The Leatherworking Handbook: A Practical Illustrated Sourcebook of Techniques and Projects Paperback – Illustrated, 11 May 2006

Fast delivery, book condition was new, very happy with service. Haven't fully started into the world of leatherwork yet but wanted a reference point and something to study beforehand. Clearly written with good photographs and takes you from start to finish on tools you will need, techniques and even has a reference for leather suppliers. Leather craft seems to be a dying art but interest in this as well as wood working is very popular and I think making a mini come back. With actual instruction from a teacher in the future, this book I'm sure will become a treasured companion on the journey to produce my own leather projects. I've given the book a 5 star rating to reflect the difficulty in finding a good source material book like this one, nothing is perfect but this is not far from that.

This is an excellent book on traditional techniques. It's not a substitute for a class or watching someone work but it will fill in any gaps in your knowledge if you're starting out in leatherwork. It covers the basic tools required and how to start stitching including the correct way to lock your thread on the needle. There is a couple of examples of project bags and a nice little section on wet moulding veg-tan leather which is worth trying as the finished product looks very professional.

Well written and easy to understand. I haven't used it yet but there is a good but small range of patterns and a lot of information.

This book was recommended to me to buy when I took an interest in leatherworking, and it was out of stock at the time from a different seller and I was told to come to amazon for it and lo and behold amazon had it. So bought it quick smart and I must say that I love the content as it has clear directions on how to use leather and mould it into the shape that you want - which was what was crucial to my being able to work with leather. The explanation on the type of leather to use and which is the best and worse kind is also a bonus. Valerie wrote a great and valuable guide to this craft.

The Repair Shop sparked my interest into wanting to learn how to hand stitch leather. I wish to repair a very nice shoulder bag I purchased in Athens many years ago. After reading the book I feel confident at tackling a total repair. The materials, tools and processes are covered and there are projects of varying difficulty to tackle. The book is nicely designed and great read.

This is a pretty much outstanding book on leather craft providing you with much information that you need right from the outset, so it is good for beginners and an intermediate practitioners. It is old fashioned and the pictures are black and white, but it gives you the basics that enable you create your own designs based on what you have learned from the book. This is by far the best book on leather craft that I have read.

The section on tools is great. And the workshop suggestions are good (although I doubt many would have the room suggested). The book covers most of the basic skills needed to make leather products, although I would have liked to see a section on leather carving.Why have I given it a 3 star? The designs throughout the book are a little dated. Yes, you can adapt them, but as a learner, I'd rather have something ready to go from the start. My reason for buying this book was that I couldn't find a bag that I liked and I had a bunch of leather lying around. If you're looking for a modern design it isn't here, but it will show you the techniques to you on your internet researched design.

I was recommended to buy this by a leather craft teacher and I can see why. Very informative for a new leather crafter like myself but I can see it being used as a reference book for years to come.