No comments about Leathercrafting: Procedures and Projects.

2 comments about Making and Repairing Western Saddles.

1. It is truly sad that Dave Jones book is no longer in print. I've read numerous books on the craft of making western saddles and none comes close to the clarity and detail of Jones' book. It is with his guidance that I am now embarked on the journey of building my first saddle. Without his book, with its clear descriptions, step by step instructions and numerous photographs, I do not believe I would have had the temerity to attempt the task, but he makes it seem a completely doable, if time consuming, task.



2. This book is best used by someone who already has some leathercraft projects under his belt. Building on this assumed knowledge, the book covers the things you need to know about constructing western saddles, such as buying tools/supplies, construction techniques, etc.

1 comments about The New Bullwhip Book.

1. This is a great and easy to follow book. Also a must in your collection.

3 comments about Making Leather Purses & Totes.

1. Can't wait to try some of the project. This book give
   leather craft a new look.



2. This book is beautifully done, but suffers from the problems I've seen in other books on leather bags. The actual leather bag patterns are too small to be practical for use. Many of the bags as shown appeal only to young girls playing dress up. This is not to say that they couldn't be made tasteful, if still undersized. A few of the projects, surprisingly, are only accented by leather and are otherwise store bought bags. There are some good ideas in this book, but not enought to justify the price for the already accomplished leatherworker. I don't recommend it, and would have returned it if the shipping both ways would not have exceeded the cost of the book.



3. This book has really great projects even for those of us who haven't done a lot of leather crafting before. There are some really unique looks that I know would look great with my wardrobe.

3 comments about Braiding Rawhide Horse Tack.

1. Woolery has included a wide variety of braiding techniques and their application with regard to making horse tack. Although all of the examples are western-type tack, the pieces of tack described are useful to any horseman. Learning how to make your own tack can be very handy out on a trail when something breaks, and Woolery's book has enough information to become an expert or a competant amateur.



2. After reading "Leather Braiding" by B. Grant Leather Braiding this one pales by comparison. Illustrations and cryptic instructions are not very user friendly. If you are serious about horse tack then maybe it's for you. But if you want to make some pretty and useful everyday items go for Grant's book.



3. I had this book as a kid and it is just as informative as I remebered it. Highly reccomend!

5 comments about The Complete Book of Tanning Skins and Furs.

1. Churchill covers the tanning of many different types of animals, using many different methods. This is the good and the bad of this book. No other tanning book I know of contains so much varied information, and for this reason its a good one to have. However, the techniques are not covered in much detail so it is challenging for the beginning tanner to be successful using these instructions alone.

   In reference to the previous reviews written here. I agree with the first two (look like they are written by the same guy?), in that if you are wanting to tan buckskin, this isn't the best book. However if you are wanting to do furs, the books mentioned below don't cover them (I'm the author of one of them)...and this is your best bet.




2. This book is extremely useful to anyone entering the field of home tanning. It has a proven method for tanning any skin that is likely to be available to the home tanner, from alligators to antelope.



3. I was very disappointed with this book. He talks about the generalized steps to do tanning, but he lacks good step by step information for beginners. Its a good first book to read, then find another book with more detail as to how to actually do the procedures. He only has two plans for crafting with leather, and I think he should have added more. I wouldn't advise you purchase this book unless its your first and you want to understand the general procedure of tanning, then find a better book with more details.



4. I started using this book back in the late 80's when I first started tanning. Almost everything I know about tanning, I learned from this book. I've tanned elk hides, deer hides, antelope, squirrel, rabbit, snake, coyote, fox, raccoon, skunk, beaver, muskrat, and many more. I've had some failures, but with this book as a guide, I've taken very few false steps. I've used a wide variety of techniques and found that they worked like Mr. Churchill said. I do recommend this book, and have often lent my copy to friends.



5. VERY INTERESTING BOOK. I HAVE LEARNED A GREAT DEAL ABOUT THE ART OF TANNING HIDES.

5 comments about The Complete Guide to Traditional Native American Beadwork: A Definitive Study of Authentic Tools, Materials, Techniques, and Styles.

1. How interesting that the beadwork book chosen as more "authentic" by some here was written by a European from Germany! Mr. Monture is Six Nations (Mohawk, I believe) from New York State, & has taught Native Arts at the American Indian Arts Institute (a college *for* Native artists) for some years.

   Again, its more about where you're from. Some could say it is 'romantized', as it doesn't go into how much work it actually is to produce hides, that its smelly, you need a lot of guidance & practice, etc.

   Different tribes use different techniques, & this book is definitely written from a more northeastern tradition, perhaps difficult to appreciate as it is less known outside these communities. (Plains beadwork is usually what the mainstream usually recognizes as 'authentic'.)

   That said, one probably needs a little background to get the most from this book. I do wish there was more discussion on color use and Great Lakes pattern development, but these are also skills which are best honed by doing. I enjoyed this book, which does pack a lot of information into relatively little space. The construction techniques are excellent!




2. i love indian art, traditional and contemporary. i have a small collection of northwest and inuit art. i have studied the histories of several nations. but i am not an indian. no matter how much study i may devote to indian arts and history, i will never be an indian, i will never have the intimate knowledge that comes from growing up in a culture. i would never presume to tell any member of any indian nation that his or her work was not 'traditional.'

   and what, exactly, is tradtional? louise keyser, a washoe who died in 1925, created a new form of basket in the 1890s that was based on her tradition and her knowledge of other nations' traditions. this is what artists do--take what they know, build on it, and create new forms. after all, indians happily absorbed european beads into their 'traditions.'

   i design my own knits, embroideries and beadwork. this book offers stunning photos and a good section on traditional color use which together give me a good starting point for my own creations and which is why i rate this book at five stars.

   note on nomenclature: the indians i have known were not concerned about indian/native american. i object to native american since the indians migrated (IMmigrated) here just as everyone else has, albeit a few thousand years earlier. if i have offended any indian/native american by this use, i apologize. if a european doesn't like it, well....




3. I just got this book along with two others the other night. Haven't had the chance yet to read it completely yet. Having scanned it a bit though, I would say the section with color photos is good, particularly if you're a crafter looking for patterns. The text I've read up to this point is good and worth reading. I've had a little bit of a hard time with some of the diagarms though, particularly some of the ones dealing with hides and hide tanning. Not that I'm looking to tan hides right now, but I thought it would still be interesting to understand the process. Several of the stitch diagrams are easier to follow though. There are black and white photos as well in this book. Most came out fine, but I think a there are a few that must have had poor lighting.



4. The author, Joel Monture, is a professor of traditional arts at the Institute of American Indian Arts in Santa Fe. His thorough textbook documents not only native American beadwork techniques, but the tedious methods of leather preparation that are necessary prior to beading.
   
   A San Antonio local artisan, Ken Yanez, is familiar with this process of scraping, lacing and brain-tanning leather. Ken befriended a native American while in the Marines and accompanied him home to the reservation during military leaves. There, an elder showed Ken some magnificent, old beadwork. Ken was surprised to learn that the tribal youth showed little interest, including his friend. Although Ken doesn't have sufficient native American ancestry to qualify for tribal membership, he made a personal commitment to learn these techniques. Ken's projects are authentically produced but cannot be labeled as "Indian made."
   
   Why don't tribal youth show more interest in native American craft? Preparation for beading in the native American tradition, such as brain-tanning of hides, is labor intensive, although the results are buttery-soft, making the leather pliable for decorative beading and quilling. Because of the work and time involved, few of today's tribal youth want to perpetuate the craft. "Time" has become "money," so if there is interest in doing crafts in the classical tradition, it's to make some money. Ken will attest to the amount of time it took to make a cradle board for his son. He certainly couldn't sell it for a price to equal the months that he put into the project.
   
   To offset the lack of interest in fine craft, author Joel Monture has captured the steps needed to recreate the obvious beauty inherent in native American beadwork. The book features 43 color plates of beadwork, including the styles of many North American tribes.
   
   In one respect, Joel is preserving an anthropological record of the personal ornamentation used by various tribes by showing us the differences and similarities of style. To lose these tribal identifiers results in cultural homogeny and a disconnect with our human history. Joel's sense of history has led him to capture these artistic techniques before they are lost.



5. This is a great book for those looking for authentic beadwork styles. The author covers a broad range of styles. He also discusses different backgrounds and even provides instruction for hide tanning.

2 comments about The Art and Craft of Leather: Leatherworking tools and techniques explained in detail.

1. Very good leather working book that gives a superior introduction to the art of leather craft, including insight to old world crafting. I gave it four stars because it is more geared to the intermediate and professional crafter who has an understanding of leather, dyes, tools and machinery used. Also, the projects, though well photographed and explained, might be a bit too overwhelming for the beginner. These are less practice projects as much as they are functional and art pieces. The tools used are professional, not to be confused with the low cost hobbyist tools one can order from Tandy or other craft stores. The machinery pictured can run into the hundreds and thousands of dollars, not something that you would invest in if you intend to make leathercraft a casual pursuit. Even the dyes, adhesives, wax, and paint introduction are important parts in the production of an aesthetic leather project. I would have liked the authors to delve into more areas, especially old world techniques, but this book does whet one's appetite to pursue the craft deeper. The only major criticism I had was in the author's statement on page 42, where she states that steel hammers are used for stamping. In the illustrations you see a ballpeen hammer (!) being used ! That's a half star deduction right there.Rawhide mallets, preferably Osborne, are the best in my opinion. Overall, the book would be a welcome addition to the leathercrafters library.Leathercraft ToolsLeathercraft an Early Craft Book (An Early craft book)Leathercraft Lacing and Saddle Stitching. Book Three.Leathercraft For AmateursHome Tanning and Leathercraft Simplified107 leathercraft designs in actual sizeGeneral LeathercraftLeather BraidingLeathercraft, you can wear: A complete basic course in leathercraft and 36 projects you can wear with step-by-step instructionsThe Art of Making Leather Cases, Vol. 1



2. This is a great book on leather crafting for myself as a beginner and to teach other people. A good starter book for those who have some arts and craft experience especially sewing, and other crafts, such as painting, ceramic, mold making, paper crafts, etc. Fantastic photograhs with step-by-step instructions.

5 comments about How to Make Whips (Bushcraft).

1. Great book, well written and very easy to follow. Ron makes things so easy to follow that even the really hard stuff makes sense right off the bat. If you can't make a good quality whip after reading and following this book, give it up you never will be able to.



2. I must say I did find this book fascinating and the information contained in it provided an overview of the entire process of whipmaking form skiving a core to to plaiting the overlay. However, If your looking for a step by step, ultra-specific instruction manual, taking you completely thru the process of making a whip from scratch, this book still is not quite it!!! Don't get me wrong, there is alot of great information, and this is certainly THE Published book to get that comes closest to an instruction manual, but I feel, if your an absolute beginner, you're still not quite going to be able to knock out a COMPLETE whip from scratch after reading this book. Unfortunately, that's exactly what I was looking for when I got this book.
   
   For instance, whenever Mr. Edwards talks about anything to do with the "set"(the overlay plait) he is very specific. But he quickly glances over other parts of the whip that are equally as important(i.e. he never fully explains exactly how to correctly taper and shape cores or bellies for certain whips which is going to be devastating to the overall whip taper if you don't have it right). The section right in the beginning explaining the different types of Leather and Hides was also lacking. And I know he's an Australian, but he spends WAY to much time emphasizing Stockwhips and barely anytime on the most popular American whip, the Bullwhip(you will DEFINITELY NOT be able to make a proper bullwhip after reading this book).
   If you really want an INSTRUCTION MANUAL guiding you specifically thru every single step in making a Bullwhip, then go to www.dukewhips.com and buy Rob Duke's Bullwhip Making Instruction Guide.
   I really did enjoy Mr. Edwards book. As I said there are a number of extremely vital techniques explained that are invaluable to the whipmaking process. I just wish it would have pulled the entire whipmaking process together more coherently.



3. I read this book and it`s very good! I tried to do whips and home and they are very pretty :)
   I took a good results.
   
   Eugene Solomin
   Russia



4. Nice book have not used it to make a whip yet. Some things are not quite as clear as I would like to see. Better to have someone show you than read a book.



5. This book was ordered, because of the author is highly qualified in the ornamental knot arena. I am very pleased with the directions and illustrative drawings. A further good reference came from The Magazine of the International Guild of Knot Tyers, Issue 96, September 2007, giving it a glowing report in their Book Review section.

5 comments about The Leatherworking Handbook: A Practical Illustrated Sourcebook of Techniques and Projects.

1. If you thought leather craft was just had tooling on saddles and belt straps...this book will show you how elegant and sophistcated great leather work can be. This book covers all the details and tools necessary to learn all the skills. Well written and well illustrated..highly recommended



2. This book stands out from the general run of leathercraft books by not being "crafty" (i.e., about making junk) and presenting truly fine workmanship - not the equal of commercial products, but better. It is superbly illustrated and very much to the point. It presents tools, techniques, and projects in order of difficulty. The project items are worthwhile, beautiful, even elegant. No digressions on philosophy or history, no segues into other crafts, no lists of out-of-date websites and suppliers, etc. Buy it. It will elevate your vision as to what's possible.



3. I have been very interesting in making purses and other items where building a case is critical. I found this book to be excellent in answering many of my questions. I have found no one book can answer all your questions. A lot depends on reading and working to develop more understanding. This book attracted me because it uses molds to shape form leather into cases. I found the other information in the book very helpful with my projects and developing my skills and ideas.



4. I found this handbook disappointingly superficial.It makes to many assumptions that the reader is an experienced leather-worker, and is very short on instruction.
   This writer has had some expert tutelage from master craftsmen, but I still found a considerable deficit in detail.A pity, as the projests are interesting, but, in most instances, too complex for a beginner.
   I could not recommend this book!



5. I started out working with leather on my own with some help from my local leatherworking supplier. Unhappy with the results I was getting I decided on buying this book and I was not disappointed. The quality of my work is far better now than I could have hoped for. A must read for beginners.