This Art Form Is Going Straight To Hell

[Sheilajeanne]

Wow, way to turn off potential customers!!  

 

Tandy provides free lessons with every beginner's kit. It could be the rule is only the person buying the kit can take advantage of the lessons. But, still, you think they could make exceptions for a  husband and wife team!

It was that deal that got me permanently hooked on leatherwork, and I've put thousands of dollars into Tandy's coffers in the years since! 

Edited October 30, 2020 by Sheilajeanne

[YinTx]

43 minutes ago, Samalan said:

Finally talked my wife into going to Tandy, we signed up for a leather carving class, on the way home Tandy called asked if we were husband and wife when I said yes he said I'm sorry we don't allow that. wow hell of a business model !

Wait wat??!?!?  So, if you're married, they won't sell to you?  Something not passing the sniff test here.

YinTx

[Sheilajeanne]

Yin Tix, there was a father and daughter in my leatherworking class, so they don't object to family members being in the same class. I'm suspecting the deal was only the wife bought a kit, and they're being cheap and saying BOTH husband and wife must buy kits before they can get in on the `free lessons`deal.

Just guessing, but I think that may be the reason behind it. 

 

[YinTx]

6 hours ago, Sheilajeanne said:

Yin Tix, there was a father and daughter in my leatherworking class, so they don't object to family members being in the same class. I'm suspecting the deal was only the wife bought a kit, and they're being cheap and saying BOTH husband and wife must buy kits before they can get in on the `free lessons`deal.

Just guessing, but I think that may be the reason behind it. 

 

Still not passing the sniff test.  It was ok when they bought the kit, and were perhaps just "dating" but now since it comes to light they are married, it is somehow different?  Same number of people, only difference is marital status.  Not right at all.

YinTx

[Sheilajeanne]

I admit, it does sound pretty strange, and I hope other Tandy's aren't operating this way, too. They're shooting themselves in the foot if they are!

[LatigoAmigo]

19 minutes ago, Sheilajeanne said:

I hope other Tandy's aren't operating this way, too.

In my experience, it looks like Tandy Leather stores could be franchises. That might make it hard for them to have the consistency of company owned operations.

[Alaisiagae]

21 hours ago, Samalan said:

Finally talked my wife into going to Tandy, we signed up for a leather carving class, on the way home Tandy called asked if we were husband and wife when I said yes he said I'm sorry we don't allow that. wow hell of a business model !

That is so b.s.! I'd recommend calling the corporate customer service to complain. I've been in classes with father-daughter, husband-wife, etc. The beginning carving class is nice, I enjoyed it a lot and learned a lot, too - I was the only one in the class that day, so it was like a private lesson. 

 

@Ailinea Great post, very insightful! I think another turn-off could be the price of tools, and how many tools you need to make something. The Cricut might be $200, but I've dropped over $1000 on leather stamps, punches, tools, the leather itself... the Cricut is versatile, leatherworking tools are so specialized: there's not just one set of hole punches, there are dozens, not just one awl but a half dozen, not just one stamp but hundreds. I think you had a good idea there about going to a fabric store to experiment with designs using cheaper materials than leather. Maybe they could start selling pleather ("vegan leather") for practicing. I agree that modern patterns (cosplay, armor, fashion pieces, etc.) would be cool - I am so not interested in sheathes, holsters, and saddles. 

 

I got an email fron Tandy yesterday or today, they are now starting to carry Barry King tools online-only. 

[YinTx]

9 hours ago, Alaisiagae said:

I got an email fron Tandy yesterday or today, they are now starting to carry Barry King tools online-only. 

Well, that is interesting, and now we know the replacement for the eliminated Pro line of tooling tools.  But, I think I'd just as soon order directly from Barry King and save 10%.  Plus, better selection.  I'm curious how it'll work out in the long run.

YinTx

[YinTx]

On 10/29/2020 at 12:28 AM, Ailinea said:

Y'all, if women are willing to drop hundreds to thousands of dollars on a Louis Vuitton, and dream about dropping tens of thousands of dollars or more on an Hermes Birkin, then there IS a market that's not being courted. 

And since the topic of "Why is scrapbooking so popular in comparison to leatherworking" was brought up, I think it's because the companies who run those industries do everything they can to make it look SO EASY and anyone can get good results.

I agree with everything mentioned, but kinda get hung up on the concept of making a "SO EASY" Hermes Birkin.  To get the skillset necessary to craft an Hermes quality bag takes years, and is far from easy.   I think it is a bit hard to cater to both crowds.

All that said, I have seen some making Hermes style bags and making it look easy.  They have the tools, patterns and the skills - yet still the final result isn't quite Hermes.  And I think if any beginner attacked the project, they would be so frustrated with the end result and the cost of the materials and tools that they might never do any other leather project again.  

Not sure I have a solution, but I like the direction.

YinTx

[Spyros]

13 hours ago, Alaisiagae said:

I think another turn-off could be the price of tools, and how many tools you need to make something. The Cricut might be $200, but I've dropped over $1000 on leather stamps, punches, tools, the leather itself... the Cricut is versatile, leatherworking tools are so specialized: there's not just one set of hole punches, there are dozens, not just one awl but a half dozen, not just one stamp but hundreds. I think you had a good idea there about going to a fabric store to experiment with designs using cheaper materials than leather. Maybe they could start selling pleather ("vegan leather") for practicing. I agree that modern patterns (cosplay, armor, fashion pieces, etc.) would be cool - I am so not interested in sheathes, holsters, and saddles.  

Try woodworking or metalworking... $1k doesn't even get you decent dust extraction, never mind that you have to sacrifice the best part of 2 car garage to get anywhere near a usable workspace.  

I always thought leather working is incredibly cheap!  it still blows my mind that I can make something substantial that people actually desire, using nothing but a desk and a couple of drawers worth of tools