Starting out with leatherworking, looking for tips and advice

[Herbert West]

I hope this is the right forum to ask. If not, I apologize in advance.

I recently moved to the UK, and specifically, London, for study/work purposes (whatever a PHD counts as for the average person ).
While I do love doing what I'm doing with my brain, I miss working with my hands, and since I've done a modicrum of it years before, I thought of going back to working with leather. Nothing fancy at first, a belt, a purse, that level of commitment and engagement.

So, what online resources would you recommend for a total newbie? Any good step-by-step tutorials on what the bare minimum of equipment is, and how to turn a piece of leather into something usable? I do like doing things without RTFMing, but I'll try to do this properly

And, on the subject of equipment: are there any hobby/handcraft (I'm not sure I'm using the right word) stores that sell leather, leatherworking tools, and so on? I'm very new to the city, and I feel I'd need the help of a shop attendant to buy my first kit.

Thanks in advance!

 

[DaveBromley]

Have a look at the thread i posted up here its got a basic tool list that you might find useful, as for online resources with tutorials, Ian Atkinsons channel on youtube is GREAT! also i use leatherworker.net and I actually found a couple of books absolutely brilliant (not cheap but worth every penny) they are Valerie Michael's Leatherworking Handbook, and Geoffrey West's Leather work: a manual of techniques.

That and trial and error tbh mate. Get yourself some leather from ebay (small amount) or from LePrevo (larger amount) and just get cracking, your first projects might not end up perfect BUT you will learn a shed load from them.

Also guys on here are pretty generous with their time if you need help, some of my Favourites are Hamish AKA Dreadhead (halfgoat leatherwork), Luckylee, and Ruud AKA Grey-array.

These guys are master craftsmen and will point you in the right direction if they can!

Thanks

Dave

 

[peaks]

Totally agree with Dave above.

There are some good courses around and some good suppliers. The Identity Store are great to deal with, very very knowledgeable and helpful and run courses in Derbyshire + Walsall. http://www.theidentitystore.co.uk/

Peak Leather also run some good basic courses if you fancy a trip to Derbyshire http://www.peakleather.co.uk/courses.html

Bowstock are good + can supply the Valerie Michaels book at a sensible price as well as tools etc http://www.bowstock.co.uk/index.html

You can easily spend a lot of money very quickly - start with the basics and pick your projects until you get confident and just keep experimenting!

 

[Black Sheep]

Try searching on here there's loads of info' and advice that people have posted in the past.

Try Googling what you fancy making you'll find loads of stuff out there even tutorials.
.
As for good sites - leatherworker.net - is good but you need to remember it's bases in the USA.

Richard

 

[MSkiba]

What blacksheep said (Hello Blacksheep!!). Ive seen this question posted on here many times and a lot of people replied with very useful information. Give the search feature a tickle

 

[Parbajtor]

The identity store has a great range and everything you need for starting out.
I tend to get my stuff from leprevo as I buy leather in sides/hides and my other stuff in bulk (works out cheaper)