Multimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or

Multimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or

Tandy Leather has stores all over the place. I never got into the tooling part of it, but sewed custom hacky sacks and juggle balls for a number of years. There is generally a hardened form, and die, and hammer. You might check to see if there are any saddle shops in your area. If there are any local craft shows, some of the belt makers may be able to help...

robo hippy

Had never thought of using individual covers like yours ED.

Is the stitching not strong enough to hold the chisel? Seems to me the stitching would be good enough. Unless you are cutting the stitching when inserting the chisel.

I like a tool roll for storing chisels when not being used. Tough to get one that matches the size, length and number of chisels in a set though.

I have a conglomeration set of old USA made chisels. Some Stanley and some Greenlee that I have had since I was in my early twenties. They have been rolled up in a terry cloth towel since I have owned them. Have always been going to have a tool roll made for them. Note that this old set seldom sees any use.

I did leather work when I lived in Boston. But that was 45 years ago. Still have the tools in a special box. They started to use plastic for the stamps around 1976. Fiebing's ( Multimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or ) is best place for dies and leather prep.  Quick look on internet and found this place. Rivets are solid shaft. Multimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or


Glenn J.
I got out of leatherwork when I moved to Texas as they don't have very many good leather suppliers here. I don't like Tandy.

Well, you'll probably be sorry you asked.
My philosophy is this;

When you take a turning tool straight off the grinder and it cuts like a scalpel for a few seconds and then it becomes what I call "working sharp". The tool then stays working sharp for a long time until resharpening is needed.
Now, while I would like it to stay razor sharp, the laws of the physical don't allow for this. All we can hope for is "sharp" for as long as possible.
With bench, firmer, paring and all flat working chisels,  I follow the "working sharp" philosophy. One main reason is ROI, return on investment.
With turning tools, you can achieve scary sharp in a few seconds at the wheel, this is not the case at all with flat working chisels.
Sure I can take an hour and get it suoer-duper sharp but it just won't last. I can use every method and product devised to get that perfect edge, only to find it dulls to working sharp in a short amount of use.

So, having said all that, I sharpen my chisels on a granite reference plate, using abrasive paper. One bevel, no secondary, no micro, one flat bevel. however, a small (micro) bevel is created organically (no need to try and create one myself) after I'm done sharpening. I lightly drag the chisel (under it's own weight) back accross the final grit to remove any burr created before any stropping or polishing is done. I use a Veritas MK2 honing guide and rarely go above 600 grit. I don't use honing compound. I do strop occasionally and sometimes go to the buffing wheel to polish. I do have a couple of small DMT pocket hones for a quick touch up, if I'm out of the shop.
Anything more is a waste of my time, the edge one can achieve by sharpening further up the grit scale is fleeting at best.
Here is a close up of a normal sharp chisel in my shop.
Highest grit, 500 and a 10 second buff on a normal dry wheel (no compound).

I don't use the micro bevel feature on the guide. It's nice for those who prefer it that way but as you can see from my photo, it's just not necessary IMO.
For reference, this is the chisel pictured above.
You can tell that the previous owner did not have an even bevel on it. After a few more sharpenings it will even out.