Handmade Tools for Leather Tooling

Hey!!

I always have thought that at some point everyone is lucky, you just have to find your spot, the place and the time where you, by doing what you really enjoy, certainly will find your luck.

A few months ago I somehow stumbled upon this website, and thought: "Why not?". So I published my first instructable. It was amazing that in few weeks more than 10 000 people had seen my instructable, however I was even more amazed when my second instructable reached double the views in a few DAYS...

I entered some contests, thinking that there's no possibility that I might win....

But I WON two times!! What are the odds, that I out of hundreds of participants could even win the runner up prize. In my whole life I've won something three maybe four times. I was so happy even for such a small prize..

I should cut to the chase. What I wanted to say is that I'm glad that there are people who make such websites, they give a chance to everybody... Thank You Instructables Team!! (I hope at least one of the team will read this ;D)

As the prize for the Leatherworking contest i got DIY wallet. It is a great wallet, but I wanted it it to be even better, so I decided to make some tools (Because i'm too impatient to order them and wait untill i get them), so i could make it look classy and awsome!

Tools:

• Angle grinder
• Files

Materials:

• Piece of steel
• Piece of wood
• Glue
• Few big bolts

I don't know precise name for this tool, it's used to cut lines in the leather.

I took a piece of steel, cut off a slice and grinded it.

Next I took apiece of wood, drilled a hole and glued the blade in it.

After that I grinded of the spare wood, and I also grinded a curve on the top of the tool, so it would be easy to hold it.

I simply grinded the bolt to certain form.

Then i filed diognal lines on the top of the bolt.

The second one is the same, only a bit smaller than the previous.

Using the tools i made, I cut out this figure (It's an ancient Latvian symbol, it represents fertility and richness) and using the pounding tool I pounded around the symbol, it's essential that you wet the leather before any tooling!!