Best Leather Working Tools: UK-Made, Professional Quality
1st Oct 2023
Leatherworking is a really enjoyable craft.
But which tools do you need to get started and master it?
In this guide, we’ll go over our top picks for the best leather working tools for your next project.
Best Leather Working Tools
Here are our favourite leather working tools made in the UK:
Best Leather Working Punch Tool
Winner: Wad Punch Set With Centre Punch Metric 5 mm To 32 mm (also available in Imperial here)
Pros:
- 9 different sized punches in one kit.
- Precision-made leather punch tool, accurate cuts every time.
- Comfortable to use over long periods.
- Interchangeable punches easily screw onto the handle for quick changes.
- Centre punch case hardened to HRC 57 for durability.
- A choice of metric or Imperial sizes.
- UK made.
Click here to check the price .
Best Leather Punch Plier for Thick Leather
Winner: Heavy Duty Revolving Leather Hole Punch Plier
Pros:
- Suitable for use with leather greater than 1.5 mm thick.
- Helps eliminate hand fatigue during continuous use.
- Up to 70% less effort than a standard revolving hole punch plier.
- Accurate punch indexing holds punches securely in the correct position.
- Strong return spring on the handle for easy operation.
- Punches hardened for durability.
- Zinc-plated handles with plastic grips for added comfort.
- UK made.
Click here to check the price .
Best Value Multi-Sized Leather Punch Plier
Winner: Revolving Leather Hole Punch Plier 2 mm To 4.8 mm
Pros:
- Ideal for making holes in soft materials, especially leather.
- Features six different punch sizes.
- Easily select your punch with the rotating drum.
- Made from strong but lightweight carbon steel.
- Powerful spring to position the rotating punch head securely.
- Strong return spring on the handle for easy operation.
- Punches hardened for durability.
- UK made.
Click here to check the price.
Best Leather Hole Punch Plier for Regular Use
Winner: Hole Punch Plier 1.0 mm To 4.8 mm Punches
Pros:
- Cuts cleanly through leather with ease.
- Punches precisely machined from high-grade steel and case hardened to HRC 57.
- Pressed steel construction for a sturdy yet lightweight design.
- Tapered jaw bushes for easy insertion and removal of attachments.
- Self-aligning anvil enables the punch to produce a clean cut.
- UK made.
Click here to check the price .
Best Leather Hole Punch & Eyelet Plier
Winner: Heavy Duty Hole Puncher & Eyelet Plier 4 mm Eyelets
Pros:
- No need to buy separate punch and eyelet pliers.
- Multiplies hand force by 6 for less effort when punching.
- Precision-ground punch for clean-cut holes.
- Adjustable gauge for equidistant punching from the material edge.
- Strong spring return for easy handling and efficient punch removal.
- Designed for use with our 4.0 mm eyelets.
- UK made.
Click here to check the price .
Best Leather Rivet Plier
Winner: Cupped Rivet Plier 160 mm
Pros:
- Parallel movement of jaws ensures rivets close evenly and not at an angle.
- Ideal for manufacturing leather belts, saddles and other leather goods.
- Spring return for easy manipulation of parts.
- Jaws case hardened to HRC 57 for durability.
- Soft plastic grips for added comfort.
- Jaw opening of up to 14 mm to accommodate various rivet lengths.
- Available to buy with assorted rivets.
- UK made.
Click here to check the price .
Best Straight Edge for Leather Work
Winner: Steel Straight Edges
Pros:
- Surface ground for a smooth, comfortable finish.
- Ideal for marking and scoring leather.
- Crafted from high-quality carbon steel.
- Case hardened to HRC 57 for durability.
- Available in a wide range of Imperial and metric lengths.
- A single 6 mm-diameter hanging hole for easy storage.
- Packaged in a clear plastic wallet with anti-rust paper.
- UK Made.
Click here to check the price .
Best Smooth Jaw Parallel Pliers
Winner: Smooth Jaw Parallel Pliers
Pros:
- Ideal for holding, gripping and manipulating without damage.
- Ideal for use whilst burnishing or punching leather.
- Parallel jaws grip securely along their whole length.
- Built to last, with a robust construction and rust-proof finish.
- Jaws case hardened to HRC 57 for durability.
- Zinc-plated handles with detailing for added grip.
- UK Made.
Click here to check the price .
Other Leather Working Tools
Here are some other useful leather working tools:
- Awls – awls are tools with a sharp metal point used to create marks or pierce the leather in a single spot. Ideal for belt holes or to create patterns.
- Leather Stitching Tools - to stitch leather, you can use leather needles (sharp enough to pierce leather, in various sizes), waxed threads (wax coatings provide strength, and reduce friction when stitching), and a stitching pony (a tool to hold the pieces in place).
- Leather Cutting Tools - a swivel knife that has a rotating blade lets you get creative with angles and cuts. A round knife helps you cut both curves and straight lines, and allows a rocking motion that's easier to cut thicker leather. A strap cutter keeps uniform shapes, ideal for straps and handles.
- Meather Molding and Shaping - a bone folder helps create creases in leather and smooths out leather without marking it. A mallet lets you strike other tools, helping to evenly spread force without damaging it (ideal for punches). A skiving tool thins the edge of leather, making it easier to fold, stitch, and layer.
- Burnishers and Slickers – these are rounded tools used to smooth the surface of the leather using friction. When leather is cut, it creates rough edges, so these are ideal for finishing those off.
- Leather Cleaning and Conditioning – being a natural material, leather needs to be cleaned and conditioned to prevent it from cracking.
- Leather Creaser/Folder – creases can often be useful in leather pieces, so these tools are used to create an accurate fold line.
- Leather Working Knives – craft knives are really useful when working with leather; you’ll often need to cut pieces or straps. Invest in multiple-sized blades for different applications.
- Leather Dyes – colouring leather is very popular, so choose a unique leather dye to create some incredible and unique products.
- Edger and Beveler – if you don’t want to have a sharp edge on your piece, then using these tools with leave the edge of the leather slightly rounded and smooth.
- Sandpaper – sandpaper can be used to rub down recently cut leather edges.
How Deep Do You Carve Leather?
Each cut in your leather should be roughly half the total thickness of the leather itself, as this avoids you cutting too deep and creating weakness in the other side of the leather.
Is Leather Work a Good Business?
If you think you’d like to pursue your leather crafting hobby as a business, then it represents an opportunity for a small home business, although scaling that operation is likely going to be beyond most hobbyists.
What Can I Use to Punch Leather?
To punch a hole in leather, you can either use a small
leather punch plier tool for smaller holes, or a leather wad punch for larger
holes.
Conclusion and Further Reading
We hope you enjoyed our article on the best leather working tools.
Keep reading with our related articles below: