How to Use Leather Tools
- 1). Use the blade with the blunt edge to make a dark decorative line on a piece of leather. Heat the creaser to improve efficiency. Mark a parallel line with a screw creaser that has two blades linked with a thumb screw. Run one blade against the edge of the workpiece. This guides the progress of the other blade.
- 2). Use an awl for cutting and threading holes. Awls are constructed with blades that can be shaped like diamonds, squares or holes. This allows for variety in the holes that you punch through leather. Pierce the leather with the blade, and then cut the thread holes as necessary for fitting the thread through.
- 3). Take up the edge of the leather piece, and push down with the round leather knife along the line of the cut while keeping the center of this curved blade lined up with the edge of the leather. Another way to use the round knife is to do something called skiving. Reverse the leather while lining up the edge of the leather with the bench edge. You must hold the knife at the angle of the necessary bevel and push. Support the straps on the bench, and push the knife away. Don't pull on the other strap with your hand.
- 4). Hold the edge shave at the angle of bevel you require, and push away from along a straight edge. This tool is best used for finishing the straight edges of leather goods by cutting the bevel. The edge shave can be used on both the flesh side of leather and the grain side.
- 5). Use a leather needle rather than a regular needle for cutting holes. The leather needle has a sharp bayonet point that is used for stitching leather to create items like shoes, bags or even saddles. The flat leather lacing needle is equipped with a triangular eye that allows it to lace thongs.
- 6). Use a saddler's hammer to drive tack into leather as well as for shaping. Make leather loops by holding them on a stick as you tape the leather with the saddler's hammer. Use the end with a wedge shape for getting work done on difficult corner areas of the leather.
