Facts on Leather-Working Tools

Leather is the hide or skin of animals that has been cured by tanning. This process prevents decay and increases flexibility and toughness of the animal hide, resulting in a product that can be cut, molded and sewn into various garments and other products. Leather-working tools have evolved over time, but the basic concept behind them remains the same.

History

Leather-working tools have been used for thousands of years. Some of the earliest people preserved animal pelts and skins with salt or grease, cured them and then shaped them into shoes, tents, containers, bedding and garments using primitive hammers and knives.

Significance

From their earliest use to present day, leather-working tools have enabled the creation of items essential to survival and prosperity, such as horse saddles, carrying bags and pouches, belts, shoes and even shields.

Types

Some types of leather-working tools include awls, bone folders, burnishers, punches, creasing tools, knives, needles, hammers, edge bevellers, loop irons, smashers, rubbing sticks, gauges, rules, dividers, cork blocks and even beeswax that is used to waterproof thread and bind together loose fibers.

Function

Each type of leather-working tool has its own function, some of which include creating holes prior to sewing, rubbing down the surface of the leather to seal the grain and produce a shine, adding decorative elements to leather garments, and cutting longer strips of leather into usable sizes.

Fun Fact

Years ago, leather-workers, also known as tanners, would collect urine from public toilets, store the urine in jars for a week until it turned into ammonia and then pour it onto the animal skin to make leather.

Resources

• History of Leather