Leather tools

I am wanting to get into leather work. First I want to make a few sheaths and then some buckskins.

My stepdad made some really nice buckskins back when he did rendezvous but they are way too small for me. Can I use his old patterns but to my demotions?

What tools do I need for leather work?

The Very FIRST thing I suggest is you get a copy of this Book, The Art of Hand Sewing Leather, by Al Stohlman.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Art-Hand-Sewing-Leather/dp/1892214911

This book came out a few years after I blundered my way through my first set of skins, knife scabbard and shooting pouch. I STILL refer back to my well worn copy that is now over 35 years old. Oh, I have never carved leather as it was not usually done in the geographical locations and time periods I am interested in, but this book is still almost worth its weight in gold for everything else.

May I suggest you not be tempted to use Artificial Sinew? The reason for this was it was first harvested from the laboratory experiments of the Bio Engineered Nauga from the 1950's, from which they also harvested Naugahyde? There was/were no natural wild Nauga (singular) or Naugaeen (Plural) running around in nature in the 17th through 19th centuries.

Oh, the above paragraph is a parody on using modern materials to make period items.

Basic Tools and Materials

1. Good Linen thread. Preferably Barbour's Thread. Also a small piece of Bee's Wax to lubricate it.

2. Good sewing needles matched to the size (number of cords) of your thread.

3. A GOOD Awl. The really good ones do not cost much more than cheap crappy ones and will last you for many years. Try the following link for ones made by Joseph Dixon. You will also need a good Medium or Fine India sharpening stone for them. http://www.boothandco.com/handtools.html

4. A SHARP knife. Unless you plan to really get into a lot of leather work, I don't suggest you buy a traditional Round Leather Knife at first. I got along just fine for years with one of the Utility Knives that use the interchangeable "razor blade" type blades.

5. A good straight edge. I got along nice for years with a hardware store bought aluminum 4 foot ruler and a nice 6" machinist's steel rule.

6. If you are going to cut fringe, then you really need a good set of shears. On the first set of skins I made, I used a straight knife and it took HOURS to cut the fringe. A good set of shears takes a lot less time to cut the fringe.

7. Pattern paper. I used old newspapers for the first few years and then switched to plain brown wrapping/shipping paper. Oh, Graph paper comes in real handy for making knife sheath's.

Gus

....Good sewing needles matched to the size (number of cords) of your thread....

..., A SHARP knife....

....If you are going to cut fringe, then you really need a good set of shears....

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Good advice;

I found you need both sewing needles and in many cases, glover's needles. You should be able to find them at a sewing store. They are triangular bladed and cut the leather as you sew, while regular needles are round and often need the awl to open a hole before sewing.

If you don't get a hobby knife with replacement blades, be sure you also get good stones to keep your knife very sharp, and learn how to use them to the utmost.

I have found that shears that may be sharpened are better than others you may find at the craft or hobby stores.

As for your pattern, the best thing to do is to make the garment from some super cheap, polyester cotton blend fabric, and see how well that fits, and then adjust the pattern, before you start cutting leather.

LD

Does the leather shrink? Do I measure big or just as needed?

Leather working is such a diverse thing that it might be best to decide what you want to make and then post that idea so folks can suggest ideas, tools, etc.
I usually make a paper pattern and add a little extra to compensate for the thickness of the leather, sometimes I'll tape the paper pattern to the leather and cut out with a sharp knife or razor knife. If I fold over the leather and it seems too big I might trim it down a little more. I make the holes with an awl and then use heavy needles and linen thread. I use two needles, one on each end of the thread and pass each needle through the same hole but from opposite sides- sort of like lacing up a pair of shoes. This gives a solid line of stitches on both sides. The passing of thread through all the holes can fray it so you need some beeswax and re-wax the thread from time to time.
Some sheaths had no stitches, just brass tacks or copper harness rivets.

Thejeepster said:

Does the leather shrink? Do I measure big or just as needed?

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Soft leather for making skins won't shrink, but actually will stretch some with use. The leather closest to the belly always stretches more. That's why it is a good idea to Pre-stretch it before you cut it out. Add an extra 1/4" or a little more all around the pattern (where it is going to be sewn together) for seams.

Firmer leather for knife sheaths won't shrink or stretch much, unless very thin, I.E. 2-3 oz. leather.

Gus

P.S. Back in the 70's, there was a guy at Friendship who did not pre-stretch the leather before he made his trousers. Sure enough, the leather around his "seat" was especially stretchy and wound up going very baggy in back. You can imagine how much kidding he got about his "diaper skins" and "baggy pants" etc. He had to take them apart, cut out the excess and re-sew them.

Gus

Thejeepster said:

Does the leather shrink? Do I measure big or just as needed?

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Leather only shrinks when it is made into belts, over the years, belts do shrink and become to small.

Richard Ill bet there is a good cook in the kitchen you can blame that on cause i have that same problem. Curt

You probably aren't going to get into stamping/tooling leather right away but stamping can stretch out oak tanned leather.
I've made A LOT of stuff that I thought looked great when I made it and then found out later that certain aspects weren't historically accurate. I would try to forget it but the errors would bug me and I'd remake something and then find out my remake was still wrong, and again, and again.
One good thing about this site is you can always review your ideas before making anything. There's a lot of knowledgeable folks on this forum that can help.
One of my biggest problems is not carefully analyzing every detail. Easy enough to do. For example let's say you decide to use brass tacks to make a sheath. You do so and then someone points out the original tacks had square brass shanks. You remake with square brass shanks BUT someone points out you used a too high or too low dome, You do it again but someone points out the square shank mid domed tack has the wrong diameter.
GEEZ......
In any event ask, ask ask.

Yep and I thought it was inferior leather.

Clyde,

Wow, do I know what you mean!! :grin:

Even a simple detail like making a square or rectangular "box" when stitching 18th century straps or belts on a project and then finding out they didn't normally do it that way as leather has a tendency to crack/break when sewed perpendicular to the length. Instead, they sewed two and often three straight lines of stitching along the length. Found out that the hard way.

Gus

I'm just getting started, too. I bought a flat-sided awl haft and diamond (shape) blade from Tandy. Do I need to do anything to make the awl work better? I've seen some references to honing or sharpening the blade.

I think that different leather workers sharpen their awls in their own ways, what ever works best for them. I use the carborundum mainly on a new awl and then mostly use oil stones from Medium India, Fine India and Hard Arkansas, then strop with rottenstone or Jewelers Rouge. Heck, I have also done it with different grade garnet papers before the stropping.

I suggest viewing this linked video for a starting point:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wvY9beqObiQ

BTW, Nigel Armitage (Armitage Leather) has many really good leather working videos and well worth looking for and studying.

Gus

In my experience with those (assuming you're not talking their new Pro models), the blades need a lot of work. Lotta paths to the finish line for sharpening, but in the end you want that thing really sharp and polished like glass.

It's downright amazing what a difference good polishing will make. I shape mine carefully with a needle file, then polish it smooth with a succession of emery paper grits, then hit it with rouge (red, then white). If you can see ANY scratch marks or dimpling on the blade in very good light, it's going to drag in the leather.

Best is to keep a scrap of leather handy and try piercing it as you go along. Kinda encourages you to keep at the polishing as you can see how progressively easier it gets. I'm sewing 7-8 oz leather at the moment, and my awl slides through it with very little effort, the old hot knife through butter routine.

One final note:

I mentioned their new Pro models. I was gifted one for Christmas, and the extra price is paid back in blade quality. Sure it still needed rouge polishing, but no shaping.

Okay, one more final note:

Whichever awl you're using, and however sharp you get it, make it a habit to polish a little with the white rouge before you start, any time the awl has sat around for a few days. Amazing how much invisible corrosion or crud builds up in just a few days sitting. The quick polish with white takes care of that.

Get down around page three or four here. Some guy I know did a set of posts entitled Eighteenth Century Stitching. Making A Hole seems to be the most widely read one.

One basic rule that has helped me through many a pair of shoes...if it is a metal tool with no moving parts, polish it.

Also, don't feel bad about your mistakes. You gotta make some to get better...

Along with sharpening and polishing an awl blade keep a ball of beeswax handy for waxing the blade especially if/when the going gets tough. A quick stab in the wax every four or five stitches is all you need.

LaBonte said:

Along with sharpening and polishing an awl blade keep a ball of beeswax handy for waxing the blade especially if/when the going gets tough. A quick stab in the wax every four or five stitches is all you need.

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Sounds like a great tip. Haven't tried it, but it's high time I did. Thanks!

It is and your Welcome BB - note on a lot of older stitching horses there is "hole" in one leg for holding wax. My awls generally go through 3-4 layers of 8/9 oz bark tan with minor effort, but anything thicker or if the leather is harder than the wax is the got to way of easing the way...

Thank you for that. It makes sense now because I had to push pretty hard and the holes it made were not pretty.

I'll check out the YouTube video as well.

Thank you so much for sharing.