Absolute beginner here, learned a lot from this.
Designed a template, cut with a Stanley blade, tooled with the same blade.
Didn't wet the leather when tooling.
A lot of mistakes, sewing is a mess but I'm really happy with the results regardless.
Any tips for my next one, planning on making a book bag for my lady.
Has anyone else ever just lost interest in doing leather work? Some days I just feel like it’s time for me to hang it up. Not sure why. I’ve been doing this for 20 years. Maybe I’m just burnt out. I’ve made so many projects for the last two decades. Sold so many items. I’m starting to feel like moving onto something else.
One thing we have noticed is that there's an underlying dislike of folks advertising products and patterns in this sub.
We would like to formalise our response to them as moderators and are seeking feedback from the community.
Since the primary purpose of this sub is to support leather workers, we feel that all physical objects should be directed to r/leatherclassifieds and not be posted in this sub.
Likewise we believe that patterns are directly beneficial to other leather workers and pattern makers should be allowed to advertise their patterns here, as long as they showcase a physical product made from that pattern.
So we put these choices to you all:
* No advertising at all
* Patterns only
* Advertising free-for-all
Three silver coins stuffed into it for three times the protection!!!
Giving thought to stitching through all four pieces, it's about 14mm thick.
Secondary option is to stitch the top two and bottom two.
The layers... Top to bottom
-Rivet cover (to keep the rivet from rubbing the knife handle)
-Snap closure, wrapping around the handle
-Main sheath body
-Belt loop strap
Going to use a rivet going from the belt loop strap up through the snap closure.
(First actual complete project, big time rookie)
Idk - should I just do the rivet and only stitch the cover to the closure???
Its a sentimental bracelet for me, as I wear it almost every day. Now it slowly starts to fail. Is there any way I, or a leatherworker in town can fix this without replacing the hole thing?
This is an older project, but I finally got around to showing it off. My dad designed and crafted this backpack (with me helping out on the build). We used a mix of nubuck and veg-tan leather, and hand-stitched everything with 1mm thread. The Loxx fasteners were a game-changer for quick access. Really happy with how it turned out what do you guys think?
Every week, my small rubber stamp factory in Minnesota sends hundreds of pounds of clean, high-quality natural rubber to the landfill. It kills me. This is the stuff trimmed off the edges of our stamps. It's soft, natural red rubber, no dirt, no contamination.
I've posted before and gotten tons of great suggestions. I've reached out to every single one. Mulch recyclers, playground surfacing, crafters, art teachers, makerspaces, you name it. Nobody wants it. Most would rather grind up dirty old tires than take clean rubber from a stamp shop. I can't make it make sense.
It's free. You just pay shipping, which works out to about $1/lb. I'll ship as much as you want. Use it for crafts, gaskets, packing material, garden mulch, art projects, whatever. I just want it to go somewhere besides a landfill.
If this resonates with you, please crosspost it to any subreddit you think might want this. Crafters, gardeners, makers, sustainability, hobbies, anything. That's the real ask.
Email nic@unitystampco.com or DM me.
I’m new to leather crafting!! I just recently bought some white leather from a store in my local town and completely forgot to get the type it is!! If someone can help me figure out the type so I can properly stiffen it I would be forever grateful!!
I am looking to make a project with some leather I have laying around, and just leather products and general, but I can't seem to get straight answers on the Internet. From what ive found, the types of leather are determined by how much grain they have, eg. Full Grain, Top Grain, Split, bonded, suede, etc. What I'm more concerned about are the types of finish. Since i would like to get all natural stuff if I can, i want to find full or top grain analine dyed leather without aggressive surface finish, but I cant find info on what the differences between PU coated leather, pigmented leather, and other surface finishes are. Any help is appreciated.
I’m still learning, working on little projects here and there that I give to friends and family. I’m still having trouble getting a straight/clean seam consistently.
Hi, been thinking of picking up a skill, I want to put the time and effort in this. If you had to teach me, how would you guide me? And what helped you get better?
I can’t help but put a bit of flare in my work 😅 there are some gold dots that don’t really show well on camera
I'm working on redying a leather sword scabbard, and I'm not sure if I've damaged it or if this is what deglazing is supposed to look like.
For context, I deglazed the leather (or thought I did, but looking back I just covered it lightly with deglazer. I didn't really work it in much). Then I overdyed the red scabbard with blue. When I tried to rub off the extra dye, a ton came off, and I worried I might not have deglazed properly. So when I went back in with the deglazer, this happened.
For what it's worth, I'm 95% confident this is genuine leather, not bonded or fake. I can see parts of the rough side, and it looks and feels like the back of real leather.
Sorry if this is a silly question. Appreciate any insight!
I made a couple sunglasses cases with a pattern from DSleather. After putting them together I was thinking that I really like this brown patterned leather, but I don't know where I would get more. I got it from a bulk box of scrap cuts and it's grown on me a lot.
Does anyone recognize it, or know what the patterning is called?
Thank you in advance!
Just launched my newest minimalist wallet design on Etsy! Handmade from premium Italian Buttero leather with a magnetic closure in your choice of silver, gold, or black hardware. I offer a wide range of leather and thread color options, and I can even make a matching keychain to complete your everyday carry.
Regular price will be $125, but to celebrate the launch I’m running a limited 25% spring sale — bringing these down to just $93. Now’s the perfect time to grab one or commission a custom piece!
I’m making a BDSM spanking paddle. I have the wood cutout (still need to stain it), and I want to cover one side with some faux fur I bought, and the other side with black leather. I’m thinking if I cut it so it goes down to the top of the handle, then baseball stitch the leather and fur together, that might work. But I’ve never done a baseball stitch, so I’m not entirely sure. I do have some contact cement as well, maybe that would be easier and work better?
Any thoughts or advice is appreciated!
I’m researching how people who actually understand leather and construction judge whether a product is worth a higher price. I’m not naming the product because I don’t want to promote anything or bias the answers. I’m more interested in the principles: what makes you trust an object when you handle it? When you see or touch a leather product, what details tell you it is genuinely high quality? Stitching consistency, leather type, grain, finish, edge work, lining, hardware, structure, smell, thickness, weight, creasing, patina, repairability, or something else? I’m also curious about the red flags. What makes you immediately think “this is fake-premium” or “this is relying on marketing more than construction”? For example, are there certain finishes, textures, stitching choices, logos, hardware choices, or design decisions that make a product look cheaper even if the material itself is decent? I’d really appreciate specific observations from products you’ve owned, made, repaired, inspected, or handled in person. The tiny details are exactly what I’m trying to understand.
You can find the full build video on my YouTube channel: https://youtu.be/CQ5gbNxhZT4