Leather craft marries artistic expression with a practical application. Get these leather craft tools before creating your first project.
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10 Leather Craft Tools for Your Starter Kit
1. At Least 2 Harness Needles and Thread
These are essential for virtually any leather craft project you can think of. For the basic saddle stitch, you will need at 2 needles to start with, plus some extra needles in case they break (which can happen if you work with thicker leather).
If you need a whole set, check out this amazing kit from Jupean.
2. Head Knife or Round Knife
This tool is the ultimate symbol of the leather craft trade for good reason: it’s a versatile blade you can use for a variety of things like cutting out your basic shapes and trimming edges before you zoom in on the intricacies.
3. Scratch Awl
A scratch awl comes in various sizes and has a variety of uses:
- It allows you to poke holes through your leather and make hand stitching easier.
- You can also use an awl to trace out patterns on your leather’s top grain.
The good news is that a good quality awl is very affordable and it’s essential for you to have one in your leather craft starter kit.
4. Precision Knife
Precision knives, as the name implies, can cut with impeccable precision. This makes them perfect for smaller projects on lightweight leather, which you as a newbie to leather crafting will likely start with.
5. Cutting Board
If there’s one leather craft tool that’s worth splurging on, that would be on a cutting board. With the right board, you wouldn’t find your tools cutting through your furniture or damage your blades.
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6. Edge Guide
An edge guide is a metal tool that creates a straight groove in your leather that can serve as a guide to your stitches. This groove also allows your stitches to sit flush on your leather for a finished look.
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7. Maul or Mallet
Whatever name you call it, their use is the same to serve as your hammer. To start out, we recommend buying two types of mauls.
- A lighter rawhide or poly maul for general-purpose tooling work
- A heavier-weight maul for heavier tasks like punching through stacks of leather with a chisel
8. Pricking Irons
Pricking irons are diamond chisels that prick multiple holes in your leather to make stitching much easier. It only leaves a small mark on your leather for your awl to go through later on.
For this tool, it’s best to buy two sizes: one with 6-8 prongs for your straight lines, and a 2-pronged one for those tight corners.
9. Edge Beveler
An edge beveler is a hand tool with a sharp blade that rounds off your corners and makes them look smooth and consistent. It also makes it easier for you when it’s time to burnish your edges.
10. Wood Slicker
The wood slicker seals and polishes off your work’s edges. This protects it against wear and tear and gives off a nice, professional look.
Want to see these tools in action? Here's a video from Stock & Barrel Co.:
Procuring leather craft tools don’t require a significant investment. Once you have them in your possession, you’re set to take on the joy of taking some leather and turning them into beautiful, one-of-a-kind pieces.
If you're looking for a leather crafting kit, we're having a giveaway in or Facebook group and you might just be the lucky winner. You can use this link to join.
What do you think are essential leather craft tools all beginners should have? Let us know in the comments section below!
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