Resources:

• The Leather Factory (800) 772-2629
  National mail-order company with branches in several states. They offer good prices on all leather and leatherworking tools and also have a discount membership policy.
• The Art of Hand Sewing Leather, Al Stohlman
  Available from The Leather Factory. The culmination of over 30 years of knowledge and practical experience in hand sewing. Through slower, hand stiching is superior to machine sewing and is the best method of stiching two or more pieces of leather together for lasting years of wear and service. The techniques and instructions in this book will enable you to sew any project you may wish to make or repair.
• The Art of Making Leather Cases, Volume 1, Al Stohlman
  Available from The Leather Factory. This volume teaches various methods of making patterns and the many techniques of forming leathers over wooden forms and odd shaped articles. It serves as a good starting point to custom making any type of leather pouch or holster you wish.

Specialized Tools:

• Harness Needles
  Round tip Harness needle slips easily through pre-punched holes. Size 4 or 5 is a good all-around size.
• Lacing Chisels
  I prefer using a lacing chisel instead of a punch awl for hand stiching. It gives a nice evenly spaced set of holes. You can buy them in different sizes and hole spacings.
• Punch Set
  I prefer punch sets to rotary punches. A rotary punch uses grip strength to make holes whereas a hand punch uses a rawhide hammer. This makes it easier to punch holes in thicker materials.
• Edging Tools
  Bevels and rounds off edges on leather. Useful for making rounded finished edges on belts and similar items.
• Boning Tool
  Used after an edging tool, the boning tool burnishes the edge and smooths it out.
• Strap Cutter
  Designed to cut uniform width straps from almost any weight leather. You must have a straight edge to start with however; any irregularities in the leather's edge will be followed by the strap cutter.
• Rawhide Mallet
  Used to pound punches, lacing chisels and rivet fasteners. Stiffer than a rubber mallet it still provides enough give so the tools won't be damaged by the pounding. Do not use a metal face hammer for this.
• Rubber cutting mat
  The rubber surface protects knife edges and hole punches.

Leatherworking is a surprisingly easy skill to learn that also has many everyday applications. Pictured here is a reproduction of Luke Skywalker's belt. The belt, pouches and holster were all made from scratch using Al Stohlman's books and plenty of generous assistance from the Tandy's shop in San Jose.