Leatherwork Starter Kit

[MagiKelly]

I am looking to try a couple of simple leather projects and was looking for the basic tools. Is there anywhere that you can get a sort of basic kit?

I found the two links below. The first looks not bad but I think I would want a groover and stitch marking wheel as well, and obviously some leather

http://www.bowstock.co.uk/acatalog/Starter___Stitching_Kits.html bottom item

The second one probably has much more than i need to start with and funnily enough does not have the stitch marking wheel. I don't fancy the pricking iron much.

http://www.leathercourses.co.uk/tools.htm

To be hones if the first supplier had a stitch marking wheel I would probably just add that and order from there.

Of course if anyone has tools they no longer want then let me know.

 

[singteck]

I think you should get the tools that you want to use and then just buy them one at a time rather then a kit. Of the two kits listed, I would spent the money on the second one. The first one only have some needles and an awl at the end of the day. Off cuts leather can be bought really cheap for practise.

I would say to get a pack of saddler's needle in size 1,2 or 3 (makes not much of a difference), a saddler's awl with handle, a scratch awl, some threads, and a no.6 stitch marker.

To that you can add a compass or a adjustable stitch grover. Very useful to mark the stitching line.

You can do a lot with those.

Good luck

singteck

 

[Klenchblaize]

"I don't fancy the pricking iron much."


You really should, in my opinion, get at least one set* of small (*”harness & Portmanteau”) pricking irons as this is the basis for producing the best work and ensuring your stitching ‘sits up’ as is the mark of such work. Get them in a No 7 or 8 for small, handsewen leather casework, or in whatever size is used for harness work and that appears to be the same for knife pouches.

To get started all you need is:

Awl blade sized to pricking iron and thread to be used. They are linked.
(The handle could be made from any off-cut of wood)

Pair of needles

Set of dividers

Beeswax

Thread: Linen or Ritza

Adjustable creasing iron for edge marking detail. Optional I guess?

Mallet or lump of wood for striking pricking iron

Cutting matt or supply of thick card. You can use the later for pattern making too.

Click knife or whatever you can get away with for cutting leather to pattern

Production paper of various grades

Glue

Leather dye. This can be used for edging if not using “Edgecoat” when used with refined burnishing wax.

Something to clamp your work in without marking it.

Hope this is some help.


Cheers

 

[P@ul]

Sounds like a good title for a Group buy

I will follow this thread with interest as I would also like to try my hand at some leather work.

Paul

 

[bent-stick]

I got a bowstock kit some time ago. A couple of pieces of leather to practice saddle stitch, an edge beveller, an awl, some edge finish and a belt kit with an instruction booklet as I recall. I didn't stop to price all the individual items but other than the booklet I feel that buying the bits might have been better value.

I stand to be corrected if someone wants to trawl the catalogue and check.

Depends on what you are planning to do but as well as a stitching wheel I'd also consider getting a sticthing groover.

 

[ESpy]

"I don't fancy the pricking iron much."

You really should, in my opinion, get at least one set*...

I've recently switched to using pricking irons instead of stitching wheels - still reach for the wheel occasionally, but less & less. Different style & end result.

Adjustable creasing iron for edge marking detail. Optional I guess?

Optional, but adds a nice decorative touch.

Mallet or lump of wood for striking pricking iron

Just to reinforce - do NOT hit pricking irons with metal hammers. You'll knacker the ends. A couple of mine show all the signs of repeated abuse like that...

Cutting matt or supply of thick card. You can use the later for pattern making too.

MDF works not badly for a a while. No grain, so the blade isn't deflected.

Click knife or whatever you can get away with for cutting leather to pattern

Round knife
Lethal, but lovely tools once you start to get used to them.

Glue

Eg Evostick.

 

[Selous]

Le Prevo in Newcastle, also mail order and internet recommend a starter kit's contents. Le Prevo are used and recommended by a number of people on this forum. That's where I heard from them.They don't offer a kit, as such, just tell you what they would recommend. They have a good on-line catalogue so you can see what you are buying and at what price. They prefer you buy on-line, but they're very helpful if you give them a ring.

'luck

 

[Dino]

i work with a ex shoe maker, he told me to practise your stitching on two pieces of thick carboard & ordinary thread.

 

[leon-1]

Le Prevo in Newcastle, also mail order and internet recommend a starter kit's contents. Le Prevo are used and recommended by a number of people on this forum. That's where I heard from them.They don't offer a kit, as such, just tell you what they would recommend. They have a good on-line catalogue so you can see what you are buying and at what price. They prefer you buy on-line, but they're very helpful if you give them a ring.

'luck

I deal with LePrevo a lot, they have got good service. Remeber that the price you see is not the price you pay.

The quoted prices are before VAT. They also have a minimum order of £10.

They have a good range of tools and they have a how to section, the one that mentions what kit you need is how to sew.

If you are going to be making sheaths or possibles pouches from Veg tanned then 18/3 will do the job, there are considerably heavier grades (15/4 is one of the ones I have). There are synthetics which are good as well, but they are normally quite expensive.

If you are making something in a softer leather like chrome tanned then you can get away with lighter thread. If you intend on making moccasins then you can get synthetic sinew (I have just got 300 yards of it).

 

[MagiKelly]

I've got thong from LePrevo before and it was there I was intending to purchase from if I am making up the kits myself. The hard part is not going overboard and ordering too much

 

[leon-1]

I've got thong from LePrevo before and it was there I was intending to purchase from if I am making up the kits myself. The hard part is not going overboard and ordering too much

Jon I am probably not the one to talk to about it, I had 41 feet of hide arrive yesterday from the states along with 300 yards of synthetic sinew. I have three reels of 25/3, 2 x 16/2, 2 x 18/3, 1 x 15/4 a real of tiger thread and god knows what else.

I have about ten feet of 13oz , about 20 of 8oz and about 10 of 6oz all in natural veg tanned, not including oak bark tanned or antique distressed leather and that's before the tools, fittings, dyes, oils and finishes.

What makes that bad is there are people that have a lot more than me

 

[Toddy]

John there are four tanneries in Glasgow, we can get thonging very cheaply and I owe you barters anyway so you don't need to be buying linen thread
I also know three leatherworkers in Glasgow who will happily show you kit, and let you have a good hands on before you spend money, especially if you want to try out some simple leather projects.

Want to visit some workshops?

atb,
Toddy

 

[ESpy]

What makes that bad is there are people that have a lot more than me

The only time I keep track of what I have in stock is when I need to do the tax return...

 

[MagiKelly]

Jon I am probably not the one to talk to about it, I had 41 feet of hide arrive yesterday from the states along with 300 yards of synthetic sinew. I have three reels of 25/3, 2 x 16/2, 2 x 18/3, 1 x 15/4 a real of tiger thread and god knows what else.

I have about ten feet of 13oz , about 20 of 8oz and about 10 of 6oz all in natural veg tanned, not including oak bark tanned or antique distressed leather and that's before the tools, fittings, dyes, oils and finishes.

What makes that bad is there are people that have a lot more than me

Leon, What size of moccasins are you planning to make

 

[MagiKelly]

John there are four tanneries in Glasgow, we can get thonging very cheaply and I owe you barters anyway so you don't need to be buying linen thread
I also know three leatherworkers in Glasgow who will happily show you kit, and let you have a good hands on before you spend money, especially if you want to try out some simple leather projects.

Want to visit some workshops?

atb,
Toddy

Thanks Toddy. Much as I would love to I think that I would be struggling for time. Do any of them run organised workshops? Might be worth seeing if I could fit in one to my schedule.The thing to remember though is I am really just wanting to have a play at it at the moment. this is not the start of a new production line.

Eleanor has decided she wants to be on Time Team when she grows up and if she can't do that she is going to be an archaeologist. So I told her she can do work experience with you Of course since she is only 8 there is no rush

Looking at the recommendations it really looks like I would only be about £20 for a pretty comprehensive set of tools. Not enough to frighten me. The leather would be a bit more.

 

[leon-1]

Leon, What size of moccasins are you planning to make

Hi Jon, they are only size 8 but they have walls about 3 feet thick and have similar attributes to Chobham Armour.

I have a new design that I am working on and some friends have asked me to make them sets, for a reasonable sized set you need about 6 - 8 feet dependant on the height that you require (if you want really high ones then you could be looking at 10 feet) and of course the size of the barges that they are going to fit. I need to get some Pigskin as well, but that will probably have to wait for a little time The bison and the elk hide will have to make do.

 

[Ogri the trog]

Hey all,
John, I think you're after the same sort of thing as me. No matter how level headed I start off, theres always the "what-ifs" and the "nice-to haves" that extend the list into unaffordability. Do I take it that you are trying to gather the necessary tools to sell on as "Starter Kits", or have I grasped the wrong end of the stick.
I have made some bits and pieces but nowhere near the quality of stuff thats posted in photos here, so if you don't mind me posing an open question in your thread...
I have a problem with keeping my stitches as neat on the back as they are on the front - is a pricking iron the only way to get around this, as some folk recommend using a pillar drill to keep the stitches paralell, which in turn is fine if you can hold things flat and level for the entire periphery?

Cheers all

Ogri the trog

 

[ESpy]

Stitching clamp, stitching pony or saddler's clam. Buy or make...

Chuck Burrows has a good plan at http://www.wrtcleather.com/1-ckd/tutorials/_stitchpony.html

I invariably mark the back face with either a crease or a groove so I can be sure where the awl is coming out, it is then a simple (!) matter of keeping the awl at the same angle for each stitch. If the awl looks like it will come out in the wrong place, pull back & re-aim before it goes through.

 

[MagiKelly]

Do I take it that you are trying to gather the necessary tools to sell on as "Starter Kits", or have I grasped the wrong end of the stick.

Wrong end of the stick I just want to try doing a bit of leatherwork and have no tools for it and wondered what I would need. So no plans for a group buy of leatherworking tools.

 

[Marts]

John

I have the Bowstock Leatherworking starter kit and have never got around to using it. I was planning on trying to convince Leon or JD to teach me the basics at the Summer moot anyway so the kit is just going to sit on the shelf.

It's yours if you want it. Then you can just add a stitch wheel or whatever.