The Craft of
Working Leather
Honest guides, real techniques, and project tutorials for makers who want to do it right.
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Installing Magnetic Snaps in Leather: The Clean Method
Installing a magnetic snap in leather is a no-strike job: you cut two small slits, push the prongs through, slip on the backing washer, and bend the prongs…
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Chicago Screws and Conchos: A Leathercraft Guide
Chicago screws and conchos are the two findings that let you fasten and decorate leather without a single stitch or a permanent strike. A Chicago screw is a…
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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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Installing Magnetic Snaps in Leather: The Clean Method
Installing a magnetic snap in leather is a no-strike job: you cut two small slits, push the prongs through, slip on the backing washer, and bend the prongs…
Chicago Screws and Conchos: A Leathercraft Guide
Chicago screws and conchos are the two findings that let you fasten and decorate leather without a single stitch or a permanent strike. A Chicago screw is a…
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…
