The Lead Making Process

The leather is cut using a plough gauge and head knife , the strips of leather are then cut to length.

< cutting strips of hide

All edges of the pieces are bevelled using an edge shave.

< bevelling the edges

The leather strips are engraved by using a creasing iron which is heated and used to mark the surface edges with a fine line to enhance the appearance

< engraving the leather

The pieces are stitched in place using a strong double handstitch, using 2 needles, beeswaxed linen thread and a sharp awl to pierce the leather, which is held in the jaws of a "saddlers' clams".

< waxing the thread