Okay, seriously .

[bob21804]

I like YouTube videos for the most part. I like to say - "I think I could learn to do brain surgery watching YouTube". And between YouTube and this website, I've improved my leatherwork quite a bit in the past few months. (Most recently it's been more website and less YouTube) Different people learn in different ways. It helps some people a lot to watch every steps someone else does, to get the details of how to do it properly, or the best way to do a seemingly simple task. If they're really unsure of how to do a it, it might help them to see every detail. But yes, a 45 minute video to watch a 20 minute task being performed seems to be a bit much. Now, I can watch and learn, but I really don't learn best until I actually do whatever it is with my own hands. Yes, some YouTube videos are much too drawn-out for my taste, (and it may-well depend on the subject, and the familiarity I already have with it) and when I start feeling that way I move onto a video is better suited. I love to learn all kinds of stuff, and I look at YouTube videos as ONE good way to increase my knowledge of a subject. And of course, books, asking questions of those who already do whatever-it-is well and actually doing are great tools and methods too.

[bikermutt07]

I have learned a lot from youtube. It's  like an open instructional  library.  Had it  not been for grier Wolfe and Atkinson i wouldn't be  here. Both make long drawn out  videos.  Heck, the first  sheath i made wolfe took 6 videos to lay out. But he was informative and precise. I can appreciate your lack of interest in  long boring  self promoting videoes of wind bags who love to hear themselves  talk (nutnfancy) but there is a lot of great content there. Imagine  if i would have tried to break into leather 20 years ago. I would be stuck  with nothing  more than books to learn  from. Not that i dont love books,  i do. But i found out ages ago that im a verbal learner. So, youtube instruction has a lot to offer people  like me.  Thanks to all the folks who make those videos. 

[JLSleather]

I can't grasp what I would learn from watching someone saddle stitch for an hour.  Okay, make a stitch line (or a gouge).  Fair enough. Now, stab with the awl on the line so it comes out the line on the back side. All good.  Now, left thread through, now right thread through, pull up.  All great. Now, do it again.

Now, do it again.

Now, do it again.

Now, do it again.

Now, do it again.

Now, do it again.

Now, do it again.

    

That one guy is correct.. if it aint for you, don't watch it.  Personally, I think it ranks right up there with the new refrigerators with installed cameras.. so you can check your smart phone at the grocery to see if you need eggs.   Honestly, are we THAT lazy we can't check before we go to the grocery ... ?

 

[MADMAX22]

19 minutes ago, JLSleather said:

That one guy is correct.. if it aint for you, don't watch it.  Personally, I think it ranks right up there with the new refrigerators with installed cameras.. so you can check your smart phone at the grocery to see if you need eggs.   Honestly, are we THAT lazy we can't check before we go to the grocery ... ?

I think its funny that people cant even drive home without having there phone right next to them trying to look at FB or similar while they are driving a 2 ton vehicle at 60mph down the road. Not sure how we use to manage being "out of contact" for half an hour or all day. 

The problem I have with youtube is the black hole effect. Go to look how to do something next thing you know your watching some end of the world prediction video or spider battles or some dumb stuff and you just wasted an hour or two

[bob21804]

15 minutes ago, MADMAX22 said:

I think its funny that people cant even drive home without having there phone right next to them trying to look at FB or similar while they are driving a 2 ton vehicle at 60mph down the road. Not sure how we use to manage being "out of contact" for half an hour or all day. 

Gotcha, but "funny" isn't the word I'd use to describe it. Sometimes it seems like half the people on the road are either talking on their phone or texting. How bout "scary" instead. I've seriously been thinking about making a sign to hold up to people who I see driving while using their phones. It makes me mad that they're so willing to put me and my loved ones at higher risk on the roads.

Also, I agree 100% with what Matt said about YouTube, (and the internet in general), making it so much easier for us to learn leatherwork. But I also agree with what Jeff alluded to - all this tech can, and is getting out of hand. I like things simple when possible. No smart TV (or any TV for a while now) for me, and I don't miss it a bit. Definitely no "Smart TV/Smart" appliances in my near future. Technology has made possible some really great tools, but it's a mistake to depend on them.

[MADMAX22]

Just now, bob21804 said:

Gotcha, but "funny" isn't the word I'd use to describe it. Sometimes it seems like half the people on the road are either talking on their phone or texting. How bout "scary" instead. I've seriously been thinking about making a sign to hold up to people who I see driving while using their phones. It makes me mad that they're so willing to put me and my loved ones at higher risk on the roads.

Yeah guess funny isnt really the word to use. I dont use a sign but do use other methods to remind people to pay attention, especially when I am on my cruiser.

[Martyn]

3 hours ago, JLSleather said:

I can't grasp what I would learn from watching someone saddle stitch for an hour.

Well for example, I was stitching for a while and couldn't figure out why the back didnt look quite right. It was only through watching NA's video, I realised I was casting my loop over the needle, instead of under. I discovered whether you cast over, or under depends on whether you are stitching left hand priority or right hand priority and whether you are stitching towards you or away from you. Being able to swap left to right, front to back at will without affecting the stitch doesn't just require practice, it requires that you understand exactly how your actions affect the stitch, like if you are trying to tie a square knot and get the crossovers wrong, you end up with a granny knot. If you know all that already, great. If you don't (and I didn't), then I'd still be struggling without the help of these videos.

Edited June 4, 2016 by Martyn

[Boriqua]

It really depends on the material being presented, the presenter and the presentation. I have been at this off and on for over 25 yrs. Still I watched most of the ian Atkinson "leodis leather" videos from start to finish.

Then .. there is a convenient way to  fast forward to the juicy parts later. I worked in an industry where you got old quick. If you didn’t keep up with new ideas and methods you were gone or you managed an upper management spot so you could thrwart new ideas which wasnt me so I always keep an ear out for any new information and make it a point of pride not to assume I know everything. The 65 yr old and the 20 yr old may have something to show me and I want to remain open to it.

Most important to me though is  .. "this may be heavy so if you don’t feel it stop reading now"

I think it is a travesty that in the USA we have removed most of the hands on classes. I was "lucky" in that I enjoyed school and excelled academically but my 2 brothers struggled. They were more hands on learners. Both of them went on to be wonderfully successful in the most common measures. One has his own business, is a licensed electrician and owns several rental properties and the other has been an electrical technician for 30 yrs. Both have wonderful homes, cars and families which is some measure of success?

Formal education wasn’t for them .. they will both out work almost everyone else I have met but sitting in a classroom absorbing abstract information wasnt their thing. One was relegated to "special Education classes" and he now makes more money than most people I meet and deservedly so .... he knows his Sh*t.

Somewhere we decided that working with your hands wasnt a wonderful life's work and that "shop" classes were unnecessary. If a 2 hr video is what some person needs to find his/her niche and become a productive member ... Im all for it.

Mike Rowe is right ... Politics aside ... lets get more opportunities for the doers.

For the rest of you  .. there is fast forward!

 

Edited June 4, 2016 by Boriqua

[leatherwytch]

I sense a little bit of jealousy, Jeff.  If you don't want to see a video don't click on it. There is always someone new who wishes to learn from it and the new people can learn from one or 1000 videos. Just some coincide with them better than others.

 

 

[ruger]

I like to see videos with necessary instructions and not all the unnecessary drivel they add. Most videos can eliminate about 5 min.

before they even start with what they are trying to get across.. Some of the videos have bad music and wonderful visual content and would like a hint or two and most short and to the point.

I can usually tell within the first min. or so. Like watching paint dry on the wall.

Long drawn out instruction and drivvvle can put you to sleep !