Do You Make Your Own Leatherworking Tools?

[Marshal Will Wingam]

There are times when I would like a stamp or other tool that just isn't available. I simply make one or modify something I already have. Probably a third of my stamps are hand made and all the stitch awls I use are either modified or made from scratch. My favorite knives are made from old power hacksaw blades.

Who else makes their own tools?

Here's one of my  knives:

[Slowhand Bob]

In reality I do not but there have been times that Ive used found tools to show pards that interesting designs do not have to come from TANDY.  Over the years I have come full circle and put away my head knives and round knives back in favor of the changable blade styles.  For a long time I considered the portable electric drill as my most valuable tool, it was mounted in a stand on the corner of my bench.  This turned sanding drums, buffing wheels, polishing heads, edge slickers and doubled for grinding out old rivets in addition to a hundred other odd chores.  This basterdised use does tend to wear them out fast though from the side load required.  My wife does wood carving and appreciated the home made set of sharpening sticks I made for the shop.  The cheep hobby aluminum flats from Lowes or HD with specialty abrasives (fancy term for high end sand papers and strops) glued on with a temp glue.  Even my last work bench was a monster and had to be loaded on a flat trailer with a fork lift.  Made from RailRoad yard scrap.  Im no J Watt by any stretch of the immagination but I have done some improvising on occasion.

[litl rooster]

The only tool I have made I stole from someone else, It's a finish nail nailed in a piece of shovel handle with a slot cut in the center to hold a razor blade. I use this for stripping rawhide lace. I do use my power drill and Dremel tool a lot for leather work also and now for my home gun repairs and slicking. I buy mostly Osborne tools but don't mine using a stanely with replaceable blades either. J Watts is pricy so I haven't bought any of his.

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[Marshal Will Wingam]

Lol rooster, I use other stuff, too. I have a Stanley block plane that I use now and then for shaving off the edges of leather when I need to take a little off slowly. The block plane is the little one with the blade put in at an oblique angle. Like you'd use to shave the top of a door off with if it was binding. I never us it for anything else so it's sharp when I need it.

[Slowhand Bob]

Marshall, we had one of the WOODCRAFT stores open up in Charleston a few years ago.  These guys have some really beautiful woodworking tools and I tried a few on leather.  Probly the best was the really small round gouges which can be used for freehand stitching groovers, I even tried some simple indian style carving designs but they were far inferior to the carving knife.  If there is one tool that really intrigues me, it would be the large floor model belt thickness sander.  Would this be a super duper skiver or just a super mess making flop?  If I could afford risking the better part of a thousand dollars it would be a great experiment.

[Doc Neeley]

Nope. eBay has tons of tools cheaper than I could make them for. Just bought 35 Craftool stamps for $87. $279 if I bought them new. (I have made some skiving tools)

I just watch ebay from time to time.

[Marshal Will Wingam]

Doc is right. Ebay is a great source for tools. Often, I make a tool or modify an existing one that is close.

[Rascal Ralph]

I found a long time ago I could make any stamp I needed by using steel gutter spikes, and "cutting " the head to it's desired shape using the emory wheel cutter on my dremal tool., a little polishing if needed. Blunting the tip finishs it up. RHR.

[icdux1]

hello to all, i am new round here. here`s a photo of my  homemade stitching horse .
also a homemade strap cutter i made to mount in the horse. great forum guys . 

[DarkBlack]

I've just recently began to need tools I don't have (my knowledge is starting to outgrow the basic beginner set stuff), and I've been considering making some of my own beveling tools to get into tight spaces. Haven't tried yet, I'll keep you posted.

I've also found that many of the was carving tools I have from jewelry modeling work pretty well as leather modeling tools.

I just got leather to make a belt & holster, but I'm still a little intimidated by the enormity of the project, maybe I need to learn to make some tools forst before I make it

--DB

[Tommy tornado]

I made a leather strap to replace the one that has deteriorated over time from my recently acquired WW1 portable leather bench.  Does that count?

[Marshal Will Wingam]

Close enough. I'd like to see it.

[Silver_Rings]

I've made a couple of stamps from large nails by filing a patern in the head of the nail and sawing the point off.  Worked pretty good.

SR