Hello, leather friends! For those of you who design your own patterns, what does your process look like for designing a gusset based on the front and back panels of bag, or vice versa (designing front and back panels based on a gusset). I've designed one basic bag that uses a wraparound gusset and spent a lot of time trying to get it right. I'm hoping this is something Phil will do as an in-depth course (wink, wink, @Leathercraft Masterclass). There's a tutorial out there from PN's course but I didn't find that very helpful or educational. I'd like to get more serious about designing my own bags but currently struggle with how I can take the ideas I have in my mind and creating a real pattern for them, especially when you have a unique gusset style in mind. Thanks in advance. Looking forward to learning from you!

Hello, fellow makers. Has anyone had good luck cleaning Alran goatskin? I have some small edge paint marks and some other small dirt spots that I'd like to clean up that a damp cloth is not helping. I've used isopropyl alcohol very lightly on it but it didn't do much. I've used IA before and it's lifted the pigmentation along with the edge paint marks so I'm apprehensive to go that route again. I also tried Chamberlain's Leather Milk but that didn't work at all. Has anyone found a solution to this? Would love insight/advice. Thanks!

Hello there - does anyone have tips/tricks on how to clean Filetuse/electric creasing iron tips? Mine now have wax, paint, etc. on them and can't seem to figure out how to clean them properly. I tried isopropyl alcohol but that did nothing. Does anyone have experience with this? Would love to learn - thank you!

Hey all - I've been using some Poundo Rubber Board from Tandy Leather when I'm pricking leather and punching holes. I'm getting a larger work surface soon and would like to find an alternative to Poundo (I get it from Tandy Leather here in the USA - not sure if it has a more official name). Not because it's a bad product, but because it's extremely expensive for the small size that Tandy sells. I'm assuming there are cheaper options on the market that work just as well. What do you all use underneath your leather when your punching or pricking? Many thanks!

Hey community - Has anyone covered their French clams with leather where your work is being held together (like @Leathercraft Masterclass has his covered)? I purchased a pair and they came the other week, but I'm not sure how to cover them besides cutting some leather to the shape of the openings. Not sure if it needs to be skived, what kind of adhesive to use, the best kind of leather to use, etc. Any insight you all have would be greatly appreciated - thank you!

Hey everybody, If you're willing to share, can you drop a note below on where you purchase leather from? I'm interested in high quality calfskin, bull calf, and goat. Prefer vegetable tanned but not opposed to chrome. I like in the US and buy a decent amount of my supply from RM Leather. However, I find some of their prices to be too high and am looking for hides/skins that are a little more luxurious or different from what they sell to a lot of us in the US. I've also used a few hides from Wickett & Craig here in the US but I'm looking for more supple and pliable hides than what they provide. I've purchased a few hides from BuyLeatherOnline.com and am curious if others have purchased from them, and what your thoughts are on their quality is. So far, I've purchased Saffiano, Epsom, and a couple of leathers @philipjury linked in course supplies. However, I'm not sure if their quality of leather across the board is good or not. I have samples coming my way from Remy Carriat for bull calf. Haas refuses to work directly with me (they want me to go through RML). For those of you in the US and Europe, where do you turn for quality hides? I'm willing to spend for more luxurious or high-end hides, but am just not quite sure where else to turn. Any help or insight you all have would be greatly appreciated.

Hey all - I could use some help when it comes to applying beeswax or paraffin wax to burnished edges as a final step. In Phil's video, he shows himself dipping a manual creaser in a vile of wax and applying. My question is: what do you do when you have a filetuse, and not a manual creaser? What does that process look like? I've tried it with a flat tip attachment but have not had any success. Additionally, are there other methods to use as a "last step" when burnishing after using Tokonole to really seal everything in and waterproof it? I do not tend to use dyes when burnishing - I just use water, then burnish, then a couple coats of Tokonole + burnishing. Thanks!

I’d love to make this bag for my father for Christmas. Any help anyone has would be greatly appreciated - thank you!