Tooling leather tips

How to Figure Carving a Horse Head into Leather

Posted by don Gonzales

Here is a much requested video from your suggestions both here and on our facebook page!  For the July Leather Tooling Series we are showing how to figure carve a horse’s head into leather.  I am not the greatest figure carver out there and I still have a lot to learn on the subject, but I will attempt to show you what I do know.  After that, you can seek out guidance from some of the greats out there… and there are many amazing figure carvers that you can learn from.  Jim Linnell would be one that I would highly recommend checking out if you haven’t already.

If you would like to tool along with us in this tooling series, Click Here to get a FREE copy of this pattern.

Just enter your email address and we will shoot that out to you.  It is a PDF file that you can download and print on your own printer.

 

Tools used in this video:

-CS Osbourne push beveler

-Barry King Lifters (or undercuts)

-Barry King Crowners (checkered)

-Bevelers (BK and craft tool)

If you haven’t, I would suggest going through our First Tooling Series where we explain in a little more depth the different tools used in these series videos.

Here is a full run down on my Stamp Tool Roll.

The model for this project is an unknown Bay Gelding that resided on a place that borders us.  I just liked the way the horse looked and took many photos of him for artwork reference.  Not sure what happened to him, but we haven’t seen him in a long time… I like to think that he is somewhere on the rodeo trail or maybe just retired and moved to Florida.

How to Tool a Cluster Flower Pattern – Video 2

Posted by don Gonzales

In this video series, I show you the complete tooling of a cluster flower pattern.  The goal of these videos is to show you my complete tooling process when stamping leather tooling patterns.

This video covers the following tools and the order that I use them in:

-Barry King small thumbprint – horizontal lined

-Old Pear Shader (prob an old McMillan)

-Craftool long and thin smooth pear shader

-Barry King small mules foot

-Craftool Wiggler

-Seed Burst

-All Undercuts (Lifters) again to re-lift

Here is the first video, How to Tool a Cluster Flower Pattern – Video 1, so that you can follow along with both of these to tool this pattern.

There is a FREE PDF for this pattern that you are welcome to download by Clicking Here, just enter your email address to confirm access to download a copy to use so that you can follow along with us!

Here is a link to the first video series we did.  Watch this series for more information on some of the tools and uses:

https://dg.jonmensing.com/how-to-tool-floral-leather-tooling-patterns/

Here is a link to a video that we did where I go through my tool roll.  I explain the stamps that I use and what type they are:

https://dg.jonmensing.com/my-leather-floral-carving-tool-roll/

Links for tools and supplies:

https://makersleathersupply.com

https://www.barrykingtools.com

The sewing machine that I use is the cobra class 4 from https://www.leathermachineco.com

May Tooling Series

Posted by don Gonzales

In this video series, I show you the complete tooling of a Cluster Flower Pattern.  The goal of these videos is to show you my complete tooling process when stamping leather tooling patterns.

This video covers the following tools and the order that I use them in:

-push beveler

-flower centers

-flower center liner

-undercuts (4 different tool sizes- small to large)

-crowners (2 different tool sizes)

-bevelers

-Bargrounders

There is a FREE PDF for this pattern that you are welcome to download.  If you would like that then Click Here.   Just enter your email address to confirm access to download a copy to use so that you can follow along with us.

 

Here is a link to the second and final video in this tooling series “How to Tool a Cluster Flower Pattern – Video 2.”

 

 

How to Make a Cowboy Wine Hanger

Posted by don Gonzales

In this Project Video, I show you how to make an item that we have made in our shop for many years.  This Leather Wine Rack is easy to make and sells well.  The unique design is a great way to display your favorite wine bottles in your home.

The video walks you through my entire process for making one of these and the leather that I use.  You can make these out of any leather that you have.  I prefer to make the body out of 4/6 oz chap leather and the tooled pieces out of 6/7 oz or 9/10 oz veg tanned leather.

Are you interested in making one of these?  Then Click Here to purchase a complete DIGITAL Pattern Pack for this project.  The pack includes all the measurements that you need to create your pattern for the main body of the wine rack, as well as 8 different floral tooling patterns for the tooled panels.

ALL OF OUR PATTERNS ARE INSTANT DOWNLOADS THAT YOU PRINT OUT ON YOUR OWN PRINTER (use the “actual size” printer settings).  WE DO NOT MAIL THESE TO YOU.

Here are some useful links for getting supplies and some helpful videos I mentioned in the video:

https://makersleathersupply.com/ Great folks that can help you with all of your supply and leather needs.

https://lewisleathersales.com/ Suppliers of fine chap leathers and exotics

https://www.leathermachineco.com/ Best sewing machines on the market!

I was going to put a link to my favorite wine, but I am only sponsored by Boxed Wine companies… Just kidding.

SIDE NOTE:  Project videos take me a few weeks to create plus creating the pattern packs.  I had this video started back in last part of March and the workshop just kept me too busy to be able to get it out until now.  With that being said, Corter Leather posted a similar project on their Instagram/Youtube a few weeks ago.  I contacted them because my project was very similar and I didn’t want to cause any problems.  We laughed at the coincidence of us both working on same type of project at the same time.  I haven’t ever met them but I follow their work and they seem like really cool folks.  So if you want to see their version of this project then Click Here. 

 

How to Oil and Antique Tooled Leather Projects

Posted by don Gonzales

In this video, I show you my oiling and antiquing process for tooled leather projects. The finish that I did on this piece is what we call a “Light Oil Antique” and it is one of our most popular finishes in the shop. We have created previous videos on antiquing and oiling, but this video dives in a little deeper.

Here are links to those two previous videos if you want to check those out. Continue reading →

Should I turn my hobby into a full time business and quit my job?

Posted by don Gonzales

One of the most common questions that I get asked from younger craftsmen is, “When should I turn my hobby into a full time business and quit my job?”

This is a question that I do not feel qualified to answer.  Outside of college, I have never had a job.

This usually gets a chuckle in response… but it is the truth.

After I graduated from college I began doing contract work for the man I did my apprenticeship with.

I use the word apprenticeship without a complete understanding as to what a true “apprenticeship” might look like to others in the craft. But more on that in the future.

After some time he offered to sell me the shop and I began my dance with banks to make it happen.

Fifteen years later, years of trial and error, and piles of debt taken and paid off, here we set.

So when someone asks me if they should walk away from a secure career?  Walk away from a steady paycheck?  Maybe even walk away from health insurance, dental, not to mention their own parking spot… I say maybe not.

I once heard an ole boy say, closing his business and getting a job was like “coming in out of the cold.” Continue reading →

Learn How to Tool Floral Leather Tooling Patterns

Posted by don Gonzales

You bought a mess of leather stamping tools for tooling leather tooling patterns.

What do all these tools for stamping leather do and where to use them?

This is a common challenge for us when we start tooling leather.  We gather all the tools, a good mallet and some floral tooling patterns.  Yet we are unclear of what some of tools are for or how to use them.

Other areas that I struggled with early on was the proper order to use the tools in.  I found myself rambling through the patterns in a completely random fashion.  This led to long tooling sessions that left me feeling a bit lost and confused.

If you are new to tooling leather tooling patterns, then you are going to find great value in this!  Here you will find a 4 part video series that we created for our YouTube Channel.  The series is called “How to Tool Floral Leather Tooling Patterns.”

Each video covers a certain number of stamping tools in the order that I use them in my work everyday.  You will see how I use each tool for this particular tooling pattern.  The use of many of these tools takes practice and sometimes requires a little trick to use and we go through this in the videos.

So let’s just jump right in and get started! Continue reading →

How to Tool Leather Tooling Patterns – Video #1

Posted by don Gonzales

In this video series, we will show you the complete tooling of floral leather tooling patterns.  The goal of these videos is to show you my complete tooling process when stamping leather tooling patterns.

This video covers the following tools and the order that I use them in:

-push beveler

-flower centers

-flower center liner

-undercuts (4 different tool sizes- small to large)

-crowners (2 different tool sizes)

There is a FREE PDF for this pattern that you are welcome to download using this link, just enter your email address to confirm access to download a copy to use so that you can follow along with us! Continue reading →

Drawing Vinework in Leather Tooling Patterns

Posted by don Gonzales

Introduction into February Tooling Floral Theme

For the entire month of February, I want to focus on floral design and tooling.  Everything from drawing leather tooling patterns, carving them, and tooling them.  I want to spend the time using our different platforms to help you improve your tooling and design.

So whether you are a seasoned leatherhead or a rookie, be ready to follow us into this deep subject.  We will not have enough time in one month to cover it all.  We won’t even have enough time to cover a quarter of the subject.  But I hope to shed a little light on the subject and hope that you will find value in it.

Tooling isn’t something that you can just read one book about, watch one youtube video, or spend one weekend in a workshop and become a master at.  Learning to draw leather tooling patterns and to tool them, takes practice and commitment to the idea that you will become a true life long student of the subject. Continue reading →