Saddle making

Leather Craft Tools that are Essential for any Leather Craftsman.

The overwhelming selection and variety of leather craft tools available on the market can be hard to navigate. This is especially true for people that are new to the trade. We can all spend a lot of money buying tools that we might not find a use for often enough to justify the expense.

We get questions asking for guidance on getting a good core set of leather craft tools that will allow someone new to the craft the ability to complete projects effectively. When I started leather craft many years ago, there were many quality publications available that talked about tools and supplies for leather work. There were also “leather craft kits” on the market that came with a collection of leather craft tools to get a new craftsman started. These kits are still available today in many sizes and budgets. I do feel that these are a great resource for anyone starting out.

Many of us in the industry started out with one of these kits. The only problem with these at times is that you may find that a few or many of the items in the kit might not be something that you will use much. I still have many of the tools from my very first leather craft kit in my program within the shop today. But unfortunately, there are a number of tools that were in the box that I never found a use for.

I decided to put together what I believe is a solid core list of leather craft tools for anyone wanting to get into leather work.

Our hope is that with this blog post and the accompanying video, you will have a better handle on the tools that I believe are essential and why. This information will help to make a better determination on what tools that you may or may not need based on the leather craft projects you plan on creating.

I have tried to supply a source link for as many tools as I can in this list to maybe help you find these or something similar. Some of these tools may include our Amazon Affiliate links if that is a good place to find them. Many of these tools you can purchase from your favorite leather craft supply business of choice. Where you get the tools isn’t near as important as “Does the tool do its job and work for you?“… that’s the most important part.

I hope you find this video and list of leather craft tools helpful in your leather working goals. Let’s get started.

Below is our list of Essential Leather Craft Tools that anyone doing leather work should have in their tool box.

I have attempted to break this list up based on different leather working tasks. There are also links within this list for some suggestions as to where to find them.

Cutting Tools

Measuring and Marking Tools

  • C.S. Osbourne Spike Awl – Weaver Leather Supply sells some of these as well as Amazon. I can’t seem to find the exact one I have in that size but there are other sizes that will work.
  • Tape Measure – small size… 12′ or 16′ – any hardware store will have these
  • Square – Any hardware store will have this
  • Straight Edge – Maker’s Leather Supply makes the one I have in the video… but any straight edge will work
  • Wing Dividers – Springfield has the 8″ pair in the video… Maker’s Leather Supply has a couple versions as well as a cheaper version that I have as well that are good
  • Pencils – I really like the Ticonderoga brand of pencils and you can find them many places but here is where I get them on Amazon.

Punching Holes

  • Drive Punches size #2, #4, #8, #10 – Maker’s Leather Supply (these are a higher end CS Osbourne punch) and Springfield Leather have many different sizes and styles of drive punches. I have also used the super cheap ones from Harbor Freight in the past… you have to sharpen and buff them off, but they will work if that’s all you can get ahold of. This video, “Hole Punches You Need for Leather Work,” we talk about hole punch options.
  • Actual size of holes these make: #2 – 1/8″, #4 – 5/32″, #8 – 1/4″, #10 – 5/16″

Leather Edge Preparation and Slicking

  • Rub Stick – Leather Supply companies sell variations of these, but they are also really easy to make your own from scrap wood in any shape that you need and then sand to a smooth finish.
  • Slicking Rag – Any heavy canvas or denim cut to size will work for this. Canvas can be purchased at fabric stores like Hobby Lobby.
  • Can/Container for water as well is a dauber or sponge – I prefer a small tomato sauce can but any little container will work.
  • Here is a blog post we did on my process for slicking edges, “Slicking Leather Edges.
  • Edgers – size #2 and size #4 – Maker’s Leather Supply sells the Ron’s edgers like I have (these are higher end tools)… Springfield Leather sells many different types of edgers including the CS Osbourne edgers from the video (called Western Edgers)… Barry King makes some really nice higher end edgers as well. “What is the Best Edger Size for your Leather Work,” is a video we did on edger selection.
  • Sanding Blocks

Hand Stitching Tools

  • Stitch Groover – for the cheaper craftool version visit Tandy Leather – for the higher end wing divider style visit Jeremiah Watt Tools
  • Overstitch Wheel – looks like they don’t made one like mine anymore… Tandy Leather sells one with multiple wheels for different stitch lengths
  • Stitching Awl – for the CS Osbourne haft, Springfield Leather has them as well as blades, this blade is my best guess as to a decent one, but you may get a few different ones and see what you like. There are many options for blades depending on your goals. Barry King has the bigger haft as well as his own blades.
  • Hand Stitching Leather with an Awl and Two Needles” is a video we created to help with traditional hand sewing.

Hammers

  • Ball Pien Hammer – Smaller head size – you can find one of these at your local hardware story easlily.
  • Forming hammer – some type of flat faced smooth hammer or French Hammer – Makers Leather Supply, Springfield Leather, and Jeremiah Watt Tools has many hammers to choose from.
  • Maul or Mallet – preferably larger and weighted, I prefer a 24 oz maul for setting rivets and punching holes, but as heavy as 4lbs is helpful with heavy end punching and large bag slots… Springfield Leather, Barry King and Maker’s Leather Supply have them as well as many other companies.
  • Leather Craft Hammers” is an older video we did explaining different shop hammers.

Cutting Surface and Fastener Setting

  • Rubber mat – any type of dense rubber will work for this.
  • Cutting Board – wood or plastic… you can these at Walmart and other places… Hobby lobby also has self healing cutting mats
  • Small Metal Anvil – scrap steel, aluminum, railroad iron, or a mini anvil
  • Rivet Setter – for copper rivets… Maker’s Leather Supply (they carry two types) and other supply companies have these available
  • Hoof Nippers or Side Cutters – for cutting excess off copper rivets… an old set from a farrier work well but hardware stores carry good side cutters as well.

A Few Extras

  • Side Cutters
  • Needle Nose Pliers
  • Cigarette Lighter
  • All three of these items can be purchased at Walmart or any hardware store.

How to Install an Inlaid Seat in a Saddle

Most of the saddles that we build in the shop are what we call “hard seats.” This means that there is not a padded seat in a saddle where the rider sits in the saddle.

Padded seats are common in rope saddles, trail saddles, and barrel saddles. But the clients that we build for, even our ropers, prefer a Hard Seat saddle. These saddles’ main advantage is that there is no padding to break down over time changing the way the saddle sets. A hard seat saddle will ride the same for its lifetime.

With that being said, this does not mean that our clients don’t appreciate fancy additions to their saddles. One of our most popular additions that can be made to one of our custom saddles is an Inlaid Seat.

Our inlaid seats do not contain any padding so the client still gets the benefit of the hard seat while adding some chrome to their saddle. We can do padded seats with many colors of chap leather, exotic leathers, as well as tooling them for a unique personalized look.

This video shows the process we go through installing an inlaid seat on a custom saddle we are building. This particular seat will be tooled with the client’s brand and floral tooling.

Four Popular Leather Types and Best Uses in LeatherCraft

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 

https://lewisleathersales.com 

https://panhandleleather.com 

http://www.hermannoakleather.com

 

Hand Stitching Leather with an Awl and Two Needles

hand stitchingHand 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.

There are many ways to accomplish the same goal, and hand stitching is not any different.  Many people prefer to use a dremel tool with a small drill bit or a set of pricking irons.  These tools work for making the holes when hand stitching, but in my opinion they do not save any time nor create as pretty of a stitch.

In this video, Hand Stitching Leather with and Awl and Two Needles, I show you what I know about hand stitching leather the traditional way.  I prefer this method not for maintaining traditional skill, but more for its efficiency and accuracy when hand stitching leather projects.  This method allows for the best possible stitch and for me I find it to be the quickest method. Continue reading

Cobra Sewing Machine Options with Maker’s Leather Supply

cobra sewing machineSelecting 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.

When I was in college doing leather work on the side, I hand stitched everything that I made.  Hand stitching is a valuable and necessary skill that all LeatherHeads should take the time to learn and master.  But there does come a point for most of us where a leather sewing machine becomes a much needed piece of equipment for our business.

There are so many different brands, sizes and styles of machines out there.  Selecting the best machine for your needs can be daunting.  The great news?  There is tons of information on the internet as well as helpful and knowledgeable people waiting to help with any questions or concerns that you may have when making the upgrade from sore fingers and long hours to powered sewing machines. Continue reading

One Piece Saddle Swell Cover

I have had a ton of requests to do a video on how I put on a one piece saddle swell cover.  This video is a quick rundown on how I put mine on.  I am working on another video that will show the amount of prep work that goes into getting one of these put on successfully.  I wanted to break it into two separate videos and this one is just putting it on and hopefully it will help to show how these are put on.

The swell I am covering in the video is an Olin Young with leg cuts at a 12.5″ width and a 7.25″ gullet height.  Sometimes these go on easily and sometimes they don’t… this was a time that it went pretty easy.

For more articles and videos from DG LeatherCraft, be sure to subscribe to this channel as well as dig through the archives of our blog here.  Don’t forget to sign up for the LeatherCraft Newsletter.  We are also on facebook and instagram.

Should I turn my hobby into a full time business and quit my job?

One of the most common questions that I get asked from younger craftsmen is, “When should I turn my hobby into a full time business and quit my job?”

This is a question that I do not feel qualified to answer.  Outside of college, I have never had a job.

This usually gets a chuckle in response… but it is the truth.

After I graduated from college I began doing contract work for the man I did my apprenticeship with.

I use the word apprenticeship without a complete understanding as to what a true “apprenticeship” might look like to others in the craft. But more on that in the future.

After some time he offered to sell me the shop and I began my dance with banks to make it happen.

Fifteen years later, years of trial and error, and piles of debt taken and paid off, here we set.

So when someone asks me if they should walk away from a secure career?  Walk away from a steady paycheck?  Maybe even walk away from health insurance, dental, not to mention their own parking spot… I say maybe not.

I once heard an ole boy say, closing his business and getting a job was like “coming in out of the cold.” Continue reading

How to Cut Parts from a Leather Hide

In this video, I show you how to cut parts from a leather hide for many types of different projects.

Choosing the right leather and the right spot to cut the parts on the hide, is crucial to creating the most functional and beautiful piece that you can.

If you are new to leatherwork, then cutting into a brand new full side of leather can be daunting.  But in this video I help to clarify some of the mystery and hopefully help you to feel confident that you are utilizing the resource to the best of your ability. Continue reading

Sanding Tools for the Leather Shop

When it comes to getting the best possible edges in your work, sanding tools are one of the most important areas to focus on.  Without a well sanded edge on your leather project, you won’t be able to get the smooth finish you are looking for.  Even the best possible cut piece of leather still needs sanding on the edge to prepare the leather to be burnished.

There are many different ways to accomplish the same thing in leather work.  Sanding is no different.  There are antique line finishers, who’s sole purpose is to sand and burnish any leather edge to a high gloss finish… particularly on shoes and boots.  But these machines are heavy and take up a lot of room in a workshop.  There are cabinet finishers that take up much less room and do just as good of a job.  But finding one of these on the used market can be difficult… most folks won’t part with them.  There are even other “powered” machines used in other industries that can accomplish your sanding needs. Continue reading