Leatherwork - is it easy craft to start on?

[Paul_B]

I've been looking around on unrelated interests and looking into leather traveller notebook covers and other leather based stationery products. On reddit I saw a photo of a few made by one guy. Simple cut pieces with holes punched in certain places and curved corners cut. Very basic.

My curiosity was aroused so I saw leather scraps A2 sized on amazon and got wondering. What do I need to know?

I'm guessing since the TN covers are just rectangular leather pieces with holes for elastic that holds the insert notebooks that is only need a few tools. Cutting mat, sharp knife / craft knife and an awl for making holes. What leather to use? I own two such covers from two different companies, they have different leathers, one thicker and stiffer than the other by a little margin.

Any suggestions? Tools, leather grade/weight, sources of leather, etc.

 

[Broch]

TBH leathercraft covers a wide range of techniques, materials, and tools. You can make bags and pouches out of soft, thin, upholstery leather but, if you want to make more robust stuff, like knife sheaths, book covers, and belts, or you want to carve or emboss, you will need to use vegetable tanned, unstained, thicker leather.

The easiest way to make things like book covers is to glue the edges first, punch out the stitch holes with a 'stitching fork', then stitch. That is what I've done on this notebook cover. To make something like this you would need:

1.5 to 2mm veg tanned leather (3+mm for a belt or a sheath typically)
sharp craft knife
leather glue (contact adhesive works)
leather stitching needles (blunt)
stitching forks (£10 from Amazon)
thread

If you want to decorate it you will need some stamps but you can use anything that will make an indentation in damp leather - a basic set of standard ones is worth buying but your imagination is your limit

 

[Pattree]

Edited: Broch beat me to the send

I am very much a beginner and experimenting more than creating product.
My leather apron was more dressmaking than leather craft.

What you need depends on what you want to do.

I’m only doing saddle stitch right now so I use:

Veg tanned leather. Don’t use chromed leather to start with. I have some A4 sample pieces but they ARE chromed. I didn’t know the difference. You can make good things from chrome leather but it won’t take a punch or a stamp if you want to decorate your work.

A few needles and a decent linen thread.
A set of punches for needle holes. I have a set of 1-4 hole punches, very cheap. The holes are very close together.
A rotary stitch marker to get your punch holes even.

That lets you sew leather together into simple pouches and wallets etc.
I have a very cheap edging tool so I can score a line along the edges of belts and straps.

If you want to decorate then you are going to need a rotating (Not rotary) knife and some punches. I seriously recommend a ceramic blade in your knife. Life became soooooo much easier after I fitted one.

After that it gets complicated. There are so many directions the craft could take you.

 

[Pattree]

This it’s the first piece that I made. It is very simple. A pouch for a tiny hand held microscope.
Just two layers sewn together.
I wish if had punches with wider spacing.

It’s closed with a press stud.

You can see the design. I drew it out and then transferred it to the leather using graphite from a soft pencil.

It’s finished with ordinary boot polish.

 

[SaraR]

For a Traveller's Notebook cover, you only need a hobby knife, a metal ruler and a hole punch (or an awl). You can probably improvise a burnishing tool for the edges. For more advanced stuff, you need a lot more tools. You'll want veg tanned leather.

 

[Smudge]

You can get by with very little, I use a doctored honey dipper for smoothing edges, I got a hole puncher from Lidl, use my bushcraft knife, cut on a piece of plywood, for leather i use old belts and handbags from the charity shop and cut out pieces from a fly tipped sofa , you can use the awl on a sak or similar for stitching holes or buy the dedicated punches (they're not expensive).

I've dabbled with making my own stamps with varied results.

I've made a horizontal carry sheath for my bushcraft knife, a sheath for my kukri, rings, bracelets and book marks, some items are cruder than others but they're all personal to me and as I only make for me it's no issue. I do plan on making a wallet from some donated sofa leather soon.