Tool brands

[tearghost]

Hello,

I am looking to upgrade my leather working tools stamps, punches, edge bevelers, etc. I have been doing leather work for a couple years now and have started my collection with Tandy tools and I'm just not happy at all with the quality, don't get me wrong they were good to learn with. I've heard Barry King makes nice tools and also KS blades but I am wanting to know what brands people are using and what there impressions are. I look forward to reading what you have to say.

Thank you in advance for your time and advice.

[Sanch]

On 7/25/2017 at 7:19 AM, tearghost said:

Hello,

I am looking to upgrade my leather working tools stamps, punches, edge bevelers, etc. I have been doing leather work for a couple years now and have started my collection with Tandy tools and I'm just not happy at all with the quality, don't get me wrong they were good to learn with. I've heard Barry King makes nice tools and also KS blades but I am wanting to know what brands people are using and what there impressions are. I look forward to reading what you have to say.

Thank you in advance for your time and advice.

Look for Gomph-Hackbarth

[Earl Ash]

I like the Master tools from Weaver. I started buying myself 1 or 2 per year and I have been passing my old cheap tools along to a young man that wanted to learn... we both win! 

 

[480volt]

Bob Douglas makes very fine tools, and he and his wife are great to deal with.

[keplerts]

+1 for the Weaver Master Tools.

[arz]

It depends on what tool you need/want to buy. Here is what I have learned. I find I need a tool, I research what is available, then buy the very best tool in that class. I am not brand loyal, I buy what will get the job done. In most cases you pay for what you get. Normally if I try to save money it comes back to hurt me! However, I bought some $5 hole punches from leathercrafttool in Japan and they work very very well.

 I bought a French skiver by Barry King, very well made. I also have two english point punches from Jeremiah Watt, also superb.

I really, really like the $20 Japanese knife I bought from leathercrafttools.com. I can get the knife so sharp it scares me! Overall the tools from Goodsjapan and leathercrafttools are good, in fact better than most Osbourne tools.

Osbourne is  mixed for me. The quality is OK, but not close to Barry King, Jeremiah Watt, etc. They are however one of the only companies for example to make a V groove tool. If you know how to sharpen tools I have heard their punches are OK. 

I have some Blanchard tools. I think they are better than Osbourne but not as good as some of the American tool makers. Their shoe hammer is nice and I like their awl.

I use Wuta pricking irons and they are great for the price. I would really like a set of KS blade pricking irons and punches! I have heard they are amazing.

I hope this will help! -Adam

[tearghost]

Thank you everyone your help has been a very big help. 

I'm starting to save money to buy the weaver master punch set as my first big purchase. After that I will be making purchases as the need arises, can't wait to be getting Barry King stamps as I am getting into carving/stamping more and more.