Archive:Tooling & Embossing

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What

What exactly is tooling, and what is the difference between tooling, carving and embossing? Bah, we could be here all year if I were to list the many and varied descriptions of all three. Suffice to say that for the purposes of this guide, embossing just requires things to be hit, tooling requires some cutting and hitting and carving is just cutting.

Why

Tooling can be the most permanent method of decorating leather as well as being the most tactile. Whilst you can paint a masterpiece on a piece of leather with acrylics, if that masterpiece was painted on to leather than had been tooled first with would gain extra depth and texture. Even without such extravagant colouring, in fact sometimes even without the most basic of dyeing techniques, tooled leather can still look stunning.

When

Due to the nature of the leather required for tooling, it needs to be completed prior to any dyeing, surface finishing etc. Likewise it often needs to take into account the structural design of a piece, where joins may be required, straps and buckles etc be riveted on and so forth, so is generally undertaken after these elements have been set.

Where

Any surface area of a piece can be tooled, almost regardless of size; however tooling can only really be undertaken on natural VegTan leather. This is leather that has been tanned without use of chromium salts and/or other chemicals. It is un-dyed and unfinished therefore capable of being cased, essential for tooling.

Basic Tools
Basic Tooling Skills