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[jakesrocks]

Coming soon to this thread.

After many years absence from leather crafting, I've decided to get back into it as a hobby, instead of a part time business as it was before. Over the last couple of months I have been accumulating the tools and supplies needed. I'll start out with showing the tools and explaining their uses. Then I'll move into a simple belt, using basic stamping methods to put a name and design on the belt. After doing a couple of simple projects, I'll move into carving and molding a picture into leather.

Bare with me on these projects. It has been about 35 years since I last worked with leather, so this will be a re-learning experience for me, as much as it can be a learning experience for those of you who have never worked with leather.

[jakesrocks]

I guess the best place to start is with the leather itself. There are many types of leather, and many tanning methods. For leather tooling and carving, vegetable tanned (sometimes called oak tanned) cowhide is the most suitable. Pictured are 2 sides of vegetable tanned cowhide. 1 role is 6-7 oz. (3/16 thick), and the other is 8-9 oz. (1/8" thick).

[hummingbirdstones]

I'm really looking forward to these.  Vince and I went to a leather show here in Prescott about a month a go to see if we could find some elk hide for polishing laps.  Mission accomplished and I got to see so many other cool and beautiful things.  Some of those sewing machines for leather are incredible!  I even found a stamp maker who uses steel so I could get a custom made stamp for my jewelry.   

[jakesrocks]

Good morning Robin.
I know of a couple of guys here in the U.S. that make custom stamps. For my leather carvings I'm going to have a stamp made by a company in Bulgaria. They make some of the nicest, most detailed leather stamps that I've ever seen.

[jakesrocks]

You might ask how I got into this hobby in the first place. It all began in 1970 when I was stationed with the Navy in Spain. On weekends off, I'd head down the coast to Malaga where all of the tourists were. being the early 70's, there were a lot of hippies selling hand crafted things to the tourists. One young hippy couple was working their way around Europe by making and selling leather items. I bought a belt from them which had a most unusual buckle. The buckle is a swivel from a horse or mule team harness. After buying the belt and looking at their other items I thought, bet I could do that. One thing led to another, I ordered a Tandy Leather catalog from which I ordered some basic tools. I found a place in Sevilla where I could by leather hides. The sides in the picture above were over $100.00 each here in the U.S.. In Spain I could buy a side for about $25.00.

Anyway, here's the belt that started it all. The leather is starting to dry rot, and will soon be replaced.

[Enchantra]

Several years ago I used to do work with leather but kind of fell away from it.  However I wasn't making belts - I was making bizarre stuff like Gothic collars and chokers!   

[jakesrocks]

Several years ago I used to do work with leather but kind of fell away from it.  However I wasn't making belts - I was making bizarre stuff like Gothic collars and chokers!   

I recently came across a bunch of patterns for collars, chokers, gauntlets & such. Maybe I should have bought them.

I was more into belts, purses, shoulder bags, knife sheaths & such. Also made several leather vests & moccasins.

I was in the Navy at the time, and often pulled in more tax free money from leather, than I did from my taxable Navy pay. It got to the point where I had so many orders that all of my free time was devoted to working with leather. After about 3 years I burned out on it & quit taking orders. After transfering back to the U.S., I sold all but a couple of my leather tools.

[wampidy]

I was working leather about the same time you were but I made hand tooled wallets more than anything else. Used up some of my free time in Vietnam working leather and made a lot of knife sheaths with an aluminum backing on the points for pilots in my squadron. One of the injuries that pilots fear is a knife point piercing their leg when they made a parachute landing.

Just played around with it when I got back from Nam and then gave it up all together when the second child was born because it was tough to get away and alone for very long.

I have accumulated a box of assorted leathers so I will be keeping an eye on this thread to see what you come up with. I have attempted to combine stone and leather a few times with bad results every time.
Jim

[jakesrocks]

Jim, I've been toying with an idea to make bezels out of leather which would be buck stitched to leather projects. I bought a 5 lb box of leather offcuts to play with, so I'll see what I can come up with. If it works I'll post pics.

[Kaljaia]

I've seen some lovely combinations of stone work, silver and leather, especially in tack (browbands and breastbands for horses, or on the skirts of saddles). We did leatherwork in 4-H quite some time ago and I have my box and my brother's box of starter tools somewhere! It honestly took more patience than I've got but I made a few of my own patterns and enjoyed the creative process, even if I did take a lot of shortcuts and my product suffered for it. (Now I just work with old garment leather for costumes.)

I look forward to seeing what you make! There's an etsy shop somewhere that had glass 'eyes' set in leather bezels and stitched down.

[jakesrocks]

When I first started leather carving, there was a big market for demons, skulls, etc. I'm still partial to these types of pictures both on paper and on leather. I've searched out a fairly large collection of tattoo art which can be traced on leather for carving, and recently discovered prison art. One artist in particular. His sister sells his art work for him to help support his wife while he's locked away.
Here is just one example of his work which I'll use on a ladies shoulder bag.

[Kaljaia]

Is he selling his work for that kind of use? For someone to reproduce and sell independent of him? I don't think a lot of artists sell reproduction rights when they sell the original image; that's unusual if he is selling with that intent.

[jakesrocks]

I've been in contact with the seller, (the artists sister). She in turn has been in contact with him. She sent a message to me saying that he'd be thrilled to have his artwork used in this manner, and hopes to see pictures of what I've done.

Just to be on the safe side, I've printed hard copies of all messages, which have come thru ebay messages, so both ebay & I have copies of the messages. Just a little CYA on my part.

[Kaljaia]

I've been in contact with the seller, (the artists sister). She in turn has been in contact with him. She sent a message to me saying that he'd be thrilled to have his artwork used in this manner, and hopes to see pictures of what I've done.

Just to be on the safe side, I've printed hard copies of all messages, which have come thru ebay messages, so both ebay & I have copies of the messages. Just a little CYA on my part.

That's very smart, and I'm looking forward to seeing what you make with it too! (I've been on the other end, and peeled my art off places it should not have been, but have also been glad to see it reproduced with permission in other forms.) Multi-artist collaborations can be quite stunning, so I look forward to see what this becomes in leather-form!

[wampidy]

Skulls are really popular again now. My son has been drawing them and tattooing them for a long time.

I was given a box of leather then I bought a bag of scraps but the only tools I have now is a stitch awl and a hole punch. Leather makes a real tough rock carry bag and that is the only thing I have made so far. I also use leather strips for necklaces for mostly men but some women like them also. It is the only thing I can wear that does not make my neck itch.

I had a Montana agate that was shaped like a boot so I cut a piece of leather just a little bit larger than the stone then glued the stone on. It looked so bad I probably would have had to pay someone to take it home. Maybe your idea will work better.
Jim