A first kit needs to cover five jobs: cutting, marking, punching, stitching and edge finishing. You can start with fewer tools than most kits include, and you can add the rest as projects call for them.
The tools that make a first kit
Cutting and marking
- Utility knife with snap-off blades. A utility knife, such as an Olfa or a Stanley, is enough to start. Snap off a used segment to reveal a fresh edge. A round knife is optional.
- Steel ruler. Choose one 12 to 24 inches long with cork or non-slip backing, so it doesn’t slide under the blade.
- Wing divider or stitching groover. This scribes a stitch line at a set distance from the edge. Stitch lines usually sit 3 to 5 mm in.
- Awl or silver pen. Use these to mark lines. Avoid ink on the grain side, where it shows.
Surfaces
A self-healing mat or an HDPE board protects your table and keeps the blade from wandering. Glass and stone dull blades quickly, so avoid them for cutting.
For punching, a poly board on a granite slab gives a firm, solid base. Granite offcuts from countertop shops are often free or cost up to about $30, and a poly board runs roughly $15 to $40.
Stitching and punching
- Mallet. Use a poly, rawhide or wooden maul. Avoid steel hammers on chisels, because they mushroom the tops and are loud.
- Stitching chisels or pricking irons. Buy one 2-prong and one 4- or 6-prong set in the same spacing. A 3.38 mm or 3.85 mm spacing is versatile. Iron styles differ: diamond chisels give a slanted stitch, while French-style pricking irons give a more refined look. Neither style is wrong.
Needles and thread
Buy two blunt harness needles and waxed polyester thread in 0.6 to 0.8 mm for small goods. Harness needles are blunt so they follow the holes you have made, rather than piercing new ones or splitting the thread.
Edge finishing and glue
- Edge beveler. Sizes #1 to #3 cover most work from about 2 to 10 oz. Sizing varies by brand, so check the chart.
- Sandpaper. A range of roughly 220 to 600 grit covers most edge work.
- Wood slicker or burnisher, with water, gum tragacanth or Tokonole, for burnishing edges.
- Contact cement in a solvent or water-based form, plus a spreader.
Nice to have later
- A stitching pony or clam, to hold work while you sew with both hands free.
- A skiving knife, for thinning folds and overlaps.
- A strop and honing compound, to keep blades sharp.
- A rotary punch or drive punches, for straps and hardware.
- A second awl, once you know which marking method you prefer.
Buying a kit or buying one tool at a time
Kits are convenient, and some are reasonable. Many include filler tools you won’t use, and cheap chisels and thread often need replacing. A practical approach is to buy the knife, ruler, mat, mallet, chisels, needles, thread and contact cement first, then add tools as projects need them. A basic set of quality tools costs about $100 to $250.
Can a hobby cutting machine cut leather?
Some can cut thin leather. Hobby cutting machines such as the Cricut and Silhouette are designed mainly for paper, vinyl and fabric. How thick they can cut depends on the model and the blade. A Cricut Maker’s knife blade, for example, is rated for leather up to roughly 2.4 mm. Check your model’s manual before you try it. These machines won’t handle belt-weight veg-tan.
Tool care basics
Strop blades often on leather loaded with honing compound. A dull blade needs more force, and force is what makes slips more likely. Keep blade guards on knives when they’re stored, and keep chisels dry so they don’t rust. For what to do with leftover pieces, see what to do with leather scraps.
For the skills these tools support, see core leatherworking techniques. For cutting in particular, see how to cut straight lines in leather and what you can use to cut leather. For cost, see how much it costs to start leatherworking. For safe handling, see leatherworking safety for beginners.