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Leather Basics Get started with this timeless art. From "B. Original" episode DBOR-113

Leather artist Will Ghormley may be a city dweller, but his heart is out on the range. B. Original host Michele Beschen spent some time learning the basics of leatherworking from this master of the art.

Scroll down for details of their "Leather 101" primer.

You'll learn how this plain stip of leather...

becomes this decorative creation.

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	Figure A
	Figure B

Getting Started

• Will Ghormley recommends using vegetable-tanned leather, which he calls "a forgiving medium."

• Wet your leather down thoroughly, then let it sit out overnight. The next day, your leather piece will be damp and ready to work with the knives and impression tools.

• Beginners especially should sketch their designs out before beginning to work the leather (figure A). After all, you can't really "un-cut" the leather.

• Start by cutting the borders of your design with the swivel knife (figure B). Hold the knife vertically, and angled slightly away from you so you're drawing the blade toward you through the leather. Be careful not to cut all the way through the leather. Remember, you can always make cuts deeper later.

• After cutting the borders, begin cutting the most dominant element of the design.

• Continue to outline your design with the swivel knife. Once it's outlined, you'll move on to the impression tools to add depth.

	Figure C
	Figure D

Impression Tools

There's a wide variety of leather impression tools, each of which has a slightly different effect on the leather. Experiment with different tools to see how you like their effects and which techniques work best for you.

Here's a brief rundown of some common impression tools:

• The camouflager (figure C) contours a flat surface. Drag the tool as you tap it with a mallet.

• The bevelling tool flattens one side of a cut to give depth.

• Use the veiner at an angle to cut deep at the site of a cut and then taper off into the background.

• The seeder represents seeds.

• Use the backgrounder (figure D) to create a textured background on the leather.

• Stops give a definite end to a cut in the interior of the design. Will Ghormley's favorite tool for bringing a line to an end is the mule's foot.

Here's how Michele Beschen tricked out her first piece of leatherwork.

Final Steps

After outlining your design and giving it depth with the impression tools, it's time to make decorative cuts to your piece. This is the most difficult step, but it also can make a huge difference in the beauty of the final piece. Will Ghormley recommends embedding the knife in the leather first to get a good result with decorative cuts.

Now, the piece is ready to use however you like. Hand-tooled leather is popular for belts and belt buckles, but you also can use it as a decorative accent for furniture or accessories. There's no end to the options when you start to B. Original with leather!

GUESTS :

Will Ghormley
Website: www.willghormley-maker.com