grimmlin Report post Posted January 16, 2016 Hello everyone, I'm new here (obviously) and am just getting started with leather working. I've been interested for a few years but just recently started to seriously think about trying it. I've spent the last few weeks researching, learning and purchasing the essential tools and feel I am ready to begin. I am a Renaissance Festival enthusiast and my immediate interests are making armor for myself and my husband. I've spent the last week drafting plans, patterns and mock-ups...I feel I have a good idea of what I want to make and have planned as much as I can. This morning I cut out the first piece, I'm starting with a waist cinch since what I have planned is a single piece with very little tooling required. I'm going to practice with the swivel knife on some of the little scraps I trimmed off since I am fascinated with how this tool works. I'm a cook, so naturally I have a knife obsession. I am so excited to finally be getting started but I still feel the need to double check everything I do with the internet to make sure I don't ruin the lovely piece of leather I bought (probably nicer than what a newbie should get, but I got a really good deal on it). I'm sure I will have some extremely basic questions for all of you, but I am the sort who tries to find the answer to my questions before posting about it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kiwican Report post Posted January 16, 2016 Hello and welcome. Im new to the leather game too, just a few years in and i well remember the fear of messing up a good piece of leather...mostly because im still afraid of doing that! this a great place to learn and everyone is free with knowledge so just jump in! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Norton Custom Leather Report post Posted January 17, 2016 well welcome to the craft. now be ready to make mistakes. i still do. most recent was on an elephant hide roper wallet. i have made many of them. left everything on the desk for 3 days. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
grimmlin Report post Posted January 17, 2016 I accept that I will make mistakes, and because of that I'm measuring everything at least 3 times before making marks and another time or two before cutting. It still doesn't help me make good cuts. I can't seem to cut along my lines to save my life. I'm used to working with fabrics, leather is so much tougher. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Norton Custom Leather Report post Posted January 17, 2016 Use a heavy gauge square. Hold it in place & measure with a steel ruler for your lengths. While holding your square in place use a blade skiver & run it along your square in light strokes adding heaver pressure each time. You will not have to cut clear through, just enough that you get a good line to follow with your scissors. This is what I do when trying to cut thin exotics. Sounds like a lot but works well. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wolfe Leather Report post Posted January 18, 2016 (edited) Hello. I've been working on a new custom shop with all new sewing and work-bench surfaces, a new Cowboy 4500 and some fancy control pedals that I designed and engineered. I used two authentic vintage Singer (circa. 1920's) treadle plates and re-tasked them for the Cowboy presser-foot control pedal and the Cowboy servo-motor control pedal. They both works beautifully. I used a network of springs and cams so the fidelity on the pedals is quite extraordinary. Here's a closeup of the control pedals. And lastly, a new LED light stand and thread carrier. Edited January 18, 2016 by Wolfe Leather Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
grimmlin Report post Posted January 19, 2016 I did a lot of cutting today, I'm making armor and using 8-9oz leather....today I cut out 6 giant maple leaves. By the end my hand was killing me, but I was doing much better keeping to my lines. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
