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Beginner Leather worker.


AlexRoberts

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So im learning how to leather work. Going to be making belts,sheaths,bracelets, and a bunch of other things.

I was wondering if there are tutorials or what tools are good to be starting with.

Tools i have -

Rubber mallet

Paint Scraper sharpened to do tracing

Etching Knife

Beveler

Trying to go the cheap route just to start before i sell any thing.

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Piracy is freedom

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You learn by choosing small projects and go bigger as your confidence increases.

buy a low priced shoulder (tooling leather) and don't be afraid to throw away first attempts

Ask questions at the tandy leather store like how do I use this tool, or "How would I do this...?" They are usually very helpful in hopes of selling tools.

Don't go crazy buying leather stamps, even tho they are relatively cheap, I find I used them starting out but rarely use them anymore (except for background texture).

If you are artistic at all and have basic hand skills - you will learn fast and be pretty happy with the outcome

Get the basic tools first:

A work surface

rawhide hammer (rubber bounces all over)

a selectable hole punch for buckles, snaps, rivets etc

rivet setter

swivel knife for designs (and tracing paper)

strap cutter,slicker and creaser for belts

a good utility knife with replaceable razor blades

You will use these tools over and over - buy quality as you can afford it.

This is mostly what I use, along with a few basic stamps for background texture

At some point a quality set of Shears is worth the investment too.

Have fun - make stuff you like for yourself first, if ye end up throwing a few away - at least there is no pressure from a paying customer...

mP

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Aye... Plunder Awaits!

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Depending on what projects you want to start with, you might want saddle needles (they have rounded points so you prick your fingers less), and a good diamond profile awl (for punching your stitching holes), and a "groover" for making those even grooves to put your stitching holes in, and a rotary tool for marking even marks for your stitching.

Your best bet is two decide on a beginning project and ask your local Tandy rep (or post here) for advice!

But most importantly, please share your projects here, good, bad, and okay... Sharing projects is a great war to learn as people will ask how you did it, and more than likely offer alternative suggestions, or share how they made a similar project. Good luck!

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Making Bracelets first bought some snaps and some studs and going to buy a stamping tool for boreders.

I'll take pictures soon. My camera died and is out of batteries. There is a dts leather store that sells tandys leather stuff.

They are really cool and teach me as i go. They let me use any tools they got.

I will be buying more as a i progres, im addicted already.

I suck at it but i use to draw and paint alil so maybe i can get good at this.

What kind of work surface should i get? I heard marble is pretty good.

Edited by AlexRoberts

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Piracy is freedom

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Suggestion? Get a scrap piece of marble countertop from a shop (often given away free) and attach a thin piece of leather to the top with 3M spray cement: decent weight and protects your edges.

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My occupational hazard bein' my occupation's just not around...

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Sounds like i shall be doing that. I have my almost finished my first bracelet. The snaps don't look right at all.

just use the snap holes and a piece of lacing to tie em together.

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I have some really old leatherworking books around here somewhere. If I can dig them up are you interested? Also, look for Books of Buckskinning, they have some patterns and instructions for building stuff like belt-bags and portmanteaus.

Also, I second Jim's suggestion, ask a local building center if they have dropped one recently they'd like to part with cheap, AND get a white plastic kitchen board. I have both and several pieces of pine 1X12 for different tasks. I been doin leather work since I started riding horses about forty years ago.

Bo

Edited by Capt. Bo of the WTF co.
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I'll see if I can remember to dig them up this weekend, then I'll let you know what they are and what they cover. One I remember is an old Tandy book with several different projects, from wallets to thermos covers to a saddle, I don't remember what the other one is but I'll look for them and you can have them if you want.

Bo

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