Tooling leather tips

Basket Stamp Around an Object or Figure the Easy Way

Posted October 17, 2019 by Don Gonzales

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.

One of the more challenging tasks that come up in some projects is Basket Stamping around a brand, figure or object that is in the middle of a piece. Many times this can lead to a pattern that becomes off course and just doesn’t seem to work. This can lead to a project, or at least a piece of it, having to be remade to correct the mistake in the pattern. Continue reading →

Figure Carving a Horse Head into Leather Video 3

Posted July 18, 2019 by Don Gonzales

Here is a much requested video from your suggestions both here and on our facebook page! For the July Leather Tooling Series we are showing how to figure carve a horse’s head into leather. I am not the greatest figure carver out there and I still have a lot to learn on the subject, but I will attempt to show you what I do know. After that, you can seek out guidance from some of the greats out there… and there are many amazing figure carvers that you can learn from. Jim Linnell and Peter Main would be the two that I would highly recommend checking out if you haven’t already.

Here is a link to Jim Linnell’s website

You can find Peter Main on facebook

If you would like to tool along with us in this tooling series, here is a link to a FREE copy of this pattern Click Here.

Just enter your email address and we will shoot that out to you. It is a PDF file that you can download and print on your own printer.

This is video #3 in this series.

Tools used in this video:

-Modeling tool – Peter Main

-Modeling tools

-Craftool Thumbprint

Here is the photo of the horse in the pattern for you to use as reference.

The model for this project is an unknown Bay Gelding that resided on a place that borders us. I just liked the way the horse looked and took many photos of him for artwork reference. Not sure what happened to him, but we haven’t seen him in a long time… I like to think that he is somewhere on the rodeo trail or maybe just retired and moved to Florida.

Online Leather Classes with DG LeatherCraft Academy

Posted July 13, 2019 by Don Gonzales

The biggest request we get is “Do we offer any Leather Classes?”

I’m going to cut right to the chase… we have a Big Announcement to make this month. After a year or better of researching, planning, cussing, discussing and finally building… we are finally ready to reveal the biggest digital project we have ever created.

Based on the inquiry for leather classes and feedback that we have gotten over the years from amazing fellow LeatherHeads like you, we felt there was a real need in our industry for this type of product. It took us some time to choose the right platform as well as build out all the components that go into creating something like this so that it offers the most value with the least amount of hassle on your end.

We think that we have done just that!

I would like to introduce our newest addition to DG LeatherCraft,

DG LeatherCraft Academy is our new platform where we can create Online Courses that go in depth on different topics and areas of leather craft and design work. Much further than we can on our YouTube channel or on our blog. The Academy will be home to all of our future Premium Courses for those who want complete leather classes on particular topics and certain areas of the craft.

These courses will be completely online so that you can go through any of our leather classes at your pace on any device. No set dates, times or having to travel out of state. Once enrolled in a particular course, you can go through the curriculum all in one sitting in order… or you can do a lecture a day in any order you want. And when you complete the course, you can go back through it again anytime as many times as you want.

Worksheets for these leather classes can be downloaded and printed so that you can work along with us throughout the course. Then after completion you will have these sheets to reference if you need to. Continue reading →

Figure Carving a Horse Head into Leather Video #2

Posted July 9, 2019 by Don Gonzales

Tooling a Saddle Cantle Back in Hyper Speed

Posted July 5, 2019 by Don Gonzales

This is a Hyper Speed video of me tooling a saddle cantle back for a saddle I am making. This is the entire tooling process from start to finish at 500%… minus carving it in. The last one we did like this was the tooling of a belt and you guys seemed to like it so I thought I would show y’all this one. If you want to learn how to tool floral patterns into leather, then be sure to check out one of our tooling series playlists here on our channel. In this series, we explain in depth the tooling process and different tools used. Click Here to see our latest Tooling Series Project and get your free pattern to tool along with us.

How to Figure Carving a Horse Head into Leather

Posted July 3, 2019 by Don Gonzales

Here is a much requested video from your suggestions both here and on our facebook page! For the July Leather Tooling Series we are showing how to figure carve a horse’s head into leather. I am not the greatest figure carver out there and I still have a lot to learn on the subject, but I will attempt to show you what I do know. After that, you can seek out guidance from some of the greats out there… and there are many amazing figure carvers that you can learn from. Jim Linnell would be one that I would highly recommend checking out if you haven’t already.

If you would like to tool along with us in this tooling series, Click Here to get a FREE copy of this pattern.

Just enter your email address and we will shoot that out to you. It is a PDF file that you can download and print on your own printer.

Tools used in this video:

-CS Osbourne push beveler

-Barry King Lifters (or undercuts)

-Barry King Crowners (checkered)

-Bevelers (BK and craft tool)

If you haven’t, I would suggest going through our First Tooling Series where we explain in a little more depth the different tools used in these series videos.

Here is a full run down on my Stamp Tool Roll.

How to Tool a Cluster Flower Pattern – Video 2

Posted May 17, 2019 by Don Gonzales

In this video series, I show you the complete tooling of a cluster flower pattern. The goal of these videos is to show you my complete tooling process when stamping leather tooling patterns.

This video covers the following tools and the order that I use them in:

-Barry King small thumbprint – horizontal lined

-Old Pear Shader (prob an old McMillan)

-Craftool long and thin smooth pear shader

-Barry King small mules foot

-Craftool Wiggler

-Seed Burst

-All Undercuts (Lifters) again to re-lift

Here is the first video, How to Tool a Cluster Flower Pattern – Video 1, so that you can follow along with both of these to tool this pattern.

There is a FREE PDF for this pattern that you are welcome to download by Clicking Here, just enter your email address to confirm access to download a copy to use so that you can follow along with us!

Here is a link to the first video series we did. Watch this series for more information on some of the tools and uses:

https://dgsaddlery.com/how-to-tool-floral-leather-tooling-patterns/

Here is a link to a video that we did where I go through my tool roll. I explain the stamps that I use and what type they are:

https://dgsaddlery.com/my-leather-floral-carving-tool-roll/

Links for tools and supplies:

https://makersleathersupply.com

https://www.barrykingtools.com

The sewing machine that I use is the cobra class 4 from https://www.leathermachineco.com

May Tooling Series

Posted May 12, 2019 by Don Gonzales

In this video series, I show you the complete tooling of a Cluster Flower Pattern. The goal of these videos is to show you my complete tooling process when stamping leather tooling patterns.

This video covers the following tools and the order that I use them in:

-push beveler

-flower centers

-flower center liner

-undercuts (4 different tool sizes- small to large)

-crowners (2 different tool sizes)

-bevelers

-Bargrounders

There is a FREE PDF for this pattern that you are welcome to download. If you would like that then Click Here. Just enter your email address to confirm access to download a copy to use so that you can follow along with us.

Here is a link to the second and final video in this tooling series “How to Tool a Cluster Flower Pattern – Video 2.”

How to Make a Cowboy Wine Hanger

Posted May 3, 2019 by Don Gonzales

In this Project Video, I show you how to make an item that we have made in our shop for many years. This Leather Wine Rack is easy to make and sells well. The unique design is a great way to display your favorite wine bottles in your home.

The video walks you through my entire process for making one of these and the leather that I use. You can make these out of any leather that you have. I prefer to make the body out of 4/6 oz chap leather and the tooled pieces out of 6/7 oz or 9/10 oz veg tanned leather.

Are you interested in making one of these? Then Click Here to purchase a complete DIGITAL Pattern Pack for this project. The pack includes all the measurements that you need to create your pattern for the main body of the wine rack, as well as 8 different floral tooling patterns for the tooled panels.

ALL OF OUR PATTERNS ARE INSTANT DOWNLOADS THAT YOU PRINT OUT ON YOUR OWN PRINTER (use the “actual size” printer settings). WE DO NOT MAIL THESE TO YOU.

Here are some useful links for getting supplies and some helpful videos I mentioned in the video:

https://makersleathersupply.com/ Great folks that can help you with all of your supply and leather needs.

https://lewisleathersales.com/ Suppliers of fine chap leathers and exotics

https://www.leathermachineco.com/ Best sewing machines on the market!

I was going to put a link to my favorite wine, but I am only sponsored by Boxed Wine companies… Just kidding.

SIDE NOTE: Project videos take me a few weeks to create plus creating the pattern packs. I had this video started back in last part of March and the workshop just kept me too busy to be able to get it out until now. With that being said, Corter Leather posted a similar project on their Instagram/Youtube a few weeks ago. I contacted them because my project was very similar and I didn’t want to cause any problems. We laughed at the coincidence of us both working on same type of project at the same time. I haven’t ever met them but I follow their work and they seem like really cool folks. So if you want to see their version of this project then Click Here.