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. Continue reading
tooling leather
Tooling a Saddle Cantle Back in Hyper Speed
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
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.
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.
May Tooling Series
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.”
Learn How to Tool Floral Leather Tooling Patterns
You bought a mess of leather stamping tools for tooling leather tooling patterns.
What do all these tools for stamping leather do and where to use them?
This is a common challenge for us when we start tooling leather. We gather all the tools, a good mallet and some floral tooling patterns. Yet we are unclear of what some of tools are for or how to use them.
Other areas that I struggled with early on was the proper order to use the tools in. I found myself rambling through the patterns in a completely random fashion. This led to long tooling sessions that left me feeling a bit lost and confused.
If you are new to tooling leather tooling patterns, then you are going to find great value in this! Here you will find a 4 part video series that we created for our YouTube Channel. The series is called “How to Tool Floral Leather Tooling Patterns.”
Each video covers a certain number of stamping tools in the order that I use them in my work everyday. You will see how I use each tool for this particular tooling pattern. The use of many of these tools takes practice and sometimes requires a little trick to use and we go through this in the videos.
So let’s just jump right in and get started! Continue reading
How to Tool Leather Tooling Patterns – Video #1
In this video series, we will show you the complete tooling of floral leather tooling patterns. 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)
There is a FREE PDF for this pattern that you are welcome to download using this link, just enter your email address to confirm access to download a copy to use so that you can follow along with us! Continue reading
Drawing Vinework in Leather Tooling Patterns
Introduction into February Tooling Floral Theme
For the entire month of February, I want to focus on floral design and tooling. Everything from drawing leather tooling patterns, carving them, and tooling them. I want to spend the time using our different platforms to help you improve your tooling and design.
So whether you are a seasoned leatherhead or a rookie, be ready to follow us into this deep subject. We will not have enough time in one month to cover it all. We won’t even have enough time to cover a quarter of the subject. But I hope to shed a little light on the subject and hope that you will find value in it.
Tooling isn’t something that you can just read one book about, watch one youtube video, or spend one weekend in a workshop and become a master at. Learning to draw leather tooling patterns and to tool them, takes practice and commitment to the idea that you will become a true life long student of the subject. Continue reading
How to Make a Clutch Wallet
In this video I show you how to make a clutch wallet. These wallets are a great item for rookie leather craftsmen as well as the experienced. There are many variations that can be made from this simple design.
I walk you through my entire process of creating one of these popular wallets.
These are great gift ideas for the woman in your life or to offer to your customers who are wanting to give that special everyday carry gift.
Making a Leather Portfolio
I have had a lot of request for more videos on our YouTube channel that show projects from start to finish. This video shows the complete process of making a leather portfolio. These leather portfolios have been great projects for me over the years and they have so much room for customization.
Even during this age of digital organizers, cell phones and apps that help business stay on track, many people continue to use a legal pad and pens to conduct and keep track of daily activities. The other thing that keeps customers ordering these items is that they tend to catch a lot of eyes. Walk into a board meeting, have lunch with a client or have one of these on your console when showing properties to a home buyer and you are sure to start a conversation.
My goal with this post and video is to show my process and how I approach making a legal pad portfolio. There are many different ways to create these and many different styles and sizes, all of which accomplish the same end result. This video is simply the process that I have found that works best for me.