Verlane Desgrange, 1949-2007
Verlane generously shared her wealth of leatherworking knowledge with her students and colleagues. Here are the tips, tools, projects, and techniques that she created to educate, inform, and enthuse others about leather working.
If you have a Verlane tutorial that you would like to add to this list, please email it to me at coyote@classicbells.com
These files are provided only for your personal, educational use, not for sale. These files are copyright by the estate of Verlane Desgrange.
These files are in PDF format. They are under 0.3 MB except as noted. Get the free Adobe PDF Reader.
General
Time sheet to help price your work
Simple geometry for saddle makers (1.6 MB)
General information about leather (0.7 MB)
Leather weights and types for projects
Colorwheel (0.6 MB)
Tools and jigs
Basic hand tools: The bare minimum to get started
Professional hand tools (text)
Professional hand tools (photos, 1.9 MB)
Homemade tools: Concho turner, slicker, striking stick, saddle string tightener, wooden creasers (0.7 MB)
Bench grinder sharpening system
Sharpening an edger with a Dremel tool
Tips and tweaks for a variety of hand tools (2.7 MB)
See other categories for tools and jigs specific to those areas
Sewing
Sewing machine thread and needle sizes
Sewing machine needle cross reference
Awls for hand stitching (1.1 MB)
Miniature clamps for hand stitching
Making straps (0.6 MB)
Strategy for cutting and pricing (1.8 MB)
Double loops for straps
Skiving
Skiving leather with a head knife (1.2 MB)
Lap skiving jig for a splitting machine
Tooling and carving
Leather carving step-by-step (0.9 MB)
Basic beveling and shading (0.5 MB)
How stamping tools look in leather (0.4 MB)
Bargrounder information (0.5 MB)
Emphasizing the design of a carving pattern
Bridles, halters, reins, other tack
"Buckaroo" headstall (0.4 MB)
Stud hooks for English bridles
Hobble straps for Western stirrups
Double loops for straps
Homemade tools: Concho turner, slicker, striking stick, saddle string tightener, wooden creasers (0.7 MB)
Saddles
English saddle anatomy (2.8 MB)
Western saddle anatomy (0.6 MB)
Swiveling dee for a breast collar
Al Stohlman miniature saddle (5.8 MB)
Drawdown stand for Western saddles
Fixing cantle pliers (0.6 MB)
Homemade tools: Concho turner, slicker, striking stick, saddle string tightener, wooden creasers (0.7 MB)
Projects
Business card case with tooling and sewing (1.9 MB)
1904 Cavalry saddle bags (2 MB)
Tom Thumb purse with zipper and sewing (0.9 MB)
Rolled buttons (0.5 MB)
Note: The info in Verlane's text description is slightly different than in the photo section. Compare and use what makes the most sense to you!Cliff Ketchum tooled belt (1 MB)
Wallet patterns (0.7 MB)
Chaps
Ideas for "woolie chaps" (1.4 MB)