edge2009 Report post Posted January 9, 2013 I'm getting a little aggervated latley... I've been trying to work with leather but have no idea what to do. I need some guidence or direction. I try something get just far enough to ruin some good leather becauseI realize I don't have the tools or skill to move on. When you guys and gals went furthur into your leather crafting hobbies, how did you advance yourself? THanks Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
LoneStar Report post Posted January 9, 2013 Practice, practice, and more practice. Everyone has ruined pieces during the learning process. Don't know about Florida but here Tandy gives free classes. For inspiration I look in the forum at pieces that well experienced artists have made. I will pick something I haven't made yet and make it as many times as it takes for me to be satisfied with it. have you tried a starter kit from Tandy? They come with everything you need to make several projects,(including tools). I just bought three or four tools a month and maybe a letter set a month till now I have enough to make anything. Plenty of instructional videoes on the Tandy website and Youtube also. Also, the good people on this forum are not stingy with information! Keep at it! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
edge2009 Report post Posted January 9, 2013 yes lonestar, They give classes which I want to attend, but my schedule does not allow it. I might be moving soon and when I do, I'm thinking of paying to subscribe to the tandy videos and instructional threads. I've been coming on here and seeing everyones work and it looks amazing, so thats when I try it and learn I'm not ready yet... lol I've done maybe 2 kits and they were fine... I guess I need to just stick with them. I want to be so creative and get bored with the kits easily. Is there anything particular you would suggest starting with first? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Beaverslayer Report post Posted January 9, 2013 edge, It all really depends on what exactly you want to do with leather as too where you start. For example: I see amazing saddles posted on this forum, but know I can't just head to Tandy, buy a bunch of expensive stuff and go home and make one myself. I myself didn't start tooling leather until I had been working with leather for about 4 years I think it was. I remember someone commenting on a post I did with tooling in it, and they were amazed I even knew how. To this day, I still don't do a lot of tooling (other than skulls) as I know I'm not that good at it. The same goes with me and using a sewing machine....can't sew straight...no how...no way... so I lace everything I make. The best thing for you, is to choose what you would like to accomplish first, then apply yourself to that until you've become comfortable with it and then move on to the next aspect. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cyberthrasher Report post Posted January 10, 2013 I guess I can start by asking what you're trying to make. Either way, I usually practice on junk leather quite a bit (still). Since you "have no idea what to do" spend a lot of time researching the tutorials here and on youtube. If tooling is what you're struggling with, there are lots of videos out there. Pay close attention to the way people are moving their hands and the tools etc.... Honestly, I just went and looked at some of your other pictures (knew I saw some before, but couldn't place your name to the work). You're not doing bad AT ALL!!! It looks a lot better than what I did with my first pieces. Just keep practicing away and be honest with yourself on what needs fixing. If you're not sure what needs fixing, just ask and we'll give you pointers. oh yeah, and I usually say screw the kits. Just get some scrap leather bags and tool away, then when you're done you can use them to practice dying later. I pull out all my old junk all the time to test color combinations or different custom mixes I'm playing with. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mlapaglia Report post Posted January 10, 2013 (edited) Tool a belt, Make a wallet, do a key fob. The concept is all the same on each piece. Practice practice practice. Let us know what you want to do and someone here can point you in the right direction. Heck Ill even give you my phone number if you want to talk about it or get stuck with a problem. Lots of help here. Edited January 10, 2013 by mlapaglia Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
edge2009 Report post Posted January 10, 2013 10 4, thanks everybody. I really don't care what I do, I enjoy it all and reallyappreciate every type of leather work. If I had to pick, I would LOVE to start with knife sheaths and/or rifle slings. I'll just take a little break from it, and hit it hard again soon. I got to keep reminding myself not to freelance, and to just follow the patterns I get and see... What woul be a good Oz leather to do those kind of projects? (slings + sheaths) Mlapaglia, I my take you up on that offer next time I run into something and can't find it on the internet, thanks for the kind words from everyone! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TwinOaks Report post Posted January 10, 2013 How to advance oneself? Easy...start making stuff. Anything that doesn't turn out like you expected, or wished...you need to practice more. I know that's kind of blunt, but that's about as simple as I can phrase it. Find what you like to do, and keep doing it until it just can't be done any better. When you want to move on to something else, follow the same path. For sheaths and slings, 8 oz would serve you just fine. It's thick enough to handle the use, and take tooling but not too thick to easily sew. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
edge2009 Report post Posted January 10, 2013 twin oaks, yes blunt but true... I understand I need to just keep re-trying and attempting to improve. My problem is, I don't exactly know how to make it better... But this all improves with time. I understand with things as tedious as this, its anything other then a "easy" Hobie to learn, I must pay my dues to get better. One thing pointed out to me here was, I haven't stopped and trued to just improve on one project. I've been bouncing around from 3 or 4 different projects... so I'm defiantly going to focus on one thing for now! Thanks Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dwight Report post Posted January 10, 2013 Edge, . . . if you have a Tandy store close by, . . . go buy one good 7/8 oz double shoulder of leather. Don't buy the lower grade, either, . . . buy a good one. You are looking for a double shoulder that doesn't have a bunch of scratches, scars, or bubbly wrinkles. Turn it over, look on the back, . . . if it has a bunch of stringy trash hanging down from it, . . . put it back and pick another one. The back should be flat and smooth and no boogers hanging down. You can make belts, fobs, holsters, purses, knife sheaths, slings, pouches, all sorts of stuff from it. Start out making yourself a single layer belt, . . . there are several stickies on this forum about how to do it, . . . or get Stohlman's book on belts. Buy just a couple of stamps, . . . and decorate it a bit, . . . don't get too fancy, . . . just something other than a hunk of old dead cow's hide, . . . flowers, horse head, leaves, whatever. You need a sharp knife, . . . a couple of different punches, . . . an edger, . . . one small bottle of saddle tan oil dye. Wear that belt, . . . wear it proudly, . . . YOU MADE IT !!! Then pick something else, . . . maybe make you wife, girl friend, or mother a purse, . . . nothing fancy, . . . just a purse. You keep making different things, . . . sooner or later something will click, . . . who knows you may be the next "Mr. Saddle". May God bless, Dwight The reason I told you to buy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jaymack Report post Posted January 10, 2013 Edge, I've been there. Plus, It's taken me some time to get the number of tools I have. I have created my own tools to save some money. for example, my first edge burnisher was a champagne cork and a drywall screw with the head ground off. I've bought most of may tools on ebay, but you have to be patient and wait for an occasional good deal. It always blows me away when people bid thing up too high on ebay. My first project was a dice cup. I had to dye it black because of all tbe blood smudges on it since i had no idea how to sharpen or use an awl. I'm just starting to learn how to use one, and am just getting away from using a dremel to make holes. I bought a old used head knife on ebay, and was able to get it very sharp. I still couldn't effectively use it and gave up on it until I watched an older Mennonite harness and saddle maker use one. The only trick he taught me was to stand up when using it instead of sitting down. Go figure! I'm not that good, but I'm getting better in the couple years that I've been doing this. I carve within my limits. I admire sheridan style carving, but I know that I am not very fluid with a swivel knife, so I stay away from it. I really admire someone who can use just a swivel knife to create spectacular works. The other thing I've learned, is the mistakes we think we've made is what makes each project unique. The manager of the Richmond Virginia tandy store taught me this. Compare your recent work to the last project that you did, or the ones that you did last year. You'll be blown away in you improvement from one year or even one month to the next. I made that first dice cup for my best friend because his father had passed away, and we used to play liar's dice with him. I just made this friend a new dice cup because I knew how bad the first one was, but he told me, and I knew that the first cup will always mean more to him than the second one. I've also learned most everything I know about leather from this site! Keep pluggin away! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
edge2009 Report post Posted January 10, 2013 Jaymack, Those are inspiring words, thanks. Its good to hear all of this from you. I'm going to do a little research, and possibly just do a belt or sling... Something with little stitching and not a lot of wet forming or hardware... I'll post what I end up with... Like you said, I'll just keep comparing to older work! Thanks Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jaymack Report post Posted January 10, 2013 Edge, I just checked to see if the site was still available, and it is. I ordered this tutorial from Paul Bunett's website called the painted cow. He recently passed away, but from what I can tell, he was a great guy and leathercrafter. I learned alot from this particular tutorial that is downloadable! http://paintingcow.com/content/index.php/publications/books_and_pattern_packs/wildlife_studies__the_american_kestrel/ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Cyberthrasher Report post Posted January 10, 2013 Edge, I just checked to see if the site was still available, and it is. I ordered this tutorial from Paul Bunett's website called the painted cow. He recently passed away, but from what I can tell, he was a great guy and leathercrafter. I learned alot from this particular tutorial that is downloadable! http://paintingcow.c...erican_kestrel/ The free tutorials there on beveling actually helped me more than most things I've read. Just keeping the thought process straight was a big eye opener for me. It's one of those things that seems obvious after reading it but just seeing it laid out the way he did helped a lot. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
thekid77 Report post Posted January 10, 2013 Edge, If you are looking for a good starter set for tools, contact Bruce Johnson out of Oakdale, CA. I just started leather working at the beginning of last month and I told him the kinds of projects I'd be doing--he put together a fantastic tool set for me for a great price.. Don't skimp on your tools. Bruce is a stand up guy who is always willing to help. Many of the tools he has are decades old, and work like the first day they were made. His website/contact details are all on this web site: http://brucejohnsonleather.com/content/ Good Luck to you!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lightningad Report post Posted January 10, 2013 Edge - I started out a year ago when my wife bought me Tandys Standard Starter kit. Theres plenty of projects, tools and dyes, glues etc. Working through the projects gives a good basic understanding of the techniques. That was enough to convince me i was hooked. SO i bougt some cheap leather and just dived in. First thing i made on my own was a pouch for a leatherman. Using the info on this link as the initial inspirationhttp://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=31601 i just adjustd it for my needs and was really pleased with the results. http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?app=galleryℑ=16682 Ian Atkinson has some very good videos online http://ianatkinson.net/leather/videos.htm and he specialised in knife pouches, so give them a viewing. As already said, the main thin gis to practice, learn from your mistakes, and read up on stuff - this forum is excellent, and there are loads of good books that wil help you...Al Stohlman wrote masses of books, and is often quoted as a great source of info. I have three of his books and they have been very useful. I always find it helps to have a project in mind before starting, otherwise you'll be floundering in a sea of information. A project helps focus you on what you need to learn to complete that job. good luck adam Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
