What tools should a newbie not skimp on?

[Brigg]

I am new to leather working and am having trouble figuring out what I should spend money on and what I can skimp on. I don't want to buy junk but I also don't want to overdo it either. What should I make sure I invest in when getting started?

I want to make luxury leather wallets, bags, and attaché cases. I am going to try and do some projects in a book first and then do the Leathercraft Masterclass (I like the projects he does) and then if I decide to move forward with this hobby I want to take Amblard Leather Atelier classes in person. Also, if anyone has opinions on either these classes/courses I would be curious to know.

Awls and pricking irons confuse me. Is it better to get sharp pricking irons that go all the way through the leather or get duller ones and use an awl? On the expensive side there is Amy Roke (sharp) and Blanchard (dull?). I want to get my stitches as nice as possible and don't mind the awl step if the result is actually better. Should I get cheaper ones? Considering the projects I want to do I will likely need more than one set (I am thinking 2.7mm and 3.8mm).

Thank you for your help.

[Hardrada]

You shouldn't skimp on any of them!

KS Blade chisels, FTW. For wallets I'd go with the 3.38 mm ones.

They're not cheap.

If you don't feel like making such an investment right now, I'd go with the Seiwa chisels, from goodsjapan.com. They're not fancy looking, but don't be fooled: they're very good quality and are good for starters and are so sturdy that you can keep them as back-up when you migrate to the KS Blade chisels.

I'd advise not to use pricking irons and awl if you're just starting: stitching with these takes lots of practice to get right. For wallets and bags you won't be going through several layers of heavy leather, and thus the chisels will be best. Still, do get yourself a diamond awl from goodsjapan.com too, I'd suggest the Kyoshin Elle: comes quite sharp right off the bat. At times, you might indeed end up with a certain thickness that will require the chisels to begin the holes, and the awl to finish them.

[Kcstott]

Tough question. and I do agree don't skimp on anything but if money was no object you wouldn't be asking for options. 

So tools that speed your production pay for them selves over time. I'd heed the advice to the chisels above. I'm a machine stitcher but I'm now getting back into hand stitching as it just looks better on some things and in some joints it's unavoidable. 
You don't need an expensive hammer. a good Ball Peen will do. a nylon mallet will work as well. Cutting tools that can be resharpened are worth the money. Learn how to sharpen and strop your blades. Good edge tools are going to be a must for boutique wallets and hand bags. 

Now here's one thing few talk about. The quality and hand of the leather you buy. Do not cheep out on the leather unless you love frustration. At a minimum for a high end product you should be buying Herman oak, for Veg tan. I highly recommend Wicket and Craig for bridle leather and also if you can find it in this country is Sedgewick English Bridle. this makes great belts and straps and nothing compares. 
Thin English bridle make beautiful wallets and cases. it's very easy to work with and cuts exceptionally well. 
Tandy is not the place to go even though they recently began selling Herman oak leather. it's online only and the local shops don't carry it or they don't advertise that they have it. 
Remember. when a person buys a bespoke top quality product. they expect top quality. from the glue, thread, leather and finish. it all must be top quality not to mention your skill and labor. 

[zuludog]

Go to the 'Sewing Leather' section of this Forum, then the Pinned Thread 'Stitching chisels/irons and pricking irons reviews and information'. There is a very good Post by Dangerous Beans aka Nigel Armitage

The key to good leatherwork is to have razor sharp tools, but getting them to that stage takes time & care, and therefore adds to the cost. So most tools only come with a basic finish and will need some sort of final sharpening & polishing, and you are expected to do that yourself. It is only the most expensive and exotic makes that you are able to use straight out of the box; even with those, you will eventually have to re - sharpen them. Search YouTube for 'sharpening an awl'; and for other tools as you acquire them

Stitching chisels have sharp, long prongs that will go through leather up to about 8mm thick. For anything thicker there are two choices - finish off the part - made holes with an awl, or make the holes in each piece of leather first, then line them up as you sew them. Even if you use stitching chisels most of the time you will still need an awl sometimes

If you hit chisels with a steel hammer, that will damage them, so you will also need a soft - faced mallet or maul - wood, hide, nylon, there are many types available

[jcuk]

If you are thinking about doing the Leather Masterclass and later the Amblard Leather Atelier in person,  courses they are more likely going to teach you the old school way to double hand stitch (saddle stitch) using pricking irons and awl so if it was me i would get pricking irons and awl and learn the best i can from youtube books or maybe someone local to you can teach you this, its far better in the long run to know how to do this, anyone who has leant to double stitch using the traditional method can move onto stitching chisel with no problem cant see that being the case the other way round. As for tool quality buy the best quality your budget allows good tools will always sell better than poor quality tools if you decide this is not for you, buy what you think you will need to just to get you started you started even if it means buying more tools along the way we have had to do this along the way. 

Hope this helps

JCUK

[zuludog]

Have a look at YT videos by JH Leather; all her videos are clear and well made, both for techniques and various items. She uses the pricking iron & awl method

If you're staying with traditional methods, then a round knife is the traditional leatherworker's knife. However, it takes a while to use them well, and they range from expensive to very expensive. Jo from JH Leather uses a head knife, which has only one point, and so is a bit cheaper and easier to use. On the other hand, a Stanley knife/utility knife/box cutter is cheap and easy to use; you may well have one already. You could start with that and only change when you need to; but don't be in a hurry to do this, you can do good work with a Stanley knife. Have a look at videos by Ian Atkinson, he uses a Stanley knife a lot

Traditionally you buy an awl and a haft separately then mount & sharpen them yourself, which is tedious and takes time, so buy them made up. The last awl I got was an Osborne #42, and it only needed a short final fine sharpen and polish. If I was buying  again I would get an Osborne #42 or#43. Mounting it straight in a plain wooden haft is a bit tricky; although I haven't used one, I would seriously consider getting an Osborne haft with a chuck or collet to hold the awl

Watch videos on making the items you're interested in; you'll see the tools that are used, and how it's done

[chrisash]

Abbey is a good place for workmans tools, that is tools that do the job without the fancy wood and price see https://www.abbeyengland.com/

[jcuk]

2 minutes ago, chrisash said:

Abbey is a good place for workmans tools, that is tools that do the job without the fancy wood and price see https://www.abbeyengland.com/

Agree  these are cheap pricking irons that might get you started.

https://www.abbeyengland.com/abbey-traditional-oblique-pricking-iron-set-right-hand-10098.html

https://www.abbeyengland.com/abbey-traditional-oblique-pricking-iron-set-left-hand-9965.html

Linked to both Left and right might be useful to you later in your journey into leather craft.

They also have heavier pricking irons at not to bad a price too but maybe more aimed at the saddlery/ Harness industry again in Left and right handed too.

As for a Round knife there are many out there, again here is a single head knife will do anything thing a round knife will do easier to use and sharpen much less learning curve also. I started with one of these many moons ago cheap as chips still go strong now.

https://www.abbeyengland.com/barnsley-single-head-knife-552.html

Again hope this helps

JCUK

 

[Danne]

If you have decided that you want the European style irons, and want to spend a little bit more money on quality ones. I would recommend you to not choose pricking irons (Blanchard is an example of pricking irons, where the main purpose is to mark the hole and open it with an awl, because the prongs have a taper) But instead use "stitching irons" There are a couple of brands to choose from, I can only say my opinion about the irons I have. Ksblade and Kevinlee. Both of them give a very good result. Kevinlee is cheaper. Ksblade is ergonomically better (Kevinlee is a little top heavy) also Ksblade aligns easy to a scribed line. But i'm happy with both of the brands. 

In most cases I use them as somewhere between pricking and stitching irons when I make wallets, I pre-punch the exterior, and open up the holes with an awl after assembled. For watch straps I punch all the way through. 

[mike02130]

I make handbags and wallets.  If you are going high-end luxury you really ought to be using Italian or French cow and goat (chevre) leather in sizes ranging from .05 mm to 2 mm.  Wallets and small goods use a 3.0-3.38 iron.  A 2.7 iron is good for watch straps but you could get by with 3.0.  If you are making your own patterns a 3.0 iron makes it easier to do the math on the layout.  "Pricking irons" such as Vergez Blanchard are old school and are not used by many since the advent of irons such as KS Blades, Sinabroks and others.  I've used Sinabroks and Amy Roke and they are more for pricking or going through thinner leather.  Do you really want a true pricking iron and then use an awl to go through hundreds of holes on a handbag?  Sinabroks are highly polished but dull.  They need to be sharpened.  Their handles are round and uncomfortable.  The teeth are square across making it more difficult to center on a scribed stitching line.  KS have teeth that are not as dull as the Sinabroks and need some touching up and polishing.  The tips are slightly round allowing then to register in the center of the scribed line and penetrating the leather easier.  I own four sets of the KS irons. Kevin Lee's irons get rave reviews and have a more traditional look and are sharp and polished and are made to go through layers of leather.  His is about the only product from China I would recommend.  Shipping is expensive and there may be a long wait time. High-end makers say they are the best bang for your buck.  Any of these two iron sets are going to cost around $200.

Using the above irons and making wallets and watch straps and other flat goods an awl may not be necessary.  If you make handbags with gussets an awl is necessary.  Really, every leather worker ought to have an awl.  I have a few and choose to use different ones in different situations or according to my whims.  A Vergez Blanchard awl I like very much.  The cost is around $22. and needs quite a bit of work to polish.  A better awl that's ready to use and is more suited to the above irons and high-end work is a Palosanto flat awl.

You will need an edger, too.  With that you are looking at around the $300 neighborhood.  Those three items will be your most important and most used tools.  Do not skimp.

All the recommendations from the other posters above are good.  You need to figure out your needs and desires.  If you buy cheap tools it is easier monetarily and psychologically to upgrade to more expensive tools.  Buy middle priced tools and that makes it more difficult.

Many people new to leather work get excited in the beginning and get a raging boner thinking about doing the craft.  Once started they realize that it is much more difficult and expensive than they thought.  I see that this is your first post-- don't be one of those people and make sure at some point to thank all the posters that have taken their time out to help you out.

11 hours ago, Hardrada said:

FTW Used to have another meaning before the youngins and game show hosts appropriated it.  Google it.  

 

Edited December 24, 2020 by mike02130
added an indefinite article