New Noob In Iowa

[eandrese]

I am not exactly sure how it happened, but I have really caught the leatherworking bug.

Certainly my love for leather goods started years ago but recently I sort of stumbled across the hobby of leather working.

Initially, I started watching videos on YouTube, and I have watched I think what amounts of many hours of instructional video there now. Then I started to look for websites and thought I would really like to learn more about it.

My memory of kits includes a lot of junk as a kid that included plastic laces etc. I certainly am no looking for that I know.

My background is in IT, I am a techy nerd type now in my late 40's with five grandkids and looking for something to keep me busy when I am not taking college courses as an empty nester. Really the idea of making leather goods as gifts is pretty attractive, but I see leather craft as a craft, something you learn over a long period of time and make investments in tools over a long period of time. It also is a great opportunity for the kids who never quite know what to buy me, it seems that there is a long list of punches that could give them ideas fo years to come; and also i love to learn new things, this seems like a hobby that one can never learn all facets of, like there will be a lot to learn for a long time.

All of that said I also have recognized that this might not be real mainstream. I looked at several bookstores and found nothing. Also I have no Tandy near me. I am somewhere between Chicago and Des Moines about mid-way in the "Quad Cities" and no local craft or hobby stores seem to have much. They might have a few products, but it is very sparse.

I did find a pretty limited selection of stuff at the local hobby lobby. My initial purchase was a bag of scraps from Silver Creek Leather, a modeling spoon with a transfer tool on the rother end and I purchased some cotton thread and a few needles looking forward to a time when I get some other tools like a groover and a rolling spacer.

My expectations are pretty low for now. I want to learn enough to say make a belt, a few coasters may be padded with some urethane fill of some type and wet formed to give it a nice edge, maybe some nice leather mouse pads, or writing pads, and sa a journal cover. All of these seem like good starter projects to me.

This past weekend I got out some of the scraps and a craft mat we have for a roller knife and a metal straightedge and thought I would try my hand at cutting; JUST cutting a few straight pieces. It was a real struggle for me. Might be I need to get some different kind of knife. I used a utility knife. I did wet (Case?) the leather first and allowed it to return to just less than wet before cutting, but maybe my knife was of poor quality or maybe it is just a lot harder than it looks.

Honestly I questioned if the stuff I got at Hobby Lobby was even real leather and wondered if it is even harder with what really is good quality veg tan.

Anyway I wanted to introduce myself and just share where I am in the hobby today. There seem to be a ton of really smart and talented people here.

I will take any advice I can get. Let me know if I seem to be walking down the right path.

Thanks in advance for all of the wisdom you can impart.

Best,

Eric Andresen

Davenport, Iowa

Edited November 17, 2014 by eandrese

[snubbyfan]

It is a craft that's learned over time but with places like this forum you can learn some real techniques from people that have been there.

I use a roller knife only on lighter or milled leather.

My main leather cuttin' tools is one of these things;

Just make sure it's sharp and stropped.

[JLSleather]

Down in that neck o the woods, you aint too far from S-T Leather in St Louis. I've never used their carving leather, but I get lining leathers and liquids through them. Some of the hardware / buckle stuff, too. The materials are good, the web site sucks Still, you can see what you want, and call down there. ( stleather.com ) or from your area maybe just drive down and look.

I've used a lot of knives to cut leather, but I still go back to the utlity knife for long straight cuts, and a #11 x-acto for curves. Works as well as anything, and I dont waste time sharpening (pitch the blade and pop in a new one)>

[billybopp]

Welcome aboard!

I find that a utility knife, a backed metal ruler, and a cutting mat are about the best all around tools for cutting leather. Like JLS, I like my X-acto knife as well, but I prefer the #10 blade since it is a little beefier. The standard #11 blade flexes too much for me .. but that might just be the way that I use it. Rotary cutters work better than fixed blades on very thin leathers .. Under 2 or 3 ounces for example. I like the 60mm rotary better than the 45mm for the most part. I discovered to my surprise that a pair of big a$$ shears works better then I ever imagined on leather. Leather seems to cut far more easily when it is dry rather than when wet or even damp. There is far less drag and bunching of leather that way. The real key is sharp, sharp, and sharper blades. Even utility blades right from the package can be improved a little bit by stropping them.

There are tons of videos on youtube that you may find helpful. Look up Ian Atkinson, Nigel Armitage, Chief32794, and tandyleatherfactory for some good video instruction. Just bear in mind that Tandy is often trying to sell you something... Principals they show are sound, tho. Nigel and Chief are members here, and I have reason to think Ian is too, although if so he's as elusive as bigfoot.

For books you can find some good stuff on Amazon, or tandy's leathercraftlibrary.com Most of the books that they have in-store or used to have in-store are available there in digital format. Leathercraft Tools, Hand Sewing, and ABCs of Leatherwork are a few good starters.

Hope that helps

Bill

[Chief31794]

My main cutting tool is a utility knife, I use a high quality knife, high quality blades and I strop them as well. I also use a round knife, rotary knife (on thin goods), and xacto type knives from time-to-time but 95% of my cutting is done with a utility knife.

What ever you cut with, make sure it's sharp and keep your fingers out of the path of the blade. That being said, my most important tool in a leather shop is my first aid kit. My hands show the signs of 45 years of leather cutting and a good first aid kit with disinfectant and good bandages keeps small nicks and cuts from becoming infected.

Chief

[billybopp]

LOL. Gotta say ... Chief is right. Band-aids and neosporin at hand is a good thing. Knives, awls, and even "blunt" sewing needles will make blood stains a "feature" of your product all too often. I have recently started making use of kevlar kitchen gloves when doing bigger cuts. They haven't saved me yet, but I'm sure they will eventually.

Bill

[eandrese]

Ha would have never thought about considering the first aid kit a leatherworking tool but no worries I have one of them too!

The knife I used this weekend was a basic utility razor knife, the kind that uses a keystone shaped blade, but all of that advise is good for sure. I was considering adding a roller knife, but maybe not, sounds like their utility is pretty limited.

I will try stropping a new blade next time.

I have seen a lot of Ian's videos already but have not seen any of Nigel's videos yet. Going to go look for them.

I am off to go find Chiefs videos right now! Thanks guys.