on them.

[AndersHeintz]

Thanks for all the replies guys!!

I am planning on showing the stuff I make, even though I am not and probably will never be a professional leather worker I would love feed back as to what can be made better, more functional and even nicer looking. The stuff will be made to use, but would be neat to make something that is nice as well. My brand new Nikon D40 got stolen not too long ago (along with my ipod!! ) so it will be a bit before I can get a new one, as soon as I do I will show progress pictures!

Thanks for all the tips. I wasnt going to get a rotary punch, I think we have some in the tack room, but I never had good luck with them, although I am sure they were all pretty cheap ones.

Duke,

Thats a very nice breast collar you got going! Id like to make one with basket stamp just like yours, but a bit different style of collar, I will make a pulling collar, just one piece with no ring in the middle but a small D ring for a tie down which may be useful. I may also add a strap that goes over the neck to hold the collar up in place, we have a lot of mesas and rough up and down country where we pasture steers, which makes it really hard to keep the saddle and tack in place for any length of time. Especially now when it is starting to get a bit hotter (90ºF -100ºF) and we ride 8-10 hours a day, the horses sweat a lot which makes the tack slide around everywhere!

Anyways, I can only hope to get half as good a result as you are having and I will be tickled!

We had an excellent thread on this prior to Black Thursday (or whatever black day that was).

I think wing dividers, a stitching wheel, calipers (maybe even two; I like having both digital and analog) are a must.

Ed

I have some calipers allready that I use in my sculpting, but I will also get some wing deviders from Tandy as well, need them for some half circle patterns to replace the lower reinforcement leather on my working chaps.

Now, what is a stitching wheel? Is that the same as the spacer set from Tandy that marks the stitching holes as well as pressing the stitches or is it something else?

That thread sounds just like something I need to read! Do you happen to know what the title of the thread was so I can search for it, or do you have a link? Im trying to read up as much as I can before jumping into it!

Now, another question, can I use a dye to make the leather a bit darker (natural veg tanned leather now), to like a dark red-brown, or maybe a warm brown is probably a better description as Id like it to match my saddle. The problem is that I ride a lot of light colored horses, and dont want to stain the horses! Any suggestions, or can I just oil it real good, use it a lot etc and it will naturally darken?

Thanks again guys, I will make the order of the tools in the next few days, can't wait to get started!

[TwinOaks]

There's a variety of dyes available, and my opinion is that the Fiebing's spirit (alchohol based), and oil dyes are the best. For any dye, you'll need to seal the leather after staining. Fiebing's Aussie Leather Conditioner is good, and contains no animal fats (which according to some can promote mold), and there's a whole shelf full of oils (neatsfoot, mink, etc.) that work well too. For some stirrup straps I did on a repair job, I saturated and rubbed in thouroughly plain old carnuba wax. That has yet to bleed out any color. For the colors, you might like to check out 'British Tan', 'med. brown', and I think 'chestnut'.

[esantoro]

I think the Tandy spacer is the same as what I'm calling a stitching wheel.

Ed

Thanks for all the replies guys!!

I am planning on showing the stuff I make, even though I am not and probably will never be a professional leather worker I would love feed back as to what can be made better, more functional and even nicer looking. The stuff will be made to use, but would be neat to make something that is nice as well. My brand new Nikon D40 got stolen not too long ago (along with my ipod!! ) so it will be a bit before I can get a new one, as soon as I do I will show progress pictures!

Thanks for all the tips. I wasnt going to get a rotary punch, I think we have some in the tack room, but I never had good luck with them, although I am sure they were all pretty cheap ones.

Duke,

Thats a very nice breast collar you got going! Id like to make one with basket stamp just like yours, but a bit different style of collar, I will make a pulling collar, just one piece with no ring in the middle but a small D ring for a tie down which may be useful. I may also add a strap that goes over the neck to hold the collar up in place, we have a lot of mesas and rough up and down country where we pasture steers, which makes it really hard to keep the saddle and tack in place for any length of time. Especially now when it is starting to get a bit hotter (90ºF -100ºF) and we ride 8-10 hours a day, the horses sweat a lot which makes the tack slide around everywhere!

Anyways, I can only hope to get half as good a result as you are having and I will be tickled!

I have some calipers allready that I use in my sculpting, but I will also get some wing deviders from Tandy as well, need them for some half circle patterns to replace the lower reinforcement leather on my working chaps.

Now, what is a stitching wheel? Is that the same as the spacer set from Tandy that marks the stitching holes as well as pressing the stitches or is it something else?

That thread sounds just like something I need to read! Do you happen to know what the title of the thread was so I can search for it, or do you have a link? Im trying to read up as much as I can before jumping into it!

Now, another question, can I use a dye to make the leather a bit darker (natural veg tanned leather now), to like a dark red-brown, or maybe a warm brown is probably a better description as Id like it to match my saddle. The problem is that I ride a lot of light colored horses, and dont want to stain the horses! Any suggestions, or can I just oil it real good, use it a lot etc and it will naturally darken?

Thanks again guys, I will make the order of the tools in the next few days, can't wait to get started!

[bruce johnson]

Anders,

Sounds like you are going to be hand sewing. For any kind of decent results you are going to need something to hold it. I started off with a small vise with the clamp on base. I covered the jaws with leather pads, and screwed it onto a slideout bread board in the kitchen. Sat there in the kitchen and handsewed (6 spi) one headstall a night for a couple years. I had two stamps - a #500 basket and a small cam for the border that I hit with a fiberglass autobody hammer. I sold them off my saddlehorn on the weekends for entry fees.

The list so far is pretty good. I would add decent edgers to the list. What kind will trigger debate, so just find something that you like and can sharpen in a medium size. For chemicals I like the spirit dyes too, and mix then directly with my NF oil. As far as other conditioners, if you are in Alpine, Big Bend has most of my favorites listed on their website. I like the Williams about as well as anything. The Holes products are good, and the Black Rock is too. Talk to them and see what they are liking for your climate.

[AndersHeintz]

Thanks for the replies!

TwinOaks,

Thanks! The oil based dyes is exactly what I was looking at as well, thinking it would also add a bit more "softness" or just that, oiled, feel to the leather. I didnt realize you had to seal it afterwards though, thanks a ton for pointing that out!

Ed,

Cool, Thanks!

Bruce,

Exactly right, I'll be hand stiching, although I did talk to Gary over at Big Bend and they would machine sow anything Id like, as long as the piece was glued together and ready to go, but I feel that would be kind of 'lame' as part of the whole point is to make it yourself and enjoy the process.

I was part of a PBS show called Texas Ranch House (lived like cowboys on a 1867 style cattle ranch), which was filmed here in Alpine, and which is how I ended up here, and as part of the prep for the show, we had a session of basic leather work with Gary at Big Bend Saddelry. It was very informative, although very basic and general, and I wish I would have taken more notes! They really produce some nice leather goods at Big Bend, Id buy the stuff from them, but then again, the fun is in making it yourself, and then enjoying to use it more.

I thought the keen edge beveler was an edging tool? Am I assuming wrong? The way I thought it worked was to use the tool to round of the edges. If this is wrong, what is it used for?

Also, I read elsewhere on this forum that the plastic burnishing wheel was no good, so I will skip that. I remember Gary showing us how he burninshed the sides of a piece of leather with a small piece of wood. Dont remember more then that, maybe he put something on it or wetted it or something like that. The end result was a nice, darker smooth edge.

I will get a small vice of some sorts and make leather pads for it, sounds like a great idea! As for the tooling maullet/hammer. Does it make that much difference if you use a larger type maullet rather then a hammer of sorts? Are there any substitues for a plastic or rawhide one that is as good or almost equivilant?

Another question (yeah I know...a lot of them!! sorry!) is it best to use glue when sewing two pieces together (like the collar, it will have 2 pieces) before sewing it? If so, what glue should one use?

Thanks again everyone for putting up with my newbie questions and youthful ignorance !

[esantoro]

I like having three of the granite slabs from Tandy. I can move them easily to different locations. If you have the space, then one larger slab might be better.

Also a good anvil. Knowing what I know now, nothing smaller than a 15 lbs anvil. Though, who knows, maybe it's good to have the Tandy 2 pounder on hand.

Harbor Freight now has a 15 pounder for $15.

ed

[AndersHeintz]

Hola Ed,

Thanks for the heads up on the mini anvil. I used to work as a farrier during my college years and have a nice small 50 lbs anvil, may be a bit large though! What are the anvils used for?

Luckily, I will have plenty of space for a workshop, our house has a 2 car garage that was converted into a room so I will be able to set up a desk, probably a 4 x 8 home made table, but we will see what it ends up being.

[esantoro]

Hola Ed,

Thanks for the heads up on the mini anvil. I used to work as a farrier during my college years and have a nice small 50 lbs anvil, may be a bit large though! What are the anvils used for?

Luckily, I will have plenty of space for a workshop, our house has a 2 car garage that was converted into a room so I will be able to set up a desk, probably a 4 x 8 home made table, but we will see what it ends up being.

I use the anvil for setting rivets. the rivets set much better when the anvil is of the right size, especially when peening or rolling or setting caps on semi-tubular steel rivets.

Edited May 25, 2008 by esantoro

[esantoro]

I think it's good to have both contact cement and tanner's bond white glue on hand.

I also like having a light/medium duty vise that can clamp to a table top with a C-clamp.

ed

Thanks for the replies!

TwinOaks,

Thanks! The oil based dyes is exactly what I was looking at as well, thinking it would also add a bit more "softness" or just that, oiled, feel to the leather. I didnt realize you had to seal it afterwards though, thanks a ton for pointing that out!

Ed,

Cool, Thanks!

Bruce,

Exactly right, I'll be hand stiching, although I did talk to Gary over at Big Bend and they would machine sow anything Id like, as long as the piece was glued together and ready to go, but I feel that would be kind of 'lame' as part of the whole point is to make it yourself and enjoy the process.

I was part of a PBS show called Texas Ranch House (lived like cowboys on a 1867 style cattle ranch), which was filmed here in Alpine, and which is how I ended up here, and as part of the prep for the show, we had a session of basic leather work with Gary at Big Bend Saddelry. It was very informative, although very basic and general, and I wish I would have taken more notes! They really produce some nice leather goods at Big Bend, Id buy the stuff from them, but then again, the fun is in making it yourself, and then enjoying to use it more.

I thought the keen edge beveler was an edging tool? Am I assuming wrong? The way I thought it worked was to use the tool to round of the edges. If this is wrong, what is it used for?

Also, I read elsewhere on this forum that the plastic burnishing wheel was no good, so I will skip that. I remember Gary showing us how he burninshed the sides of a piece of leather with a small piece of wood. Dont remember more then that, maybe he put something on it or wetted it or something like that. The end result was a nice, darker smooth edge.

I will get a small vice of some sorts and make leather pads for it, sounds like a great idea! As for the tooling maullet/hammer. Does it make that much difference if you use a larger type maullet rather then a hammer of sorts? Are there any substitues for a plastic or rawhide one that is as good or almost equivilant?

Another question (yeah I know...a lot of them!! sorry!) is it best to use glue when sewing two pieces together (like the collar, it will have 2 pieces) before sewing it? If so, what glue should one use?

Thanks again everyone for putting up with my newbie questions and youthful ignorance !