Need to vent a little...

[Randy Cornelius]

The one thing that Tandy Stores has going for it is that the hobbiest can walk in and try out the tools and see what they do before they buy and not have to spend a small fortune to do it. Otherwise that person has to spend the money to go to a show and look at the big name tool makers tools. Those of us know what they cost.

What I don't like is going to a class and having an instuctor tell you that you have to buy so in so's tool in order to do what he is demonstrating. When in reality there is most likely a Tandy tool that would do the same job for a whole lot less. It seems that everyone is pushing everyone elses products at the shows, which is fine but the instrutors should tell the students other ways to do the same thing with a less expensive tool. The expensive tool will maybe save you a little time or make it look nicer in one pass. Example: I took a class on covering a swell and horn of a saddle. The instuctor told us we had to us a specific tool to trim the horn. I knew from experence that it could be done just as well with a round knife and a #5 Tandy edger. But he said we had to buy this 125.00 hand made tool to do it. I think that holds some back when they feel they have to buy these expensive tools to make them better, EXPERIANCE AND PRACTICE MAKES YOU BETTER not some fancy tool. Yes, I buy the fancy tools but that is a diease and an infliction that comes with years of experiance. LOL They should have AA for Leatherworkers! LOL

Randy

[Art]

Hi Greg,

Ellis Barnes makes a very good set of 15 tools for $125. It is a basic set but you can do a lot with it. The price makes it a no brainer. Jump on that one while Ellis is still with us. I have my own favorite toolmaker and most of my tools are by him, but I have a lot of Tandy tools that I picked-up when Tandy wasn't LF and even ones today where I might want to try something out and if I like it and start using it a lot I order a better one and wait the year or so to get it. Obviously, I take my Tandy tools to teach Scouts. I have seen very good work done with ONLY Tandy tools, and even better work done with JUST a modeling tool, and that looked like it was a Tandy too. You can and will make due with what you can afford.

Art

Thanks, everyone. I'll definitely be ordering some of those catalogs, and get a good grip on what's out there and for how much.

I remember that I did have a non-Tandy tool in my collection that was really good. I went out and checked, and it's a Hackbarth. It doesn't have a code number on it, but it's a round checked shader of some kind. I think I got it during some kind of promotion a few years ago, or as a prize from something. Anyway, it's far and away a better tool than anything else in my collection, including Tandy tools my dad had from when I was a kid in the scouts (probably before that, actually).

While I readily admit that I'm no master at this, it's clear to me now how big a difference the quality of the tools make, even in the hands of an amateur.

Thanks again for all the feedback.

[Dale]

I'm going to be a little repetitive, but I think some points bear repeating. Tandy and Hidecrafter target the hobbyist, and in that respect they have good tools. Same applies to any other hobby...you have hobbyist tools and professional tools. Ever hear of a student-grade paint brush? paint? craft-grade foam-cutter? Anybody ever walk out of Harbor Freight tools with a little less cash because you "didn't need to pay the extra 20% for the professional-grade bench grinder?" The only place I hear of tools causing a creative struggle is with leathercrafters. Painters don't blame the paint or the brushes, sculptors don't blame the clay, and woodworkers don't blame the table saw. If they don't like what they're using, they go get something else. We go through the same discussion periodically. The last one I participated in was about a year ago. That's when I sat down in the local Tandy and only used tools off the rack (except the swivel knife which was laying out on the bench) to create the attached picture. The tools seemed to work ok.

Before anyone starts thinking I can only sing Tandy's praises, I will say that I think they are currently missing the mark with respect to how the Craftools are used. All of the literature (instruction books, patterns, etc) and instruction specifies the "right" way to use each Craftool. Unfortunately, as has been pointed out, the tools that are produced today are deviating from the intended design to the point where many of them are less useful in creating the impression "as instructed." You may still be able to reproduce the design, but you may need to use different Craftools to get it. In other words, the rules are changing. In fact, assume there are no rules. Rather than depend on Al or Jim or Tony to tell you how it's "supposed" to be done, do it your own way. Judge your success on how well you like your own creation rather than how well you reproduce somebody else's creation. And have fun with it.

Dale

[Bree]

I am going to speculate a bit.

I looked at several of my Tandy stamps tonight and I think they are all plated. They sure look like they are plated to me.

That would mean that a crisp cut on the metal is going to get "softened" by the plating deposits. A tool cut from say good stainless steel and unplated should have better edges than a tool plated with nickel and/or chrome.

Anyway that's my unprofessional SWAG.

[Leerwerker]

The remake of the Craftools stamps are well in progress and the new models are some even better than my pre-1975 tools.

There is only one I am not happy with - the 902 very pointed beveler - my old one has straight sides and is good for the ends of hair and very sharp corners. The new one has more a miniature pear shader form...

Stamping tools is a highly subjective issue. Don't criticize any one set of tools or a tool maker - just do not buy it, I am sure nobody forces you to buy any particular line of tools.

And for some perspective, look at the tools Stohlman started with (my picture is not very good - it was taken to show the display and here I had to just give you one corner of the picture) Note the two swivel knives at the top ...

Edited December 2, 2008 by Leerwerker

[tonyc1]

They look as if they have good definition, though!

Tony.

[GregGaub]

I appreciate everyone's thoughtful input on this.

Don't get me wrong. I don't believe that I'll suddenly become a better tooler with nicer tools. I know that a master can make do with some rusty nails. What I do know is that I'm capable of better work than what I ended up with last night. Of course the recipient thought it was great, but I didn't bother taking photos of it because I'm really not proud of it at all. I know that anyone here would be able to see the mess I made of it.

Could I have done a better job with the tools I had? Probably. I'm sure my initial frustration caused me to make more mistakes, repeating the cycle. With a cooler head, I can see that. But, even knowing all this, and while it might sound petty, I still believe that the tools make enough of a difference that it's worth getting some better ones.

I knew that I'd get a lot of competing votes for various makers, but I didn't expect quite so much of the other kind I got. ;-)

I guess I'll just get those catalogs and try a few different ones.

It's great that there is such stiff competition in the maker's tools market.

[CitizenKate]

The one thing that Tandy Stores has going for it is that the hobbiest can walk in and try out the tools and see what they do before they buy and not have to spend a small fortune to do it. Otherwise that person has to spend the money to go to a show and look at the big name tool makers tools. Those of us know what they cost.

...EXPERIENCE AND PRACTICE MAKE YOU BETTER not some fancy tool. Yes, I buy the fancy tools but that is a diease and an infliction that comes with years of experiance. LOL They should have AA for Leatherworkers! LOL

Agreed... Any discussion we have about tool quality or specialized gadgets for leatherwork should be kept in perspective of these other factors, such as the experience, skill, and budget of the person buying the tools.

Despite what I have observed, I still believe Craftools and the other mass-produced, entry-level tools, are the best tools for beginners to start out with. Experience and skill will make the biggest difference in the quality of one's work. A higher-quality tool will make a difference, in my opinion, but only once the person using it has already developed the skill and discernment to leverage that quality.

Kate

[Tina]

Despite what I have observed, I still believe Craftools and the other mass-produced, entry-level tools, are the best tools for beginners to start out with. Experience and skill will make the biggest difference in the quality of one's work. A higher-quality tool will make a difference, in my opinion, but only once the person using it has already developed the skill and discernment to leverage that quality.

Kate

I agree with you Kate but, sometimes Tandy do send out tools that never should have left the factory in the first place.

Let me give you an example...Last spring I bought some seeders and with my knollage today I would have sent them right back. I paste in a picture, the one to the right is one of the faulty tools I got and the one to the left is an older tool I bought from Ebay, both S630. I also made some inprint with both tools from light tapping to a good wack. This newer tool will never give a good inprint never mind how/what you're doing, it's just wrong.

My 2 cents//Tina

[Dale]

I agree with you Kate but, sometimes Tandy do send out tools that never should have left the factory in the first place.

Let me give you an example...Last spring I bought some seeders and with my knollage today I would have sent them right back. I paste in a picture, the one to the right is one of the faulty tools I got and the one to the left is an older tool I bought from Ebay, both S630. I also made some inprint with both tools from light tapping to a good wack. This newer tool will never give a good inprint never mind how/what you're doing, it's just wrong.

My 2 cents//Tina

Tina,

You've essentially demonstrated the point I was trying to make regarding the defined "proper" use of the tool. In my opinion, there's nothing wrong with this tool. It makes a great impression. The problem is that it's being sold as a "seeder" that is to be used in a particular manner to create the illusion of a flower center (or some such nonsense). The tools may not work with their instruction any longer, but they will work. Like I said before...the rules changed. Identify the look you want and then identify the tool/technique that will get you there. The energy spent condemning a tool is energy taken away from the creative process.

Dale