There are four main types of leather that we use in leathercraft and saddle shops. These are Veg Tanned Leather, Chap Leather, Harness Leather, and Latigo Leather.
In this video, I give a quick run down of each as well as the products and applications I use them for in my shop. There are many more types of leathers on the market and many more uses for them. This is just a summary of the main four types that I keep in my shop.
Leather is the most versatile material on the planet. There are great variances in tannages as well as applications, so experiment with as many as you can and see what types of leather work best for what you are doing.
If you are looking for a good source for leather here are some links to some of my favorite suppliers:
https://makersleathersupply.com
http://www.hermannoakleather.com
Our “Tooling Series” videos are back in March! In this tooling series video, i go through my entire tooling process. In each video we will work through a certain number of stamping tools to complete the pattern shown in the video. In March, we are tooling a much requested skull… with a twist… this one is wear an indian headdress.
A Leather Bible Cover is probably one of the most popular items that leather craftsmen create for their customers. They are also one of the most popular projects for a new LeatherHead to test his/her skills when it comes to making a book cover. Bible covers offer much more room for leather tooling artwork which in turn allows for a lot more customization.
This project video is about making a Leather Bifold wallet. I designed this wallet so that it is fairly easy to assemble with a lot of space to tool. Leather Wallets are fantastic gifts as well as just items that you can stock up on and sell at anytime. We sewed one of these and buckstitched one in the video to show a different option of assembly if you don’t have a sewing machine in your shop. If you have been wanting to make yourself a new wallet for some time, give this video a look and see if this design would work for you. 
The product line at DG Saddlery over the years has included many types of leather goods. We have designed and created knife scabbards, pistol holsters, belts, home decor, harness, tack and of course saddles. One type of item that we attempted many times are zippered type bags. This item not being my area of expertise, we were able to make something that worked but wasn’t at the level that we wanted to create. Because of this, we as a company many times would stay away from taking orders on any type of zippered bag.
Hand stitching Leather with an awl and two needles is a “must-have” skill set for any aspiring leather craftsman. This method allows for maximum efficiency when it comes to having to hand stitch any project.
Learning to Basket Stamp leather is relatively straightforward and one of the first decorative skills we learn in leatherwork. This tool and the design that it creates has been around for well over a century and works great to cover a project quickly and easily.
Selecting a Cobra Sewing Machine or any leather sewing machine can be challenging whether you are a first time buyer or have years of experience. Doing the proper research to insure that you get the best possible machine to do the job you need it to do takes time and patience.
Developing the Round Leather Handbag