Leathercraft is a skill built on patience, creativity and a willingness to experiment. From traditional carving and tooling to bespoke automotive interiors, film and TV props and specialist snooker pockets, there are countless ways to work with leather.
This National Leathercraft Day, we’re celebrating the talented makers who bring their ideas to life with leather, including some of the J. Wood Leathers customers who continue to inspire us with their craftsmanship, creativity and unique approaches to the material.
Celebrating the craft and the people behind it
At J. Wood Leathers, we’re proud to supply leather to makers at every stage of their journey. Some have decades of experience, while others are discovering leathercraft for the first time.
What they all have in common is a passion for creating something that’s built to last.
Here’s a look at some of the incredible projects our customers have been working on.
George Butterworth – Leatherkraft
With more than 50 years of experience in leathercraft, George Butterworth has certainly seen how the craft has evolved.
Today, George works under the name Leatherkraft, producing snooker pockets for professional snooker table manufacturers and fitters. He primarily uses J. Wood Leathers’ natural vegetable-tanned shoulders in specific thicknesses, occasionally working with pre-dyed shoulders too.
George’s journey into leathercraft began more than five decades ago when a friend with a craft shop introduced him to leatherwork. His early work included carved belts and straps, before he developed a business producing leather badges and key rings for Morris dancers.
Later, an opportunity to take over a friend’s snooker pocket business introduced a new direction for his work. Now semi-retired, George continues to supply snooker pockets to the trade.
For George, consistency and quality are essential. The ability to source leather of an exact grade and thickness, without blemishes, helps him create pockets that are easier to form and designed to withstand use on the table.
His advice for anyone beginning their own leathercraft journey is simple: learn the basics, understand the material you’re working with, keep talking to other people and continue researching new ideas.
National Leathercraft Day also has a connection to legendary leatherworker Al Stohlman, whose birthday falls on 15 August.
Stohlman’s books, patterns and teaching have influenced generations of leatherworkers. George was among those inspired by his work, learning to carve from Stohlman’s books and using his patterns before eventually developing his own designs.
Ben Hollings – The Anvil Workshop
Ben Hollings has been working with leather for around 10 years and specialises in traditional hand carving and tooling, creating everything from belts and wallets to sword scabbards and other small goods.
His approach combines an interest in historical art and design with modern leatherworking techniques, resulting in a distinctive style of leathercraft.
For National Leathercraft Day, Ben shared a three-pocket messenger bag of his own design. The bag features intricate tooled historical pattern work inspired by the Mesonbry Horde; a Bronze Age find from North Yorkshire currently displayed at the Yorkshire Museum.
The project uses J. Wood Leathers’ Natural Veg Tan Side and Premium Grade Natural Shoulder, alongside Fiebing’s products for colouring and finishing.
For Ben, the project represents more than simply creating a bag. The historical artwork reflects the intricate craftsmanship that has been produced in Yorkshire for thousands of years, and the piece is his own contribution to preserving and continuing that artform.
Ben found his own niche in leathercraft when he fully embraced carving and tooling. He describes the ability to decorate and manipulate the surface of leather as opening almost infinite possibilities for designs, forms and shapes.
His advice to anyone starting out?
Try everything and experiment.
With so many different ways to work with leather, Ben believes makers can put their own personality into their work rather than feeling restricted by convention.
Rory McCheyne – Tiger’s Armoury
Rory McCheyne is a leatherworker specialising in film and TV, creating knife sheaths, gun holsters and belts for fantasy, western and modern productions, as well as reenactment.
His interest in leathercraft began as a hobby, inspired by his love of westerns, cowboy films and the distinctive styles and patterns associated with them.
For one of his projects, Rory created a sallet helmet cover using a 4mm economy-grade shoulder from J. Wood Leathers.
Rather than seeing imperfections in the leather as a disadvantage, Rory embraced them. The natural characteristics of the shoulder created an interesting surface to tool, resulting in a simple but striking finished piece when combined with Fiebing’s medium brown dye and antiquing gels.
Rory’s approach to leathercraft is all about adaptability. One of the biggest lessons he’s learned is that you don’t necessarily need specialist tools to create something great. Household items and tools designed for other purposes can sometimes be just as useful.
His advice for new leatherworkers is equally encouraging: don’t be afraid to make mistakes.
Leather is a forgiving material, and experimentation with patterns, dyes and colours can be one of the best ways to learn.
Nathan Palfrey – Kiki the Miata
Not every leathercraft project starts with years of experience.
Nathan Palfrey is an automotive spray painter with 10 years of experience. Trained by BMW and a national-level competitor, Nathan recently began documenting the restoration of his MK1 MX5 and decided to bring leathercraft into the project.
His first leatherworking project involves creating two custom polycarbonate door panels for the car.
Nathan plans to upholster the panels using J. Wood Leathers’ Brandy-coloured Cape Shoulder leather before tattooing a koi fish design onto one and an octopus onto the other. The designs will complement the custom airbrushed hardtop roof.
The idea came from seeing a tattoo artist use tattooing equipment to create a traditional-style design on a Timberland boot. Nathan was inspired to experiment with the technique himself.
With guidance from the J. Wood Leathers team, he selected Cape Shoulder leather because its thickness provides the needle depth he needs, while its fine pore structure offers a smoother surface for precise tattooing.
It’s a great example of how leathercraft continues to evolve as makers experiment with different techniques and applications.
Brian Painter – Modern Woolfare
Brian Painter of Modern Woolfare created a bespoke satchel from an old Barbour jacket, using J. Wood Leathers’ embossed Cayman Buffalo leather.
The brief was simple but open-ended: the customer provided Brian with a photograph and an old jacket, then gave him the freedom to create the finished piece.
Choosing the right leather was therefore an important part of the process. Brian selected Cayman Buffalo because of its strength and durability, as well as the distinctive way it develops a patina over time.
For Brian, this ageing process adds something important to the finished product. As the leather wears, it develops its own character and helps tell the story of the item.
Quality and consistency are also key considerations in Brian’s work. He describes J. Wood Leathers as a natural choice because of the quality of the leather, alongside the range available and the customer service and fulfilment that support it.
Supporting makers at every stage of their journey
These projects demonstrate just how versatile leather can be.
From traditional vegetable-tanned leather used for carving and tooling, to specialist leather selected for upholstery, accessories and professional applications, the right material can make all the difference to a finished creation.
But leathercraft isn’t just about the finished product. It’s about learning, experimenting and developing your own approach to the material.
Our customers remind us that there’s no single way to work with leather. Whether you’ve been crafting for 50 years or are picking up your first piece of leather, there’s always something new to discover.
Find the right leather for your next project
We’re proud to support makers with a wide range of leather hides, including vegetable-tanned, chrome-tanned, embossed and speciality leathers in a variety of thicknesses, colours and finishes.
If you’re starting a new project and aren’t sure which leather is right for you, our team is always happy to offer advice and help you find a material that suits your requirements.
Explore the J. Wood Leathers range and discover what’s possible with the right leather.
Happy National Leathercraft Day to all the makers, craftspeople and leatherworkers out there!
Meet the Makers
Ben Hollings:
@the_anvil_workshop (Instagram)
Tiger’s Armoury:
@tigers.armoury ( Instagram)
Nathan Kiki the Miata:
@kiki_the_miata (Instagram)
Brian Painter:
@modernwoolfare (Instagram)