Upgrading tools

[bruce johnson]

I have had enough offlist emails (10) regarding the stamping tools, it is probably easier to just start a new topic on upgrading all tools. I may use some personal examples I have found to work for me. I am not excluding or ignoring any makers. If I do, it is because I have not used their tools and have no experience with them.

The problem with any blanket recommendations for leather tools is that nearly everyone who is on this forum has different needs and expectations. There are some full time professional makers here, some who use their leather business as a second income (leaning towards more full time as time and business increases like me), serious hobbyists making things for gifts and personal use, and beginning crafters trying to see if leatherwork is for them. Personal philosophy only for the time being. Leather tools can be a basic set costing under $40 or a complete set of high end tools and machines costing $40,000. I trout fish with my Johnson Century closed face reel, bait casting pole, and salmon eggs for under $50 and you may use a tuned flyrod and highdollar reel with a wallet full of flies for $1000. We still will both catch fish. Same with woodworking, my needs as a guy making a feed bunk for cattle are not what a professional carpenter would use. Same with leatherworking tools.

I sell my leatherwork. Most all of it for now is repairs or custom ordered and "sold" before it is made. I have priced it for income and profit. It wasn't always this way, but is now. That profit is reinvested in the business, as tools to improve quality and/or productivity. The income is used as income. I started out with Tandy classes and Tandy tools. They were the most affordable, available, and fit the niche. There was a local Tandy store and classes. I still use a lot of them. After Tandy closed, a lot of toolsets started showing up in the classifieds and at yard sales. The casual crafter didn't want to mail order leather and supplies and lost interest. I bought a lot of these sets, and kept the best tools. I got some tools made by the custom or higher end makers in these sets.

I got some Osborne edgers, a horn trimmer, string bleeder, other tools along the way. I will use the edgers as an example. I had used the Craftool edgers ($8) before. The Osbornes in similar design ($25-30 new) held a better edge, and came a little sharper. The cutting edge is down in a slot. They both can be sharpened (I have the book), but by design, are harder to sharpen down in the slot and only have a little bit of bevel, that is fairly steep. I got some Ron's Tools edgers in a set. They would have cost about $85 new. They really cut well and the exposed blade made them easy to sharpen. A friend came along and offered me $120 or so each (WHY?!!). They weren't worth that to me and that paid for all the other tools in that set, went back to the Osbornes. I got one round bottom edger from Horseshoe Brand later. Same design as the Ron's Tools edgers, easy to keep sharp, long bevel and cutting edge for tool longeivity, and cost $45 new. So, for less than twice the cost of the Osborne, I have an edger that should last me at least 3 times as long, less effort and time to keep sharp, I am money ahead with the Horseshoe Brand in time and longeivity savings. I could justify buying the whole set then, because I use edgers a lot. A guy making one belt a week couldn't.

I cut with a Clyde round knife - a lot. Not a particularly expensive knife when it was made, but works for me and easy to sharpen. I can't justify a $100-200 round knife until I wear these out. They do the job.

As far as stamping tools, I pretty well covered my thoughts on the other topic, but a few points here to answer some questions that have come up. Hidecrafters and TLF stamps can be OK, really. They fit the bill for a lot of people. They can cost $5-10. HideCrafter procrafter stamps can cost $10-15. Little better. Hidecrafters stainless steel tools cost from $20-50. I don't know who makes them, but I have some and they are good. I can buy stamps from Barry King for $20-50 also. The impressions from these stamps I know. I use them a lot and don't have all of them by any means. When I am charging $15 per floral element with one flower, these tools pay for themselves. Yeah I could buy stamps from other makers for the same or more, but I just started with him and been happy with the value received. Paying 2-3 times more for a Barry King stamp than an entry level stamp works for what I expect from those particular tools. I have a large block stamp from Wayne Jueschke that cost me about $100 and is pretty different from the mainstream block stamps. Used on a $2500plus saddle it will pay for itself. A niche tool, not a necessity for most people. I know people who say that is too much money. No debate there. But some people have 50 Craftools in a drawer that they rarely use, costing $5 each, that is $250 sitting idle too. I usually buy new stamping tools to change up and freshen my work a little. When I used the same basket stamp or flower and the same border on everything, it got stale after a while. I look for stamps and effects that don't always look like Circle Y, Dale Martin, or other makers. On repairs I sometimes have to match though, and that is why my needs for more stamps may be different.

Final thoughts - poersonal philosophy. There are some great tool makers making great tools today. Ebay and old tool sets are fine, but if it is something made today, for the time spent searching, just ordering a tool from TLF, HideCrafters, Bob Beard, Barry King, Wayne Jueschke, Gomph-Hackbarth, Horsheshoe Brand, and other makers may be more productive. And unlike used tires, you are using the top of the tread.

Bruce Johnson

[Johanna]

I'm paraphrasing, but I really like how Phil LeDuc explained, "The more you practice, the smarter your tools get."

Thanks for taking the time to share your experience with us all, Bruce. I like learning, and I appreciate it when the folks who know more than I do weigh in on a subject.

Johanna

[bruce johnson]

Johanna, et al,

Sorry it got a little (Ok a lot) long-winded. I had quite a few offlist emails from people asking me this or that, and my thoughts. I tried to answer them all in one place. Six of the emails were essentially the same. I would really encourage anyone with a question to post to the forum, rather than off list. The question you have is probably not unique. Others can benefit from your questions, and we can help keep this forum more of a "community". Sorry, more philosophy.

Bruce

(Take those emails as the compliment they were meant as- your opinion is valued in the leather community, and thanks for the suggestion to keep it on the board, where all can benefit from the conversations! Johanna)

[abn]

I would really encourage anyone with a question to post to the forum, rather than off list. The question you have is probably not unique. Others can benefit from your questions, and we can help keep this forum more of a "community".

Bruce, I agree and appreciate your post. The more information we can get on this board, the more useful it will be to all of us.

Best regards, -Alex