Awl & Hide

Hardware & Materials

The leather and metal you actually build with. These guides explain tannage and weight, including what those 8–9 oz numbers really mean for how a piece behaves, and how to read a hide so you cut your good pieces from its best areas. On the hardware side we cover fitting snaps, rivets, buckles, and Chicago screws, the right setter or anvil for each, and how to avoid the common mistakes that leave a fastener loose or crooked. Pick the right material for the job and half the work is already done.

Hardware & Materials

4 guides

Hardware & Materials

How to Set Rivets in Leather (Without Wrecking Them)

Learn how to set rivets in leather correctly—rapid rivets, copper rivets, and Chicago screws—with the right post length, hole size, and technique.

August 12, 2026

Hardware & Materials

How to Choose Your First Hide (Sides, Shoulders, and Bellies)

Learn how to choose leather hide as a beginner: full hides, sides, shoulders, bellies, square footage, grades, and where to buy.

July 29, 2026

Hardware & Materials

Vegetable-Tanned vs Chrome-Tanned Leather: What's the Difference?

Vegetable tanned vs chrome tanned leather explained: how each is made, what it's good for, and which type beginners should buy first.

July 15, 2026

Hardware & Materials

Leather Weights and Thicknesses Explained for Beginners

A beginner's leather weight chart covering oz to mm conversions, what thickness suits each project, and how weight affects stitching and skiving.

July 1, 2026

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