The Leatherworking Handbook: A Practical Illustrated Sourcebook of Techniques and Projects Paperback – Illustrated, March 28, 2006

Complete and easy to follow. Worth every penny. For beginners and those wanting a better explanation for techniques they have yet to master.Others may have more photos or a hard cover but this handbook actually covers everything about working with leather for a beginner to get started and advance to an intermediate level. It has the details you want when learning the basic techniques so you can make complex projects some of which are included, each with step by step instructions and precise templates, there is no guess work or confusion when tackling each one.After buying many guides and handbooks, this is my favorite and I don't have any complaints other than wishing it was longer. It covers more than books twice as long because it is more comprehensive and concise. It has indexes, tables, photos, illustrations, drawings, diagrams, and sketches of the processes and tools used in all aspects of leather working so you know what is needed for each project which are laid out so well that anyone should be able to follow the step by step instructions and create their own masterpiece. This book doesn't skip over anything and has more projects than most other guides from basic, beginner to complex, advanced projects with good variety. You'll learn a different technique in each project that you can then use in your own work.The best. Everyone should have book wether it is their first guide or as a much needed addition to their collection.

I am new to leatherworking. As a disclaimer, I have not used most of the techniques taught in this book yet. But...I started leatherworking by learning how to tool with a swivel knife and stamping tools. Once I got the hang of that I realized I needed a better understanding of how to construct the items to be tooled. Most of the resources I found online (and from Tandy Leather) had to do with western-style tooling. I had not found a reliable and comprehensive source for the techniques of leather goods construction. Most of the advice or instruction I found online was pretty haphazard. I ended up spending good money on tools I didn't need based on patchy advice.This book lays it all out for you: The different types of leather and the best applications for each; the best needle/thread gauge for each application; the different types of hand-stitch and when to use them; a good overview of all the tools you'll need to make just about anything. And then it shows you three levels of projects to take you from beginner to (hopefully) competent leatherworker.There are many resources for how to tool leather, but this is by far the best I've found for how to make the goods you may want to tool. It's a shame that this book seems to be out of print.

I have somewhat mixed feelings about this book. It has some very good information, but even though it is geared toward the beginner it also seems to assume you are able and willing to devote a large room to a leather crafting workshop. The "minimum" tool set is pretty extensive, although there are some nice descriptions of tools. The author is English which only matters because her recommendations on where to get supplies doesn't line up with what we might have available in the US where I live. There are many projects in the book with detailed patterns. However, I feel like the descriptions of how to make those items could have benefited from some additional visual aids, such as sketches or pictures. I think it is an interesting and worthwhile book, but I don't know that it would be my first purchase if you are interested in leather crafting. Al Stohlman's books have a lot more info on techniques such as stitching so I might try those first and circle back around to this one if I were doing it again.

I got into leather working this year and was looking for a good primer on tools, basic techniques, and supplies. This book solidly fills that role. It has an exhaustive section on tools, what they’re used for, and, most importantly, how to maintain them. In addition to basic techniques, the book has fair amount of projects starting at the most basic and ranging to intermediate. Each project has great images and the author walks you through each step, showing you how to properly assemble, sew, form, glue, and finish each project. I’ve read the book three times and am still learning new things. So, if you’re looking for a good book on leather working, I’d recommend starting here.

This is a great book. Even for a relative beginner, this is a great book. If you are Intermediate at working with leather this is ideal. Very up to date with ideas on forming, simple ways to mark and punch holes, good lacing, clear illustrations and diagrams. Very attractive. Great layout. I bought this for my husband and he was over the moon about it.

Understand this book is 30 years since first being published. Which is why I gave 3 stars.The information is outdated on a lot of the chapters, but, a lot of the information is still being used today. The tools they show are now antiques, though many are still in use. However, the author is pretty concise in their descriptions. The chapters start at beginner and go to advanced.

This is a great book. I have a copy of it and have used it a lot. I bought this one as a gift.

Would be one of the first books I would suggest if someone wants to learn the more serious side of leatherwork. It is not the complete book of everything leather but a great start. It misses out on templates and creating patterns a bit, but then it gets as advanced as forming and molding bags.