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Thread: Any Leather Workers Out There?

  1. #1
    Lionelgee is offline YarnMaster Silver Subscriber
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    Any Leather Workers Out There?

    Hello All,

    Where do you buy your leather work tools and your hides from in Australia?

    I was tootling through a Tandy website which had an .AU suffix and I had order sorted out. As I went through to the shipping stage it soon became clear that everything was going to get posted from the US of A for about $135 USD. That order did not go any further! I then started to look more closely at sites which actually had an Australian address and their postage mentioned Australia Post.

    My first lot of leather work goodies arrived in the post over the last two days. One square metre of vegetable cured buffalo hide arrived today. Yesterday, the awl, stitching chisel and stitching groover arrived in the post. My first project will be a mobile phone case that can be hung off a lanyard around the neck. Why buffalo? My daughter-in-law is Hindi so cow leather is out of the picture.

    Today, I made a quick visit to one of the el-cheapo stores and bought a small bamboo server and a white poly cutting board. The bamboo server is 15 x 13 cm - with a bit of a grab handle on one end. I will place the bamboo server under the leather when I hammer the stitching chisel. I also visited the local saddle maker after I learnt a lesson about buying stuff as a novice online. Osborne awl blades only fit Osborne awls. The awl blade I bought online was an Osborne. However, the awl I bought online is not an Osborne. So off to the saddler I went. Gee not much change from $25 for one blade! I was told it was made in Sheffield, England and it is a good quality item.

    I bought the awl for times when I do not want to use the stitching chisel.

    I have also been spending a bit of time on YouTube learning about wet forming leather and how to do saddle stitching. Do you have a favourite leather worker on YouTube? If so who is it?

    I will be making my own stitching pony out of pine boards after a visit to the shed to check supplies. I saw some different designs on YouTube too!

    What other items would you recommend would make up a good 'starter" kit? I have seen some online and in catalogues. However being a novice, I do not know whether all the stuff will actually be useful? Some starter kits are valued at $100 and some other companies go up to close to $1000.

    At this stage I am not looking at stamping or carving. Doing something with braiding to form straps is part of future plans. These tasks might make it easier for a leather work veteran to form a list of tools to make up a starter kit.

    Kind regards
    Lionel

  2. #2
    Lionelgee is offline YarnMaster Silver Subscriber
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    Hello All,

    What is a good average size to buy harness needles in? I did not order any online and I found out today that the local saddler sells them with the price depending on the size. The leather is about 3 mm thick and there may be up to three layers of leather to be sewn. So what size or length harness needle should I ask for? Are the harness needles sold in length or gauge or size or some other code?

    I will be using waxed linen thread for my first couple of projects. Mostly because I have some already.

    So far I have not found any YouTube leather workers who demonstrate how to do saddle stitching that ever mention what size harness or otherwise type of needles they are using.

    Kind regards
    Lionel

  3. #3
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    Hi Lionel,

    Go here: Leffler Leather Supplier of Leather, Shoe Care and Leather Craft items

    That’s where my mum used to go when in Melb.

    Cheers

    Simon
    Cheers

    Simon
    2003 D2a TD5, ACE, SLS, Vienna Green.

  4. #4
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    I don't do anything flash, but can do a tidy job in pretty much any heavy fabric/ leather with a Speedy Stitcher.

    Speedy Stitcher Sewing Awl

    Speedy Stitcher Sewing Awl Tools Kit for Leather Sail & Canvas Heavy Repair GD | eBay

    Don.

  5. #5
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    Hi Lionel
    The Leatherworkers Guild is a NSW based group but I think their Facebook group could be a good resource.
    I really like Birdsall as a supplier. Mail despatch is a big part of what they do well and they always pick up the phone when you call them. A refreshing difference in this day and age. They will give you advice as well. They have good dyes.

    as for tools, yes they can be quite expensive like Osborne is. Great quality though. However, you can start with cheaper stuff for your hobby work. Just be prepared to sharpen things like punches and more often. A Stanley knife is fine for cutting. A cheap nylon headed hammer is fine for metal punches. A cheap rotary hole punch is fine. Just learn how to sharpen with rolled up emery paper.

    for oblong shaped strap holes, punch a round hole at each end and then cut the gap between the holes with a cheap sharp wood working chisel of the right size. A cheap wooden hammer will be fine.

    to make your pieces looked “finished” an edging tool is a good investment. Once again, learn how to sharpen it.

    very rewarding. Have fun.
    jeffoir.
    '98 Disco 1 V8 (Gone) Young family; so much fun...
    '00 Disco 2 V8 (Gone) Mrs Jeffoir's...
    '02 Disco 2 V8 (Gone) What a lovely exhaust note...
    '07 Disco 3 HSE TDV6 400,000km. Still going strong...
    '13 Disco 4 HSE SDV6 Great days lie ahead Comrades....

  6. #6
    Join Date
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    Hi Lionel,
    Saw this today and thought you may find it useful. A worldwide guide to recommended leather working tools. Not necessarily the best of most expensive, just a guide.

    Recommended Leather Working Tools - Liberty Leather Goods
    '98 Disco 1 V8 (Gone) Young family; so much fun...
    '00 Disco 2 V8 (Gone) Mrs Jeffoir's...
    '02 Disco 2 V8 (Gone) What a lovely exhaust note...
    '07 Disco 3 HSE TDV6 400,000km. Still going strong...
    '13 Disco 4 HSE SDV6 Great days lie ahead Comrades....

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