Reply With QuoteGreat post - something I’d love to try and can see it’s a case of harder than it looks. Definitely a good effort on your behalf though, and there is something nice about being able to say you made it yourself.
On Sunday I attended an introductory leathermaking course, which was based in this lovely old Lincolnshire pub - The Old King’s Head in Kirton, near Boston:
No longer functioning as a pub since its rescue and extensive refurb by Heritage Lincolnshire, it serves as a B&B, restaurant and activities/education centre - open to all.
The course was run by a guy called Laurence White trading as Shedtime Handcrafted Leatherworks, who mainly caters to re-enacters and some film props, as well as private commissions.
We kicked-off by ruining an offcut of leather into what could broadly, charitably, be called a ‘keyring’ - just to get a feel for the tools and materials -
Before we knew it it was lunchtime (roast-beef roll straight off an enormous and perfectly cooked joint), and down to our individual projects.
Sensible people were making belts, wallets, glasses-holders and that sort of thing. The Earl of Tw@face here had ‘designed’ something small, fiddly and highly-predictable - a watch strap…
How it started (badly!) -
After dyeing (black hides many evils...) -
Finished-ish and mounted...
Obviously WAY off even the most basic professional effort, but wearable and certainly an interesting contrast with the PO!
I really enjoyed the day, the course was well-taught, the people excellent, the facilities good, and it was fun to try doing something different.
I don't see me joining the ranks of the pros any time soon though (ever!) - anyone that tells you doing this well is easy, is an idiot, and my respect for strap-makers in general - and the likes of DiModell and RIOS in particular (with their complex multi-layer construction and flawless build), has gone up quite a few notches!
Great post - something I’d love to try and can see it’s a case of harder than it looks. Definitely a good effort on your behalf though, and there is something nice about being able to say you made it yourself.
Originally Posted by TheGent
Thanks. I suspect that - like anything - if you have an innate aptitude for such things, it'll come easily to you. My main take-home was the knowledge that I do not, and that to achieve a satisfactory result will take a good deal of further practice, experimentation and especially tuition.
Last edited by earlofsodbury; 26th October 2022 at 12:39.
Strap making is something I would like to try but I know I have no aptitude for any sort of artisanal work / hobby. I would be like an elephant wear boxing gloves. It would look a complete mess on completion.
Well done on your first effort.
It’s also something I’d like to have a go at.
Thanks for posting.
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I'd guess courses like this one are being held all over the place - I only stumbled upon it by pure chance - and even if (like me) you're not a 'natural', it's an enjoyable thing to do.
I've also just realised (c/o a meme of all things) that the course was held on the Sunday nearest Sts. Crispin & Crispinian's day (Oct 25th) - patron saints of leatherworkers.
We’ll done on that strap I too would love to try but alas my fine finishing skills and dodgy eyesight would leave a very questionable finish
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