Shop is up
Workspace
I’ve got a couple of projects going on, so expect an update soon. Meanwhile I leave you with a picture of my impromptu workspace.
Sketches
I’ve been working on some new protoypes and on perfecting my skills lately. There’s so much to learn from this beautiful craft. I will soon get things in motion with AHW, selling a couple of things via etsy perhaps. As for now, only for friends; they don’t really care if my products are imperfect.
Double Wrap Bracelet
Double wrap bracelet made out of 9-10 oz vegetable tanned leather. It is fastened with a button stud and secured with a series of holes and a small incision in the leather.
AHW is proud to have our first customer. Here is a picture of the bracelet just finished in natural, paired with my Snap Bracelet @ 2 months. The color and patina developed is starting to look so handsome.
Updates
Last month hasn’t been so productive at AHW. However I wanted to share with you some pictures:
My first vegetable tanned wallet @ 5 months of every day use. You can clearly see the patina that the leather has developed, so rich in color and texture.
This is the wallet of a 5th year architecture student who works all day seated at the computer. (Or blogger who can’t stop blogging, however you want to look at it).
Hand cut patterns for some prototypes I’m working on. Can’t wait to finish school to dedicate more time to this hobby.
This is a prototype ready to be stitched, the technique that I am learning is called Saddle Stitching. The tool that holds the leather is called a stitching pony, which I made myself last summer.
Tools
Only the very most essential tools for a leather worker, all packed in a Vintage Fisherman Box I thrifted at Rose Bowl’s Flea Market.
This photograph was taken with a Canon AE-1 and with Fuji Supeira 400 Color Film.
Snap Bracelet
A few days ago I started a project of a heavy duty snap bracelet. It is made with 9-10 oz vegetable tanned leather. Here are some pictures of the process.
After I know the measurement of the wrist (this case mine), I cut the strip from the belly. I do this manually, but there are some tools that would make this job so much easier.
With an edge beveler (pictured above) I burnish all the edges, after that, moisturizing the edges with water, I rub it with that white rounded tool called slicker.
After I have the leather ready, I install some snaps at the end of each side with a snap setter.
This being my first attempt to make a bracelet, I made the mistake of setting the snaps on the same direction, thus making the mistake you can see above. So, no bracelet with this experiment, but i got a nice body for a lanyard. It’s important to understand the importance of a process, and learn by yourself (and a bunch of internet tutorials) how things work, so, start again.
Now you can see how the snaps have to be the opposite way for the female part match with the male. It’s so obvious when you look at it this way, but hey, you learn from your mistakes.
The final product. Wear this paired with your favorite watch and other mewerly. Vegetable tanned leather will age in color dramatically and develop a patina, specific to it’s owner’s use.
