Total Newbie Needs Advice About Tandy Classes

[Sebc]

Hi everyone,

I have recently retired and I am interested in learning about leather working. Tandy runs a series of classes 4 Saturdays for 2 hours each for beginners. Has anyone ever taken these and if so should I enrol. The classes are about a one hour drive, which is one of the reasons I am asking.

Thanks

[King's X]

I developed a few classes and teach at my local Tandy Leather. If you are beginning, I would highly suggest these beginner classes.....especially before moving forward with the big investment you WILL make to get going. But if I may, please start investing time on the internet, reading blogs, checking out books and YouTube to gain as much knowledge as possible. I can remember when I started......I think I spent a week, two or maybe even 3 weeks just on LeatherWorker.net. There is so, so much information on here that you can learn quite a bit and level out your learning curve.

Either way, welcome to the world of leathercraft.

[electrathon]

Like King's X I also teach at Tandy. Sometimes beginner to more advanced classes. I think you will find that the quality of classes will vary from store to store. And even from instructor to instructor at each store. There is no set class format. I recommend trying a time or two and see how it goes. Also as King's X said, read here, a lot.

[penguineer]

Is this the class you're looking at? (from Tandy website):

Vancouver, BC, Canada Leathercraft Classes

Leatherworking Basic
4 Saturdays, Free to Members + Deposit
Description: These classes are primarily focused on tooling leather.
COST: Free with a GOLD or ELITE membership (100$ WITHOUT). A 20$ cash Deposit is required
prior to the class start date. This is returned as store credit after the last session. Students will be
signed up in order of payment. Unpaid students can place their name on the waiting list.
DATE/TIMES: 4 Saturday sessions either 10AM to NOON, or 1PM to 3PM
Beginners: In this class you will learn what leather is and what to look for when picking it. You
will learn how to transfer a design to leather, how to use the swivel knife and the 7 basic stamping
tools to transform your design into a 3 dimensional appearance. You will learn hand sewing, lacing,
dying and sealing leather, how to set rivets and spots and the use of some additional tools that can
be of great use.

Requirements: Any level of leatherworking experience. You will get 2 coaster blanks and the use of
tools while in store. You will be highly encouraged to purchase the 7 Basic Tool Set so you can
complete homework assignments.
Intermediate: You will create the border from the Sheridan Border Elk Design, which can be
Downloaded free on the Tandy Leather Library.
Requirements: You must have taken the Beginners class. You must provide your own tools (you
may use our poly hammers and stone slabs while in store.)
Advanced: You will add an eagle to the Sheridan Border you created in the Intermediate class.
Requirements: You must have taken the Beginner and Intermediate class. You must provide your
own tools (you may use our poly hammers and stone slabs while in store.

Looks like a good overall coverage of a basic tooled project and how to hold things together. I reckon it'd be worth having a go at to learn a bit about working with leather and if the instructor is any good it would be a very worthwhile practical supplement to just reading and watching other people work.

The question I was going to ask you to ask yourself was - is there any particular area of leatherwork that interests you?

A key thing is to give it a go and try!

Cheers!

Edited September 11, 2015 by penguineer

[JLSleather]

I'd skip it, personally. Be a COLD day when I go 100 miles and don't know what I'm getting. But then, the tandy "classes" I've seen (by accident, happened to walk in the store) were useless -- generally along the lines of old fat guy with a sales pitch and / or need for attention. Maybe not the same in other places? But, that one in MN had a cute girl attending it, so not a complete waste of time (though not involving leather).

$100 buys about half a side of cow leather .. a LOT of hands on practice. Here, someone wants you to pay $100 to have them tell you what tools and leather you need (which they are willing to sell you). Or you could buy a "membership" (which I suppose they make sound like a "deal" since it's more than the $100) which is good ONLY with Tandy. And you need to buy tools just to take the classes, ON TOP of what you're already paying? Yikes ...

But bottom line, there's a SEA of information to be had right from home and FREE. I've purchased a few books over the years, but as a rule --- If a guy thinks his opinion is so important he should CHARGE me for it... then he can keep it

[dikman]

I don't know anything about the Tandy classes (don't have them here), but I learned by reading LOTS and LOTS on the 'net, the guy where I bought my leather gave me lots of free advice, I watched quite a few videos on youtube (yeah, I know, some are pretty basic, some are self-indulgent and some are downright pathetic - but they still helped me understand some of the terminology and what people were talking about) and then there's this forum. An incredibly valuable source of information and advice.

I've also read a few books, some by Al Stohlman - your local library might be a good source if you don't want to buy them.

And then I learned by doing, and making the inevitable mistakes. If you still want to do the course, I would advise that you start reading to learn some of the basics first as it should help you get more out of the course because you'll have some understanding of what they're talking about. Incidentally, they mention buying the "basic tool set", but I think you would be far better off buying the individual tools as you need them. (I bought the basic set - awl, groover, marking wheel thingy, needles and thread. It got me started, but I've never used the wheel thingy, the thread is too short to be of much use and I eventually managed to pull the awl blade out of the handle! I fixed it, but I've ordered an awl from Japan, as while the Tandy awl works I've realised it's not exactly the best example of an awl).

You have a big advantage now, being retired - you have the time to spend learning!

[penguineer]

Hmmmm....I must have had a brain freeze - missed that cost bit.

Does sound a bit steep for a basics.

The content sounds about right, and I'm sure it will be used to push tools for sale....

Cheers!

[byggyns]

^{I attended a holster making class at my local Tandy. It was $65 for 2 Saturdays. The cost really just covered the supplies we used: a single shoulder of leather, dye, needles, finish, thread- at the normally inflated Tandy prices, and we took home the left overs. I thought it was a good deal, as a decent holster costs upwards of $50, and a custom one is over $80.}

^{It was my first leather class since Boy Scouts 20 years ago. I found it very helpful. Since it did not require me to buy any tools, I could choose what tools I wanted as I moved forward. I did end up getting some Tandy tools to make more projects with that first shoulder of leather: another holster and a knife sheath. The advice to read as much as you can is certainly well founded. I have learned quite a lot reading the Stohlman books and the information on this site.}

^{Also, as far as the cost of that class, the Gold level membership was only $35 USD last year when I did it, so that would be quite a bit less than the $100 for the course.}

^{Of course, my local shop was only a 10min drive from my apartment at that time, and I wasn't working a second job, so I had the time and the distance availability. Now with 2 jobs, I barely have time to touch the sides of leather I have sitting around to have fun with any new projects.}

Edited September 11, 2015 by byggyns

[Sebc]

Thank you all for your words of wisdom. I appreciate the feedback and will continue to research on the internet before jumping in to any classes.

[Sebc]

Is this the class you're looking at? (from Tandy website):

Looks like a good overall coverage of a basic tooled project and how to hold things together. I reckon it'd be worth having a go at to learn a bit about working with leather and if the instructor is any good it would be a very worthwhile practical supplement to just reading and watching other people work.

The question I was going to ask you to ask yourself was - is there any particular area of leatherwork that interests you?

A key thing is to give it a go and try!

Cheers!

Hi penguineer, yes this is the course i was looking at. Thanks

[Calait]

Hi everyone,

I have recently retired and I am interested in learning about leather working. Tandy runs a series of classes 4 Saturdays for 2 hours each for beginners. Has anyone ever taken these and if so should I enrol. The classes are about a one hour drive, which is one of the reasons I am asking.

Thanks

Sebc, if there are any classes you can get to, GO and enjoy. Yes, you might mess-up a piece of leather but learning something you will do. Design you own wallet, belt, messenger bag or table center piece cover. There are classes taught very reasonably, most at only the cost of tools and leather you use, yes you can learn tons from you-tube but the staff at least in the Round Rock store is great to be with. Good luck, enjoy your new craft.

[SmokeyPoint]

Sorry, but the one thing people are missing here is the "you" factor. Clearly you are interested in the craft. The question here is: are you the type of person who can just pick up something like this and do it? I learned on my own, much in the way described above, put out some decent products (5.0 rating on my Etsy store) and never took a class. BUT, I have been working with my hands almost my entire life, and used to sell woodworking items in a craft shop that I owned in the early 90's. I did a 1:1 class for a retired school principal last year, and by the end wished he had spent a little more time in the woodshop during his tenure.

So, can you afford to NOT take the class? Can you afford to burn a couple hundred dollars (or more, a lot more) buying leather and practicing on your own, buying tools that you may never use, etc. The principal took meticulous notes during the process of the tools needed to make the holster we built together. I told him when he could get away with a different/cheaper tool, and when he absolutely, positively needed THIS tool to do the work. Leatherworking kits often come with tools you may never need or use. Or worse, need to replace almost immediately. Like me, you may find that carving leather isn't your thing. I lack the artistic talent for it. But I spent money on that swivel knife and all of those shading tools in that mega-set I bought. Now what?

Besides that, at least taking the class, you're making forward progress and actually getting hands-on time with the medium. For the price of a decent dinner for two, and a few hours' drive time, you may find that you need to keep looking for hobbies. Or you may find your life's passion.