Words Of Wisdom For A New Guy

[Jake P]

Hello all,

I am trying to get started with leather working and have been pooring over this forum for a couple of weeks. Some really talented people in here!

Anyway, I've got some more specific questions that I can seem to track down with the search feature.

Question one: Does anyone have and helpful tips, links, book recomendations, words of wisdom, etc, about turning deer skin into workable leather? I ask because I'm on an eight-dollar-an-hour whilst paying for college budget, and I can obtain deer for the price of the occasional lost arrow. I also don't want to start out tearing up and expensive piece of high quality leather. I'm not too interested in carving at this point, mostly just cutting, forming and stamping. Is this even doable on deer skin? I've stretched and salted a few and they seem like they'd be too thin.

Question two: Should I spend my money on a beginers kit or just tools? Tandy has their Basic Leathercraft Kit on sale for ~$40. It seems like a good deal for what you get, but it includes things for projects that I don't have any interest in.

Anything else I should thing about? Any generic words of wisdom? Thanks for any and all future help! I'm sure I'll learn alot from this forum!

[TwinOaks]

Welcome to Leatherworker.net.

Yes we can, and will, help you.

Deerskin is pretty thin and is typically used as 'buckskin' ...basically a fabric replacement. You can use it for garments, pillows, fringes, etc.... You can color it, though, and burn it (pyrography).

Take a look at the leather suppliers in the ad banners at the top of the page, I KNOW Springfield will cut leather, and I think one or two of the others will too.

You might look into a horse butt to start with. They run $12 plus shipping, or if you can cover it, you can get a single shoulder pretty inexpensively.

As far as buying a starter kit, if you're prudent you can get most of the things you need for less, and stay away from the things you don't want to do.

Stitch spacer - spare fork

Awl....you can make one if you're handy, patient, or both. Spokes do well, and you just need a handle to epoxy it in. Or just budget for one, they aren't that expensive, but don't get the awl set from Tandy. The blades are much too large. For most things, you can use the Osborne awl with the single blade.

Needles/thread - source them locally. I prefer the waxed linen from Hobby Lobby, and needles I pick up at Walmart in pack.

Mallet - it's a hammer. You can pick one up at a thrift store/flea market for CHEAP. Just don't hit stamps with a metal face hammer.

Stamps- you can get an inexpensive 'basic 7' at Hobby Lobby (maybe Michael's) and save on shipping.

stropping compound- Lowes in the polishing section of the tool dept.

words of wisdom....yeesh, you're asking us to presume to be 'wise'.....

Okay.

Start small. Use every single scrap for something. Re-use pieces that don't work out like you plan. Read on here. Ask specific questions. Experiment. Make some of your own tools (get a piece of scrap brass rod/screw and drive it into a sidewalk....presto! It's a background tool.

[Jake P]

Thanks! I'm going to try and find/make any tools I can. I imagine there are some specifics I'll need to thumb out the cash for. I'm going to order one of these: http://springfieldleather.com/33907/5-Pound-of-Vegetable-Tanned-Horse-Pieces/ to practice on before starting an actual project.

[Jake P]

So after a some reading and watching videos, i gather that using hot water to form makes a harder leather compared to cooler water? Is this correct?

Also, if I'm going to form and carve/stamp leather, would I wet the leather and form it, then stamp it? Will form or carving come out if the leather is re-wet?

I'm assuming the "cutting surfaces" I see on on tandy and springfield and the like are more or less a generic cutting board like would be used in the kitchen?

Edited November 9, 2012 by Jake P

[dirtclod]

I'd get something besides horse hide if you want to stamp or tool it. I tried stamping a piece and it didn't work to well. Get some cowhide pieces to stamp and tool.

[Glendon]

I've actually been doing a lot with horse hide recently. That exact 5lbs box from Springfield as a matter of fact. The fibers are a lot tighter in horse leather then cow, so it does take a bit more power to get a good imprint on it. After working with horse hide for awhie, a tooling belly is like butter. I think it's just fine to learn with. Do a bunch of pocket items, wrist bands, sheaths, key fobs, card cases. Use up a box or two of that horse hide, and you should feel quite comfortable when you buy something more spendy.

Edited November 9, 2012 by Glendon

[TwinOaks]

The use of hot water stems from cuir boulli, or 'boiled leather', which is used in making leather armor. Using warm water for molding may help the water penetrate the leather a bit quicker, but I've never had any problem with cool water. When dealing with molding, you let the leather dry to harden and hold the shape, or alternately you heat the leather while still damp to ~130F to 'heat set' it.

Tooling can come out if the leather if it gets wet, which is why we seal the leather after tooling. Carving is actually cuts in the leather and while it may close up it will still be there.

and yes, a cutting board is a cutting board. I picked up a 18x24 at at kitchen supply store for ~$15.