Extreme Newbie

[ara]

My bride and I are starting to hide deer and elk with the intent of doing something . . . somethings . . . a lot of things, actually. I finished an 8" PVC pipe scraping station that I am proud to say doesn't budge even under heavy pressure. So, with that for starting material and probably some storebought when the need or preference arises, I'm looking at the rest of the world of working leather.

On the technical side, I can and regularly do lace and tie my own boots. That's the extent of my leather working apprenticeship.

I see so much offered in the way of tools and stuff--mostly stuff. Life's lessons have taught me that there is crap and there is quality and often quality is difficult (or temporarily impossible) for a newbie to reasonably judge. That said, can we establish a concensus here on what a newbie ought to look for in the insane number of available gizmos and kits? I really think I can get my head and hands into this, I just don't want to pee away good money on shiny junk.

I want to go beyond tying my boots. That doesn't excite my mind anymore.

It's my first time. Be gentle.

The intro page is my next stop.

ara

[Sylvia]

My bride and I are starting to hide deer and elk with the intent of doing something . . . somethings . . . a lot of things, actually. I finished an 8" PVC pipe scraping station that I am proud to say doesn't budge even under heavy pressure. So, with that for starting material and probably some storebought when the need or preference arises, I'm looking at the rest of the world of working leather.

On the technical side, I can and regularly do lace and tie my own boots. That's the extent of my leather working apprenticeship.

I see so much offered in the way of tools and stuff--mostly stuff. Life's lessons have taught me that there is crap and there is quality and often quality is difficult (or temporarily impossible) for a newbie to reasonably judge. That said, can we establish a concensus here on what a newbie ought to look for in the insane number of available gizmos and kits? I really think I can get my head and hands into this, I just don't want to pee away good money on shiny junk.

ara

Hello Ara:

I'm rather new too. I bought a half hide of deer tanned steer and I'm a bit to intimidated to cut into it and make the leather Ren Boots I wanted. I few years ago I bought a used set of basic tools from the70s or 80s from someone on Ebay. I think I did ok. But from what I have been reading the tools in the "Leather craft kits" these days are not that great anymore and one is better off buying the Basic 10 stamp separately. That said there are some really really nice tools made by some companies that are well beyond MY means... though I drool at them now and then.

You didn't really say what you wanted to do with your hides once you get them tanned. But there is a plethora of information on the web, youtube, and with a savvy google you can find information on how to make Ren Boots, authentic moccasins, all kinds of stuff actually.

Sylvia

[ara]

. . . intro level tools often ...umm...."leave room for improvement in design and construction". They're abundant because most people exploring leather working for the first time aren't all that interested in shelling out a hundred bucks per tool (top shelf stuff). Even then, there's a LOT that can be done with the intro level tools, and let's face it - A fancy handle and an Al Stohlman logo on a swivel knife won't make it cut any better than a 'cheap' version....at least not in the hands of a novice. Yes, there are differences in tool quality, but most of it is the hands of the maker. We had a new member post a stunning carving she did........with a manicure set. Unless they've improved recently, I can't endorse Tandy tools, but you might check out ProCrafter tools at HideCrafter.com. Or you might experiment making your own tools- member Elton Joorisity on this forum is currently making stainless steel tools and they're getting good reviews.

So...you're interested in learning about leather. Do you have a specific area you want to learn? We have very talented members in most areas of the craft, and knowing what you're interested in can help us direct you to the right areas and get you in touch with the right members.

TwinOaks: Thanks so much for your swift response. Later in the same evening that I signed on to Leatherworker and this Forum I also groped my way onto YouTube. As I have seen noted elsewhere on these boards there is quite a bit of info for the beginner. "Oaks," as I'll call you in this post, I have an appreciation for good tools. I was a factory-trained Volkswagen mechanic in the early '70s and worked in construction and as a licensed general contractor from 1980 to 1998. So I understand the value of good tools and I also understand that you can scrimp on some few and limited others. Standing with a Snap-On guy with the foreknowledge of what "top end" means is different from shopping ebay or the web and not having any idea of what, for example, "Craftsman" (passable) means as opposed to Snap-On.

I took your advice and looked at HideCrafter.com. I believe that will be an invaluable plus to learning what passable to good--even high-end--really is. And thank you for your tip on Tandy. I was looking pretty much through their site and, even to my specialty-ignorant leatherworking eye, their presentation left me wondering if they offered value as well as "stuff." Perhaps they do, but I want to know for sure.

For years I have a lot of stuff in my pockets and for years my pockets have been the first thing to go on my pants. So I started thinking and thinking on designing and making a holster of sorts for a stuff-laden keyring. Or perhaps a softer deerskin pouch. Something, at any rate, that would serve as a buffer to save on abrasion damage. That has extended to thoughts of building custom kit holders with "kit" being bush or wilderness kit such as fire kit and water purification kit and all sorts of things. Will they be rigid or somewhat pliable? Don't know yet.

Right now, and I don't even know what these things are called so I can research them, I have a couple of ideas for basic tools. One is a sprocket sort of dealy-bob with a handle on it used for laying out stitch lines. Hand in hand would be an awl, perhaps a curved one as well? Awl needles. Cutting tools: maybe quality high-leverage scissors? Hand cutters. I have to think Exacto stuff is not stout enough for the job but I'm certainly open to correction. Punches and tooling items are something I believe I'd like to go higher quality on right out of the gate. Would you agree? Not necessarily top of the line but certainly better than average. And a tooling surface: I've seen what appears to be a lot of granite slab but examples using hard plastic kitchen cutting boards seem to have a certain utility. My thought on that is to get a few cutting, shaping and stitching exercises under my belt (so to speak) before I start in on the tooling aspect of the craft.

Much more later, Oaks, but that's it for now I think.

On to Sylvia:

Hello Ara:

"'m rather new too. I bought a half hide of deer tanned steer and I'm a bit to intimidated to cut into it and make the leather Ren Boots I wanted. I few years ago I bought a used set of basic tools from the70s or 80s from someone on Ebay. I think I did ok. But from what I have been reading the tools in the "Leather craft kits" these days are not that great anymore and one is better off buying the Basic 10 stamp separately. That said there are some really really nice tools made by some companies that are well beyond MY means... though I drool at them now and then.

You didn't really say what you wanted to do with your hides once you get them tanned. But there is a plethora of information on the web, youtube, and with a savvy google you can find information on how to make Ren Boots, authentic moccasins, all kinds of stuff actually."

Well, now that you mention moccasins, Sylvia, that thought has rolled around thin old noggin for more than a few years. Yes, that too. Again, I'm very, very new to this and stunned by the extraordinary excellence of workmanship I see from different people on different sites. Breathtaking both artistically and from a perspective of being just plain well thought out. I think at this point that anything utilitarian is on the table. What pushed me over the line was pants that died before their time because of worn pockets. I guess that leaves a whole new world for me to explore, it seems.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts.

ara