Sign Up to our social questions and Answers Engine to ask questions, answer people’s questions, and connect with other people.
Login to our social questions & Answers Engine to ask questions answer people’s questions & connect with other people.
Lost your password? Please enter your email address. You will receive a link and will create a new password via email.
Please briefly explain why you feel this question should be reported.
Please briefly explain why you feel this answer should be reported.
Please briefly explain why you feel this user should be reported.
LeatherCraft.Works: A community where leather artisans, tanners, enthusiasts and buyers connect. Share your work, exchange techniques, and get expert advice on how to promote, price, and sell your leather goods effectively. Let's build successful leathercraft businesses together.
I'm compiling a list of popular genuine leather names (Cordovan, Buttero, …). Need help
I've done some preliminary research. Here's what I've gathered on types and names of genuine leather so far (unfiltered). It might be useful for some leatherworkers and collectors. Perhaps someone can add to this list: Shell Cordovan; Buttero; Vachetta; Dollaro; Saffiano; Wax leather; Pueblo; HorsebRead more
A compact, portable tool box for leatherworkers, for beginners
I think it's pointless. It's easier to just keep all the work tools in boxes
I think it’s pointless. It’s easier to just keep all the work tools in boxes
See lessCheapest Shell Cordovan leather boots?
can you drop a link to that Reddit thread? Yeah, I see what you mean about the photos. That classic Shell shine is definitely missing there 🧐
can you drop a link to that Reddit thread?
Yeah, I see what you mean about the photos. That classic Shell shine is definitely missing there 🧐
See lessThe Power of the "Brand" in Leather (Horween, Rocado, Alran and more)
I used SEMRUSH to gather these keywords. In the table, the first number represents the monthly search volume for that query on Google in the US. The second number is the Keyword Difficulty (KD) score. This score ranges from 1 to 100, where a lower number means it’s easier to rank for that keyword iRead more
I used SEMRUSH to gather these keywords. In the table, the first number represents the monthly search volume for that query on Google in the US. The second number is the Keyword Difficulty (KD) score.
This score ranges from 1 to 100, where a lower number means it’s easier to rank for that keyword in Google’s search results. That’s why I specifically selected search terms with the lowest possible difficulty.
See lessAlternative leathers: orange peels, pineapple husks, cactus… what else is out there?
Using AI tools, I tracked down some cool alternative leathers: "mushroom" and "grape" leather! 🍄🍇 Mushroom (mycelium) leather This stuff comes from the root-like structure of mushrooms - the mycelium. They grow the fungi on organic waste (like sawdust and agricultural leftovers). Then, they processRead more
Using AI tools, I tracked down some cool alternative leathers: “mushroom” and “grape” leather! 🍄🍇
Mushroom (mycelium) leather
This stuff comes from the root-like structure of mushrooms – the mycelium. They grow the fungi on organic waste (like sawdust and agricultural leftovers). Then, they process and press the fungi into sheets. The result is a flexible, tough material that looks and feels a lot like real leather.
Grape Leather
It’s made from the leftover parts of grapes, like skins, seeds, and stalks. They turn the waste into a sheet of leather-like material by mixing it with vegetable oils and a small amount of polyurethane.
Both are sold as an eco-friendly alternative to traditional leather. Right now, they cost more and are harder to buy in small amounts, so most people with hobbies and small-scale manufacturers still can’t easily get them.
Has anyone here worked with either of these? How do they compare to veg-tan?
See lessHow to get a mirror-like shiny edge on leather goods?
Based on the photo, it looks like Shell Cordovan. It's an extremely oily vegetable-tanned leather, so it polishes up really easily.)) Here's the process: Start with sandpaper (work through the grits, from 360 to 1000). Then apply a small amount of Tokonole to the burnishing area. Burnish with a woodRead more
Based on the photo, it looks like Shell Cordovan. It’s an extremely oily vegetable-tanned leather, so it polishes up really easily.))
Here’s the process:
- Start with sandpaper (work through the grits, from 360 to 1000).
- Then apply a small amount of Tokonole to the burnishing area.
- Burnish with a wooden slicker.
- For the final finish, use a soft cloth.
See lessAre there active forums on leathercraft that share relevant info?
I also really don't like how scattered the leathercraft community is on Reddit. That's exactly why I created this site 😉 Today, I spent a few hours putting together a list of leatherwork forums. I used my own knowledge, regular search engines, and a bunch of AI tools (Perplexity, Claude 4, Grok 4.1,Read more
I also really don’t like how scattered the leathercraft community is on Reddit. That’s exactly why I created this site 😉
Today, I spent a few hours putting together a list of leatherwork forums. I used my own knowledge, regular search engines, and a bunch of AI tools (Perplexity, Claude 4, Grok 4.1, Deepseek, etc.)
I know that some of these forums haven’t been updated in years, and I’m sure that’s been really frustrating for you. I would be happy to help you find the information you need about making leather goods. If you use the forum’s search function, you’ll find a lot of really valuable information.
List of leathercraft forums
🟢 https://leatherworker.net/forum/ – The best forum for leathercraft, based on how many people visit and participate (not counting the Reddit sub).
Description: It’s the biggest and most active English-language leathercraft forum out there. It has a lot of information, sections for beginners, tools, and techniques (like stitching and tooling). There’s also a busy area where people can buy, sell, and trade tools and leather.
🟢 https://www.reddit.com/r/Leathercraft/ – it’s not a traditional forum, but it works the same way. It’s a great place to quickly share your work, get feedback, ask questions, and chat with thousands of leatherworkers from all over the world. Activity: There are a lot of new posts. There are dozens of new posts every day.
🟢 The official Tandy Leather forum is at https://forums.tandyleather.com/
Description: It is run by the biggest leathercraft retailer. It’s great for beginners and anyone using Tandy kits/tools. There is a lot of information specific to the brand. Activity: Medium. Steady posts, but not as busy as the top two.
🟢 Visit the British Blades Leatherwork section at https://www.britishblades.com/forums/leatherwork-forum.12/
Description: It started as a forum about knife-making, but the leatherwork section became its own community. This section was mostly about making sheaths, belts, and other useful things. The best players spend time here. Activity: Medium.
🟢 https://leathercraftforum.com/ – There are a lot of users, but the site is full of ads.
🟢 https://weaverleathersupply.com/pages/the-saloon – The Saloon (Weaver Leather Supply forum)
Description: This is a forum from another big supplier. It’s popular because well-known makers like Chuck Dorsett and Bruce Cheaney used to post a lot. There are lots of tutorials and discussions about the Weaver tool. Activity: The low/medium settings are good now, but the archives are the best.
🟢 Visit https://community.etsy.com/t5/Leather-Crafter/bd-p/22405/ to find the Etsy leathercraft boards. Use the search bar to locate the right topic.
🟢 https://www.internationalleatherclub.com/community/ – this is an active community.
🟢 The forum for the Leathercraft Masterclass website is at https://www.leathercraftmasterclass.com/forum. It’s more like a blog with comments than a traditional forum.
🟢 The Vintage Leather Jackets forum is at https://www.vintageleatherjackets.org/
🟢 https://www.renovation-du-cuir.fr/en-gb/forum/ – A forum about caring for and repairing leather (chemicals, restoration).
🟢 https://forum.purseblog.com/ – This is a forum about handbags and wallets. Unfortunately, there is a lot of off-topic content and the moderators don’t do a good job.
🟢 https://www.facebook.com/groups/1520857751470640/ – Leather Workers Forum UK (this is one of many active Facebook groups. You can find other groups by searching Facebook for your favorite topic).
🟢 Here’s a link to a German-language forum: leather-forum.com – I’m keeping the link just in case.
Older forums with great archives (less active these days):
🟢 leatherpub.com – this is a small, friendly, independent forum with a close-knit community and relaxed atmosphere. It’s perfect for relaxed discussions. Activity: Low.
🟢 Visit leathercult.com to learn about making saddles and working with leather on iForge.
Description: Our main focus is on making traditional saddles and harnesses. This is a must-have for anyone interested in that aspect of the craft. Activity: Low.
🟢 https://www.leathernaturally.org/community – Leather Naturally Community
Description: The focus is more on promoting leather as a material than on day-to-day crafting. It has good information about sustainability and industry sources. Activity: Low.
See less