New To Leather. Questions On Tools

[dpixel8]

Good luck with your fist projects! Try to do one at a time at first. It's real tempting to jump right in at first. Trust me, you will be a lot happier getting a couple projects done and off the bench then having a number of them on the go.

Thanks for the link. Those look like great tutorials. The designs are a bit too hipster for me, but look easily adapted to my more Victorian style. Always something new out there.

Will do. And yeah, I can tell a lot of you guys on here are a bit more on the end of traditional or victorian. I'm a "modernish" guy.

[Cyberthrasher]

Will do. And yeah, I can tell a lot of you guys on here are a bit more on the end of traditional or victorian. I'm a "modernish" guy.

I'm neither, just whatever I can make look cool (whatever that means to me while still matching my customer's wishes). I like those designs and I can see myself modifying them to work quite nicely for my "style".

[dpixel8]

I'm neither, just whatever I can make look cool (whatever that means to me while still matching my customer's wishes). I like those designs and I can see myself modifying them to work quite nicely for my "style".

:highfive:

I can't really see myself doing all of the tooling that a lot of you do. MUCH more "clean and simple" is my style. Don't know why, just appeals to me. To each their own though, for sure.

[Cyberthrasher]

yeah, I think where your stuff would really take off is nice clean lines and working with different dye techniques to get different effects on a non-tooled piece of leather. Just means more work in nailing down those templates and perfecting assembly.

It's kind of funny when I jump from tooling torn flesh and skulls on a piece of wall art to just doing a simple and elegant black belt with applique lacing down the center. Must be the ex-tattoo artist in me that allows me to jump around between styles and see/feel/get into the coolness in it all (sorry, I just really like this guy)

Edited August 1, 2012 by Cyberthrasher

[Glendon]

You do see all styles here, really. A lot of the old timers are from the traditional Western school of leather. But there are also those of us doing 18th / 19th century styles, and a good number of people doing renacance and older stuff.

There is a guy local to me who does a similar style to what you like, Eric at www.corterleather.com might want to look him up for inspiration. He doesn't teach though, too busy actually making a living at this the blood, sweat, and 14 hour days way.

[WScott]

This thread is old but such a good one and an impressive amount of help offered.

My two cents include not trying to buy every tool at once, rather collecting as you need and especially when stuff is ON SALE.

Birthday and Christmas is also good time to ask for tools.

This site turned me on to these guys..great stuff on here especially the diamond stitching chisels "http://www.goodsjapan.jp"

As for end punches, I find they are extremely helpful to give neat and tidy professional finish, so would suggest collecting them with time....even looking on e-bay

Have fun!

[macimago]

Tandy sells granite slabs in several sizes. They are used for tooling, setting snaps, setting rivets, etc. The poundo board cushions the slab and reduces noise it more or less supports the granite slab. You can find them on Tandy at: http://www.tandyleatherfactory.com/en-usd/search/site+search+results.aspx?sectionpath=3&processor=content&p_keyword=granite

The safety beveler (it's actually a skiver) is a great tool for skiving straps for belts, watch bands, etc. Does the same job as the super skiver. Practice with it, it's easy to use.

Ken

The granite slabs are good, but are very expensive. I have gone to a counter top maker near by and they told me just to go dumpster diving and grab what ever scrap they have. I found some beautiful granit and marble slabs, great size, for free.

[TinkerTailor]

Alot of dollar stores sell 8.5 x 11 sheets of thin cork in the craft section 4 for a buck. I use pieces of this, sometimes stacked up under the leather to protect my punches. When they are swiss cheesed, I pitch them. I find i get cleaner holes if i drive the punch all the way through, which i can't do on the hdpe. It is under the cork however. The cork becomes sacrificial.

I also have a few wine corks lying around to back up the leather when I'm pushing the awl through. Helps keep the blood on the inside of your fingers when you are learning awl technique....

Edited March 13, 2015 by TinkerTailor

[jmorton]

For anyone just starting out, the lists provided are pretty complete. I bought the largest white plastic cutting board I could find, and went to a place that makes granite counter tops, told them what I needed and waved a ten dollar bill. I got a huge piece of granite that has an odd mix of colors in it. Due to its weight and hardness, it does not move when you tool on it or when you put the cutting board on it for cutting or punching. If your work area moves around you are going to get lousy cuts and stamping.

Whether you do any stamping or not, you are going to need a variety of knives. a utility knife, a rotary cutter and an x-acto or clicking knife are a basic set. At tandy(or wherever) get a stick of white jewelers rouge and go to the hardware store and get a sheet of fine emery paper and a sheet of crocus for maintaining your knives.

Finally, get some cheap, ugly, cheap, belly leather to practice cutting, skiving, stitching, etc. on. Bellies are also good to practice wet molding.

Have fun!

John Morton