This Art Form Is Going Straight To Hell

[terrymac]

I am going to take a different track on this one.  I am noticing improvements in Tandy sin e the new CEO has taken over. I think she is really trying to improve product selection and especially in their pricing.  I can now go into the local store and pick up a quart of Barges for the same price as on Amazon.  With my business discount, it is actually cheaper than Amazon.  I saw where they are bringing Angelus paint into the store and have greatly expanded their Fiebings inventory. It appears their push toward their Eco Flo products is backing off. Now if they would just bring Neatlac and their top of the line leather, I would be a happy camper. I am lucky in that I can go down to the store and dig thru a pile of leather and usually find something that will work.  They aren't Barry King or Herman Oak, but at least are trying.  You can go down to the local store on a Saturday morning and see quite a few people seated around tables taking lessons.

 

Edited February 14, 2020 by terrymac

[Cattledude]

The leather that comes out of my shop goes to two types of folks, cowboys and hunters. Both groups are like jackalopes, everyone knows what they are but nobody sees them. My customer base is pretty small and most of them buy from the big stores or on the interweb, not a lot want to have something custom made. A few like and want custom goods and don't mind paying for them and that's who I sell to. The saddle, tack, chap, and gun leather tooled or stamped buyers are an awful small portion of society but it's what I want to make and it's who I like doing business with. I have helped several youngsters get started as a hobby but as they've grown up life got in the way... Perhaps our craft just isn't what folks want in this disposable, plastic, one use world...?

 

[Rhale]

I believe also that Tandy is trying to improve and become better in the leather business, some now have Cobra machines on display to try and you can order from Tandy,  one of their reps told me they were looking into trying to get Herman Oak leather.          Tandy started as a beginners leather supply and seems to have never got away from that, hopefully they will change there ways in the near future if for nothing else the stores are in a lot of medium sized cities so one can usually get to one without to far of a drive.  As far as teaching younger beginners, I enjoy showing anyone that is interested in fact I have done several tooling classes at a Tandys free of charge, I don’t charge anyone and don’t get paid to do it , I believe leathercraft can be a life long hobby as I have been fortunate enough to have enjoyed it for close to 60 years.

[Reegesc]

5 hours ago, sinpac said:

Meanwhile back at the Show Off section........LOL............

Hahaha..... a thinking person and funny.  I like you already.  

[Reegesc]

17 minutes ago, Rhale said:

 As far as teaching younger beginners, I enjoy showing anyone that is interested in fact I have done several tooling classes at a Tandys free of charge, I don’t charge anyone and don’t get paid to do it , I believe leathercraft can be a life long hobby as I have been fortunate enough to have enjoyed it for close to 60 years.

Thanks man...that's exactly what is needed.  kudos to you

[KDR]

Tandy is called the Leather Factory in Canada, but other than that it's pretty much the same.  I would buy the odd hide there, if I was in a pinch and the price was right.  Recently though, they moved away from selling hides by square footage, and just put a flat rate sticker on each type of leather, regardless of the size.  And the prices went through the roof.  They used to have a wholesale pricing level, which technically, they still sort of do, but it's like a dime off retail. Not a great incentive to buy. Their hardware is overpriced, overpackaged, and geared toward the user who makes one belt a year.  They've become my absolute last choice, in pretty much any circumstances.  It's sad, because the staff in my local store, in Mississauga, are great.  

[chrisash]

Is it any wonder the skill and trade is declining, its like going back 100 years to the average school leaver who has spent their lives learning high tech and fast moving skills

You can break down the market into a few area's

1. People on this forum most likely hobby or self employed making such exotic items like Belts, Wallets, Card holders and the odd bag and doing the same things time and time again with some variations.
2. People who are basically artists where the main part is tooling to show their skills as artists and get paid well for their skill

Then the professionals

1. A few companies who mass produce products for both the low, medium and top end ranges of goods
2. The saddle makers and associated equipment, highly skilled and trained but little room for inventing something new
3. Shoe, car and aircraft industry highly skilled but mainly repetitive work on standard range of items
4. Clothing industry

So Tandy has taught many people their skills, made equipment for these people and supplied a wide range of goods, but like all companies is only in business to make a profit

There is a market for leather goods, but few will make enough money to compete on wages with the newer taught skills, as a full time job

[Sheilajeanne]

May I suggest this thread be moved to Leatherwork Conversation? The Off Topic forum is for just that - discussions other than leatherwork, and posts here don't show up in the 'recent posts' column. I think this is a discussion that needs a broader audience.

Tandy has its faults, but I got my start with them, and had an awesome teacher. Their free lessons that go with the purchase of a beginner's kit are a very valuable resource for people starting out in this craft. And I have found I can get decent leather there, but I live close enough to a store to be able to shop in person.

I like that they have expanded their line to include Angelus paints, which previously were hard to find in Canada. Getting stuff shipped from the States if you live north of the border is often prohibitively expensive. I will keep supporting Tandy until they give me enough reasons not to. Some of the staff members aren't very knowledgeable, but there always seems to be at least on person in the store who can answer any questions I have. If they can't I come here instead... 

[fredk]

I wonder if this is relevant to the discussion;

Back in summer 2016 I was asked by a local Arts & Crafts and Local Development authority to run basic leather work classes. They'd done painting, pottery, and other similar things and now thought of leather, mainly cos the person in charge of the scheme knew me.

I'm no teacher, so with a special experienced tutor type person we worked out a plan. Three classes, over three successive Saturdays for a real basic introductory course, then three more 'advanced' classes over the next three Saturdays. People were to sign up for the first 3, then if they wanted they could sign up for the next 3. Each session was to be about 4 hours, 11.30 to 15.30 approx.  The cost of the 3 basic sessions was to be £15 per person for all 3 sessions, it was being subsidised by the local authority.

Flyers and adverts put out. We had 120 or so enquiries within about a week, which is very good for Mid-Ulster, or anywhere in Ulster. 24 or so filled in the booking form. 2 weeks before the first Saturday we had 16 people booked and paid up. 

First Saturday we had 8 people turn up. 4 left at the lunch break and never came back. The remaining 4 finished that first Saturday, they came the second Saturday but not the third Saturday. I still had a few people on that last Saturday, the educator, her daughter, her brother, who dropped by to say 'hello' and the manageress of the community facility we were using.

As part of the package I had made up tool kits. Each person attending got one of these to keep. In the first sessions the people were to make a coin purse and a draw-string bag. 6 tool kits went away. 2 were returned to me later. I've now got about 14  tool kits left over, taking up space in my storage unit. I'm not out money directly on these, I'm out my fees, but the authority and I came to an arrangement, some fee money and the tool kits in payment.

Thats my experience of trying to teach some leather craft to the people of Ulster

[chrisash]

Well done for trying anyway Fred

Maybe a youth organisation could use the spare kits