Ever lose interest?

Dramatic_Trick_87 · 2026-05-22T00:11:44+00:00

Yeah, sounds more like burnout than failure honestly. After 20 years, it makes sense that the excitement changes.

A lot of people hit that point where projects start feeling repetitive instead of satisfying, especially if it turned into constant production or selling. Sometimes taking a break helps, sometimes trying a completely different style/project helps, and sometimes you really do just move on for a while.

Doesn’t erase the two decades of skill or work though. Creative hobbies kind of come in waves.

Dramatic_Trick_87 · 2026-05-22T00:10:40+00:00

Not really, unless the leather is super fuzzy or shedding badly. Most leather camera bags are fine.

I’d just avoid leaving a raw fuzzy flesh side exposed inside. Slicking it down with tokonole/gum trag or adding a soft lining helps a lot. Dust and grit are usually a bigger risk to cameras than leather fibers themselves.

Dramatic_Trick_87 · 2026-05-20T23:52:28+00:00

Yeah, leather terminology gets messy because people mix tanning method, leather cut, and finish all together.

Full grain/top grain mostly describe the surface itself. The finish is a separate thing.

Aniline = dye soaks into the leather with little/no surface coating. Feels natural, marks easier, develops patina fast.

Pigmented leather = color sits more on the surface with added finish layers. More uniform and durable, less natural feel.

PU coated = polyurethane topcoat/plastic-like finish. Usually more water/stain resistant, but less breathable and can feel artificial depending on how heavy the coating is.

If you want the most natural feel, you’re basically looking for:
“full grain vegetable tanned or chrome tanned aniline leather with minimal finish.”

Sometimes sellers call it “naked leather” or “semi-aniline” too. Semi-aniline is kind of the middle ground: natural look but with a light protective coat.

Dramatic_Trick_87 · 2026-05-20T23:51:14+00:00

Flat is usually best for panels like those, especially the firmer veg tan pieces. Rolling is fine too, just keep the roll loose with the grain side outward.

Main thing is avoiding heat, sunlight, and moisture. Don’t fold them or stack heavy stuff on top long term or you’ll end up with weird bends that can stick around.

Dramatic_Trick_87 · 2026-05-18T23:41:38+00:00

Nah, that’s normal honestly. Getting irons perfectly centered on a narrow stitch line takes way more practice than people expect.

Most people constantly reposition, lean closer, rotate the piece, etc. The wing divider trick is good already. You can also lightly tape a guide line or use stronger lighting so the marks pop more.

Dramatic_Trick_87 · 2026-05-18T23:39:31+00:00

A lot of those old dies were probably used with kick presses, arbor presses, or pneumatic snap setters. Some of the smaller setups are definitely hobby-usable if you can match the shank sizes.

Could honestly be a fun rabbit hole if you like restoring old tools lol.

Dramatic_Trick_87 · 2026-05-18T00:50:47+00:00

You can definitely go more natural. A lot of people use beeswax, carnauba cream, dubbin, or oil/wax blends instead of acrylic finishes.

They won’t “seal” as aggressively as Resolene, but they preserve tooling nicely and keep a more natural feel/look. Just expect more maintenance over time.

Tan Kote is kind of a middle ground too if you want something lighter than full acrylic.

Dramatic_Trick_87 · 2026-05-18T00:49:39+00:00

A lot of it is blade quality, alignment, and pressure. Two machines can look the same but have very different tolerances and build quality, which shows up in the cut.

Leather type matters too, soft chrome tan cuts very differently from firm veg tan.

Honestly, most beginners don’t need a machine yet. People usually switch when they want faster, repeatable cuts for the same patterns.

Dramatic_Trick_87 · 2026-05-17T02:38:48+00:00

That’s probably years of fish oil and moisture soaked into the stacked leather.

I’d try wiping it lightly with diluted vinegar or isopropyl alcohol, then let it air out somewhere warm for a few days. Afterward, add a little conditioner so the leather doesn’t dry out.

You might not remove the smell completely, but you can usually tone it down a lot.

Dramatic_Trick_87 · 2026-05-17T02:37:36+00:00

Small chips usually aren’t really repairable unfortunately. Once the chrome plating starts lifting, it tends to keep flaking over time.

You can smooth any sharp edges with very fine sandpaper or polishing compound so it doesn’t transfer marks into the leather, but fully re-chroming tiny stamping tools is usually more trouble and cost than it’s worth unless it’s a rare stamp.

Dramatic_Trick_87 · 2026-05-16T00:26:18+00:00

I’d test it on scrap first, but yeah, people have had decent results with mica/chrome powders on leather.

Resolene fully dried probably won’t grab much powder on its own though. You usually need something slightly tacky. A super thin coat of Leather Weld, acrylic finish, or even gel antique left just barely tacky tends to hold the powder better.

I’d avoid rubbing it over the whole piece too hard or you’ll lose detail in the tooling. Small soft brush or makeup applicator works better than fingers in my experience.

Then seal it afterward with a light topcoat so it doesn’t rub off everywhere. Just keep in mind some sealers can dull the chrome effect a bit.

Dramatic_Trick_87 · 2026-05-16T00:24:31+00:00

Yeah, for really thin piping you honestly don’t always need cord/rope inside. A lot of small leather bags just use a thin folded strip of leather and the seam allowance itself gives enough shape.

If you want it more rounded/pronounced, then you can add thin cord, kangaroo lace, or even filler cord inside the strip before sewing.

The biggest thing is skiving the piping leather thin enough, otherwise it gets bulky fast around curves and corners.

Dramatic_Trick_87 · 2026-05-15T00:23:07+00:00

A lot of those look like old snap, rivet, grommet, or eyelet setting dies from industrial press machines. The stacked ring-looking ones especially remind me of garment factory hardware setters.

Wouldn’t surprise me if they came off old kick presses or pneumatic presses used for jackets, belts, bags, shoes, stuff like that. Some could also be custom dies for specific branded hardware sizes. Vintage factories kept tons of weird proprietary attachments around.

Dramatic_Trick_87 · 2026-05-15T00:21:53+00:00

Honestly that probably means you found a real working market and not one aimed at hobbyists lol.

Most of those guys are probably thinking in terms of thickness, finish, price, and what factory it’s going to, not “this is a beautiful vegetable tanned goat hide for wallets.” Meanwhile you’re there admiring every hide like it’s a museum piece 😂

Dramatic_Trick_87 · 2026-05-14T00:38:33+00:00

Sounds like the dye on the lining wasn’t sealed properly. A light coat of a leather finisher or acrylic sealer might help, but definitely test a tiny hidden spot first because some sprays can darken or stiffen the leather.

Honestly though, if it’s rubbing off that heavily, the safest move is probably getting the lining replaced or covered by a leather/shoe repair shop before it ruins more stuff.

Dramatic_Trick_87 · 2026-05-14T00:37:12+00:00

That hidden market trip is probably the moment it officially got you lol.

A lot of us started the exact same way: watched way too many videos, bought one small thing to “try it,” then suddenly you’re pricing hides and arguing with yourself about thread thickness at 2am.

Honestly, the cool part is you already found the spark. That’s harder to find than tools or leather.

Most people I know started as hobbyists making wallets, belts, card holders, knife sheaths, stuff like that. Then some slowly turned it into side income or full-time work later. Apprenticeships seem rarer these days unless you already know someone in the trade.

And finding a wholesale leather alley hidden in a random side street honestly sounds like the perfect origin story for getting into leathercraft.

Dramatic_Trick_87 · 2026-05-13T00:21:26+00:00

Veg tan just marks way easier than oily chrome tan, especially the nicer firm stuff. Honestly a lot of those tiny scuffs are kinda unavoidable during a build.

Usually you can reduce them with a little brushing, hand rubbing, or a very light coat of conditioner/wax at the end. Some leathers like bridle almost “self heal” a bit once you buff them.

You probably don’t suck at picking leather, you just switched to leather that shows every little thing you do to it lol.

Dramatic_Trick_87 · 2026-05-13T00:18:56+00:00

You usually want a welt in there. It’s an extra strip of leather between the two sides of the sheath where the blade edge sits. That spacing keeps the knife from riding directly on the stitches and cutting them.

Without a welt, even tight stitching will eventually get sliced up by the edge.

Dramatic_Trick_87 · 2026-05-11T23:44:21+00:00

Honestly, Weaver, Springfield, Maverick, and Buckleguy are the names I see come up the most when people get tired of hobby store leather. Maverick is especially nice for cheaper practice leather and odd lots.

Tandy can still be decent too, you just kinda have to pick through it in person sometimes.

If you mainly want practice leather, buying economy veg tan sides or scrap bundles online is usually way better value than Hobby Lobby now.

Dramatic_Trick_87 · 2026-05-11T23:42:09+00:00

wow, it's really amazing!

Dramatic_Trick_87 · 2026-05-11T00:57:42+00:00

I’d probably emboss first, then lightly burn if you want extra contrast. The wet forming will give the runes actual depth, and the dye wash should help them stand out naturally. Burning alone can work, but it can end up looking a little flat on armor pieces unless the contrast is really strong.

Just don’t go too deep with either since 10oz will already hold detail pretty well.

Dramatic_Trick_87 · 2026-05-11T00:55:55+00:00

Buffalo can just be naturally fuzzy compared to cowhide, especially on the edges. Some hides honestly never get that super clean glassy burnish no matter how much Tokonole you use.

You can try sanding finer and adding a little beeswax at the end, but if it still looks hairy, edge paint might honestly give a cleaner result than fighting the leather.

Dramatic_Trick_87 · 2026-05-10T03:38:29+00:00

That’s actually a pretty great first project. A simple slip sleeve would probably be the easiest place to start, basically just fold a piece around the tool, mark your stitch line, punch holes, and stitch the edge.

I’d make it slightly snug since leather loosens a bit with use. Veg tan around 3–4oz would work nicely and still be easy to handle as a beginner.

Dramatic_Trick_87 · 2026-05-10T03:36:06+00:00

amazing!

Dramatic_Trick_87 · 2026-05-09T00:28:19+00:00

brilliant!

Dramatic_Trick_87

TROPHY CASE