A while back we posted on examples on how to set up your leatherworking space to work cleaner, faster and easier. Many of our readers sent us examples of their workspaces which inspired even more of you to show your examples. Below are a few more highlights of what we’ve collected. I’m still impressed with […]
Pinterest Highlights – Shrunken Calf
There are so many amazing leather goods out there made from Shrunken Calf. It’s why we decided to team with the tannery that makes these hides to be their official US partner. While the more famous examples are often shown, we’ve collected a few lesser known works from around the world that are also striking. […]
Our Readers’ Leathercraft Workspaces
Last week I wrote about mise en place and workspaces. Many of you emailed back some amazing workspace photos. Here are a few of the highlights: Alan P. Andy F. Chris S. Metallicsunburst Benzethonium Balsamountain Asdem Everyone works differently and has different styles. When looking at someone’s space, it’s a peek into how […]
Right Place, Right Tool, Righteously Good Leather Work
It used to be that whenever I was in the middle of a project, I would lose track of a tool. It could be a knife, a pricking iron, or sometimes even my awl. I would look up from my workbench to see chaos. Pieces of leather would be everywhere; my tools would be sitting […]
Pinterest Highlights – Vintage Bespoke Luggage and Shoes
One of the ways that we keep up with what’s going on in leather goods design is through Pinterest. Over the years we’ve accumulated more than 13,000 pins ranging from the bespoke luggage of “Out of Africa” author Karen Blixen to infographics on the anatomy of a Birken Bag (both below). Inspiration for your next […]
The Challenges And Rewards Of Starting A Leather Shoe Business
Many of you reading this blog dream of starting your own business in leatherworking or are working hard to grow your existing one. Today I want to introduce you to a husband and wife team who are doing exactly that: Josh and Jules of Love Jules Leather. They started in Whistler, British Columbia but have since […]
What To Look For When Sharpening A Knife
(this is the second article in a mini-series on sharpening, view part one here) In the last post, I wrote about how to add sharpening to your leatherworking practice and how to transition from using disposable blades to sharpenable knives. If you’ve decided to take the plunge and practice this skill, congratulations! You will be learning a […]
How A $2 Knife Helped Me Sharpen A $50 Knife
This is part one of a short series on sharpening. I sometimes check different leatherworking forums to see what people are doing and saw a post about someone having trouble sharpening a L’Indispensable knife. They went into detail about the different ways they had tried sharpening, they had looked at guides and videos online and tried […]
5 Principles These Leather Goods Craftspeople Followed To Create Hugely Successful Companies
At Fine Leatherworking we get a wide range of customers in search of luxury quality leather working tools. We get beginners who want to do great work but don’t know where to start, and we get experienced craftsmen who are looking to improve the quality of their work. Every once in a while however, we […]
A Nice Overview of Making Watch Straps
This Making of a Watch Strap article on watchtime.com is a great overview of not only making straps but also how leather is layered together on the ‘face’ and back sides. Author Mark Bernado also covers edging and the long process to great finished edges. It’s exactly how we finish edges and the 15+ step […]