Books

[StoryTeller]

Heya folks! Newbie here and I'm simply curious as to what reading material ya'll would recommend for a feller who's just getting started in the biz. I'm sure there's a plethora of good books out there to get one started; hoping some old pros may have some suggestions.

Edited October 27, 2016 by StoryTeller

[CaptQuirk]

Anything by Al Stohlman. Check your local library and see what they can get in before you go shopping though.

[Roq]

Anything byAl Stohlman the art of hand sewing. making cases, etc

CaptQuick just beat me

[billybopp]

Suggested books would depends a bit on what sorts of things you want to make!   However, as stated above, the Al Stohlman books are an excellent place to start.

I'd call these two essentials.  There's not much in the way of project designs in them, but I still refer to these references now and then:

Leathercraft Tools covers most of the tools used, how to use and how to sharpen / care for them.

The Art of Hand Sewing Leather covers one of the essential skills of most types of leather work.

Many of the other books, such as the case making books, are dated in terms of designs (when was the last time you used a Kodak Instamatic camera with a flash cube?)  but the design principals and techniques are still valid, and cover just about anything you may want to make!

Another good general reference is Valerie Michael's book.

If you're interested in braiding leather .... 

Don't forget about internet resources as well ... LWN being one of the best, but also Kingsmere has tons of info on a wide variety of subjects.

There are also a ton of good videos on Youtube ... Some better than others, some more concise than others.  But that's another subject.

Bill