leather work

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.

What is the best edger size for your leather work?

Posted by Don Gonzales

Having attractive smooth edges on your leather work projects is more than likely one of your main goals. As LeatherHeads, we all want that super clean edge.

It’s easy to get overwhelmed with the amount of information out there on different edge finishing techniques. One of the things that isn’t talked about much is using the correct size edger for the material you are working with.

This video is focused on using the best edger size for your leather work projects.  Simply using the wrong size edger can be the difference between a good looking edge and an edge that just doesn’t look right.  

Hole Punches You Need for Leather Work

Posted by Don Gonzales

One of the most important tasks performed by anyone in leathercraft, or even just someone attempting to repair something made of leather, is making a hole in it.

There are a few ways to accomplish this task and a few different tools to help. If you are working in leathercraft then you will need to have a few different sizes and styles of tools to be able to punch holes in leather.

In this quick video, I go through what I use and prefer.

How to Make a Premium Leather Clutch Wallet

Posted by Don Gonzales

In this project video, I show you how to make a leather clutch wallet with more of a Premium set of Interiors. The interior of this wallet includes a few more slots for cash and storage as well as a zippered coin pocket. We also show you how I create and install a “T” pocket system for credit card pockets.

If you are looking for a “step-up” project, then this is a great one. The interior of this wallet is more challenging than our previous clutch wallet video that we created.

If you would like the Companion Pattern Pack that goes along with this video, then you can purchase that DIGITAL PDF file by Clicking Here.

This pattern pack includes all the cut patterns for all the pieces as well as line up marks. There is also 8 different floral tooling patterns included as well.

*Note: This is a digital pattern that you download and print out on your own printer… we do not mail this pattern to you. You have instant access to it after purchase.

For the double sided tape that I used in the video, visit https://makersleathersupply.com

For leather sewing machines and equipment, visit https://leathermachineco.com

For the best tooling leather in the industry, visit http://www.hermannoakleather.com

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.   

Four Popular Leather Types and Best Uses in LeatherCraft

Posted by Don Gonzales

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

 

How to Make a Simple Bible Cover

Posted by Don Gonzales

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.

In this video, I show you how I make a simple leather bible cover.  This bible cover has no type of closure nor the use of zippers.  For a very clean and professional looking book cover, you can’t beat this style.

I used an NIV Personal Size Bible that I purchased at Walmart for this project.  The actual size of the Bible was 5.5″ X 8.5″ and the leather front and back panels ended up being 6″ X 9 3/8″ to allow for a comfortable fit.  My spine piece was 2.5″ wide including the 3/4″ allowance on the sides to allow for the thickness of the Bible that I used.  The brand of the Bible was Zondervan.  You can certainly adjust your measurements to fit any Bible or book that you choose to use for this project.

This is probably one of the shortest project videos that we have created.  This should let you know how simple this project is to create.  If you have been searching for the perfect project to offer to your customers or just to make for family or friends, this is the project.  I make this Bible Cover in three pieces which allows for easier use of your scrap leather, but you could certainly make the outside from one solid piece if you prefer. Continue reading →

Cobra Sewing Machine Options with Maker’s Leather Supply

Posted by Don Gonzales

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 →

Dyeing the Background on a Leather Floral Pattern

Posted by Don Gonzales

This video shows how to dye the background of a leather floral pattern.  We are dyeing the horse head floral piece from our July Tooling series for this tutorial.  Yes, I am aware that it is September… I like to think this one is fashionably late.

In this video I am using Black Fiebings Pro Oil Dye and Dark Brown Antique Paste also by Fiebings.

If you would like to tool the pattern from 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 #4 in this series.  You can find Video #1 by Clicking Here.