TexasBowhunter Report post Posted March 10, 2017 (edited) Doing research to get started. Going to wear out the search function getting my initial tool list and supply list to acquire. I'm a coach from South Texas and love to hunt. I'll stay in the shadows and study and hopefully don't ask any dumb questions. I look forward to taking my time and learning to do things right. Edited March 10, 2017 by TexasBowhunter Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bikermutt07 Report post Posted March 10, 2017 I just posted this elsewhere and I thought it may help. Welcome to the forum. If I can offer some advice I got here.... Start small and repeat, repeat, repeat. Making the same small items over and over will help you develop all the different disciplines. Keeping it small gives you more time at the bench with said amount of leather. Example: Make 25 bracelets from 1 shoulder. That gives you a month or so of hobby time with 50.00 worth of leather. In those 25 Bracelets you can learn to dye, edge bevel, sand, burnish, build you hardware knowledge, finish, stamp and tool, laminating, stitching and more. Plus if you screw 1 up, you're only out about .50 worth of leather. This can be done with key fobs, watch bands, bracelets, and small card wallets. It will really build some value into that 1 single shoulder. The advice I received has been elaborated upon. I was told build one thing over and over until you are really good at it. Then move on. So good luck and enjoy. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TexasBowhunter Report post Posted March 10, 2017 Thanks for the advice. I plan on using it! I'll be in the shadows reading everything y'all post about in the mean time! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bikermutt07 Report post Posted March 10, 2017 I'm still a novice myself. And that could go for anything small. Those little gauntlets you bow hunters wear, duck lanyards, whatever. Just keep in mind quiver and gun rigs take up a lot of material. You want your steps and techniques down pat before you waste time and money. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Big Sioux Saddlery Report post Posted March 10, 2017 1 hour ago, bikermutt07 said: I just posted this elsewhere and I thought it may help. Welcome to the forum. If I can offer some advice I got here.... Start small and repeat, repeat, repeat. Making the same small items over and over will help you develop all the different disciplines. Keeping it small gives you more time at the bench with said amount of leather. Example: Make 25 bracelets from 1 shoulder. That gives you a month or so of hobby time with 50.00 worth of leather. In those 25 Bracelets you can learn to dye, edge bevel, sand, burnish, build you hardware knowledge, finish, stamp and tool, laminating, stitching and more. Plus if you screw 1 up, you're only out about .50 worth of leather. This can be done with key fobs, watch bands, bracelets, and small card wallets. It will really build some value into that 1 single shoulder. The advice I received has been elaborated upon. I was told build one thing over and over until you are really good at it. Then move on. So good luck and enjoy. Some pretty darn solid advice right there. I can think of a couple different things that I struggled with, until I decided to dedicate a day (or two) to doing nothing but making that one particular thing that was giving me trouble. This does several things; it gives you a chance to evaluate each step and what you may be doing wrong RIGHT THEN and gives a chance to fix the problem RIGHT THEN instead of waiting another month or year until that same project comes at you again and you can't remember exactly what went wrong or where you hit a snag last time. Doing something many times over in a short amount of time establishes the correct sequence and method more deeply in my mind. Kind of like muscle memory? If I do it enough times, until it becomes easy or at least there is no struggle at any step of the process, then the next time I do it, I almost don't have to think about it. If I learned it well enough, I can wait even a year and the process is still tucked away somewhere in my mind. (although as I get older, it becomes tucked further away!) Another thing I've done on something that is particularly difficult for me, is to make detailed notes of the process once I get it down. Then review the notes before I start on the same project if it's been awhile since I've done it. Saves my failing memory from becoming overloaded:-) Two specific things that this really worked well for me: making "rounds" or many people refer to them as "rolled" leather. The exact measurements of turnbacks and how much to skive off, how far to cut the channel, etc is super critical in doing a good job of these. The other thing that immediately comes to mind is buck rolls. If you aren't a horse person you won't know what these are, but suffice it to say they are a royal pain in the butt and I don't know anyone that likes to make them if they are trying to get paid for their time and are at all fussy about their finished product. Anyway, great advice from Bikermutt! Good luck! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bikermutt07 Report post Posted March 10, 2017 I think we have to give nvleatherworks the credit. I think I saw him say it in some random thread awhile back. Feel free to steal it and share it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Grey Drakkon Report post Posted March 10, 2017 Hello from another novice leather worker and even more novice bowhunter! (as in, I've shot vermin with my bow but have yet to actually get food with it) Great advice already given, and another one is get the right tools for the job. Nothing more frustrating than trying to get something done that could be done EASILY with ____ tool. Unfortunately that changes with what you're trying to make! ;D Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TexasBowhunter Report post Posted March 10, 2017 Thanks a ton for all of your advice. I will use all of it on this new adventure. I'm actually going by a Tandy store tomorrow to look around and get a feel for everything. Might come back with some tools. Not sure if I should start learning to stamp and carve or tool. Will spend tonight making that decision. 2 hours ago, Grey Drakkon said: Hello from another novice leather worker and even more novice bowhunter! (as in, I've shot vermin with my bow but have yet to actually get food with it) Great advice already given, and another one is get the right tools for the job. Nothing more frustrating than trying to get something done that could be done EASILY with ____ tool. Unfortunately that changes with what you're trying to make! ;D I am by no means a master bow hunter, but I have taken some nice animals. It is a true passion of mine. If you ever want to talk hunting send me a pm! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KittenThrasher Report post Posted March 16, 2017 I came to leatherwork from another craft where I was using edge tools, my advice is learn to sharpen your tools properly, ie. learn to make them extremely sharp as a matter of routine, it takes a bit of learning but there's no mystery to it and it will make learning a load of other stuff a lot easier and more pleasurable. It gets to be second nature after a while. automotive valve grinding paste makes a great course strop and Tcut makes a fine strop which is second to none,, Have fun and keep you fingers behind the sharp edge! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
