How to Start Leather Working - Watch This BEFORE you Buy Anything
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- čas přidán 3. 07. 2024
- This video is aimed toward those who really want to start leather working, but have no idea where to start.
When I was first getting interested in leather work, I found it difficult to figure out what to do even before I had bought any tools or leather. It's a bit overwhelming for those who have never tried it.
In this video, I have broken down what you need to know into a few easy steps that should get you started in leather craft.
Below are a variety of links that I think will be useful to you.
Good luck!
🎥 Show Notes: www.blackflagleathergoods.com...
LEATHER CZcamsRS:
/ corterleather
/ claridgeleather
/ stockandbarrelco
/ littlekinggoods
/ @irapelletier5506
/ leathercraftmasterclass
/ masconleather
/ chartermade
/ @21gramsleathergoods21
/ nigelarmitage
AMAZON TOOLKIT I STARTED WITH:
amzn.to/2LRlp0e
INDIVIDUAL TOOLS I'D RECOMMEND:
John James Needles: amzn.to/3bzA0r8
Ritza Tiger Thread 1mm: amzn.to/3vfPloA
Owden Maul: amzn.to/3uabZ1t
Mallet: amzn.to/3dzohZK
Wing Dividers: amzn.to/3rXYYGg
Sandpaper: amzn.to/2QmJNbX
Burnisher: amzn.to/3cUMjhl
Tokonole: amzn.to/3tFmg4s
Stitching Chisel: amzn.to/2OTv5Jf
** I FORGOT TO MENTION A PUNCHING MAT IN THE VIDEO BUT YOU NEED ONE **
Punching Mat: amzn.to/2NQ5QGS
AFFORDABLE STITCHING PONY:
amzn.to/3vlU33J
LEATHER SUPPLIERS I RECOMMEND:
www.oaleathersupply.com/
tandyleather.com/
districtleathersupply.com/
weaverleathersupply.com/
www.rmleathersupply.com/
MY FREE TEMPLATES:
Leather Cup Sleeve: • How to Make a Leather ...
Folded Cardholder: • How to Make a Leather ...
Wrapped Cardholder: • FREE Leather Card Hold...
In this video:
0:00 Intro
0:36 Step 1: Research the Type of Leather Work You Want to Do
3:01 Step 2: Figure Out What Leather Tools You Need
4:07 Step 3: Choosing the Right Leather
8:01 Step 4: Practice!
If you liked this video, check out my Beginner Leather Working Playlist where I make beginner leather working tutorial videos, show you some tips and tricks, and give you a few beginner leather working projects to try out.
• Leather Working Tips a...
Find me on Instagram: / blackflagleather
Or Facebook: / black-flag-leather-109...
Or Patreon: / blackflagleathergoods
Join the mailing list: mailchi.mp/442e3cd11415/subsc...
My name is Tim. Thanks for checking out my CZcams channel. I started leather working in July of 2020. My passion for leather work quickly grew as I learned and practiced. I received a ton of help from the leather working community when I was new and now I aim to pass on what I learn to other beginner leather workers. I post weekly leather craft videos that include tutorials, free pdf pattern templates, how to's, tips and tricks, and any other leather work content that I think could help you out!
#leatherworking #leatherwork #leatherworkingtips
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Disclaimer: Links to products/services in the description are often affiliate links that let you support my channel at no additional cost.
5 years and $5000 later, I finally have the belt I didn’t want to pay $40 for on Amazon.
Hahaha that's exactly how it goes!
And a skill you can't buy
Lol same here I finally made that 70€ leather phone case by just spending about 1000€ lmao
Sounds like 5 years of experience and memories you can't buy from amazon
@@odgreen9113 nice. You’re absolutely right!
Thank you for the straight forward conversation. I'm a disabled vet and saw some leather projects at my latest drag into hobby lobby. I thought it sounded cool and here we are.
Thanks for watching and for your service! Feel free to reach out if you need a hand!
@@BlackFlagLeatherGoods I'm sure I will, so thank you. I'm looking forward to making gifts for next Christmas
My advice there is start early! Haha
Tandy offers a military discount!
Hey 🫡👋🏻 same! Lol
I'm just starting and got some basic tools and an 11x8 sheet of veg tan to practice with on wetting the leather and getting it to the right tooling consistency. I've literally been obsessed with learning leather craft for the past 3 weeks now and that's where all my spare time is going.
This was 2 months ago. How is your progress?
@mcspud just need leather.
About 5-6 pieces in and you’re exactly precise in learning what to fix. After watching thousands of videos you learn it is not easy as the videos make you think it is! Thanks!
Great vid. Thank you. I'm just starting and I needed a boost. You did it!
Thanks! Merry Christmas!
Y'know I really appreciated this. Leatherworking is something ive always wanted to try
Dude this video was sooooo good! Thanks for the shout out!
Thank you, brother! Any time!
for an example of Genuine Leather look at an old office chair. Genuine Leather is like the particle board of leather, bits and pieces pressed together and glued onto a canvas backing. You can clearly see the canvas backing on an old office chair where the top layer has rubbed away. This is not something you want to waste your time and money on because it doesn't behave like real leather and won't hold it's shape.
I'm just getting back to leather crafting but I always used a natural veg tan. I was advised to do this by an artisan when I first started because you can dye it to any colour. when you first start out, you will make many different items rather than 10s of the same item so it's nice to be able to change the colour you're using for some projects. natural leather plus dyes will actually save you money, since you need the dyes for your edges anyways.
Thank you for making this video!
Great info, thanks for the video, and the link.🔥👍
Thanks for you hints & tips, really appreciate it. Cheers
Hey thanks for this video. Very informative and I've been intrigued and interested in leather work for a long time. Look forward to diving into your Chanel.
you are incredible! thank you so much for this video im excitied to get started
Great Information. Thank You for taking the time to make this video
SO glad I found you...I've just started my research on leather craft and you are providing exactly what I need. Thank you so much; you have a new subscriber.
Honesty is the key and you use the clickbait stereotype perfectly without coming off as markety or pushing some bs ideology. Thank you. I care a lot about quality craftmanship and you help to save people a lot of years of trial and error and money. nothing beats experience except a great master/teacher. Cheers
I really appreciate this comment. It's hard to juggle playing the CZcams algorithm game so you actually get views at the same time as trying to entertain and provide good information while still trying to make money.
Thank you.
Thank you for an informative and nicely delivered video. My interest has been awakened.
Thank you brother. Very, very helpful.
Ordered my basic tool set from Amazon finally. Been kinda of shitty mentally lately. So talking my self into doing something positive is hard sometimes. Going to swing in hobby lobby and grab a bag of leather scraps and harbor freight for a couple random things. That will give me the chance to cut you a bunch and play with tools before I try anything.
Dude that sounds perfect! That's how it all starts!. Let me know how it goes!
Thank You so much for sharing knowledge with us 💕
No problem! Thank you for watching!
Thanks for sharing!
Exactly what I was looking for, thank you. Subscribed. 🙏
Thanks for watching! Much appreciated!
Thank you for sharing!
Thanks for watching!
Thank you for the great information.
thank you! this possibly the most helpful advice video I have seen. for a hobbyist or someone considering a career, wonderful advice.
Thanks, Robert! I'm happy you liked it!
Great content!!! TYVM!
Thanks pal! Just getting my feelers out for my retirement days (4-6 years out). Very helpful... especially the words 'genuine leather' lol... who woulda thought. Great tips.
Omg this video is a treasure trove of information for someone looking to get into leather work. Thank you so much for making this video!
Thank you for watching! I appreciate it.
you were there ayear+ ago and I have made some pieces. Started with 3/4 "doll shoes..then wallets now a purse. You are really helpful and fill in the blanks. Thank You for you help1
Hey man, I'm really considering trying out some leather working and I just found your video. I just wanted to say you have some great video quality and audio. Your video is also clear and informative. You've got yourself a subscriber.
Hey, Aaron! I appreciate the kind words! Thanks so much!
Thorough and concise! Thanks for all of the tips.
Glad it was helpful!
The moment you spoke about how to find inspiration and ideas from CZcams and ig, I subscribed this channel. Please keep making more videos like these.
Oh man I really appreciate that. Thank you!
Great information thank you! 😊
I subscribed off of this video because you had a lot of links to go with the information you were giving. Thank you. I’ve made one thing with leather 10+ years ago. Looking to actually get into it now.
Thanks, Greg! I really appreciate it!
Thank you for this video!! You rock!!! I’m buying a little at a time, you are saving me tons of $$$!
I'm glad it helps! May as well benefit from my mistakes haha
Thank you!
This was very helpful. Thank you!
Thanks for watching!
Thank you. Glad I found your channel.
Thanks for watching!
Really great and informative video.
Thanks, Charlie!
ty for the content
Thanks
I’ve been interested in leather and cologne for many years. I found that leather is easier to get into producing wise.. so here I am. I’m gonna jump into it. I buy so many leather products 😅
Thank you for your professional and expert opinion on this wonderful crafting experience! Very helpful, keep up the good work.
Thank you for the kind words! It's very much appreciated!
@@BlackFlagLeatherGoods When I saw this video, I saw someone who is doing what I have done all my life. If you are going to do anything, do it right the first time, or don't do it at all...
I've followed all of your links to Amazon and put all of them in my "cart" and wound up with just over $200.00 of merchandise, a small price to pay for a craft that I've tried on and off for the last 20 years!
I’ve had a wishlist for a few years and today for my belated birthday present to myself was a $350 Tandy Leather trip. Got a supple blue pig suede, half a hide of semi supple coffee leather and two thin practice pieces. Scored an entire roll of Texon for $8, a bunch of tools and supplies. Still need a bit they were out of stock on. I have several leather patterns I’ve been collecting the past year.
One thing that I've come to see with regard to leather is that you're not entirely right about focusing on just vegtan early on, one of the best things is to learn what each is good for there.
There's a lot of relatively easy projects that mix chrome and veg tan leathers, a lot of bags and pouches do it because the chrome tan works well for flexible parts while the veg is great for more solid and/or structural pieces. I've found that I've been catching up my skills with chrome tanned leather to that of my abilities with veg tanned leather.
Nice, very informative video. Thanks!
Glad it was helpful!
I love your video's. I am going to start leather crafting and using you as a guide to get my starter kit, you have been a great help, thank you. I was just wondering which glue you would advice?
Such a great informative video! I’ve been thinking about getting into leather work after trying to find a travelers notebook and couldn’t find one that I like. After I did order one that I liked most, I wasn’t impressed with the quality of the leather, then I thought I should just make one myself and now I’m here. So I’ll definitely start out making a few items for myself then maybe go from there.
Thank you so much for watching! That's how it starts haha. You'll make a few for yourself and be hooked.
@@BlackFlagLeatherGoods I’ll definitely be subscribing!
I really appreciate it! Glad to have you aboard!
I also have started looking into the craft because i wanted something in a better quality lol
Same ;-)
Hi Black, glad I found you; I sew a lot (fabric) but have sowed leather; it isn't as easy, requires different skills than used on fabrics and some leather tools that I don't have; the results are disappointing; I admire accuracy and always go for work as perfect possible, have yet to achieve that with leather! The reason started to search for videos that can help me learn. Hope to find the leather you advised; here in Europe where I live, I don't know if has other names or brands, for a Newbie like me, I wish that wasn't the case. The budget won't support mistakes. Thank you for sharing your knowledge. Kind regards
just found your channel, very well made video thank you very much. Subscribed:)
I went the hard route lol and didn’t mean to. I’m having trouble hand-sewing a round cowhide bag. It’s not big, but not too small. I’ve been working with leather since 2018 and there’s much more I need to learn. I did stop for a year because of school and work.
thank you for this video! I've been sewing historical clothes for a few years now and lately I've been slowly feeling the urge to start leather working creeping up. I figure it will still be a few years until I actually start since as a student, the sewing alone is already an expensive enough hobby (I want to start working with a brocade this year. the prospect of spending the kind of money that reproduction brocades cost does not excite me whatsoever) but hey, all the better time for starting to acquire knowledge about it! and at least I don't think the stitching will do me too much trouble anymore at that point. I would finally consider myself somewhat experienced when it comes to hand sewing, and sewing leather can't be that different (famous last words)
Just found this video. Thank you!
Thanks for watching!
Thank you for putting the difference in laymans terms so everyone can understand. Not just beginners. Furniture purchacers of "all leather" furniture need to get more info
"Black Flag Leather" -- Me:🤔... Somebody grew up in the punk scene. Or your a fan of pirates. I hope it's the patter though.
Thank You
No problem. Thank YOU for watching!
Great information, thank you for sharing about other leather workers and places to buy. I've been a bit worried about who is or is not a good person/company to obtain better quality.
Got twenty stamps and a small mallet, Tandy tom thumb kit. Made it for Mom for this Mother's Day. The rose stamp from Tandy took more hammer than what I got in the stamp kit. Had to pull out a 2lb dead blow hammer, scared me that I ruined the leather because the stamp bounced leaving striations as it bounced not stamping with the little baby hammer. When in doubt get the big hammer out. 😁 Thank you new sub.
Great Video
Thank you, Linda!
Just subbed, I'm in Canada looking forward to learning from you
Thank you for this great video. LOTS of great info that I was looking for as I hope to get into leather work for pleasure and maybe sell, but definitely give to family and friends. The info on the different types of leather including what is good to practice on is especially great.
Hey thanks for watching! I'm glad it helped!
Two things I want to learn how to do is make leather book bindings (both hardcover and flexible) and EDC pouches.
That’s because I have an old Bible with a crappy “Genuine Leather” binding and I want to make a nice one. If I find that to be something I’m able to do, I might start refurbishing old books.
I also have my Leatherman multi tool and some other tools I want to make a custom pouch for. I haven’t seen any that are the exact configuration I want.
Darn the CZcams algorithm is good bc it suggested this site and I am interested in learning it.
Reach out to me on Instagram or email if you have questions
Just grabbed some full grain and a tool kit on amazon just to practice on, got a knife im making a handle for so i need a sheath for it too.
That's awesome! I'm stoked for you!
Young Man... You did a great job on your info... Like others have stated you miss a couple of the MASTERS.. I have been playing around leather for a couple decades and if I get any questions.. I will be sending them to you
I would also add Mascon Leather... He shares great info
Thank you!! That means a lot from someone such as yourself who has been in the game for so long!
I can't believe I missed some of the heavy hitters in the video. This is my first fully scripted video too 🤦♂️. I may have to just do a dedicated video on which leather CZcamsrs to follow.
Thanks for watching!!
I did get Mascon in there! He's great! I'm happy he's started doing some tutorials and I love that he customizes his tools to what fits best with him.
Thanks for the FClamp idea👌👌👍🏽👍🏽....U Saved me from an Arbour Press for a time while 😜
Haha, brother, I've been thinking about an arbour for a while now but man... The clamp works just fine and I've gotten pretty good at it.
@@BlackFlagLeatherGoods but in future, One Ton arbour will be must and useful ... For stamping, rivets, snap buttons, Dies etc.. Etc...
Right on, I guess I got lucky with my first order being SB foot from OA leather
Great video, even better when I saw one of my wallets on it. Lol.
Great tips, explained well.
That's awesome! I'm glad you made the cut hahaha
Thanks for watching!!
My mom bought me a leather tool kit for Christmas today. Came here to try and understand what all of the tools were 😅
You don’t want to use chrome tanned to use for knife sheaths or other metal objects since it will cause it to rust. Use vegetable tanned for these items. My understanding is chrome tanned is more for clothing items. I am sure there are other items it is used for….
I believe this was once true, but I'm no longer convinced it is the case across the board. I've looked into it a bit and from what I can tell, using chrome tanned leather from the higher quality US tanneries should be perfectly safe on metal. Horween Chromexcel, for instance, is chrome tanned using state of the art methods, then essentially vegetable re-tanned and hot stuffed with oil and wax. There's no way there are enough residual chromium salts leftover to harm a blade and even if there were, it's locked behind a stupid amount of wax.
I have two sheaths made from SB Foot oil tanned leather and Chromexcel leathers. I haven't had rust issues with either.
I wouldn't recommend using any lower quality chrome leather from less reputable tanneries on a sheath, though, as I'd imagine your concerns are likely true of those.
Thanks for the commenting! This is one of those hot topics where there is a ton of back and forth.
bulk boxes on ebay of scrap top grain stuff is super cheap! great way to start
Really?! I'm going to go check it out!
@@BlackFlagLeatherGoods yup...got 10lbs of top grain for 18 on an offer, normally is $25....1 piece is a good 57x30ish inches....most of it is the thinner more flexible stuff but i find it better as its less forgiving of bad sewing jobs and really makes you realize how little tension you need. Some people sell thicker stuff too though
This is video #1 for me, very helpful thank you. I was wondering if you took any courses in leather working? I'm a new sub here right off the bat. Will go look at your other videos for beginners. I'm a bit late in life to start into leather crafting but funny thing is, I did some as a hobby when I was a kid and its been gnawing at me all these years.
Good to have you here! And you're never too old to start. I started at 34 and many others start older than that! I never took any courses but had a leather worker kind of take me under his wing and teach me.
@@BlackFlagLeatherGoods Ah thx, good to know. I'll keep watching and learning.
I got a 4 hour add before this video so this one has to be a real helpful for that. 😂
Hey I’m a firefighter and I’m wanting to getting into leather work for firefighter like belts,suspenders, and etc how should I get started? Or who should I follow to learn to get started
Dont forget about chuck dorset from weaver leather
Just now seeing this video a year later. Just got started into leatherworking and this was an amazing video for me!
For any other newbies.. I STRONGLY 2nd the veg-tan leather to start.. I tried starting with chrome tan and immediately was dissatisfied not realizing how different the 2 could be.
Do you have a link to the stitching pony you showed in the video? I'm looking to upgrade from my simple weaver pony, and the one you showed looked pretty sweet
What kind of leather do u recommend for making wallets and similar items? I looked at Tandy I heard u mention in another vid but its overwhelming what to buy and I love your vids keep it up!
Haha thank you. I wouldn't go buying super expensive leather right off the bat if you're new to leather craft. I used a lot of SB Foot leather when I started. I actually still use a lot of it. They have a wide variety of leathers. They're pretty affordable. My only issue with them is that they're oil tanned, which is basically chrome tanned with oil added after the fact. This makes them a bit harder to burnish.
Some cheap natural veg tan from Tandy is also good for practice. I bought a fu side of that stuff for $80 CAD when I first started. I still use it for making new templates sometimes.
Depending on wallet style...5-6oz for backing and 2-3oz for pockets. Skiving edges to reduce bulk is best.
I went to Tandy for a free class, really enjoyed it, now I need to practice, they had a stone to use to place my leather on do I need that? And very lost on the name of the tools. Any suggestions how to learn.
Made a mistake of skipping step 3 lol. I still have loads of leagher that I don't use (chrome tanned)
It's an easy mistake to make! I bet there will finally come a time where it's the perfect leather for something you're making though.
Thanks for watching!
Just WOW! thanks so much :) so informative and i feel like i can start my project with a little more confidence.....Super BONUS, one of the SB leather distributors are in my home town so i can go actually touch (or look at ) the stuff before buying
Thanks, Michelle! Glad you liked it! SB Foot leather is one of my favourites. A bit tough to burnish, but it's so rugged looking and nice to work with.
you need more subs, your channel is best than others than you show it, they all are asmr but you are theaching things to us, and that it is more valuable to me. Thanks a lot.
Thanks so much man! I'm glad you like it!
I have been wanting to get into leather working for awhile now! I just made my first 3 wallets today. And I was wondering why this leather was crappy! 😂 it’s genuine leather. Got it from hobby lobby. But hey I’m practicing and just starting out! Hopefully will keep practicing and get better quality leather in the near future. But I already have ideas for Christmas! Thanks for the video and great information! Just gained a sub👍🏼
Hey cheap leather is great for practice! Keep at it!
I'm trynna to get some supplies to start for Christmas hopefully my mom will get me supplies 😁
I did the same thing. Bought some "Real Leather" from Michaels. Design was sound, execution was poor haha But, you must learn to grow. Pretty sure more people do it than admit
I've heard stories of people starting using leather they salvaged from old furniture. Whatever works! The first few pieces aren't usually the greatest anyway.
@@BlackFlagLeatherGoods oh absolutely! I think it was Parker at Stock and Barrel, who used to say to scavenge leather unused around the house on a budget lol my first handful of items were gnarly
O que voce acha desses cursos para iniciantes, que geralmente são muito caros? Obrigado!
thanks for the video. I'm just starting out, a few basic leather book binding projects under my belt. What tool should I use to cut straight, small strips of goat leather? Some projects require a straight 10mm wide strip of leather. I find my strips curve rather than follow a straight line. I'm using a DeWalt snap knife because it's what I have in my tool box. Is there a better tool?
Thank you i am on the wagon in a small remote place on a map in a reagin of the Wild West that still lives
Good to know i am already fallowing the pees you renamed ❤
Thanks for the video, I have been working on perfecting my skills right when corona hit a few years ago. I want to have my own business in the near near future but I’m wondering, when you started, did you already have a few designs like wallets, bags, etc already made and ready to ship. Or did you just post pictures of what you know you can make and wait for people to inquire on what they want ? I have a good amount of “practice” items but not sure if I should use them as my pictures for reference. I guess I’m confused on how to market myself with what I can make and if I need to have them in stock. Any help is much appreciated!
Thanks for he videos 😊
I mostly made everything to order. I tend to try to keep one of each product I make on hand for pictures to promote myself. I'd only use practice items that have minimal or no mistakes. Or use good camera angles that don't show mistakes haha
Thanks for watching!
Great video! I've been thinking of getting into leather crafting for quite some time, and now I've finally decided to get my feet wet. Can I ask for some advice, please? Do you think I should enroll in a leather crafting workshop or just buy with the money and just learn from CZcams videos?
I'd recommend watching Corter Leather, his tutorial video, VEEEEEERY good for begginers.
Agreed. He's awesome.
Thats for this video I just started in leather and didn't know different type of leather. Thats again....
Thanks for watching, Glen! Glad I could help!
Well, I probably shouldnt ask this question as it probably will make me a few enemies, considering I'm on leathercrafting channel, but I'm doing it anyway.
Because finding real leather isn't neither easy nor particulalry cheap around here, I was thinking of giving synthethic leather a shot. Just to see if I get hooked into leathercrafting and then switch to veg-tan. Is it even a close experience working with real leather vs synthetic one or I shouldnt even bother and invest some time and resources into getting the 'gut stuff'?
Do you have a video on how to make the sheath at 6:25? I’m curious to know how you made the middle part stiff.
I actually do! It's one of my early videos and not my best but I made that sheath using only a Swiss Army Knife in a challenge against my buddy Ira.
czcams.com/video/Vy4IJY_PQNs/video.html
That beard alone makes me trust this man's advice.
I was wondering, as I’m a beginner in this. I am doing motorcycle seats. So can I do tooling work on a little softer and thinner leather for seat covers?
so genuine leather is basically... a hotdog
Hi! I'm just curious, when you said to stay away from genuine leather, is there a reason not to get it for practice? I know you mentioned cheaper leather that isn't genuine leather for practice, but if it's cheaper to get genuine, why not just do that? Will it be different to work with?
Thanks!
can you point me to the video on what kind of leather to buy in making handbags please..Thank you
Is sb foot leather good for wallets?
Who would have thunk it..."Genuine Leather"... is not GENUINE LEATHER!?? LOL
Any kit in particular from Amazon that you recommend? Seems like they have more stuff for less than buying pieces individually. Or would it be better to buy a pieced together set?