Members Tramps Leatherworking Posted January 14, 2015 Members Report Posted January 14, 2015 I have been doing leatherwork for 35 years, and I design just about everything from scratch --- I rarely use patterns, as I love to design different products that fit my image of what they should look like. I also hand select all my leather, or my partner does that I have trained, because I know what I want leather to look like, feel like (hand), and smell like, yes that can make a difference... As far as being an expert, I have been called an "Expert" and "A true craftsman" by customers, and other leatherworkers, but I have never described myself as such. Having a shop is nice, I have two --- one in my "man Cave" and a real shop behind my house, but I have seen some guys produce some pretty amazing leatherwork from basements, or just a corner of a room in their houses. I was lucky enough to apprentice under an old biker that specialized in the Motorcycle genre of leatherworking, that experience was invaluable --- of course it was before the Internet and google... Tools are a whole different animal, if you do some searching on here you will get 100 different opinions about which tools are necessary, and which tools are the best. If you spend the money and get some good quality tools at the beginning, it will make things easier for you. I have some Barry King tools, C.S. Osborne, Weaver Master tools, and a couple of Tandy tools that pale in comparison to the others I mentioned. If you contact one of the reputable tool makers they will be happy to discuss what tools are best for the type of leather work you are interested in... As for sewing machines, I have two Singer treadles that are almost 100 years old that I use everyday, In addition I have a Consew 227 R-2 that I think is a great versatile machine --- it will sew everything from 46 to 207 thread with absolutely no issues. Good Luck, and continue to study the wealth of knowledge on this site, and pick the brains of some of the members --- there are some really great leather craftsmen/Artists on here who are always willing to help. ' Quote ~Tramp~ Experientia magistra stultorum --- (Experience is the teacher of fools)
Members NavyVet Posted February 20, 2015 Members Report Posted February 20, 2015 In the last 2 years I've spent over 11g's on leather tools and supplies. Shhh. What the wife doesn't know.... etc. Quote
Members Calait Posted February 23, 2015 Members Report Posted February 23, 2015 Where is the best place to get good quality tools? Starting out with Tandy stuff, but will change to better tools, hoping to skip a lot of stupid tax along the way. Quote
Members Ta2ooz Posted February 23, 2015 Members Report Posted February 23, 2015 Well, I have also just started on this road and in 3 months of doing this I am well over $1000, I don't have much. I found a pretty deluxe starter kit on eBay. Most of the tools are halfway decent, some are not,but it did come with the Japanese style leather knife which is pretty cool. IMHO this is like anything else arty or crafty, it's a ton of practice, picking up a few scrap bags from Tandy to practice the cutting and stamping on is what I did and continue to grab little scraps to test out this and that. I don't think calling yourself an expert at anything is proper. I have been an auto tech for 25 years and while I am very good at what I do, I am not an expert, or if I am, I'm not saying I am. Quote Etsy shop https://www.etsy.com/shop/Ta2Leatherworks
Pit 4 Brains Posted March 2, 2015 Report Posted March 2, 2015 It only takes over the whole house long enough for you to build a separate building for it. That only took me 5 years, . . . and about 3 grand. Oh, . . . and that word you used, . . . uhhh, . . . "Expert", . . . well, ummmmm, . . . money doesn't buy that. You can become really good at one or two things in a couple of years, . . . but even then, . . . "Expert" is a long way down the pike. I'm 70, . . . been messing with leather on and off for almost 60 years, . . . and will be ground temperature long before someone tags me with "Expert". Very few attain that status, . . . and that is not meant to dissuade you, . . . just inform you. May God bless, Dwight I almost thought I was reading a quote from Paul Harvey. Any man that claims himself to be an expert has a lot to learn.. BTW, I'm just starting out too… Quote
Members Dwight Posted March 2, 2015 Members Report Posted March 2, 2015 I almost thought I was reading a quote from Paul Harvey. Any man that claims himself to be an expert has a lot to learn.. BTW, I'm just starting out too… Well, . . . I've never been enlikened to Paul Harvey before, . . . but thank you, . . . he certainly was one of my favorite personalities of yesteryear. I used to make sure at 12:00, . . . I was somewhere near a radio, . . . I've even pulled off the freeway, . . . opened up my brown bag / balogna / PBJ / and chocolate milk lunch while I listened to him. I'm not sure I ever really learned anything from him that made a great difference in my life, . . . but in a dull and dreary world, . . . he was certainly a bright light of entertainment for me. Thanks again for the compliment, . . . may God bless, Dwight Quote If you can breathe, . . . thank God. If you can read, . . . thank a teacher. If you are reading this in English, . . . thank a veteran. www.dwightsgunleather.com
Members AussieMade Posted June 8, 2021 Members Report Posted June 8, 2021 Expert is definitely not the right word to use. Highly experienced is probably what most of the best of the best are (not me). As someone said above, there is only a few in the leathercraft world that most would call absolute Experts in this lost trade. I have been dabbling for a few yrs, my recommendation would be to practice hand stitching first. Nothing wrong with belts, collars wallets etc. although wallets can be very finicky to get just right. If you make a belt, hand stitch the entire belt, this will give you the skills to stitch in a straight line, always use a stitching chisels and wing dividers or edge groover to get the spacing the same from the edge of the leather piece and always sew consistently with regards to tension of pulled thread and which way you put your needles through the leather. Also use a edge beveller and burnish your edges. That is my suggestions, but everyone is different so you will get lots of advice. Take mine and every one elses advice and see what works for you. Good luck and welcome to the group Quote
Members Rahere Posted June 8, 2021 Members Report Posted June 8, 2021 On 12/21/2014 at 10:48 PM, Northmount said: Definition of an expert: X is an unknown quantity, and spurt is a drip under pressure. Another definition is anyone more than 25 miles from home. Tom Aw, you've lost half of it. Ex = has-been, spurt = drip under pressure. Another angle is that an expert knows everything about nothing. Me, I know nothing about everything. Quote
Members JohnnyLongpants Posted June 14, 2021 Members Report Posted June 14, 2021 This started off as an old thread but since we are talking about experts now... An old-timer once told me that "an expert is someone 50 miles from his hometown, carrying a briefcase." Quote
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