Shop Talk! August 2022

It was quite by accident that Adam Tanner ended up being featured in this issue. (Don’t worry, he knows!) There was a slight miscommunication between me and Mr. Gene Fowler when the assignment was given. However, after learning more about our friend Brandit Franco of Branco Custom Saddlery, I’m certain this was no accident. Come to find out, Brandit and Adam are good friends, and became friends when Brandit sought mentorship from a couple of top-notch saddlemakers in his area. Can you guess who they were? Adam Tanner and Terry Henson. Ironically, Adam also speaks of Terry and will note the influence he has had on his ability to make patterns. What a connection! Living in the dreamy beach town of Sayulita, Mexico for a time allowed Kimberly Brown, founder of…

GENE FOWLER A writer and performer based in Texas, Gene Fowler has written for Cowboys & Indians, Oxford American, San Francisco Chronicle, True West, and many other publications. His books include Maverick, Border Radio, Crazy Water, and Metro Music. BRUCE JOHNSON I am Bruce Johnson and my wife, Rundi, and I have a leather tool business in Oakdale, California. I started off doing my own repair work and making a few little tack items for myself. About 30 years ago, a horse accident left me with a broken pelvis. I started making a few more things with leather and getting more serious about it while I healed. I went from rank amateur to having a fun little hobby. I started selling a few things and my leather hobby became a side business that…

For a soft, luxurious veg tan that only gets better with age, look no further than this beautiful Italian leather. Traditional vegetable tanned leather is completely natural and can be appreciated for the small marks and veins that add character, as well as its unmistakable scent. Certified by the “Genuine Italian Vegetable Tanned Leather Consortium,” these double shoulders are 100% natural, hypoallergenic and metal-free. With its gorgeous natural grain pattern and rich drum dyed color, this lightweight, supple leather is sure to be your next muse. Visit shop.weaverleather.com or call 800-932-8371 to place your order.…

When you ask any one of the participants who attended the recent Leather Crafter’s Reunion in Missouri’s Roaring State Park, they tend to take a dreamy deep sigh and tell you they can’t wait for next year. This year’s reunion was held from June 8-11th and about 33 people attended. Doris Marlene, the show’s founder and organizer, said the turnout was a bit smaller this year compared to previous years and attributes that to people just starting to emerge from COVID and higher gas prices. Despite these challenges, a good time was had by all. Reunion roots Marlene was not always into leather crafting, but after brain surgery in 2004, she started looking around for something to do. Around 2008, she got into leather work after buying a load of stamps at a…

Michael Magnus is an advertising professional who supports the growth of the leather industry through his marketing agency, Magnus Opus. Among his client partnerships are Silver Creek Leather Co., manufacturers of Realeather® Crafts and Lace, and Jim Linnell's Elktracks Studio. Learn more at www.magnusopus.com or reach out at michael@magnusopus.com. Whenever I teach a class on marketing, one of the questions that comes up every time is, “How do I show up higher in the search results on Google?” Fortunately, I’m pretty qualified to answer this because I’ve been doing Search Engine Optimization (SEO) for years. Unfortunately, it’s not a simple answer. For the sake of brevity, I’m going to oversimplify it a bit, but hopefully share enough information that it will still feel helpful. Wish me luck. For starters, understand what these…

The following is used with permission from hidenet.com, the premier source for information regarding the worldwide hide and leather markets. Please remember that this information will be a month old by the time it reaches you. COTANCE rejects allegations that the leather value chain is a driver of deforestation The latest Global Witness Report and corresponding article in The Guardian again depict the leather industry as a driver of deforestation. COTANCE deplores that all the efforts deployed by governments and international organisations to curb deforestation and forest degradation have not been able to halt or reduce the incalculable damage that they cause to the planet. The European leather industry rejects though the allegations that the leather value chain is a driver of deforestation just because it generates wealth with the recycling of…