Tandy vs luxury tools

[mollymo]

I started my journey with a basic kit from a big box store and those tools still get the job done today. I see people spending hundreds of dollars on a single French edger or a custom hammer from Japan. My cheap stamps still make a clear mark if I use the right amount of moisture in the leather. Is the expensive steel really going to make me a better crafter or is it just about having a pretty workbench? I mean for a beginner, I guess having the basic tool is a must, but it shouldn't be necessarily the most expensive ones right away.

 

[piranha]

I think the expensive tools are mostly about the quality of the steel and how long they hold an edge. I spent forty dollars on a Japanese skiving knife and I only have to strop it once a day compared to my old cheap one that needed help every ten minutes. It saves me a lot of time and frustration in the long run.

 

[winniepops]

I started my journey with a basic kit from a big box store and those tools still get the job done today. I see people spending hundreds of dollars on a single French edger or a custom hammer from Japan. My cheap stamps still make a clear mark if I use the right amount of moisture in the leather. Is the expensive steel really going to make me a better crafter or is it just about having a pretty workbench? I mean for a beginner, I guess having the basic tool is a must, but it shouldn't be necessarily the most expensive ones right away.

A cheap hammer works just as well as a custom one as long as the face is polished and smooth. If your hammer has scratches on it those marks are going to transfer to your stamps and ruin your work. I just took some sandpaper and a buffing wheel to my hardware store mallet and it works perfectly now. So I'd say start with cheap sturdy tools.

 

[Matthew Williams]

but having said that, your tools should bring you joy

 

[saja boi]

Do you find that the luxury pricking irons actually go through the leather easier? I noticed my cheaper punches tend to stick in the hide and I have to wiggle them to get them out which can enlarge the hole. I might upgrade my irons first before I buy anything else.

 

[blackdoll.2]

There is a certain pride in owning a tool that was hand forged by a master maker. It might not make my stitches straighter but it makes the process more enjoyable for me. If you spend eight hours a day at a bench you want to use things that feel good in your hand and look nice. But to each his own.

 

[Raw Pony]

Do you find that the luxury pricking irons actually go through the leather easier? I noticed my cheaper punches tend to stick in the hide and I have to wiggle them to get them out which can enlarge the hole. I might upgrade my irons first before I buy anything else.

Instead of a side-to-side motion, try using a "fore and aft" motion. It may (or may not) make a difference. At least that's what that Chuck dude from Weaver suggests.

 

[damy2128]

Regarding pricking irons, higher quality tools cost more because of higher quality steel to retain shape, better manufacturing processes resulting in consistent geometry and a better surface finish and are hardened to retain that geometry. The points are machined with more accuracy as well.
There is a difference between cheap tools, inexpensive but average quality tools and professional grade tools. Buy what you can afford and learn to use them correctly then upgrade as you see fit.
You get what you pay for.

 

[great OZ]

I started with the basic kits too and I think it is the best way to learn what you actually like doing. Why spend five hundred dollars on a set of irons if you find out you prefer making bags where you need a different spacing? Use the cheap stuff until it breaks or until you can out-perform the tool.