Getting started

[DakiSK]

Figure this is as good a place as any to post this....

Anyway, just about ready to buy my first leatherworking tools, and wondering just how I should go about it. I figured I should get opinions from some people with a bit of experience under their (no doubt hand-crafted) belt.

My first thought is to buy the Deluxe Leathercraft Kit from Tandy (the kit), which would cost me about $115.

My other option is to buy from the leather place in town. They ARE Tandy registered, so I could get the same tools there as I could online, which means no shipping, but they don't have that specific kit on hand so if I wanted that one I'd have to order out anyway.

Option 1 gives me the advantage of having a full kit with instructions, tools, and small bits of leather to get me started before I go off buying whole hides to mess up on. The drawback being, I can't actually see from the picture which tools I would be getting. I mean, if I squint and think it logically it looks like there's... a swivel knife, some kind of embossing tool, and guessing from the mallet and cell phone cover that third one could be a basketweave stamp. And then there's these yellow square things I have no idea what they could be, and I'm thinking... couldn't I just get those tools myself and grab a couple of scraps from the basket in there, get a couple of those cheap PDF files and do the same things for half the cost?

Which leads me to option 2. There's no shipping charges, I can get everything instantly, and I can actually select a tool, hold it, and study it before deciding to buy it. They have a scrap bin, which I would probably be rifling through anyway rather than buy skins online, and I could get a more detailed and in-depth description of everything rather than the stale bare minimum I get on the site. Drawback being, all the individual kits included in the one are very expensive on their own, so if I ever wanted to make them I would have to shell out quite a bit to do so. Of course, that could also be a good thing considering I'd never be able to get rid of the finished products..... Vegan family, and all.

I guess my main question is just: IS the Deluxe kit worth it? Has anyone else gotten it in the past, and would it be a better investment to just go ahead and get it than to fiddlefoot around with getting the tools individually and locally?

Edited October 6, 2008 by DakiSK

[rdb]

Of the two choices, I would lean towards visiting the store...touchy-feelly, etc. Most Stores have a good handle on helping you get started, after all, that's what they are there for. You'll be able to see the tools, and kits, and with a little conversation, you would have a much better chance of knowing what it is you want to do. You may not want to do the carving. Maybe you would rather sew, or stamp, or some other aspect, after you looked around. Not to mention the classes they may hold on site.

If they order the kit for you, it will be delivered to their store, so no shipping, you just pick it up, if it's close enough.

Just don't bring more money than you want to spend. Don't forget, they are sales people...

Good luck, and keep us posted. I'm sure others will chime in with good advice.

[Hilly]

Ya know, I had the same questions running through my mind when I took up this addiction hobby.... I bought the kit just for the very basic instruction and those 7 tools to "try it out". I've never finished the projects from that kit, but it helped me to get my feet wet, and now it's become an addiction a really fun hobby.

If you want to start an addiction a relaxing hobby and spend tons of money many hours feeding that addiction learning how to make cool stuff, then go ahead and buy the kit. If you are unable to get another mortgage on your home afford the kit, I advise against it.

Hilly

[celticleather]

Take a look here

http://www.proleptic.net/products/index/15?page=28

Some of these lots (414-417) have a really good range of tools, at a really low price. If you bought more than you need, or get any duplicates, they would probably shift on eBay, and give you more money to spend on even more tools!

[TwinOaks]

to Leatherworker.net! You've approached this with a good bit of logic, which is to be applauded.

...but Hilly's made some good comments too.

To answer the question, go to the store to get things. Rdb is right about touching and seeing the tools. It's the easiest way to know what you're getting. Plus, you may not want all of the tools in the kit- it might be more fun to mix and match. If you get hooked like what you're doing, it's worth investing in the Tandy wholesale membership. It paid for itself in my first big order. My personal preference on this part: Don't worry too much about which type of dye is in the kit. For starters, check out the Ecoflo "all in one" dyes. They're easier to work with than other dye types, and are self finishing.

[tashabear]

And then there's these yellow square things I have no idea what they could be, and I'm thinking...

Those are sponges. :-D (I bought that set -- still have the kits. Might make some of them up for Christmas.)

[DakiSK]

Well, looks like my best bet would be to buy locally. Which is cool- I could be tooling leather as early as tomorrow afternoon!

Now, which tools would you recommend for a beginner? I'm thinking swivel knife, some kind of embossing tool, a stamp or two, one of the stitch-markers and an awl. Would that be good to start off with, or are there another couple more I should get as well?

[Hilly]

Well, looks like my best bet would be to buy locally. Which is cool- I could be tooling leather as early as tomorrow afternoon!

Now, which tools would you recommend for a beginner? I'm thinking swivel knife, some kind of embossing tool, a stamp or two, one of the stitch-markers and an awl. Would that be good to start off with, or are there another couple more I should get as well?

Do you have any specific area of interest such as western floral carving, Sheridan carving, Celtic, braiding, etc? It would help us to know these things so we can recommend tools.

If you want to do any carving, then the very least you will need is a mallet, a swivel knife with blade, and a beveler. I would also buy a pear shader, a veiner, a mule foot, a camo tool, and a seeder. A marble slab is also suggested, though I've used my kitchen table when I first started. These are pretty basic tools. You will need something to cut leather (a utility knife will get you started), and a surface to cut on, such as a big plastic cutting board. If you want to do stitching, you will want to pick up some harness needles (regular stitching and sewing needles don't work well on leather), an Osborne diamond point awl, and some of those little spools of prewaxed linen thread from Tandy. Also a stitching groover, and an overstitch wheel. OR you can use a stitching chisel in place of an awl, OR you can get a stitching awl complete with thread. If you buy locally, your supplier can show you how to use all these stitching tools.

You might want to experiment for the method of stitching that works best for you. I would also strongly suggest a book on basic leatherwork, and the book "The Art of Hand Sewing Leather" by Al Stohlman. These are all pretty essential things for a beginner.

If you do find that you enjoy leatherwork, AND if you plan on using Tandy as your main source of supplies, I suggest buying a membership in the wholesale club. It will pay for itself in very short order, and save you quite a bit of money in the long run. And no, I am NOT affiliated in any way with Tandy.

Have fun, and enjoy your new addiction craft!

Hilly

Edited October 7, 2008 by Hilly