While some skiving knives come with wooden handles, my favourite kind is simply made from a flat steel blank. These thin skiving knives tend to have the ability to get nice and low in order to make the thinnest and most precise cuts without needing to place a thick bulky handle off the edge of your paring stone, and potentially losing some precision. However, there's a trade off. These flat knives don't feel comfortable in the hand, and there's not much to grip outside of a thin metal edge....

Quick summary: Tannery secrets: Talk to leather suppliers and get insider info Less is MORE: Buy fewer tools, and be deadly with each one! Go to bootcamp: Drill the fundamentals before advancing Pick the right leather: Master firm hides before soft skins Track your progress: Keep your early work and ugly mistakes It’s been said the difference between a novice and an expert is simple. While novices are often getting lost in the finer details, the experts are still busy mastering the...

Every so often I get messages asking about leather alternatives. From students, YouTube viewers, and people who join my Instagram lives. And the question always comes in slightly different flavours: “What do you think of vegan leather?” “Have you worked with mushroom leather?” “Is pineapple leather any good?” People have all sorts of reasons for looking beyond traditional leather: ethical concerns, curiosity, weight considerations, or simply wanting to experiment with something new. And while...