Recommend a tool you like that is not mainly used for leathercraft

[chiefjason]

toothbrush handle for molding holsters.  

Drill press gets lots of use.  Biggest one is probably chucking an awl in there and pre punching holes to hand stitch.  

Heat gun to dry glue and apply wax.

I use scrap leather to spread glue.

I use a 1" punch and a smaller punch for the center of the leather washers I make from scrap.  I use a lot for IWB holsters.  

[Handstitched]

17 hours ago, Sheilajeanne said:

Lobo, wish I had a drill press!  Have tried using a regular drill for burnishing - didn't work very well!

I had an idea of using an old sewing machine motor, fitted with a wood slicker  and with a pedal  as a burnisher .  I keep checking S/H markets etc for old machine motors. However, I do have some old motors  in one of my sheds, with shafts on either side, that ran fans in  old tape or drum  drive computers ' back in the day'   that would be ideal for  burnishers ....I just need to find them....they're in a box in one of my sheds....somewhere     

HS

[Spyros]

The most used thing in my leatherworking / woodworking shop is bbq skewers (up the top in the photo).  I always make sure to have dozens.

You know sometimes when you drill a hole in wood, and the hole is a couple of mm from when you wanted it to be?  and when you try to drill in the correct spot, your drill bit keeps falling in the existing hole?  The only solution is to stick a BBQ skewer in the hole, break it, and there you go, the hole is filled and you can drill wherever you want.

Other than that I use them to mix and stir things like paint or 2 part epoxy or my favourite carnauba cream and dye mix, to apply or clean glue, to poke and mark things like an awl, to reach in tight places where my fingers can't go, and I also  use them as spacers, shims, tweezers, toothpicks, pointers, measuring sticks, rulers, chopsticks and backscratchers :D

They're basically an extension of my fingers at this point, the only thing I've never used them as is actual BBQ skewers

 

Edited December 2, 2020 by Spyros

[AndyL1]

On 11/29/2020 at 12:14 PM, Danne said:

That seems like an awesome solution. 

I use these as well and yes, they are awesome!

[Retswerb]

Someone on here a while ago mentioned liking the Swann Morton scalpel, I picked one up and definitely agree. It’s an oddly comfortable handle and works well for tiny curves and detail cutting.

[Arturomex]

I have an oscillating sander that gets a lot of use. It will run with a 24 inch belt or drums up to 2 inches in diameter.  I made a little dust collection system that picks the dust up as it comes off the belt or drum that goes into a shop vac. And while on vacuums, I bought one of those little rechargeable hand held vacuums that gets more use than I thought it would. It's great for keeping my work surfaces dust and debris free.

I bought a cheap variable speed bench grinder with plans to use it as a burnisher. It was sold to me as a half inch shaft with 7/16 threads. Turns out it's actually threaded to 12mm which doesn't work with what I had planned. The vendor won't take a return so I use it with soft buffing wheels for my cutting edges. Works great.

Regards,

Arturo

[TonyV]

I use a plastic stylus for tracing patterns and folding. 2 different ends lends flexibility.

A variable speed dremel  has a few uses from sanding to burnishing.

[Blackjack21]

Klein Tools #23015 single serrated blade blunt shear

the very best way to hand cut heavy leather

[battlemunky]

Ball. Peen. Hammer!!!!!

I love it. I've polished both faces so I can peen and tap down stitches with the flat face.

[Handstitched]

@battlemunky I have used the ball on my polished  ball peen hammer to  slightly thin out  leather just around the hole  when its just a tad too thick( or the stems are tad too short)  when fitting some  press studs , not the normal thing to do, but it works    

HS