Things I've Learned From Leather Working

[whipstitchwallets]

If you think you got it 'figured-out', you don't.

love this one!

[LNLeather]

Reading this all...... makes me cringe and reminds me of the rule to

always cut away from any body parts... mistakes can just draw blood up to a ride to the emergency room.

New blade in the utility knife + cutting in the wrong direction + being in a hurry = stitches. Long story made short...

* I'm pretty sure everyone reading this topic is remembering the time they learned this

[Glendon]

Reading this all...... makes me cringe and reminds me of the rule to

always cut away from any body parts... mistakes can just draw blood up to a ride to the emergency room.

New blade in the utility knife + cutting in the wrong direction + being in a hurry = stitches. Long story made short...

* I'm pretty sure everyone reading this topic is remembering the time they learned this

Oh yes. Thankfully this is one of those lessons you only have to learn once. Then you figure out that the best way to get things done quickly is to take your time.

[billybopp]

You guys all had me in stitches reading this! Ok. Maybe that's a bad choice of words, but hey ...

And no, bloodstains on leather or thread is NOT an added feature.

It all goes to show that Murphy is alive and well in everybody's workshop.

Bill

[Hi Im Joe]

I got another one....

When you try pyrography for the first time....DO IT OUTSIDE!

[WyomingSlick]

It is better to never find out if good safety habits pay off in the long run.........and much better than finding out how no, or bad safety habits may reward you.

A local contractor I know, ran his chain saw into the top of his leather booted foot last month, severing three tendons, and cutting about 1 1/2 chunk out of the bone. And he has a set of leg guards that he wasnt wearing!

[CTaylorJr]

Pyrography outside, as in out in the middle of the yard, or have a fan blowing it out of the garage! I didn't realize we had a smoke detector in the attic attached to the home alarm system!

I was flame coloring some yellow pine for a project with a torch, I guess normal Pyrography wouldn't get quite that bad.

While I'm in here, think back to when you first started... Remember wondering why the guys in the pictures needed so many tools? I'm learning now why, you always DONT have the one you really need!

[Sona]

Just got a new one the daybefore yesterday:

don´t even think about using the time your contact cement (NOT waterbased...) needs to dry to melt down some end of a polythread.... right where you applied the cement...o.O

[Troy I]

Been there done that sort of...cleaned a stitched holster with alcohol, then noticed some thread that needed melted down...puff...fire ball....LOL. WAIT FOR ALL ALCOHOL TO EVAPORATE BEFORE PLAYING WITH FIRE! !!!

[Hi Im Joe]

Been there done that sort of...cleaned a stitched holster with alcohol, then noticed some thread that needed melted down...puff...fire ball....LOL. WAIT FOR ALL ALCOHOL TO EVAPORATE BEFORE PLAYING WITH FIRE! !!!

That's awesome...you still got eyebrows?

[Troy I]

Yeah. ..but lost some hair off my arms. LMAO...and had to get some clean pants.

Edited June 17, 2014 by Troy I

[Hi Im Joe]

Yeah. ..but lost some hair off my arms. LMAO...and had to get some clean pants.

LOL!

[billybopp]

Spousal units make the strangest sounds when you work with contact cement indoors.

[Tesla Ranger]

Research is indispensable but it is immeasurably more useful when it is done -before- the project is finished.

[rejerome]

If you think you have plenty of material for that big project,....you don't., buy more leather, dye, finish and of course it's also a good opportunity to add any last minute tools to your order.

If you think you have all the tools you could possibly ever need, stop listening to your spouse......you don't Go buy some more tools.

If you think you have learned absolutely everything you will ever need to know about this craft......you haven't, do yourself a favor and buy a few more tools.

If you're bored in the evenings and there are no good John Wayne movies on, grab your laptop and start searching eBay for a few of those elusive "vintage" tools.

Things a little slow and your spouse suggests you work on some things around the house......no time for that, you've got some urgent tool shopping to attend to.

I think you get my point......

[barehandcustoms]

Oil dye takes about two weeks to work its way out of your skin if you let it dry.....Wear gloves or clean it off immediately

Buy good leather tools in the beginning if you can afford them instead of rebuying cheap tools when they break.....expensive tools don't equal good tools

Always over measure your thread before sewing everything together....Thread is cheap but the time wasted unstitching and resewing isn't

[Ed in Tx]

How about keep fingers a safe distance from sewing machine needle when sewing. If it sews thru almost an inch of veg tan leather it will go thru your thumb without a problem. Luckily it was just the edge of my thumb and the needle was real sharp... Forgot I was using a right foot and not a left, so no guard for the needle. Guess this also applies to the blood ones..

[JREESER1]

Know your blood type!

[MonicaJacobson]

Know your blood type!

What's the story behind this one?

Needle jabs take a disproportionately long time to heal.

If using a single gusset (for a large bag) and a pricking iron, measure as you go after you've done the first side. Unless you are careful, it will not produce the same number of holes the second time as it did the first time. Gah. I can't believe how long it took me to figure this out.

[JREESER1]

I was being a little tongue in cheek. I really knew my blood type before leather working, but it seems lately I am forever trying to stop trickles from awl jabs, knife nicks and knuckle barks from some tool. My platelet count has not returned from 2 longs bouts of chemo, 17 straight days of radiation and a stem cell transplant. I must be more careful.

[Hi Im Joe]

I was being a little tongue in cheek. I really knew my blood type before leather working, but it seems lately I am forever trying to stop trickles from awl jabs, knife nicks and knuckle barks from some tool. My platelet count has not returned from 2 longs bouts of chemo, 17 straight days of radiation and a stem cell transplant. I must be more careful.

Dude I just read your interests. Hell yeah congratulations on beating that shit twice! Keep it up man!

[JREESER1]

The great folks on this site, like you, keep me coming back.......every day. And everyday is all I can ask!

[MonicaJacobson]

I was being a little tongue in cheek. I really knew my blood type before leather working, but it seems lately I am forever trying to stop trickles from awl jabs, knife nicks and knuckle barks from some tool. My platelet count has not returned from 2 longs bouts of chemo, 17 straight days of radiation and a stem cell transplant. I must be more careful.

Wow, yeah, you probably should keep all the blood you can, if you can help it.

[Hi Im Joe]

The great folks on this site, like you, keep me coming back.......every day. And everyday is all I can ask!

A really good family friend always says..."Any day above ground is a good day." Its all too easy to forget that.

Edited June 20, 2014 by Hi Im Joe

[jfdavis58]

Probably shouldn't admit this for two reasons: there has already been enough blood and this lesson learned is far too serious, but here it is anyway.

Never put a knife down on the bench without it's sheath and a corollary (that's something that follows logically from the first part), never cut leather in front of a customer!

I was trying to be a nice guy, the customer was a pain. He wanted his holster his way, i.e. his pattern. And he wanted me to do the initial cutting where he could see it done (his den). I agreed to 'discuss his pattern' but explained that once used it was mine (knowing there would be significant modification). About ninety minutes (unpaid) and we had a sort of hybrid pattern he could live with. He still wanted to see it cut. I had (here's the stupid part) put the sheathed knife in my bag and brought along the cutting surface and sufficient leather. He picked the spot to cut from. Everything was still cordial.

The knife, a Leather Wranglers Round knife. The customer watched in absolute fascination as I cut and repositioned the leather and cut again, several time. I heard him loudly exhale when I made the last cut and the 'blank' fell free. I set the knife down and of course he snatched it up remarking that it must be" very sharp". Before I could say don't try the edge he ran his thumb along about 60% of the edge--down to the bone and about 45% of the total circumference of his thumb.

Hearing him howl when the sensation reached his brain was epic. I took him to the ER and they put in 12 stitches. As we were leaving the hospital I told him he was very lucky. He didn't quite feel as optimistic. That's when I showed him my BOSS. I bet he still doesn't have much color in his face.