No Experience, No Tools.... Goals And Questions Within!

[trav71]

Hey all, brand new to the forum, and looking to get into the craft. My end goal would be to make nice costume masks... Typical plague doctor, gargoyle, etc types of things. So I would imagine I would need to learn most aspects of the hobby.

Before I spend money on it, I wanted more seasoned minds than mine advise me on purchases. I went to the Tandy site, and looked at their beginner kits. I was turned off because the kit I was looking at ($139) looked like it was very basic. I was afraid of buying something with tools that are really too cheap to use, and precut leather that really doesnt give me a good start in learning. I wanted to hear what your opinions were... Would you recommend one of these kits for a beginner, or would you recommend buying a handful of "decent" level tools, a piece of cheapish leather, and to try to get started with some actual patterns? If so, what tools would I need to pick up?

I really appreciate any advice you all can offer me.

Trav

[Hi Im Joe]

You should talk to RavenAus. He is a member here and makes some awesome masks. There is one other dude too who does masks I think. But he could tell you what tools he uses the most that way you aren't wasting your money. Good luck!

[MonicaJacobson]

Yes, if you go to the forum and type in masks, you'll come up with at least three people who made very cool masks on this site. See if they will give you some advice! Buying tools is the hardest part of leatherworking, but don't worry, it gets easier.

[RavenAus]

Thanks Joe

Trav, I started out on a shoestring budget and went down from there. A box cutter, an awl, some horrible big eyed needles and thread that was so heavily waxed it was basically a spool of wax taper - hell, it was damn near a slow match! Half my tools are hand-me-downs from people who bought the kits, got into it for a few months then didn't pick them up again till I met them 10 years later!

Personally I wouldn't bother with the kits. You're unlikely to need half of what's in them and they are aimed almost exclusively at tooling anyway. For me, the tools I use every day are the box cutter (yes, still - it's the easiest knife to use), stitch groover (or dividers - something to give you a line to work with), an edge beveller to suit quite thin leather, stitch marker and stitching chisel or pricking iron, a good rotary punch and a set you can hammer, and plenty of cardstock.

Get a bag of offcuts and practise on them. Make bookmarks, keyfobs, whatever you can fit on the pieces, just to get the techniques - stitching, edging, cutting out, dye and the godawful messes you can create with it... If you want to do something like a plague doctor mask, get the cardstock out. It's a lot cheaper and less frustrating than going through hides getting the the shape wrong AGAIN - ask me how I know...

Leather wise, you want a thin veg, nothing thicker than 2mm unless you're a masochist I usually use 1.5-1.8mm

Go visit www.tombanwell.com - that guy is the master of mask making and especially plague doctor masks. Look at how he starts them, how he works out his patterns. He's on here as Banwell and he's given a few patterns away free over the years.

[trav71]

Thanks so much guys, now I need to figure out brands and sizes!!! I am pretty stoked to get started!!!

[trav71]

Hey Raven,

Personally I wouldn't bother with the kits. You're unlikely to need half of what's in them and they are aimed almost exclusively at tooling anyway. For me, the tools I use every day are the box cutter (yes, still - it's the easiest knife to use), stitch groover (or dividers - something to give you a line to work with), an edge beveller to suit quite thin leather, stitch marker and stitching chisel or pricking iron, a good rotary punch and a set you can hammer, and plenty of cardstock.

So my list should include :

1. stitch groover
2. divider
3. edge beveller
4. stitch marker
5. stitching chisel/pricking iron
6. rotary punch tool

I dont really know what half of these things are, lol.. I am sure I can find them on my own, but I do not know the sizes of some of the tools. Do I need an awl? Are these the dividers you are referring to?

http://www.traditionalwoodworker.com/searchprods.asp

What is a "good" rotary punch tool? I am asking this one specifically, because I saw some posts advising against "bad" ones.. so I am a little more paranoid about that purchase than the others.

Thanks again!

[RavenAus]

As far as brands go, you're going to have different ones in the US than in Oz

Have a look at Ian Atkinsons videos on Youtube - https://www.youtube.com/user/satansbarber - he does a great job of introducing many of the tools and techniques you'll need

[MagnusOpus]

The Deluxe Kit seems to be sort of a beginners Leathercraft 101. It has the tools and instructions to make a handful of projects to get some basics of tooling, riveting, basic hand stitching, etc to be a basic overview, but it's pretty broad. It might be worth catching when it's on sale to have the tools to play with, but it sounds like you're on the right track for what you are looking at making.

As far as a rotary punch, you want to make sure you get one that has threaded tubes that can be replaced so you can rotate them out when they get dulled.

I think you'll be happier with yourself if you decide to invest in solid hand tools up front. Mid-grade ones are fine for thinner leather, but as soon as you get to something a little heavier, you'll wish you had upgraded initially. You'll also be able to work more efficiently as they aren't as rough on your hands.

[trav71]

Well, I have a machete, with no sheath... so I decided to start with making a sheath for it. It is something practical, and a project I can define. I found an article on "The Art of Manliness", for making a simple sheath... It looks like the things I will need are :

Awl

Overstitch wheel

Stitch Groover

Waxed Thread

Needles

I thought that I was supposed to use a diamond sewing chisel for punching the holes, but I guess this guy suggests using an awl.

What would you recommend for this handful of items? And how do I match thread to awl size?

[MonicaJacobson]

That's an excellent way to start. The Art of Manliness isn't a bad tutorial, but it might have been a one-off for the website. I think you might find better (or additional) information using the search option on this forum. Look up sheaths and study the ones you like. People have also posted progress pictures, so you can see it step by step. Youtube is another good option. I'm sure there are a bunch of really awesome sheath makers who post how-to videos.

If you watch Nigel Armitage's video on saddle stitch (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGuiha5S2oE), he goes into detail about needles, thread sizes, etc. He has several videos on the subject.

I would recommend .8 mm tiger thread and harness needles (you can get them from tandy, or probably anywhere). I got my tiger thread from Ludlow leather, and it's about the same price as tandy thread, and lasts for a very long time. I don't make sheaths, however. Your best bet is to search the forum, and see what size thread other sheath makers use.

Diamond sewing chisels make it easier to get a consistent look. You can use either one.

[RavenAus]

Stitching chisels are useful, I wouldn't be without, but yes you will need an awl. If you read what I started with, I said a box cutter, and awl and needles. You don't *need* anything more than that to make something, but you'll *want* more than that to do a good job