The Home Leather Atelier

On screen, step by step

What the video shows, written out for reading, searching and quoting.

1. Step 1, the foundation — a sturdy workbench with a self-healing mat for cutting and a granite slab for stamping.
2. Step 2, the cut — high-carbon steel: a Japanese skiving knife for detail and a round knife for curved cuts. Use a steel ruler and a razor edge.
3. Step 3, the mark — scribe guide lines with wing dividers before punching stitching holes with pricking irons.
4. Step 4, the punch — drive the irons with a weighted poly maul, never a metal hammer, and keep them vertical.
5. Step 5, the stitch — clamp the work in a stitching pony and sew the saddle stitch with two harness needles and waxed linen thread.
6. Step 6, the finish — glass-smooth edges with an edge beveler, gum tragacanth and a wood slicker.
7. Step 7, the line — a cork-backed metal ruler stops slipping and guards your fingers from the blade.
8. Step 8, the bond — glue before stitching: thin layers of water-based glue or contact cement hold the assembly.
9. Step 9, the pierce — where irons cannot pass through thick layers, a diamond awl leads the way.
10. Step 10, the hardware — set rivets and snaps with a small anvil and hand setter.
11. Step 11, the fold — a safety skiver thins edges for clean folds without a heavy knife.
12. Step 12, the maintenance — strop your blades on leather with compound every twenty minutes; sharpness is safety.
13. Step 13, the discipline — keep the workspace tidy: poly on steel, never metal on metal, and every tool in its place.