Leather selection is the key to getting great results in your tooling and I can't tell you how many videos I watched to finally find the best leather to buy for tooling and how much money I've spent on the wrong leather because even the places that sell tooling leather give you junk pieces that don't accept a deep cut. If you did a video on that it would be truly helpful for people who are getting started especially if you want to cut, emboss, deboss and lift, you need a thick enough leather, but the right thickness for your project. That kind of information would be priceless and very much appreciated and would help a lot of people who can't afford expensive classes. Thanks so much for your video and time in making the information available. I really appreciate it!!
Great video. I'd love to see one from walking into a store and selecting leather through to outlining the design. Everyone seems to start at carving, but no one covers selecting leather, selecting design, tool selection and leather preparation.
Thank you! It doesn't make the man, but it sure does make the hours that go into the work more bearable. 🙂 I truly enjoy teaching others how to do it, so please feel free to leave suggestions for future videos.
I would watch a floral tooling video from you. Specifically when you pear shade the flower petals. Why how and thought process. Thanks for the beveling lesson!
I love your videos. I was amazed with the height you were able to achieve on a previous video (maple leaf). You should do another video showing extreme beveling and lifting on Oak leaves. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
Great video I would love to see a shop tour love seeing other people workstation and the tools they use . Also different notebooks or lining projects exc thanks for the video
Awesome video. The stylus tip before making the cuts is a great idea. A set of steep bevelers from Barry king is on my list of needed tools. I also like to use a poundo rubber mat on top of the marble slab when using thinner veg tan. Seems to help get the definition.
The store thing came out of necessity. I wasnt happy with my cuts and needed a way to see them before I cut them in. Poundo-board helps a lot with thin leather. Matt board (for framing pics) works well too.
Its funny...I agree with this, but I also agree with those who say decorative cuts are "flow lines" to pull your eye. I think it depends on how the artist wants to use them.
Steep bevels wins. I just received my 3 Barry king bevels from America and will be using them only because I like the look. Great video. Greetings from Australia.
Great videos! I was wondering if you had a part number for the steep edge beveler you use. Barry king doesn’t have anything in his catalog called that. You don’t have a link to it.
Was very hesitant at first but luckily i already had all the tools anyways so I tried it and was like huh. It opens the cut and widens it first so when you bevel it normally it actually bevels deeper meaning more depth :) it works so well :D
I can't find the BK S.E.B. in stock anywhere. Is it the smooth one or the checkered one. Absolutely great video's. I love them and I am a subscriber. Thank you so much.
Thank you. First, it's possible it might not be salvageable. But if it is, I would start with some Saddle Soap to clean it, the start lightly oiling it with neatsfoot oil. Go light and keep working it in until you're happy with it. Seriously go slow.
@@TheLeatherverse I have watched both his videos and Joe Meling's, and I've learned some things from both of them. I even took Joe Meling's paid course. Drawing my own patterns has been a real struggle for me, though. Whenever I learn something new, especially when it's difficult, I find it helpful to hear the same thing from multiple sources because one person always has some detail the other doesn't have, or they explain things a little differently. Eventually, it will click. I think your drawings look great, so I'd love to see you draw them and listen in on your thought process. I'm sure other people would appreciate it, too. It's just a suggestion, though! I have already subscribed.
There really only 3 things out can be. 1. The leather is too thin. I don't use my extra steep bevelers on anything less than 4oz. 2. Too hard of a strike with the maul. 3. Too heavy of a maul. I use a 12 and 16oz maul. Hope that helps.
I use BK standard bevelers for the same reason you use both: You get the crisp edges AND the wider band of shading but in one step. I also like to go over my beveling more than once, especially after I've backgrounded/matted. That really made a huge difference in my final product.
Fantastic video, thank you for these tips ! I love the burnishing, dark color you obtain only after the tooling itself. I am only 1yr into this craft and struggle a lot with finding good leather for tooling. I live in Poland, EU and the veg-tanned leathers we have here got absolutely zero burnishing effect and tooling looks just plain... could anyone recommend me good leather for tooling, purchaseable in EU ? Cheers
I can't recommend any leather in Poland, but I would encourage you to look into Fiebings antique paste. It'll add a lot of color similar to burnish. Let me know what you think.
@@TheLeatherverse thank you for your answer. Actually I began using this paste just few weeks ago and I got to say it workshop perfect. Nonetheless, the leathers I work on require so much additional effort to make it look good...
I'm very interested in tooling oak leaves and acorns, but NOT the american species ,,Red oak" (Querqus rubra) with typical sharp pointet leaves. As an former forester I own a very old fine rifle with carving and engraving German oak leaves (Querqus robur). The gun strap should have the same. I can't find any patterns for, I persume for drawing myself.... Best regards from Germany
Is there a reason you couldn't do the traditiona beveling, then finish it with the steep bevler, and end up with the same result with 1 less step of beveling? 2 step instead of 3.
Good question! The reason I do it this way, vs the 2 step method, is because I will typically do my "extreme lifting" whenever possible. (We have a video on it). To do that style of lifting, you really want that well defined edge.
In my opinion, everything depends on which leather you work with, on a thinner one, the traditional one is the key, on a thicker leather the sharpest one works well ... but that's just my two cents!
There has to be an easier way to do that. Like with a fancy drill with all kinds of bits. Like a hand tool for wood burning. Call me a newb I guess lol. Excellent work either way!
Sure. You can use a Pyrography kit to burn the image onto the leather, or an embossing machine to imprint the leather, or a laser... but none of that is "leather tooling" and none of those things have the depth. Those of us who enjoy tooling leather do it because we enjoy the process and we love the "art" of it. It's an old skill that's dying off.
If you're taking about the thumbnail for the video, that was done in photoshop. A thumbnail has to communicate an idea very quickly, so I adjusted the color on the thumbnail... the video had not been edited. And thank you!
I enjoyed the information in this video, but the focus and lighting in this particular video made it difficult to impossible to see any detail. The lighting coming from behind your hand put the tooling area in deep shadow and while you must have been able to see what you were doing, it didn't show up on camera. I'm not watching these videos in order by date, so you may have resolved these issues by now. Still, a helpful video on the subject of dept in tooling though. Thank your for sharing your knowledge.
Leather selection is the key to getting great results in your tooling and I can't tell you how many videos I watched to finally find the best leather to buy for tooling and how much money I've spent on the wrong leather because even the places that sell tooling leather give you junk pieces that don't accept a deep cut. If you did a video on that it would be truly helpful for people who are getting started especially if you want to cut, emboss, deboss and lift, you need a thick enough leather, but the right thickness for your project. That kind of information would be priceless and very much appreciated and would help a lot of people who can't afford expensive classes. Thanks so much for your video and time in making the information available. I really appreciate it!!
That's a great idea. I'll put it on the list.
Great video. I'd love to see one from walking into a store and selecting leather through to outlining the design. Everyone seems to start at carving, but no one covers selecting leather, selecting design, tool selection and leather preparation.
I think that is a fantastic idea. I will do my best to make that happen.
I would love to see a floral tooling your extreme lifting on that maple leaf changed everything for me and this one did again thank you so much!
You're more than welcome. Glad they are making a difference.
I'll put the floral tooling video on the list.
I know recognition doesn't make a man a man....but you deserve it. beautiful work my friend
Thank you! It doesn't make the man, but it sure does make the hours that go into the work more bearable. 🙂
I truly enjoy teaching others how to do it, so please feel free to leave suggestions for future videos.
I would watch a floral tooling video from you. Specifically when you pear shade the flower petals. Why how and thought process. Thanks for the beveling lesson!
Got it on the list. I'll try to get it out in the near future.
I love your videos. I was amazed with the height you were able to achieve on a previous video (maple leaf). You should do another video showing extreme beveling and lifting on Oak leaves. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
Yes please do a video on backgrounding. Great work
Than you. Will do.
I know it’s an old video but I like it. Just starting to step out of my comfort zone and try to tool instead of just stamping. This helped a lot.
Great video I would love to see a shop tour love seeing other people workstation and the tools they use . Also different notebooks or lining projects exc thanks for the video
Thank you! I'd be happy to do a shop tour sometime. I'll put it on the list.
Awesome video. The stylus tip before making the cuts is a great idea. A set of steep bevelers from Barry king is on my list of needed tools. I also like to use a poundo rubber mat on top of the marble slab when using thinner veg tan. Seems to help get the definition.
The store thing came out of necessity. I wasnt happy with my cuts and needed a way to see them before I cut them in.
Poundo-board helps a lot with thin leather. Matt board (for framing pics) works well too.
Stylus.... not store
Thank you so much... this really helps. Would love a background and floral video
Glad it's helping. I'll get both videos on the list.
Nice lamp in the background
Thank you! That's Tess...as in Tesla. I made her about a year ago. The water valve on her back is the on/off dimmer switch.
@@TheLeatherverse Now it just needs a small water pump and line going from her hand to your favorite sipping beverage.
Did you ever do a video on tool floral
I would love a video on flower tooling I'll have to take 3 archives to see if it's been released yet
Decorative cuts are the shading of the vains of the plant, hairs of the fur etc
Its funny...I agree with this, but I also agree with those who say decorative cuts are "flow lines" to pull your eye. I think it depends on how the artist wants to use them.
Thank you for sharing! This was really helpful :)!
My pleasure. Glad it helped.
Would appreciate a video of what tools you recommend for someone getting into it and videos giving tips, trying to get into it love your work
Actually getting ready to launch that very video next!
Great informative video. Thank you.
Thank you! Happy to help.
Steep bevels wins. I just received my 3 Barry king bevels from America and will be using them only because I like the look. Great video. Greetings from Australia.
You're going to love them!
Great videos! I was wondering if you had a part number for the steep edge beveler you use. Barry king doesn’t have anything in his catalog called that. You don’t have a link to it.
Yeah, Barry doesn't put numbers on them. The one I'm using is a extra steep edge bevel.
Yes I need a tutorial on floral would love to know exactly how you think about it from the beginning pattern
I can do that. Got it on the list. 🙂
Awesome video, I'm currently learning and trying to get better with carving!
Keep at it. You'll get there
Just tried this and yes this is well worth tripling the beveling time. The result is AMAZING!!!!!
So glad to hear this! It really makes a difference for me but I love hearing it helped you too.
Was very hesitant at first but luckily i already had all the tools anyways so I tried it and was like huh. It opens the cut and widens it first so when you bevel it normally it actually bevels deeper meaning more depth :) it works so well :D
I would love to see a more detailed floral carving video....
Got it on the list. 👍
I can't find the BK S.E.B. in stock anywhere. Is it the smooth one or the checkered one.
Absolutely great video's. I love them and I am a subscriber.
Thank you so much.
Thank you for the support.
I would suggest checking Barry's website. I use the checkered version, but both would be useful.
Looks Great thank you
No problem 👍
Have you since done a video on background?
Not yet, but it's on the list.
Like your work..my leather is very old and dry...what should I do to soften it..please...Regards Rudolph
Thank you.
First, it's possible it might not be salvageable. But if it is, I would start with some Saddle Soap to clean it, the start lightly oiling it with neatsfoot oil. Go light and keep working it in until you're happy with it. Seriously go slow.
Great job I injoy your video great information
I'd like to see some drawing videos.
I'd probably refer you over to Don Gonzales' channel for that. He the one that taught me how to do it, and he's much better at it than I am.
@@TheLeatherverse I have watched both his videos and Joe Meling's, and I've learned some things from both of them. I even took Joe Meling's paid course. Drawing my own patterns has been a real struggle for me, though. Whenever I learn something new, especially when it's difficult, I find it helpful to hear the same thing from multiple sources because one person always has some detail the other doesn't have, or they explain things a little differently. Eventually, it will click. I think your drawings look great, so I'd love to see you draw them and listen in on your thought process. I'm sure other people would appreciate it, too. It's just a suggestion, though! I have already subscribed.
Excellent tips thanks.
I seem to have a problem with my Barry king steep beveler going right through any 4-5 oz leather. Any suggestions?
There really only 3 things out can be.
1. The leather is too thin. I don't use my extra steep bevelers on anything less than 4oz.
2. Too hard of a strike with the maul.
3. Too heavy of a maul. I use a 12 and 16oz maul.
Hope that helps.
What is tool used for the lifting?
Barry King petal lifters and modeling spoons. Links are in the description. :)
I tried to follow your link for the steep beveler by Barry king. It longer comes up. By chance do you have a new link?
Thanks for the heads up. I'll get another one posted asap.
I use BK standard bevelers for the same reason you use both: You get the crisp edges AND the wider band of shading but in one step. I also like to go over my beveling more than once, especially after I've backgrounded/matted. That really made a huge difference in my final product.
I'll have to check those out. Not familiar with them. Thanks!
If the leather dries throughout this process are you re-wetting it???
Yes. I will case it really good initially, then us a spray bottle as needed to maintain the moisture.
Very good
Thank you!
Is that an electric mallet or is the video just playing very fast at those parts?
Normal mallet.... just sped up 3 or 4 times. 🙂
Video on background..matting? And floral n skull
Good idea. I'll add it to the list.
Fantastic video, thank you for these tips ! I love the burnishing, dark color you obtain only after the tooling itself. I am only 1yr into this craft and struggle a lot with finding good leather for tooling. I live in Poland, EU and the veg-tanned leathers we have here got absolutely zero burnishing effect and tooling looks just plain... could anyone recommend me good leather for tooling, purchaseable in EU ? Cheers
I can't recommend any leather in Poland, but I would encourage you to look into Fiebings antique paste. It'll add a lot of color similar to burnish. Let me know what you think.
@@TheLeatherverse thank you for your answer. Actually I began using this paste just few weeks ago and I got to say it workshop perfect. Nonetheless, the leathers I work on require so much additional effort to make it look good...
@@maciejwysocki3089 I get it. Moisture content is a big factor. Make sure it's damp enough. :)
is that HO leather or Tandy? and what weight?
Good question. It's 3-4 ounce leather from Tandy.
love it
Would love a lesson on shading.. I can not shade worth a hoot..
Sure! Are we taking about shading floral carvings? There's a bunch of different techniques. What should the video focus on?
I'm very interested in tooling oak leaves and acorns, but NOT the american species ,,Red oak" (Querqus rubra) with typical sharp pointet leaves. As an former forester I own a very old fine rifle with carving and engraving German oak leaves (Querqus robur). The gun strap should have the same. I can't find any patterns for, I persume for drawing myself.... Best regards from Germany
Is there a reason you couldn't do the traditiona beveling, then finish it with the steep bevler, and end up with the same result with 1 less step of beveling? 2 step instead of 3.
Good question!
The reason I do it this way, vs the 2 step method, is because I will typically do my "extreme lifting" whenever possible. (We have a video on it). To do that style of lifting, you really want that well defined edge.
In my opinion, everything depends on which leather you work with, on a thinner one, the traditional one is the key, on a thicker leather the sharpest one works well ... but that's just my two cents!
I agree. If you're tooling a1-2oz leather, you can easily punch through with the steep edge.
Decorated cuts marks the direction of curves and lengths
It depends on who you ask... cause trust me, I've asked multiple very experienced craftsmen. In general, I agree.
Man, I wish I would have seen this before doing that Bible Cover I put on the fan page…
If you haven't sealed it, you can always go back and rework it. 🙂
The beveler your useing looks like a undercut beveler, i use this to raise my flower pedals and leaves
There has to be an easier way to do that. Like with a fancy drill with all kinds of bits. Like a hand tool for wood burning. Call me a newb I guess lol. Excellent work either way!
Sure. You can use a Pyrography kit to burn the image onto the leather, or an embossing machine to imprint the leather, or a laser... but none of that is "leather tooling" and none of those things have the depth.
Those of us who enjoy tooling leather do it because we enjoy the process and we love the "art" of it. It's an old skill that's dying off.
i seem to be running into a problem that by the time i am done tooling, my leather piece already looks like it is 10 years old
Sounds like it's a moisture issue. Typically you'll need to dampen it several times during an extended project.
How to bevel like a pro ? Use herman oak leather :D
That definitely helps!
The leather color is different on one side than the other, even where not tooled. The 3 bevel is a gcool idea.
If you're taking about the thumbnail for the video, that was done in photoshop. A thumbnail has to communicate an idea very quickly, so I adjusted the color on the thumbnail... the video had not been edited.
And thank you!
I enjoyed the information in this video, but the focus and lighting in this particular video made it difficult to impossible to see any detail. The lighting coming from behind your hand put the tooling area in deep shadow and while you must have been able to see what you were doing, it didn't show up on camera. I'm not watching these videos in order by date, so you may have resolved these issues by now. Still, a helpful video on the subject of dept in tooling though. Thank your for sharing your knowledge.
Thanks for the feedback. That's all stuff that comes with experience. It's trickier than you might think.
I've got it sorted out over the last year.
Non of the tools you mentioned are available
Thanks for the heads up. I'll see if I can find new links.
👍😉
Great content you are putting out. Would subscribe twice if I could.
Thank you! Greatly appreciated. When you put out a video, you hope it's helpful but you're not always sure.
There is NO COMPARISON the 3 step is much better.
you do a great job as a teaching channel. Glad I discovered your channel.
Thank you! I truly enjoy sharing it with others. Let me know if you have any ideas for videos.
Yeah this was extremely helpfull
What do use for a lifter
Good question. I primarily use the Barry King lifters (link in video description) or a deer foot modeling tool.