Home

Hand Stitching a Card Case
Categories

A quick afternoon project for a gift

Grab your favorite mug of coffee because we are about to dive into the most satisfying sensory experience of your ...
Forging a Steel Fire Striker
Categories

Making a survival tool using old techniques

Imagine the sharp, metallic tang of high carbon steel meeting the dry, earthy scent of a charcoal forge. There is ...
Carving a Wooden Ornament
Categories

Making something small for the winter season

Grab your favorite wool socks and a mug of something steaming; we are diving into the gritty, tactile world of ...
Hand Stitching a Saddle Bag
Categories

Designing a carry system for my motorcycle

The scent of vegetable tanned leather is a heavy; intoxicating perfume that fills the studio the moment you unroll the ...
Using a Scratch Awl
Categories

Why a sharp point is my best layout friend

Imagine the scent of fresh cedar and the cool, waxy resistance of vegetable-tanned leather under your palms. There is a ...
Hand Tooled Leather Patterns
Categories

My take on the classic western floral style

The scent hits you before you even walk through the studio door; it is that rich, earthy perfume of vegetable ...
Forging a Metal Drive Hook
Categories

A quick project for practicing heavy hammer hits

The smell of hot iron is essentially the scent of raw potential. When you stand over a glowing forge, you ...
Foraging Timber From the Woods
Working with Leather

How I find the best fallen logs for carving

The damp smell of cedar and the crunch of frozen needles under my boots are the first signs that the ...
Forging a Center Punch
In My Woodshop

Making a tool that actually lasts in the shop

Imagine the smell of ozone and hot iron hitting the air as you step into the workspace. There is a ...
Hand Splitting Firewood Planks
In My Woodshop

Using a froe to split boards from a log

Imagine the scent of fresh sap hitting the air as the steel bites into the wood. There is a primal, ...
Subscribe to Our Newsletter

gravida aliquet vulputate faucibus tristique odio.

Latest Posts

Using a Hand Scraper on Hardwood
Categories

Getting a smooth finish without any dust

Close your eyes and imagine the sensory nightmare of a woodshop choked with fine white powder. Your lungs feel heavy; ...
Restoring Vintage Hand Planes
Working with Leather

Bringing a rusted block plane back to life

Imagine holding a heavy, cold brick of iron that feels like it was pulled from a shipwreck. The surface is ...
Hand Stitching a Leather Sheath
In My Woodshop

Protecting my carving knife with a custom wrap

The smell of freshly cut vegetable tanned hide is a drug; it is earthy, sweet, and heavy with the promise ...

Must Read

Using a Wood Rasps
Categories

Shapping the rough edges of a new project

Close your eyes and run your fingers along that jagged, splintered edge of freshly cut walnut or oak. It is ...
Hand Stitching Heavy Canvas
Categories

Sewing a shop apron that can handle abuse

Grab your strongest shears because we are about to dive into the visceral world of heavy duty textile engineering. There ...

Trending Now

Carving a Wooden Flute
Trying to find a song inside a branch
Grab your safety glasses and clear the workbench because we are about ...
Hand Cutting Mortise Joints
Why I prefer a mallet and chisel over a drill
Imagine the smell of fresh white oak shavings hitting a cold concrete ...
Carving a Wooden Whale
A simple project for testing new gouges
Grab your safety glasses and clear the workbench because we are about ...

Top Picks

Forging a Metal Leaf
Learning to move steel into organic shapes

Imagine the air in the studio thickening as the forge roars to life; it is a heavy, rhythmic pulse that you feel in your marrow before you hear …

Forging Decorative Steel Nails
Making square nails for a rustic door project
Imagine the smell of charcoal and the sharp, metallic tang ...
Forging a Metal Gate Latch
Building a mechanism that clicks with authority
Listen to that sound. It is the sharp, metallic ring ...

Reader Favorites

Carving a Wooden Flute
Trying to find a song inside a branch

Grab your safety glasses and clear the workbench because we are about to dive into the most melodic physics experiment you have ever attempted. There is something primal …

Carving a Scoop for Flour
Making a deep bowl from a chunk of maple
Imagine standing in front of a massive, raw slab of ...
Forging a Metal Ring
Simple hammer work for a decorative steel loop
Grab your safety glasses and tie back that hair because ...

Just Published

Hand Stitching a Sheath

My favorite way to secure a fixed blade

Imagine the smell of fresh vegetable tanned leather hitting your senses as you unroll a heavy shoulder hide. It is ...
Hand Stitching a Leather Tote

Constructing a heavy bag for hauling gear

Close your eyes and listen to that specific, rhythmic snap of five-ounce vegetable tanned hide hitting a granite slab. It ...

Highly Rated

Hand Shaping a Guitar Neck
Why the feel of a neck depends on hand work
Close your eyes and imagine the first time you wrap your hand ...
Forging a Steel Awl
Making a tool for my leather and wood work
The scent of toasted tannins and cold iron is my absolute favorite ...
Building a Sturdy Workbench
Putting together a bench that never wobbles
Close your eyes and listen to that specific, deep thrum of a ...
Scroll to Top