How to Hand-Tool Leather

Hand-tooling designs into leather can be an enjoyable hobby, and increases the aesthetic value of the leather items you own. With a few simple tools and a little practice, you can be hand-tooling your own leather wallets, belts, chaps, motorcycle seats, and more in no time.

Things You'll Need

• Tracing film
• Leather (7 oz. or 8 oz cowhide recommended)
• Swivel knife
• Modeling tools kit
• Rabbit fur
• Medium-brown dye

Instructions

1. Draw your design on tracing film. Dampen the leather and lay the film on the leather surface you wish to tool.

2. Trace the design with the stylus from your modeling tools, transferring the design onto the leather.

3. Carve the design into the leather with the swivel knife. Be careful not to press so hard as to penetrate all the way through.

4. Bevel the edges of the cut lines using the deerfoot tool from your modeling tools kit.

5. Dye the leather as soon as it has fully dried, using rabbit fur as a brush.

References

• How to Make a Custom Hand Tooled Leather Seat