What leather working tools are needed for leatherwork?

There are hundreds of tools for leathercraft out there, so it can be a bit overwhelming if you are new to leathercraft. The great thing about leathercraft is you can begin making with only a few basic tools. The basic leather working tools you will need include a cutting board, a single head knife, a safety metal ruler, edge tools, a stitch awl, a harness needle, some thread, a polishing stick and a finishing agent.

After some practice, you may want to expand your tool collection and purchase more specialised tools. We recommend the best tools to use as a beginner and those that want to expand their workshop tools further in our guide here.

What punches do you recommend for a beginner?

This will depend on the thickness of your leather. With thicker leathers we recommend using a stitch marker and awl. Remember the thicker and heavier the leather the longer the awl blade needed. For beginners, we recommend our Traditional Oblique Pricking Iron Set or our Diamond Pricking Iron Set with our trusty Barnsley awl handle and awl blade.

What do you use to heat up an edge creaser?

You can use an alcohol burner or a hot plate - use on some scrap leather first to make sure it isn’t too hot.
 

How do I improve my stitch line?

Use a sharp awl. This will make it easier to go through your leather - forcing an awl that is not sharp can cause them to bend. You can use wing dividers to draw a line on the other side of your turn so you have a guide to follow. Also lots and lots of practice!

Should I be using a plough gauge or strap cutter?

Strap cutters are a great beginner’s tool for cutting straps up to 4 inches wide and very safe to use.
 Made from metal rather than wood, the plough gauge is the better option if cutting thicker hides. We have 2 sizes available allowing you to cut up to 10cm and 15cm.