Leather Work - Starting new. Questions

[kevinstan]

I am looking at making a few things for myself out of leather. At local craft stores I can only find the thin flimsy leather pieces. When I search on eBay I get the same results. Am I searching wrong ? How and where can I find the thicker leather pieces for making sheaths and stuff ?

 

[Capt Quirk]

You can go to Tandy Leather in Atlanta, and get some better leather, but they are pretty low on the list. Many of the better suppliers want to sell you a side or a skin... which is fine, if you do a lot. Get a belly to practice with, if you are going to be tooling or carving on it. Cheap at about $30, a good amount of leather, but it isn't the better cut. For grade A projects, you want the back or the shoulder.

 

[kevinstan]

Also what are some of the most basic tools I will need to start with ? I saw a YouTube video a guy was using a piece of bone of some sort to work with and shape the leather. Is that an actual tool for leather work ?

 

[Capt Quirk]

That is known as a Bone Creaser. It can be used for many things, slicking the leather prior to carving and tooling, folding edges, and lot's of other things. Put that in the advanced list of stuff.
You will absolutely need a stitching awl, or a stitching chisel which helps keep your stitching holes lined up better. Needles and thread. A straight edge and sharp knife, even a razor knife or Xacto knife will work.

What exactly is it you want to do? Personally, I would recommend going to your local library, and getting whatever books they can find by Al Stohlman. This guy was an artist, and he had a series of books sold through Tandy. He walks you through lots of steps. Better to borrow these books, and get an idea of what you want to do. You can also go to the Tandy store in West Atlanta. When I went there from Newnan, it was like 45 minutes or so. They have a lot of stuff and people to answer your questions. You can actually lay hands and eyes on the leather you will buy, instead of trusting them to send the better piece.

 

[Capt Quirk]

I also recommend going to leatherworker.net. Lots of very experienced people there, helping los of new folks out. Plenty of sheath makers there, and so many ideas and patterns.

 

[kevinstan]

Thanks for all the info Capt. Quirk! I am really just wanting to do small projects. Maybe a small knife sheath for a folding knife. Might try a belt for myself - and some other small things. I also want to make an axe collar as well. Not looking to get super fancy with it and start trying to make clothes or shoes or anything. Just some basic stuff. I would like to be able to make clean holes and be able to place buttons / rivets.

 

[Anvil Head]

There's a Tandy's in Douglasville now. Be a lot closer to you. Most of the Tandy's offer short, simple beginners classes... worth asking.

You can do very good work with simple tools once you learn the basics. Sounds like you'd be best served with just buying a half shoulder in 7-8 weight, make sure it is veggie tanned and not chem tanned (big diff). Enough to do all you mentioned and have left overs.

I teach an "advanced" class in leather working - more specifically sheath making. However there are several knifemakers in your area that can show you the necessary tricks and tools. Check out the Flint River Knife Club - membership is light on the wallet and there are many gifted makers in that group that can help you get started.
Note - pm me if you want more detailed info on any of the above.

 

[Capt Quirk]

There's a Tandy's in Douglasville now. Be a lot closer to you. Most of the Tandy's offer short, simple beginners classes... worth asking.

You can do very good work with simple tools once you learn the basics. Sounds like you'd be best served with just buying a half shoulder in 7-8 weight, make sure it is veggie tanned and not chem tanned (big diff). Enough to do all you mentioned and have left overs.

I agree, take a couple classes if you can. It's like Home Depot, the classes are free. As far as veg tanned vs chem tanned, it depends on whether you want to do any tooling. Carving, tooling, molding, and dying, you need veg tanned. If you are just planning on assembling some sheathes and axe covers, chrome tanned would work, and be more weather resistant.

For doing rivets, you can use a scratch awl, or even an ice pick to make the holes. If you want to do it nicer, Michael's and Hobby Lobby should have a Multi-punch, and so will Tandy. It is a tubular handle with several different sized tips for cutting nice round holes in leather. You will need a surface to punch on, like a $7 nylon cutting board from WalMart. DO NOT USE a metal hammer, use a wooden mallet or a plastic deadfall mallet from WalMart for $3. You can also get a rotary punch that is like a paper punch, only heavier.

For the rivets themselves, you will still need the wooden or plastic mallet, a rivet setter, and an anvil. The setter is a solid metal tube with a concave face, and the anvil is just a small round metal puck with a flat face and a concave face. I'm sure both the local hobby stores have these as well.

You put the rivet stud through the leather and set it on top of the anvil. You put the rivet head on the stud and hold the setter on the rivet head, and TAP, don't POUND. This drives the head down and mushrooms the shaft inside it. If you go to the Tandy website, you can see pictures and descriptions of all these things, so that you have an idea of what you are shopping for.

 

[NCHillbilly]

For thicker leather, look for saddle/tack shops. We have one here that sells scrap heavy vegetable-tanned leather by the pound. Pieces plenty big enough for knife sheaths and such.

 

[Jake Allen]

The main Tandy warehouse/store is now in Lithia Springs, on Thornton Rd, north of I-20 and just past the Harley Dealership. I have dug around in the back and found some good pieces of 8 and 10 oz leather at marked down prices. They have pretty good at letting me handle the tools and such before buying one. It is a big place.

 

[Anvil Head]

Some really good advice here. However you will understand it a lot better if you can get a few hours of instruction under your old belt (then make the new one).
Have to disagree on using chrome tanned on any sheath or holster were it will be in contact with metal. Moisture and the chems salts in the leather will corrode, rust and/or discolor steel, brass, nickel, etc.
I'd never use it for any metal item I like or treasure. Sure, maintenance plays a huge part, but just high humidity or a little residual moisture from use coupled with "I'll take care of that later when I get home" type scenario can mean disaster to your favorite shooter or slicer.
Trust me it doesn't take much. I've been at this for more than half a century and I've reconditioned more than a few very fine knives and pistols that were suited up with chem tanned leather.

 

[Capt Quirk]

You're right, I forgot about the chrome tan causing rust, maybe because I've always lined it.

However, it is still more weather resistant and dang near bullet proof.

 

[NOYDB]

The horse people use what's called - Chicago Screws- in place of rivets. For attachments not intended to be permanent.

Ex: https://www.buckleguy.com/chicago-s...WDZ-r0zFtZdBV3CbnDX_dHM2xwU4xz7JApBoCpDjw_wcB