Tag: getting started

You Need a Good Hammer

One of the first tools I got was a mallet/hammer. I was warned early on to never strike your tools with a metal hammer, never EVER, EVER. I started with a wooden mallet like this one (Basic Wooden Hammer) I was warned about the head coming loose, so I ripped the head off the handle, removed the staple holding the parts together and used a good wood glue (Elmers Wood Glue) to glue the head back on the handle. I then drilled a 1/4 inch hole through the side of the  head and through the handle, and glued a 1/4 inch dowel rod (Dowel Rods) in the hole. It strengthens the tool and you would have to work hard to break it.

As I progressed, I moved to better hammers. Here are a couple I recommend, (Raw Hide Hammer), (Nylon Mallet), and a (Nylon Hammer). Any of these will work for tooling leather, it just depends on what you want to spend.

The nylon hammers/mallets do require a little maintenance every now and then. The nut on the end can come loose over time. A good solution to that issue is to apply some thread lock on the threads and tighten the nut down. (Loctite Blue Thread Lock).

I hope some of this information helps. I will continue to point everyone in the right direction on good tools to use. I will also try to point toward the least expensive, quality products to help you get started.

One way to help me continue to bring these items to you is to click the link and buy what you want. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.. And the great part is, it does not cost you anything extra to throw a little support in my direction.

As I progress through a basic tool list, I will start providing some video content of small projects to let you see exactly how to turn leather into art. Stay tuned in and check back often.

Fair winds,

Cannon

Book Recommendation for Leather Craft Tools

When I first discover Steampunk, I was enamored by the aesthetic. I loved the idea of building something from recycled items and even more so by the leather that was being built for the genre. I embarked on a journey to learn a new craft and build my own pieces. My family was involved as well. As my interest grew in the leather aspect of the genre, I sought help from Cedric Whittaker  of Airship Isabella. He graciously spent the time to answer my questions about the craft and give me some tips and pointers about the tools and books I would need to get started.

The first book he recommended was Leathercraft Tools by Al Stohlman. This is a great introduction book for the tools and how to maintain them. While the book is old, the tools have not changed. Anyone wishing to learn about leather crafting and the tools used should invest in this book. It helped me with many questions about the tools being used in the leather world, and most importantly, how to maintain them. Sharp tools are one of the key elements of producing quality work.

I plan to introduce more items and literature on the subject in future posts. I wanted to give something back to the community, so click on the subscribe button to get notifications of new articles.