What I'm making: leather goods
A brief show and tell on my foray into this time-honored craft
Over a year ago, I started getting into leathercraft. I made the top for my workbench and a few random things for my son’s costume obsession. But it wasn't until this recent Christmas that I made anything I’d call legit serious. These gifts - a few clutches and a couple of knife sheaths for family and friends - are nothing fancy, but I'm happy with the result.
I was surprised how making things with leather is beginner friendly, and the barriers to entry are few.
A quality starter tool set will set you back less than a hundred bucks, and while leather can be a bit pricey, there are good deals to be had if one shops around. Once equipped, you can jump in and make nice-looking and functional things like belts, straightforward wallets, and other practical items with just a few basic techniques.
I upped the game ever-so-slightly for these projects by shaping the leather in custom-made jigs.
Wet leather is placed inside the jig, clamped down to stretch it into shape, and then allowed to dry. It was easier than I thought. (Granted, I have the woodworking tools to make the jigs.)
One project was a knife sheath for my son’s new Leatherman. I shaped the front piece in the custom jig pictured above (it form-fits the multi-tool). Before stitching the pieces together, I stained the leather black.
Similarly, I made this sheath for a friend’s Buck knife.
For this one, I modeled it after the nylon sheath that came with the blade. I think it shows how leather “elevates” the perceived quality of an item. The leather one, although basically the same as the synthetic one, just looks somehow “better” to me. Still, there are some caveats.
Being able to make something is one thing; making high-quality items is another. If you look at my stitching on the sheath above, you can see it’s pretty, well, “rustic.” Leathercraft can be physically demanding, and tasks like stitching are time-consuming and exhausting - the more refined, the more time it takes. I definitely have a long way to go.
Still, I dig how the stuff turned out. The clutches pictured here are just big enough for a cell phone, some cash, and a few cards. And the D-ring is for attaching a set of keys.
It’s fun to make things that others will use and hopefully enjoy.
Yes, there's plenty of room for improvement. But I really had fun making these leather projects, so I’ll stick with it and hopefully continue to improve. I won’t be putting anything I make up for sale on Etsy any time soon, however. But for those who do, I can now better appreciate how much work goes into what they make and sell. This, incidentally, is one of the best reasons for trying new things - we learn what it takes. And now I have a better idea of what it takes to make with leather.
Want to give leathercraft a try yourself? There are many great tutorials online, so check out YouTube for tips, tricks, and tool recommendations. And definitely visit Tandy Leather, either online or at a local store in your area. They have the best tools for hobbyists, and, in my experience, the staff is friendly and helpful.
Until next time.
JRC
I love mine! And I know my mom treats her like gold so, well done! Love having this one of kind made at home treasure 😌🎁
Thank you for working so hard on it, we do tend to overlook the effort that goes into something that looks simple.
“ I think it shows how leather “elevates” the perceived quality of an item.”
It does! My favorites are leather bound books. The look, feel and even the smell of a book bound in leather creates a sense of timeless value…almost transporting one in time to another era.
My car has vegan leather. I wonder if it can be worked just as regular leather can?