Tooling leather tips

LeatherCraft Rivets and Snaps I Use Every Day

Posted by Don Gonzales

When it comes to leatherwork, there are a few pieces of hardware that I just couldn’t live without. Rivets and snaps might seem like small details, but they can make or break a project… literally. They add strength where you need it, hold things together under stress, and give your leather goods a finished, professional look.

In this video, LeatherCraft Rivets and Snaps I Use Everyday, I walk through the different types of fasteners I keep in stock in the shop and why they’ve earned a permanent spot on my bench.

My Everyday Rivets

  • Double Cap Speed Rivets – These are my go to light duty rivets to fasten two pieces together easily while still looking nice on both sides of the project. With lots of finishes available for these, you can match these to the different types of hardware you might use.
  • Copper Rivets and Burrs – When you need something that will never give out, copper rivets are the way to go. These are my choice for more heavy-duty gear like saddles, tack, bags, etc. They are also available in brass for that classy look that matches polished brass hardware.

The snaps that I Use

  • Line 20 Snaps – These are a smaller version of the Line 24 snaps and work great for journals, small pouches, and other small projects where the closure needs to be a bit smaller but still secure.
  • Line 24 Snaps – These are a step up from the line 20 snaps in size and strength. I use these on many projects including bags, larger journals, hoof pick holders on saddles, and more.
  • Segma Snaps – These are a great belt snap. Small and secure, they work great and look great for belts and come in many different finishes.

A Few Quick Tips

  • Always match your rivet or snap post length to the thickness of your leather project. Too short and it won’t hold, too long and it will sit loose or bend over.
  • Invest in the right setters and anvils for the particular fastener you are using. Good tools make a difference in this case.
  • Test hardware on a scrap piece first before setting on your project.

Final Thoughts

These fasteners are nothing fancy, but they are reliable. I’ve used them for years and they have worked well for me in my work. If you are new to leathercraft, I would suggest starting with double cap rivets for smaller projects and using copper rivets for bigger projects. Learning how to use fasteners properly and how to set them is crucial for your leather crafting journey. Try different ones and see how they work for your work.

Here is a full video that we posted on our YouTube channel that explains in depth all of these fasteners. Check it out and put some of these to work at your bench.

Two Different Belt Basket Stamping Styles

Posted by Don Gonzales

This video shows two different ways to run any basket stamp on a belt in order to get a different look.

The Arrow Basket Stamp style has always been a popular one for us along with the Angled Basket Stamp variation.

Give these a shot on some scrap leather and see if you can incorporate these arrangements into your next belt project.

The Stamps that I use and review in this video were made by Clay Miller and you can click the link here to get in contact with him if you would like to give his stamps a try.

He makes really nice tools and is a good contact to have if you are a leather tooler. Great source for high quality hand tools.

Large Basket Weave Pattern Hand Tooled

Posted by Don Gonzales

The Large Basket Weave Pattern is a hand tooled style of geometric stamping that I really admire. I have seen this type of tooling being done by some really talented toolers over the last few years and I think it looks really unique. I did not invent this style, nor did I start the trend… I am late to the game when it comes to tooling this creative style.

With that being said, I am showing in this video how I tool this Large Basket Weave Pattern. It really is a very simple pattern once you understand what is happening in the tooling. This is a great pattern for wallets, bible covers, notebooks, and even saddles. The only caution that has to be mentioned here is to keep in mind that the bigger the tooling window (area the tooling will be in) the more confusing it can become.

As you will see in the video, the only tools that you will need are listed below and it’s not much. You don’t need to go out and purchase some new fancy stamping tool or line carving device. This pattern utilizes tools you already have in your arsenal but allows you to create a pattern that customers seem to really enjoy. Here are the tools that you will need:

  • Swivel knife
  • 1″ wide or so straight edge (I use a scale which is 7/8″ in width)
  • vertical lined thumbprint
  • wide beveler

That’s all ya need!

Check out this video and give the Large Basket Weave Pattern a shot. I bet this will become one of your favorite geometric tooling patterns for your leather craft projects.

Making a Leather Field Notebook Cover

Posted by Don Gonzales

In this project video, I show you how to make a simple leather field notebook cover for a Field Notes notebook cover. This is a great entry level project and a great gift idea project. I make this cover out of 3/4 oz leather with minimal hand stitching. It’s also a great use of scrap leather you may have laying around your shop.

We do offer a pattern pack for making one of these notebook covers. The pattern pack includes the cut patterns as well as 6 different floral patterns. We offer this pattern in either a DIGITAL DOWNLOAD or a PRINTED version.

You can purchase your copy of this pattern by clicking on one of the following links:

PRINTED VERSION that we mail out to you.

DIGITAL DOWNLOAD that you print out on your own printer.

I got the thread, needles, and field notes notebooks from Maker’s Leather Supply so check them out.

If you want more in depth instruction on hand sewing, be sure to check out our video “Hand Stitching with an Awl and Two Needles.”

New Online Leather Floral Carving Course in the Academy!

Posted by Don Gonzales

If you follow us on social media and/or our YouTube Channel, then you have heard us talking about building a new course for the DG LeatherCraft Academy. After months of gathering information, photos, and videos we have finally completed what we think is the most comprehensive online course on Floral Carving and Tooling that is available.

I will first say, there is no in person or online course that is going to make you a Master Floral Carver over night. Becoming efficient and proficient with leather floral tooling takes practice and study over a long period of time. What I wanted to do with this new course was to consolidate all the information in one place that is easy to follow and offers the best information possible. Along with this information, we created patterns and exercises that help to develop the skills and techniques needed to begin to build a quality skill set.

Our First Floral Carving and Tooling Course is Open for Enrollment!

Continue reading →

How to Make a Leather Checkbook Cover

Posted by Don Gonzales

When I first started my shop, one of the most popular items that we sold was a leather checkbook cover. I quickly learned that this item required very little leather to make and went together quickly. Even in today’s high tech world of Apple Pay and Debit cards, most people still write checks. And of those that still write checks, many of those people like to have a really nice custom checkbook cover. This allows them to whip it out and show off a bit when making purchases that require a handwritten check.

This video is a complete project video that shows you how I make a leather checkbook cover as well as some tips to make the process easier for you. We also created a Companion Pattern Pack, as we do with all of our project videos. In this pattern pack you will find the simple cut patterns with suggestions on leather weights to use. We also created 12 new and different tooling patterns that you can use to create unique checkbook covers to offer your customers. This is a digital pattern pack like all the rest of ours.

If you would like to purchase the pattern pack, click here and you can download and print the complete pack out on your own printer: https://dgsaddlery.com/product/leathe…​

While you are here, check out many more videos and blog articles as well as many more digital pattern packs.

For a good source for Herman Oak Leather, visit our friends at Maker’s Leather Supply: https://makersleathersupply.com​

If you are interested in investing in a new sewing machine, visit my friends at Leather Machine Co and check out their Cobra sewing machines: https://leathermachineco.com​

How to Make Leather Knife Sheaths

Posted by Don Gonzales

This project video is one that I should have made a long time ago.  One of the best selling items we have ever made in the saddle shop has been our fold over knife sheaths.  In this video, I show you how to make these from start to finish.

If you are looking for a project that doesn’t use a lot of leather and goes together quickly then this is it.  This is also a great way to use up the scrap leather that may be accumulating in the corners of your workshop.  Floral tooled, geometric tooled, dyed, painted and even plain leather, these items will become one of your most popular selling items.

I have developed a set of patterns to use when making these that will cut out all the fitting issues for most knives.  My pattern uses the tooling window to size the finished sheath to fit a particular knife.  If you would like to purchase the digital companion pattern pack for this video, then CLICK HERE and you can purchase that from us.  This is a digital PDF file that you will download and print the patterns out on your own printer.  Along with the cut pattern for the shealth and the three different size tooling windows that I use in my shop, you will also get 6 different floral tooling patterns for each of the three different windows.  That is 18 different patterns to choose from.

Looking for a good source for Herman Oak leather?  Visit our friends at Maker’s Leather Supply as they are a Herman Oak dealer and can help you get the leather and any other supplies that you may need.

How to Make a Saddle Bag Crossbody Purse

Posted by Don Gonzales

  This video shows how to make a new crossbody purse that I just came up with.  The design is based on a real saddle bag design altered to work as a crossbody purse.  I think the design of this purse is really nice and would be popular with many.   This would be a great project to offer to your customers for gift ideas.  You also may want to make one of these for that special lady in your life.  

This crossbody purse goes together very well and has a lot of room to do floral tooling and personalization.   

If you would like to purchase the pattern pack for this project, then Click Here to get that.   The pattern pack is a DIGITAL DOWNLOAD in a PDF format that you print out on your own printer.  The pack includes all the cut patterns as well as 6 different floral patterns.