The Craft of
Working Leather
Honest guides, real techniques, and project tutorials for makers who want to do it right.
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Leather Beveling and Modeling Guide: Making Cuts Look Carved
Beveling is what turns a flat swivel-knife cut, made in properly cased 5–6 oz veg-tan, into something that reads as carved. You press one side of the cut…
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Best Sharpening Stones and Strops for Leatherwork
A leatherworker needs three sharpening grits — roughly 1000, 3000, and 6000 — and a compound-charged strop, and that setup covers every blade on the bench from a…
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How to Remove Oil and Grease Stains From Leather
To remove an oil or grease stain from leather, cover it with a dry absorbent powder — cornstarch, talc, or fuller’s earth — and leave it to draw…
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Leather Beveling and Modeling Guide: Making Cuts Look Carved
Beveling is what turns a flat swivel-knife cut, made in properly cased 5–6 oz veg-tan, into something that reads as carved. You press one side of the cut…
Best Sharpening Stones and Strops for Leatherwork
A leatherworker needs three sharpening grits — roughly 1000, 3000, and 6000 — and a compound-charged strop, and that setup covers every blade on the bench from a…
How to Remove Oil and Grease Stains From Leather
To remove an oil or grease stain from leather, cover it with a dry absorbent powder — cornstarch, talc, or fuller’s earth — and leave it to draw…
Lining a Leather Bag: Materials, Method and a Clean Finish
A lining is the difference between a leather box and a finished bag. This lining leather bag guide covers the three quiet jobs a lining does — hiding…
Waterproofing Leather Goods: The Complete Guide
Waterproofing leather goods means adding a surface barrier — wax, grease dressing, or a dedicated spray — that makes water bead and run off instead of soaking into…
Solid Brass vs Zinc Alloy Leather Hardware: What Lasts
Solid brass and zinc-alloy leather hardware can look identical in the bag, but they age in opposite directions: solid brass is one consistent metal that patinas and can…
