How do you hand tool leather

Use various stamps and shapes to form your designs. Use a stylus to draw lines. Rub your work smooth with a leather burnisher when you are finished. These are metal or wood tools with smooth edges that allow you to rub as if polishing along areas to smooth out the look. Burnishing helps engraved work last longer. If you feel the article how to etch leather useful , please share it with others.

So how to engrave leather read this guide to find out how to engrave leather by hand How to engrave leather Contents How to engrave leather by hand How to engrave leather using engraving tools. Just apply less pressure to the awl by hand and push or drag it across the leather. Leather burnishers and slickers are usually rounded or curved tools used to burnish smooth-out leather surfaces and edges through friction. To help ensure a finished leather product that can wear well and be durable, it is generally good practice to smooth out, or burnish, the edges.

This makes them hardened and strong. Sometimes, edges are even painted to seal them up. Many preferences and options are available for this, though burnishers and slickers are often used most. They come in different materials ranging from plastics to exotic woods. There are hand burnishers, where you move it back and forth over the leather by hand it generates heat through friction and changes the leather surface.

There are also burnishing tools that use motors to rapidly move the burnisher over the leather to seal the edge. Burnishing machines and attachments make this a very easy task, and include dedicated machine as well as attachments that fit onto drills and rotary tools.

The key to burnishing is heat generation and transfer. When the edge leather fibers are heated they join together and smooth out. So friction created by moving a burnisher back and forth quickly makes this happen. When choosing a burnisher material, keep in mind the different heat properties of the material. These burnishers are generally the least expensive. They can get hot quickly, which one should keep an eye on, as burnishing too hot or too quickly can burn the leather edge and leave unwanted marks.

Wood leather burnishers are most popular, as the natural wood material on the natural leather material ends up being a nice combination. Brass and other metal burnishers are very strong, though retain a lot of heat. One must be careful when using metal so as to not heat the leather edge too quickly and burn it, leaving unwanted marks. Glass burnishers and slickers are available as well. Their smooth surface makes it helpful to put a smoothed edge onto leather.

Some woods are preferred for their burnishing results. Cocobolo is a very common wood used for this that is strong and durable. It also looks great with a dark natural color to it. Other woods used include paduk, vitae, ebony, pine, oak, maple, rosewood, and most any wood available. Instead of a rounded piece of wood or rectangular piece of glass, box slickers a rectangular, solid blocks of wood.

The function the same way as other slickers and burnishers through friction created by moving the block quickly over the leather. It is essentially a motor with various burnishing mounts. Since it is powered by electricity, the about of manual effort on the crafter is very much reduced, mainly to holding the leather piece gently by the burnisher.

Dedicated tabletop burnishing machines might have attachments on each side of a motor to hold wood burnishers, sand paper, plastic burnishing tip, or an array of burnishing finishers. Rotary tools, such as Dremels, can also work very well as powered burnishers. As another option, burnisher attachments for power drills are widely available. This can quickly make any home drill corded or cordless into a burnisher very easily.

Just remember, all that power can easily burn the leather edge! Sometimes it helps burnishing when the leather or leather edge is wet first. Not too wet and soaked, but just enough to aid in the heating and smoothing process the burnishers do. A common water spray bottle can be great here as a leather working tool, allowing the crafter to mist the leather areas just a little and then get to burnishing. A simple but convenient way to wet leather to be burnished.

Leather is a natural material and can last for centuries if it is well-cared for. That usually involves periodic cleaning and conditioning to ensure that it stays in top shape during everyday use. Leather needs to maintain a healthy balance of humidity and oils. If it gets too dry it can become brittle and flake and crack apart. If it gets too wet it can begin to mold and decompose. It very much likes the middle ground of just enough moisture and oil to be a supple, strong material that lasts.

Choosing a leather cleaner is highly dependent on the type of leather being cleaned. There are specialized leather cleaners and more general ones that are safe for many leathers. The cleaner helps to loosen and remove dust, dirt, debris, and grime from the leather surface.

Be sure to check that whatever cleaner you might use is safe for the type of leather being used on. Some conditioners also leave a protective finish over the leather, further helping it to be resistant to picking up too much water, dirt, and debris before the next time it is cleaned and conditioned. When well-cared for, leather can last and be usable for generations.

Leather oil is a type of leather conditioner. There are many different types and formulations available. Some cater to specific leather products shoes, boots, bags, etc.

Others to the conditions the leather will be used in. And even others that have more general formulations that work well on most leathers. Leather creasers help put a crease in the edge of leather, often for aesthetic reasons. This avoid stretching the leather near the bend, making it much cleaner and visually appealing. Manual creasers can be drawn by hand against the leather.

An example is putting the visual touch of a thin line near the outside edge of a belt. In some cases the creaser can be heated so it runs more smoothly over and deeper into the leather, and more easily crease softer leathers. Creasers can also be used, instead of burnishing, to put an edge onto leatherwork. An example is finishing the edges of a wallet, or those on a luxury handbag.

When working on a project that benefits from a heated creaser, there is a machine to the rescue! The electric creaser machine feeds electricity to a hand-held creaser. On the end is metal tip that gets warm from the electricity, and delivers a consistent temperature over the leather. When finishing the edges naturally or with added protectants such as wax, al electric creaser will make a huge difference.

These are often used on very high-end leather work. So very common in leather craft is cutting leather. As such, getting familiar with the different types of cutting and bladed leather tools will be helpful.

They include knives in many varieties, shapes, and sizes. Rotary cutters are rounded blades mounted as a wheel, scissors for rougher cutting, and strap cutters for cutting long leather straps and laces. Within each type are various configurations, sizes, and qualities to fit your needs.

With all knives and bladed tools, proper maintenance is important. Leather can be a tough material, knives with sharp, well-cared-for blades will make the work much easier. Now on the to the fun stuff and all the info! The staple leather working tool is the knife. There are so many variations that are used in so many ways. In some cases the only tool one might need for leather craft project is just a knife. So where to begin? Like most things, simply.

The most basic knives such as utility and crafting knives can go a long way. This is a handheld knife with replaceable metal blades. The blades come in different shapes, sizes, and angles for almost any crafting and cutting need. New blades are very sharp, reliable, and not too expensive.

To replace a blade, just unscrew the base of the knife, remove the old blade, put a new one in, and re-tighten the base. Box cutters can work great for leather working too. Some come with replaceable blades. Others come with multiple blades where once one is dull, just snap it off and the new, sharp blade is available. Often inexpensive, this is definitely a viable option when getting into leather craft. The round knife, also referred to as a head knife, is one of the most versatile knifes for leather working.

Since it has such a large blade surface and cutting edge, it can more effectively cut through thicker leathers than smaller knives.

Head knives also work well for thin leathers and detailed cutting. The maneuverability of the blade edge make it useful for cutting curves. The blade depth can also be controlled manually to set lines into the leather without cutting fully through. Round knives come in many brands and qualities. Handle shapes are important too. You want to have one that feels comfortable in the hand, in all the various positions one might hold it while cutting.

Given all of the assets of the larger, sharper blade, one must also be very careful when handling and using a head knife. This is another of the top leather craft tools to have. The swivel knife is used for leather tossing and carving intricate patterns into leather pieces. Usually made of metal, sometimes brass, they have a chisel-edged blade and are held upright in the hand. On the top is a curved piece of metal that acts as a finger rest, so the index finger can lay across the top and help control the angle and pressure applied to the blade.

Blades styles can vary from straight to angled, each benefitting different cutting style and uses. It takes some time to learn and master the swivel knife. Once familiar with the techniques, one can craft some incredibly detailed and impressive decorative work into leather.

The flat knife is a style of knife with a long, thin, metal blade that extends through a long, flat handle. The cutting edge is very similar to the xacto knife blades, with angled and flat edge options available.

The edge can be re-sharpened for a long time, making it a good investment. The flatness of the handle helps gives it good control. It even offers unique angling to the blades better suited for right, or left handed users. Pretty amazing the precision is that accurate that left or right handed options are even available for a blade.

Worth checking out if you want to invest in a high-quality knife. Beveled point leather working knives have a beveled edge to the blade. This helps for skiving and edge trimming where you want a little more control over how deep the cut is and how the path of the blade moves through the cut. For example, you might want to cut fairly deep into the edge and taper it up as you move forward.

You might want to taper a cut out as you move along an edge, or even just shave a tine bit of leather from a surface when doing finishing work. The beveled shape of the blade will help with this. Curved lip knives, usually made of steel, are often used by cobblers doing shoe repair. Often designed to be right or left handed for use, they have a uniquely shaped bent tip with a sharp edge that allows for easy trimming of show soles.

It is important to find one with a comfortable handle that fits well within the hand. This is not as common as other leather cutting tools, and usually intended for specialized uses. Trimming knives are used for finer, detailed leather work. They are available with both straight and curved blades. When cutting out intricate patterns, trimming thread, or working on smaller details including edge, seam, and trim work, this is a great choice to have in the leather craft tool kit.

This gives the blade more cutting surface and control over curved cuts, making it a great choice for cobblers and shoemakers. This style knife also works very well when cutting through thicker leathers, as the larger blade surface makes that sometimes difficult task much easier.

This is a specialized type of trimming knife that allows for more agility in cuts. It can make curved cutting easier, as well as more nimble movements through other detailed work such as edge finishing. This trim knife can also be used for trimming threads and working on intricate patterns. Leather working straight knives have a long, straight blade. It might taper on an angle in from the tip, though the sharpened blade portion is straight.

These knives work great for cutting very accurately in leather craft, and the blade can sit securely and deeply into the leather throughout the cutting process. A comfortable handle is important on a knife like this, as the broader cutting style used benefits from resting well in the hand. Shoemakers knives are a specialized leather working knife.

They are often made of solid metal and work for a variety of needs including overall cutting, skiving, scraping, large trimming, and shaping the soles of shoes. These come in versions that are straight, or curved.

The curved versions come in left-handed and right-handed styles. The straight versions are usually double-beveled to be used in either hand. Available in right or left-handed versions, it has a uniquely angled blade that makes it useful for trimming the leather soles of shoes. They are particularly helpful for trimming around the heel area. This is the kind of knife that might not get used often, though will help produce excellent results when it does.

The blade has a curve to it that helps it rest just right into and through the leather while cutting. Leather paring knifes really shine in the bookbinding craft. They come in a variety of sizes and blade types including rounded, angled, and straight.

French pairing knives generally have a semi-rounded blade with an upright handle. English pairing knives look like very large leather cutting flat knives, where the end has an angled blade and the metal from the blade continues up and is essentially the handle.

These knives are available both right-handed and left-handed versions. German pairing knives are a mix of the other styles. They feature a long blade with a curved end, offering the versatility and agility of a curved blade along with a straight portion that extends up until it reaches the handle, made of a well-finished wood.

Rotary cutters are tools with circular blades that can be continuously pushed or pulled to make cuts into fabrics, leathers, and many materials. Since the blades rotate, they can cut along curves very easily, making them a great option for more complex designs. Rotary cutters also cut straight lines very well, usually when used with a straight edge as a guide.

Blades are as share as other knife style blades, and can be sharpened often and replaces when necessary. This is a great tool when looking for something beyond a fixed blade knife. Cut-resistant gloves help protect the wearers hand from cuts when working with or around sharp knives. The level of cut resistance can vary based on the materials, methods of manufacture, and intended level of protection. They would be a recommended addition to your leather working tool kit, where both or one can be work, whenever appropriate.

For example, if the right hand is holding a cutting knife and the left holding the leather, maybe wear a cut resistant glove on the left hand as that will be nearer the cutting blade.

Leather strap cutters are a hand-held, wooden device with a mounted leather blade that cut long leather straps from larger pieces of leather and hide. For example, if you want to make a belt from a large leather hide, a strap cutter can be used to cut off a long length of leather in a consistent thickness. It can also be used for making leather laces. There is a means to adjust the thickness of the preferred cut, usually marked with measurements for easy reference.

Blades must be kept sharp, and are replaceable if needed. Once the thickness is set, the leather is lined up and manually pulled through. As that happens, it is cut in the thickness set, and the result is the original big piece of leather, and a strap in just the width you want it.

There is a classic design of this that has been around for years that is very common and useful. When doing higher-volume or repetitive strap cutting, a machine is available to definitely help. These come in both manually operated versions hand crank and electrically-powered versions. The width of the cut is set, the leather positioned, then mechanically drawn through the cutter resulting in straps or laces just the way you need them.

These are definitely more expensive than the hand-held strap cutters, though likely worth it if you plan on doing a lot of work that involves straps or laces. They can be held in the air while cutting, or rested on the cutting surface while making the cut. Leather cutting scissors are usually made with strong, sharp blades that can smoothly handle thinner and thicker leathers when cutting. The thumb can comfortably rest in the smaller hole.

Sometimes shears are intended to rest on and flow along the cutting surface for smooth, stable cuts. Leather cutting scissors are usually made with strong, sharp blades that can smoothly handle the thinner and thicker leathers that require a bit of heft when making cuts.

They are usually small, only a few inches long, with small, very sharp blades. Their size allow them to get into tough-to-reach places and angles, who their sharpness will shear the thread leaving a crisp end without frays. Lacing cutters are specialized versions of strap cutters, in that they are intended only for lace cutting smaller widths of leather.

This is good for most straps and strips that will be used for laces, belts, braiding lace, fringe, and tie-straps. Lacing cutters come in both hand-held, and table-top versions. The table-top versions usually secure to the table, making it easier to pull the lacing through. This is especially helpful with more frequent or high volume work. A clicker press is a tool that applies tremendous force to a small area in order to cut out designs in leather.

They fit on a tabletop, have a base, usually several cutting board surfaces, and a lever that drives the press. Due to leverage, when the lever is pressed by hand, it generates literally tons of force onto a very small ares through a die. The dies are metal, and pre-formed into a shape. For example a rosette, a shape, or even wallet pieces.

The benefit of a clicker press, with its related dies, is that a specific cut in leather can be done much faster than by hand. They can also effectively cut through thicker leathers with ease. Clicker presses are relatively expensive, though for the leather worker that is producing similar products in volume, it can certainly help with scale, productivity, and efficiency. Leather cutting dies are pre-formed, metal shapes with a sharp cutting edge, used to cut shapes out of leather.

They are laid on top of leather material, and struck with a maul, mallet, or hammer. The force drives the sharp edges into the leather, resulting in a cut out piece in the shape of the die. Dies are helpful when one finds themselves cutting many of a similar pattern out by hand. An example is a wallet maker with a great design. They need many pieces to produce a lot of wallets, though cutting them out one by one by hand can be time consuming.

Leather cutting dies can be custom made to any shape or size. Generally they can be put into a clicker press for even easier cutting, or manually stuck by hand.

Leather paints, dyes, and finishes help turn leather into some many incredible products. From the uncolored hyde, or un-dyed finished leathers, the possibilities are endless when considering what your final piece can look like. Leather dyes are pigments used to change the overall color of leather.

Paints are generally used as accent colors on locations such as edges. Finishes can be both visually appealing, to transparent and protective, helping the leather to wear well and last longer. Wool daubers are little balls of wool attached to a wire handle. Daubers are great for dipping into leather dyes and finishes, then rubbing onto the leather surface to apply the dye or finish.

The wool picks up an amount of dye or finish depending on how deeply it is dipped. It then offers an amount of control over where the dye or finish is placed on the leather piece and how evenly it is applied. For smaller leather pieces, dauber are a great choice as an applicator. Leather edges need to be finished after cutting, in order to strengthen the edge and protect the leather inside. Usually, burnishing is done to seal the edge.

For additional protection, and mainly visual appeal, edge paint can be applied. Edge paint covers the edges of leather goods and items, sealing the inside of the edge, and providing a pleasant finish to look at once it dries. Some leather crafters use this to create contrast with the leather piece. Others use it to blend the edges in. Edge paint are available in a wide variety of colors. Leather deglazer is a chemical combination that is used to prepare leather for dyeing.

Processed leathers, or even finished leather goods, often come with protective finishes on them. Deglazer, once applied to the leather, helps strip away the existing finish and any additional residues or chemicals underneath it. With previous finishes removed, the leather is ready to be dyed a different color, or have a different finish applied. Deglazers are usually highly toxic and require outdoor ventilation for safe use. For best results when dyeing leather, a crafter can usually always dye darker, though not lighter.

For example, one can dye a vegetable tanned belt gray. Then brown. Then black. In general, dyeing leather requires proper ventilation to ensure a safe working environment. Alcohol-based leather dyes penetrate the leather deeply, so the color goes beyond the surface. The colors are usually vibrant.

However, after the dye is applied and the alcohol dries, it takes some of the moisture out of the leather along with it. Leathers dyed with alcohol-based types when then usually benefit from application of a leather conditioner to restore some of that pliability and the oils within the piece. Often, dyed leathers are coated with a finishing coat, to seal in the dye, prevent it from rubbing off, and protect the leather overall.

Oil-based leather dyes penetrate the leather deeply, so the color goes beyond the surface. Since these dyes are oil-based, less moisture is pulled from the leather when drying than with alcohol-based dyes. Alcohol-based dyed leather when then usually benefit from application of a conditioner to restore some of that pliability before a finish is added. However, they are generally less toxic than the other types. As with most dyed leather, even though these dyes include moisture, it can be helpful to coat with a leather finish after dyeing.

This will help protect the color from rubbing off, and protect the leather from excessive wear. Leather wax is a wax, or oily compound that is used as a leather finisher. It often is blended with oils and conditioners. When applied to the leather, it helps add moisture and also protect the surface from daily use.

Usually after applying, the leather wax is buffed out to a shine matte or gloss depending on the formulation. It leave a smooth, protective surface over the leather that is resistant to dirt, grim, and water. An edge paint roller is a uniquely designed paint applicator for adding paint to leather edges. Some products have very fine edges, such as wallets and watch bands. Other project have larger edges such as briefcases and bags.

Using a small paint brush to apply paint is do-able, though requires detailed concentration and an even application across a usually long surface.

In comes the edge paint roller. The tip is dipped into the paint, and then rolled across the leather edge. This leaves an even, consistent layer of paint. Edge paint rollers can be cleaned, reused, and are definitely a helpful leather working tool for someone that prefers and performs a fair amount of edge painting. Edgers and bevelers are tools used to shave the square edges off of leather. The Speedy Stitcher can also be used to sew canvas tents and other outdoor items. The Speedy Stitcher is the most common and popular model of leather sewing awl available.

It was originally patented in by a gentleman named, Francis Stewart, from Massachusetts. Click here to view their page with more history about it. These awls usually come in an elongated diamond shape. Primarily used by saddle makers, they help make holes in thicker leathers for stitching and sewing.

Often available in different sizes, they can be either single awls, or awl bladed that can be fit into a universal awl haft. Scratch awls are pretty universal leather working tools, almost every leather worker will have one or several. They have a sharp, rounded point and are used for piercing holes in leather. Sometimes, they are referred to as a leather awl punch. Available in a range of sizes, they can be used on thinner leathers or thicker leathers, depending on preferences and needs.

The holes made can be used for stitching, or most other uses for pierced holes. These awls can also be used for scratching, or marking, leather.

Sometimes when cutting leather or planning where holes will go, it is helpful to leave a mark. Where a pen or pencil might work, but not be preferred to leave a graphite or ink mark, the scratch awl can be used to leave point marks. They can mark, for example, where a hole might go, or lines where a cut line might be. Just apply less pressure to the awl by hand and push or drag it across the leather. Leather can be sewn to leather by hand-stitching with a needle and thread, or with a leather sewing awl.

The sewing awl makes it easier to push thicker thread through thick leather material, making the process quick and easy. A hand sewing awl works by pushing its large needle, with thread attached, through the leather, stitch by stitch. This allows sewing to be possible, where material might be too thick for a machine, and easy on the hands. What is a Leather Awl? This is a very relaxing video showing awls being made by hand: There are also leather sewing awls, with a specially-shaped tip that makes pushing thread or lanyard through much easier.

How Does a Leather Awl Work? Hafts are a handy way to widen your leather working tool set in an efficient way. Collar Awl Collar awls are usually used by saddle makers. Curved Awl Curved awls are very helpful for creating holes for stitching rounded or curved leather pieces together as opposed to those that are flat.

Diamond Awl When looking for a tool that can make a hole in leather without leaving a large opening, try a leather diamond awl. Leather Stitching Tools — Sewing Awl When looking at leather stitching tools, the sewing awl is often the most popular.

Sewing Awl Needles Sewing awl needles are strong needles shaped and intended for use with a sewing awl haft. Wind the Thread on the Bobbin First, wind the thread around the sewing awl bobbin. Thread the Needle Wondering how do you thread a leather awl? Here is a helpful video that demonstrates sewing awl threading and use, with the popular Speedy Stitcher: Push Needle Through First Hole With the thread in the needle, push the needle through the first hole.

Pull Thread Through With the needle through the leather, pull enough thread slack off the bobbin to cover the length of the material that you will sew. Add Additional Stitches Repeat the pushing and feeding and tightening process for the length of the area being stitched. Once that's done, add your stitching and you're basically done. Rub the whole surface with a cloth to get a nice, smooth final look. Add a clear finish if desired. As a final measure, you can add a clear final finish on after doing your stitching, if you want to.

This is not necessary, however. Enjoy your new creation and don't forget to keep practicing! Yes, it can be used for in many ways, like patch ups, shoes, purses and more.

Not Helpful 0 Helpful 6. Tools known as "embossers" basically consist of a single wheel at the end. When rolled across a section of leather with appropriate downward pressure , you're able to transfer whatever three-dimensional imagery or letters are inscribed on the wheel.

That said, other techniques exist as well, including leather "stamps" where a wooden or rawhide mallet is used to strike a metal rod down onto a piece of leather , as well as "pyrography", which involves the use of a high-temperature, handheld device similar in appearance to a common soldering iron to carefully "draw" or more accurately, "burn" letters or images into the leather. Not Helpful 0 Helpful 0. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

By using this service, some information may be shared with YouTube. You may choose to burnish the leather after you wet it but before you stamp it. It may hold the design better. You can find a "rub stick" at a hobby shop that will help you burnish the edges of your leather. Helpful 10 Not Helpful 0. As you grow more experienced with leather tooling, you may want to begin using a beveled edge to create dimension in your design.

You strike these tools in a direction, either slightly to the right or to left, instead of hitting the mallet directly on top of the tool. Helpful 7 Not Helpful 3. Invest in leather tooling instruction books, or check them out at the library, if you want to learn to do intricate designs.

Practice with simple projects before getting started on harder ones. For instance, you could try making leather earrings. Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0. Submit a Tip All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published. Do not use a metal mallet when tooling leather. It will apply too much pressure. A poly or rawhide mallet will exert the right amount of pressure against the tool. Helpful 4 Not Helpful 1. You Might Also Like How to. How to. Co-authors: Updated: December 22, Categories: Leatherworking.

Article Summary X To tool leather, start by cutting out your piece of leather using a box cutter. In other languages Italiano: Stampare sul Cuoio.

Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read , times. I wasn't sure how to use design patterns. I'll be tooling soon, thanks! More reader stories Hide reader stories. Did this article help you? Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. About This Article Co-authors: John Cipriani Jun 21, Tom Ryan Apr 13, A lot of my questions were answered by watching it.

I'm looking forward to start doing some leather work. Thank you. Artie Johnson Jul 27, I want to know how to get a design on to the leather. This was great information on how to get your design started, and more. Rated this article:. Gordon Gilbreath Nov 5, This is very helpful. I can't wait to get started and show it off when I am done. Kenneth Eames Jul 15, It is excellent and will help me. Thank you!

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