The Tools Behind a Handmade Leather Bag: Inside a Florentine Artisan's Workshop

Every handmade leather bag begins long before the first stitch. It begins with the tools — each one chosen for a specific purpose, each one an extension of the artisan's hand. At TAVIANI FIRENZE, we work exclusively by hand in Florence, Italy, using traditional leatherworking instruments that have defined the craft for generations. This is a look inside our workshop, and the tools that make every piece possible.

 

ROUND KNIFE

A semicircle blade used to cut and skive heavy-weight leathers.

CUTTING KNIFE & BLADE

Blade used to cut patterns and cut and skive leathers.

 

PRICKING IRON

Used to create guide holes in leather which must then be opened up with an awl before the piece can be stitched.

 

JAPANESE & SKIVING  KNIFE

Versatile tools used not only to skive but to cut leather patterns, cut square ends and to make fine delicate cuts.

 

ROLLER

Used to smooth out glued layers.

 

NEEDLE

Has a triangular point, which enables them to pierce and pass through

 

WEIGHT

when laying out patterns onto leather the solid base will hold it down against the leather as you mark or cut.

 

THREAD & BEE’S WAX

Beeswax is ideal for waxing sewing thread, giving it a water resistant coating which also helps it slide much more smoothly through the holes and adds resistance to shedding thread.

 

PLIERS & CLAMPS

used to clamping the leather edge after gluing both sides of the leather. And also clamp the stitch after stitching to make the thread more "fit" on the leather surface.

 

LEATHER GAUGE THICKNESS

A leather calliper, or a leather thickness gauge, measures leather by placing it between two plates calibrated to measure in millimetres and ounces

 

EDGE BEVELER

Used to round over or bevel the edges of you leather piece, giving the product a smooth edge.

 

MALLET

Generally used with a pricking iron to generating enough pressure on the leather surface to create holes.

 

SCISSORS & NIPPERS

Used for cutting thread.

 

BONE FOLDER

For smoothing and polishing the edges of thick leathers, and for making neat folds in thin leather.

 

AWL

Used to enlarged existing holes.