Workshop notes: tanning, stitching, edges, patina, laser-engraved build numbers, studio photography and why makers build in small numbered runs.
Vegetable vs Chrome Tanned Leather: Apples to Oranges
Two ways to turn a hide into leather, two very different materials. How vegetable and chrome tanning work, and which one suits a wallet, a sleeve or a seat.
Saddle Stitching by Hand: Why Two Needles Beat a Machine
The saddle stitch uses one thread and two needles, and a seam that will not unravel if a stitch breaks. How it is done and how to spot it on finished goods.
Patina: Leather That Wears In, Not Out
Good leather wears in, not out. What patina really is, why it happens faster on some leathers, and how to encourage it without ruining a piece.
Shooting Leather Goods and Furniture in a One-Light Studio
Black leather is hard to photograph and big furniture is harder. How small makers light both with one softbox, a reflector and a roll of paper.
Edge Finishing: Burnished vs Painted Leather Edges
The edge is where you can tell a careful maker from a hasty one. How leather edges are bevelled, sanded and burnished or painted, and how each ages.
The Bike That Starts It All: Getting Into Custom Bicycle Building
Most custom builders can name the one bike that started the habit. How to go from a stripped-down frame to your first build without a full workshop.
Sold Out: Why Small Makers Build in Limited Runs
First runs of fifty, builds of twelve, three of a kind: why small workshops sell in numbered batches, and what 'sold out' really means for a maker.
Laser Engraving and Build Numbers on Handmade Goods
Small makers use lasers to mark logos, Roman numerals and build numbers on leather, steel and aluminium. How it works and what each material needs.