I'm New And Discouraged

[DavidL]

First thing I purchased was from Tandy. It has nothing to do with where I am in the craft or where I am not.

As a store to sell overpriced tools that is useless the moment they are bought is the issue. They are robbing unwitting customers. Even if they sell average price leather from time to time, dont support this behaviour.

Maybe im wrong, the ultimate tool set is not bad.. $900 dollars for made in china tools http://www.tandyleather.ca/en/product/ultimate-leathercraft-set

Edited December 14, 2015 by DavidL

[Northmount]

Research how to books, including those on Tandy's website, buy a couple. Study out what you want to make, including the kind of tools required to make it. Then go look for just the tools needed and the leather you need. Research some more here as well, especially where hand sewing is involved. There are many approaches to use. Don't be pushed into more than you need for your current project. You can add a few things as you go along.

You can find a lot of information here, but sometimes knowing the right terms to search for make it hard to find what you want. Here is some information on hand stitching using a minimal number of tools, using what you have on hand at home. Look at post 19. This is just an example of what you can do thinking outside the box and looking at the implements you have at hand. Working this way will save you some money at the start, and get you started. Then you can go get the better tools, etc.

Tom

[Kulafarmer]

TO: DAVIDL

Do not bad mouth Tandy to every one who is trying to get started in this Art.

Sure, they have a lot of junk these days but they have some good stuff too, you have to know what you are getting before you pay for it. That isn't only when you buy at Tandy.

If not for Tandy I would never have begun this fabulous medium 60 years ago. The store in Miami Florida told me I paid their rent for two years. I have some of the best leather I have bought anywhere that came from Tandy and I have some of the worst.

Unfortunately a lot of things are not as they used to be, get over it.

ferg

Ferg,

Same here with tandy and beginnings, i remember getting my first tandy catalogue in the late 60s ordered off the back pages of a sunset magazine or something like that. Fast forward to a couple months ago and im re learning the craft and trade and am happy with almost everything i have gotten from Tandy,

Being a carpenter and wood worker i know its not so much the material or tools, its what you do with them, ice cream out of dog shis

[MonicaJacobson]

I got my start at Tandy (3 years ago), and the staff are extremely helpful. However, I have found that there is a better source for everything that you can get at Tandy. I'm still grateful for Tandy, but the quality of hardware is better at Buckleguy, the quality of leather has decreased at Tandy lately (from what I saw before I stopped buying there a year ago), and is therefore equal or better at almost anywhere else, and a better value almost anywhere else, including shipping. I did buy all my fiebings dyes at Tandy, so that was nice.

I would never tell someone they shouldn't buy from Tandy, but I would give them links to some better alternatives, once they've gotten over the first disorienting flood of information. Tandy is a great place to help you figure out what you're actually doing. It's not a place where you can get the best value for money, by any stretch, but that doesn't mean it doesn't have a place.

[snubbyfan]

Keep working at it. You'll get there.

On the left's my first attempt. On the right's after lotsa practice.

[lonesome dove]

When I started I was 110 miles from the nearest Tandy location and there was no one around to ask and nothing like the great folks on leatherworker.net to learn from. If it wasn't for a brother in law I could ask for some guidance, I might would have given up as well. As you can see, my first attempt was pretty bad. Stay with it. We have all been there.

[BullRiderJoe]

Thanks guys, I got a gift card for Tandy on Christmas so I'm going to head up there and get some leather pieces. I have purchased quite a bit of tools over the last month. What thickness should I get to start with? Any suggestions

[club49]

TRY BUYING A FEW BELT BLANKS FROM TANDY. YOU MIGHT WANT TO START OFF DOING A FEW BORDER STAMPS OR A STRIGHT BASKETWEAVE. AS MENTIONED ABOVE?, TANDY IS A GOOD PLACE TO START.DON'T BUY TO MANY TOOLS UNTIL YOU DO SOME MORE RESEARCH , THAT IS WHERE I MADE MY MISTAKE.HAVE FUN KEEP TRYING. DON' T SPEND A LOT OF MONEY ON CHEAP TOOLS.

JIM

[Vapor Beast]

I'm restarting my leather hobby work after letting it go for more years than I care to remember. So it's kinda like starting all over again. I knew making my purchase with amazon for a cheap 20 piece stamp set would be disappointing but it got me going again. Tandy has been great and so has springfield leather. If you do your research you'll find that top dollar tools aren't the answer, but practice is the answer.

I've gotten a few remnant bags at our local Michaels, well some of that leather is definitely not ideal but it's great for practice.

I know this next statement will cause groans from the veteran leather workers here, I bought a purse kit from Tandy. Except for one piece of leather in the kit it was awesome. I had a piece I was trying to tool that had hard spots. But I got through it. This kit is practice for more projects.

There's a common theme here,,,practice and research.

Read everything watch videos and practice.

Hope it works out for you, I'm very happy to be tooling around with leather again and I'm sure you will also just stick with it and practice.

[Ole South]

The local Tandy (Tampabay area) carving/tooling classes don't cost you anything... save the basic tools you probably already have. I not sure but I don't believe the Orlando branch charges either... we've had two excellent instructors (neither are/were Tandy employees) that basically donate their time to share their talent and experience. I don't tool much but have learned something every time I've attended or watched a class. Check your local store. As a beginner, you miss so much not having a live instructor or mentor looking over your shoulder.

If your swivel knife is giving you issues... strop it at the proper angle until it's sharp and all the grind marks are gone... they don't come ready for use from a hobby store... Tandy not excluded.

Edited January 29, 2016 by Ole South

[R SFraser Sr]

Hello Bullrider,

This is my first post here, I am as new as you are, judging by the dates of your posts.

I think it is always good when new people can help new people, even if it is just a small bit info.

So, in addition to the good advice given so far, here is a tip you may not have thought of...

Club49 was saying to buy some belt blanks from Tandy, for practice,

and Michael's has been mentioned already.

Michael's sells belt kits that are fairly thick, and by using their 40 or 50% coupons,

they weigh in much cheaper than Tandy.

Here in Canada anyway, their belt kit is 36 $ for a 11/2" belt - so 50% off coupons helps a lot.

And you can print off as many as you like.

It is always nice to get cheaper practice material.

hope this helps,

bob