What is leathercrafting and leather tooling?

If you are visiting my blog and unfamiliar with leathercrafting, chances are you may be asking yourself "So what exactly is leathercrafting?" The word leathercraft is a broad term used to describe the process of using leather to make crafts, art, apparel, furniture, saddles, dog collars, etc. There are many different tools used when crafting leather as well as the many different ways leather can be crafted. Leather is generally identified by the different sizes, hides, colors, and it's thickness. These various factors can all effect the way leather is crafted and tooled. Leather can be dyed, painted, stamped, carved, molded, and shaped to make various kinds of arts, crafts, apparel, etc.

Leather tooling is a term used to describe the process of tooling designs into leather. There are numerous tools used for leather tooling as well as many different stamping tools which are particularly popular in the world of leather tooling/leathercrafting. The three main tools which are necessary for appropriate leather tooling are a swivel knife, stamp set, and a mallet. These particular tools give the basics for leather tooling. These tools give the design in the leather a three dimensional look. There are also various stamping tools such as camouflage tool, peer shader, shell tool, background tool, and a beveler. These particular tools help give the leather a more decorative design.The only kind of leather that can be used for leather tool is vegetable tanned, full grain leather. Other types of leather will not work for leather tooling because it can not be tooled properly and give the design the three-dimensional look most leathercrafters desire in their projects.