How did you get into leather work?

[Rolandranch]

I was just a little curious about how you all began as leather workers. 

I started 2 years ago when I made a cheesy knife and wanted to make a leather sheath for it (I was 14). My dad took me to Tandy to get some leather and tools. I thought I was just getting enough material to make a sheath... but dad said I should make a bunch of leather products and try to sell them. We walked out with $300 worth of materials.  I made the sheath and was hooked with leather ever since. I started doing custom leather projects for friends and made enough money to buy a cb4500 sewing machine so I could up the production... and here I am enjoying leather work and learning something new from every project I do.

Here is that knife sheath. 

What's your story and first leather project?

-Ryan

[Ferg]

I certainly don't have any photos of my first attempts since they were sixty four years ago.

I was in the Navy and stationed in Key West, Florida. Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron HS-1.

Made wallets and purses for members of our squadron and others on the base. I got $5.00 each for the wallets. My brothers still have theirs I made for them.

Tandy store in Miami told me one time, "You pay our rent every month, don't stop!"

That was a long time ago and I am still working with Leather.

Ferg

[Sheilajeanne]

I don't really remember what my first project was. When I was in Gr. 7 and 8, I started taking archery lessons at my school. I made myself an arm guard and some finger tabs. I also found a rounder off a saddle at the local dude ranch, and that was my first effort at stamping leather. I stamped a four leaf clover onto it, using a jack knife, and home made tools, and used it for years as a coaster on my bedside table. It disappeared one day, and I suspect it fell into the wastebasket and got accidentally tossed out.

I also took apart an old gun holster from a cap gun I had when I was a kid, and made a bracer and a knife sheath out of it. (I still have the six-shooter cap gun that came with the holster, though the catch on the loading mechanism got busted, and at some point, I sawed the barrel off so I could pretend it was a modern hand gun, and play 'secret agent' with it. Oh, and I made the holster into a shoulder rig...  

My parents tried to encourage my interest, but didn't really know how. When they bought me a piece of tie-dyed leather at Tandy's I had no books or tools to go with it, and had no idea what to do with it. Eventually, my interest in leather faded, but never completely died.

Then, 2 1/2 years ago, I bought a beginner's kit at Tandy's. The idea was to learn to make leashes and collars to sell as part of my dog-boarding business. I took 8 weeks of free lessons and was hooked!

[Rhale]

I made a few things, wallet, bible cover, etc over 30 years ago then kids came along, got busy with family and other things. After kids were all grown and I retired about a year ago I dug out the old tools, added a lot of new ones, bought some leather and some craft aids started making coasters, wallets , checkbook covers, book covers, etc.  Now I spend about 6 or 7 hours a day in what my family calls the leather lair or devils den (it’s really the basement) tooling, cutting, cutting etc on leather,  I love it!  Thanks for asking!  Sincerly,  Rodney

[JKHelms]

A little over a year ago I had to retire on a medical disability. Needed something to keep my hands busy and keep me from watching tv all day. 

Had made some knives and needed sheaths for them. Did that and caught the bug . Now I’m hooked.

[Rolandranch]

@Ferg I know what you mean. Tandy likes me too... or at least my money!  

@Sheilajeanne That's great! I think you're the one who carved the impressive Celtic horse design a while ago, right? Thank you for sharing your story!

@Rhale 6-7 hours a day?! Wow, I wish I could do that. Unfortunately, I have 6 years of school ahead of me.  Otherwise, I'd be with you in your shop cranking out leather!

@JKHelms I'm glad to hear you love what you do. Thanks for sharing your story!

-Ryan

 

[bikermutt07]

Ok, I'll play. We will start at the beginning. In 2010 I shattered both of my heels at work. I was spending a lot of time on the internet and got sucked into "the whole end of the world as we know it" scenario. I was buying guns beans and bullets. And I was looking towards blacksmithing as a hobby slash end of the world career. Silly, I know. Anywho, I started looking into leather work instead. Since blacksmithing was going to require a lot of heavy lifting. My wife let me carry on for a while and then finally pointed out I was overcompensating due to my injuries. So, I dropped the issue.

Fast forward to 2014. In August of that year we had our second son Eddie. He was born sick and only lived 2 weeks in NICU. After about two months I had to get my hands moving again. So, I wandered into a new Tandy store down the street. And the rest, as they say, is history.

Here is the first thing I made watching Grierwolfe's YouTube channel.

This was 4-5 oz shoulder with fiebings medium brown (I think) and super sheen.

[Joseph1836]

It was 2 years ago for me,  I had $2,000 to spend ,so I though I'll try leatherworking. between you and me it's a lot more than $2,000 now. 

 

[alpha2]

I started two years ago, mainly to make my own holsters. Now it's evolved into belts, collars, leashes, wallets, glasses cases and one purse. Oh, and one shotgun shell carrier. I retired at the first of this year and will need things to keep me amused, leatherwork is perfect.

Jeff

[DJole]

The first time I ever touched leather tools was 7th grade shop class, back in the late 1970s. I still have the luggage tag I made from that shop class. No, I have no pictures of it. 
Joined the SCA while in high school (a local college chapter) and saw leather work, but didn't do any of my own. There was no leather shop closer than 6 hours, and I had no money anyway.
Time passes-- through the 80s and 90s, I started doing some leather stuff, for various costume party and such, picking up a few (very few) basic leather tools. A Tandy shop was only 5 minutes away, the first time I'd ever actually seen a leather store, to handle hides and tools on my own. Not much time or money to invest, and only some interest-- I made a knife sheath, a belt and some bracers. I didn't know anybody else who did leather work, and there was no Internet yet. That's really what I would call the first time.

Final year of my MA program I decided to make a book bag, decorated with medieval motifs (and with an Anglo Saxon inscription). I realized that I kind of liked doing this, and I wasn't too bad (for not really knowing what I was doing.)
More years pass -- I got married, more grad school in Eastern Canada. I kept my tools and a few pieces of leather, but didn't do a whole lot with it-- time constraints, expense, and so on. 

Moved here to Western Washington, and started making stuff for friends. Much of what I do isn't really standard stuff (belts,  holsters, sheaths, etc.)  I realized more tools were needed, and I started collecting hides (much like quilters collect fabric). Having a Tandy store across town was very convenient. Having Internet access is even better!
So it's been a gradual climb, and I've gotten gradually better. I won Grand Prize in the Western Washington State Fair a few years back (with this leather box), much to my humble surprise. That's a nice confidence builder, I must say!