Things To Consider in Leathercraft for Beginners
Starting a leathercraft project requires a lot more than hitting a market and getting the materials necessary to pull off a leathercraft project.
When a few things which should be, are not taken into consideration, there is a chance that the finished work will come out as a waste of significant resources. Getting a hold of a leathercraft kit and getting leathercraft supplies is not enough, you may also have to go through a leatherworking guide. Simply put, there is more to a leathercraft project than just YouTube videos.
Before starting a leathercraft project, you have to make sure you have the right leather, meaning one that is compatible with the project you have in mind.
Check out our definitive guide to leather here.
To make sure of this, take the next things we would look at into consideration.
Are you making one or many?
This sounds unimportant because you probably think the type of leather you are using should not matter when it comes to the number of projects. However, if you are making a one-off custom piece, it should tell you that the leather you are getting mighty be a bit pricey. Think of it as a customised product that no one else is ever going to have, and from that, decide the kind of leather you are getting. If you are doing an ongoing project, the leather may come pricey, but not as costly as the leather used in making a one-off custom piece.
Cuts of leather
During the production of leather, the companies in charge of production usually cut away some portions of leather, and there are different reasons for this. There are three significant types of leather cuts; there is the full-grain leather, the top grain leather, and the genuine leather. There is also the leather no one likes to talk about as it is created from already shredded leather, which has been glued whole. It looks like leather, feels like leather, but it is not leather. Now you know why no one likes to talk about this guy. We won’t either, so for your leathercraft project; focus on the three we mentioned. Be sure to ask the manufacturer for the leather you are getting from them. The size of your products and the number of the pieces in that project will determine the cut you are getting.
Taking care of leather
Taking care of leather is an essential aspect to get into consideration before you start on a leathercraft project. If you do not know how to take care of leather, in the process of your leathercraft project, you may just ruin your leather. Getting the care process on the ground is more important than we give it credit for. After the project is done, the storage requires maintenance and care as well. You do not want to wake up one day to see that the leathercraft project you painstakingly put your time into has gone bad almost as quickly as you had it done. Leather care should always be at the top of your priority list.
Read more on how to care for leather & how to store your leather
Stretch and strength
Leather is the skin of an animal; it is a natural product. Different skins behave differently. Different leather types have additional stretch and strengths. What are you making? Does it require a lot of stretches? What should be done is this; tell the manufacturer what you want to make, what it needs, and you would be given the leather that fits. Of course, this is only if you are not entirely used to the leather scene just yet. Most experts—from years of experience—will most likely know what kind of leather they need for their leathercraft project.
Leather finishes
Now, the types of leather finishes you get are dependent on the kind of leather cuts you get, which is dependent on your leathercraft project. There are different types of leather finishes, and they all come with the different leather cuts available. There is the aniline finish, which has its pores visible, making the leather breathable. It also does not have pigments filled in it. There is also the semi-aniline finish, which has the pores visible but slightly filled with dye. The reason for this is to create some kind of protective layer. Then there is the pigmented full-grain finish which has the entire pores covered with pigments. Whichever leather you are getting, check the leather.
Budget for leatherwork
As you begin your journey into the world of leatherworking, you will start to realise that it’s definitely not a cheap hobby or profession. The quality and tools used in the process can slowly add up to a hefty amount. So, when you are just starting out, set a budget first. As all things/hobbies in the world, you don’t need the finest and the most expensive tools to get started, and just like that, you also won’t need the highest leather grade.
As leathercraft lovers, we want people to get involved with this traditional art and not scare them away, so we have a few tips such that you’ll find the silver lining on leatherworking.
First things first, find cheap leather that you can buy in bulk. This helps you to go all out with your creativity and not hold back on it.
Second, there is always a way around tools. You don’t need separate tools for every little process during the leatherwork. Remember, its not the tools that maketh the product, its the love you add to it.
Third, use patterns and guides. Diving straight into leatherworking feels like a good thing to do but to save time, energy and learn in an effective manner. Using guides and patterns are a way to do it, this will help you understand basic leathercrafting skills quickly so you can implement and tweak to your own creativity.
Leatherworking techniques
What are your leatherworking techniques?
The leather techniques that should generally be used are painting, dyeing, carving, shaping, stamping, engraving, laser cutting or hand cutting, fattening, pyrography, perforation. These are all the techniques that would be made use of when turning leather into whatever your project is. The method you are making use of for whatever project you have on hand would determine the kind of leather you get. The dry leather will come in hand if there will be a lot of stamping or moulding is done during your project. Being able to fully master your leatherworking technique might mean you get to start using a superior leatherworking style called artisan leatherworking.
Product duplication
When a product is brought to you for duplication, observe it closely and see if you can duplicate it and more importantly improve on that model. See if you have the tools for that prototype and if you do not, purchase them. In all, be honest with the person handing you the job. No one wants to pay for a job and not have it done right. Tell them if this is something you know how to do or something you are still learning how to do. Keep in mind that one bad review can ruin a lot of things for your business.
When doing a leathercraft project, considering these things, as mentioned earlier makes your job a little simpler. Especially when you already have the tools needed on the ground. Tools, technique, and your choice of leather at hand and the prototype available. As long as you know that you can design according to the prototype and improve on it, handling a leathercraft project should come easy to you.
For us, leathercrafting is an art we love to do every day and we want to share this wonderful traditional skill with the world. CreateLab impacts the lives of people by showcasing that every individual’s art is unique and valuable. CreateLab helps leather businesses impact lives rather than just selling one more product.
If you are looking for master leather craftsmen in the UK, feel free to reach out to us here.
