It’s the season of learning new crafts, and leatherworking is one of the best skills to have.
I’m sure you’ve seen those trending crafts on Pinterest and in stores like Michaels and Hobby Lobby. It seems like everyone is into making keychains, pouches, and leather earrings. Have you thought about making some too?
Whether you’re a beginner, a weekend crafter, or a guru in leatherworking, getting the best tools is the first step.
Here’s everything you’ll need!
Essential Leatherworking Tools
1. Case
All the tools you require will need to be stored in one place to avoid misplacing them. A plastic storage box or wooden case will come in handy.
2. Awl
Leatherworking involves a lot of markings, and you’ll need awls for that. There are various types of awls depending on what you need them for.
3. Thread
Leatherworking involves lots of stitching, and you’ll need the appropriate waxed thread for that.
4. Needles
Stitching means you’ll need needles, but don’t use your cloth needle for this job; leather is much harder to penetrate, you’ll need a special leatherworking needle.
5. Swivel knife
A swivel knife is best used to make floral cutting on the leather to create cute patterns.
If you don’t know how to use one, watch a youtube tutorial, and you’ll be good to go.
6. Leatherworking Burnishers
Leather isn’t naturally smooth; you make it smooth by burnishing it. You can choose plastic, glass, or wooden burnishers.
It can be a manual or motor-operated one, depending on your expertise and the equipment available.
7. Creaser and Folder tools
Leather needs to be folded either for beauty purposes or as a finish to the edges.
8. Leather knife
Working with leather means lots of cutting; you’ll need a suitable utility knife for this job.
9. Beveler
Depending on what you’re making, you’ll need to round off some edges on your leather. A beveler does the job perfectly.
10. Thimble
Since you’ll be using a needle, a thimble protects your fingers from getting bruised.
11. Cut-resistant gloves
There are cut-resistant gloves with varying degrees of resistance. Choose the ones that will work for you depending on your work’s intensity and your knives’ sharpness.
For projects that call for lots of hand-stitching, the gloves will keep you from getting sore fingers or pricked thumbs. If you don’t have gloves, you can use athletic tape or just a pair of small pliers to pull the needle.
12. Pricking Iron
This little tool will make your holes on leather evenly spaced.
13. Rotary Punch
When you need to make holes in your leather for various products, a rotary punch will come in handy.
14. Strap Cutters
Belts, thin leather strips, and possibly laces for shoes and bags are cut using this tool.
15. Leather scissors
At 6″, these are bigger and sharper than the regular scissors to cut through leather adequately. The long lasting blades of the leather scissors allow for precise lines when cutting.
16. Mallet
This tool is most helpful in hitting other devices that are intended to punch holes into the leather. When making your selection, opt for a professional leather carving hammer.
17. Stitching Pony
A stitching pony is a clamp that holds your work in place, helping you to use both your hands for stitching.
18. Cutting mat
With all the cutting you’ll be doing, make sure you get a cutting mat to protect your working surfaces from cuts and scratches.
19. Glue
Glue is necessary to make your work stable before the more permanent stitching happens.
20. Leather cutting dies
These come in handy when you need to make many shapes for your leatherwork. They are pre-made metal shapes that you can punch (using the mallet) on your leather to make the shapes you want.
There’s a lot to be made in leatherworking, be it a fun DIY project, a birthday gift for dad, or a craft business. Having all you need is the first step to making fantastic leather crafts.
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