Best Leatherwork Podcasts (2024)

1
EP46: Q&A Chromepak vs. CXL, Horween Pinnacle, Coffee Tanning, Why Pit Tan? 53:41

6h ago53:41

53:41

Nick Horween and Phil Kalas answer your most pressing leather questions. https://www.ashlandleather.com/ https://www.horween.com/ https://linktr.ee/fullgrainpodcast Get a wallet that is made for patina and is guaranteed for life. Ashland Leather has you covered. https://ashlandleather.com/ The world's finest leather. Check our Horween Leather. http…

1
Matt Wanner 1:25:08

5h ago1:25:08

1:25:08

We are visiting with Matt Wanner who is a saddle maker out of Utah. Matt works for Burns Saddlery in Salina, UT. He is a man of many hats with Burns. He not only builds fantastic custom saddles for himself and Burns, but he also manages and trains many of the amazing craftsmen that work there creating pieces for the store. Matt is also a lead instr…

1
EP45: Shell Cordovan, Dublin, Essex, Pit Tanning, Tree Barks 1:06:40

4d ago1:06:40

1:06:40

Nick and Phil explore the similarities and differences of Shell Cordovan and Horween’s Essex leather. Both leathers are tanned using the same blend of tree barks. Horween’s Essex leather can also be finished into other products including Horween’s Dublin and Derby. https://www.ashlandleather.com/ https://www.horween.com/ https://linktr.ee/fullgrain…

1
Shaun Woodsum 1:23:35

14d ago1:23:35

1:23:35

In this episode we visit with Shaun Woodsum who owns and operates Cross Winds Forge in Arizona. After a long career as a farrier, Shaun made a change and put his blacksmith skills to work designing and making knives. His main focus now is leather craft knives. As a leather crafter himself, he is focused on creating knives that are not only sharp bu…

1
EP44: NBA Basketball Leather - Leather vs. Plastic 46:04

16d ago46:04

46:04

Nick explains why leather is the choice material for professional NBA basketball and NFL football players. Phil and Nick discuss material options and compare leather and plastic choices. https://www.ashlandleather.com/ https://www.horween.com/ https://linktr.ee/fullgrainpodcast Get a wallet that is made for patina and is guaranteed for life. Ashlan…

1
Growing into your purpose—Meet crochet artist & Making engineer Abi Santiago w/ Ashley Yousling, ep. 163 44:44

20d ago44:44

44:44

The universe definitely brought this fabulous human to Making. Ashley chats with our crochet-loving engineer all about her journey in craft, her path to leadership and computer sciences, and how we were so lucky to have Abi join the team. To know Abi is to love Abi! Grab your WIP and hit play. :) Abi's crochet website If you're in Seattle, catch he…

1
EP43: 1940s Timber Tanned Calf Leather 58:36

1M ago58:36

58:36

First tanned in 1940, Timber Tanned Calf is a legacy leather that is as storied as it is beautiful. The formula was lost. Despite the tannery’s best attempts they have not been able to reproduce it. https://www.ashlandleather.com/ https://www.horween.com/ https://linktr.ee/fullgrainpodcast Watch it on YouTube https://youtu.be/OM7_YR03sCo Get a wall…

1
Joe Meling 1:12:04

1M ago1:12:04

1:12:04

Joe Meling is a leather craftsman based out of Pendleton, OR who specializes in teaching floral carving and leather craft. He and his wife are the owners and operators of 23+ where folks from all over come to improve their skills and goals in leather work. You can find Joe and all the information about his social media, products, and resources by v…

1
Releasing self-assigned boundaries of creativity w/ Emily Botelho & Jen Joyce, Ep. 162 0:04

2M ago0:04

0:04

Award winning embroidery artist, mother, teacher, author, and all around lovely human! If you don't know of Emily Botelho aka Salt Stitches, you're in for a treat! (If you do, you are too!) Emily joins Jen and not only do they chat about her beautiful art, how her favorite places and values come through as inspiration but also her new book which is…

1
Nicole Morgenthau 1:24:23

2M ago1:24:23

1:24:23

This episode is an interview with Nicole Morgenthau who is a photographer who's passion is taking portraits. Her favorite subjects are the folks who are experiencing the West like the trappers and settlers that lived in and explored the wild west of the 1800's. Based in Salt Lake City, UT she travels to rendezvous held in many states to capture ama…

1
EP42: Horween Cypress, Latigo vs. CXL, Grey Colors, Small vs. Established Brands 1:13:26

2M ago1:13:26

1:13:26

Starting with the cowboy origins of Latigo leathers, Nick delves into the details of Cypress, one of Horween’s latest leather offerings. We explore the complexities involved in achieving specific colors like grey and white. Finally, we engage in a conversation about the unique competitive edges that both small and large brands possess. 0:00 Topics …

1
Chisos Founder Will Roman on How Cowboy Boots Will Save Us All 43:31

2M ago43:31

43:31

For the closeout episode of Shoecast season 11, Ben sits down with Will Roman, founder of Chisos Boots, a young and growing brand out of Austin, Texas that offers one of the best values in a legitimately well made, well designed cowboy boot. They cover how Chisos in some ways started with a lemonade stand, how Will ended up in León Mexico and fell …

1
A Making update + some maker inspiration & musings on fear w/ Ashley Yousling & Jen Joyce, Ep. 161 40:26

2M ago40:26

40:26

Ashley and Jen share some really exciting features that are coming to Making VERY SOON. We kick off a new segment where we will share business and/or makers in our community that help spread our values and Ashley dives into the topic of fear and decision-making. Grab your WIP, your favorite snack, and hit play! If you are a designer, sell finished …

1
EP41: ⚡Stitchdown Patina Thunderdome⚡, Boot Camp, Leather Perspective 1:21:31

2M ago1:21:31

1:21:31

Ben Robinson from Stitchdown joins Nick Horween and Phil Kalas to chat Thunderdome, Boot Camp, and Leather. Congratulations to all of the winners of the Stitchdown Patina Thunderdome. Boot Camp is October 12-13 in NYC. 0:00 What’s a podcast? 0:49 Stitchdown Patina Thunderdome 45:25 Boot Camp 57:35 Leather Perspective https://www.stitchdownbootcamp.…

1
Exploring What "Handmade" Truly Means With Leatherworker and Bootmaker Bob Henderson 1:07:25

2M ago1:07:25

1:07:25

For the penultimate episode of the 11th season of the Stitchdown Shoecast, I’m quite excited indeed to be chatting with the just ridiculously talented man they call Bob Henderson. Bob is the operations manager at Popov Leather, the bustling leathergoods workshop over yonder in British Columbia, Canada—and over the last few years has been sucked up …

1
Love is in the Making w/ Catherine Clark of Brooklyn General Store & Jen Joyce, Ep. 160 40:17

2M ago40:17

40:17

Hello, makers! Super excited to bring you this episode with our pal, Catherine. Just a heads up, there are parts of this episode that are a little more visual as we give a shop tour. Click to watch instead! Brooklyn General Store has been the go-to place for crafty supplies of all kinds for NYC makers since 2002. We sat down with the Queen of Union…

1
EP40: CXL is Overrated?💰 Is Alden Overpriced? WWII Boots, Dale’s Leatherworks 1:09:31

3M ago1:09:31

1:09:31

Asking the hard questions up top: Is Horween Chromexcel (CXL) leather overrated? Is Alden overpriced? Dale from Dale’s Leatherworks shares his opinions with Nick Horween and Phil Kalas. 0:00 American Original 1:08 Is CXL Overrated? 19:12 Is Alden Overpriced? 30:03 WWII Boots 38:47 Stuck in a boot world from 10+ years ago 52:38 Nick Q&A Lightning Ro…

1
Fritz Sr. and Jr. of Seidel Tanning on the Art, Science, and Challenges of Making Leather 1:01:51

3M ago1:01:51

1:01:51

This time Ben sits down with two, count ‘em TWO Fritz Seidels: Fritz Jr. and Fritz Sr., who every day are continuing on the tradition of the four-generation, 79-year-old Siedel Tanning Corp in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In addition to getting the lowdown on some longtime Seidel favorite leathers and overlooked gems, we get into Seidel’s history and flui…

1
EP39: Sam Parker, Context Clothing, Alden, Roy Boot, Wisconsin Footwear, Supper Clubs 1:23:18

3M ago1:23:18

1:23:18

Sam Parker is the co-founder of Context Clothing. He is one of the individuals behind the creation of the famous Roy Boot by Alden x Context. Context had a 15 year run and closed its doors in 2020. Sam now runs restaurants and bars in Madison Wisconsin: Turn Key Supper Club, Settle Down Tavern, and Ounce By Ounce. https://www.turnkeymadison.com/ ht…

1
Kent Rollins 59:59

3M ago59:59

59:59

This episode is an interview cowboy chuckwagon cook Kent Rollins. Kent has an amazing YouTube channel where he shows how to prepare some of the traditional cow camp meals, grandma's meat loaf, or even his version of the Big Mac. My family and I love tuning into his channel every week to see what he is up to and what he's cooking. You can find infor…

1
Shoe Care Essentials, How Many Boots is Too Many, Brands We Want Back...It's The Shoebag!! 1:22:43

3M ago1:22:43

1:22:43

Before he bolts for a very important trip to the bread store, Ticho is back in the leather-smelly homestead for perhaps our most comprehensive Shoebag episode ever, in which we discuss what shoe care products are essential and which you don't really need, brands we'd love to see restored to their former glory, what to wear with Red Wings (vague hin…

1
Ep38: Q&A Brain Tanning(!) Leather, Horween Predator, Horsebutt, Rancourt 1:16:24

3M ago1:16:24

1:16:24

Nick and Phil take on your hardest hitting leather questions including leather terms, brain tanning, leather delays, Horween’s Predator leather, horsebutt, sneakers and more. Need a wallet that is made for patina and is guaranteed for life? Ashland Leather has you covered. https://ashlandleather.com/ Want the world's finest leather? Check our Horwe…

1
EP37: Stridewise, Best Shell Cordovan, Veg vs. Chrome tan, Boot Collecting 1:58:16

3M ago1:58:16

1:58:16

Nick English is the owner of www.stridewise.com, a blog and YouTube channel focusing on boots and casual durable stuff. A wide range of leather and boot topics are covered including who makes the best shell cordovan, Horween Chromexcel leather, current trends, European style, loafers, veg tanning vs. chrome tanning, and many more. 0:00 Best Shell C…

1
Sheep heroes, lamb gangs, and a very, very good book w/ Jane Cooper and Jen Joyce, Ep. 159 48:48

3M ago48:48

48:48

Author Jane Cooper joins us to talk all about her book, The Lost Flock: Rare Wool, Wild Isles and One Woman’s Journey to Save Scotland’s Original Sheep. Jane and Jen chat about why the Orkney Boreray sheep are so very special, Jane's maker journey, lambs...lots of lambs, and what it's like writing your first book. About The Lost Flock Purchase Pape…

1
EP: 36 WTF is Aniline? Aniline Leather & Leather Finishing🖌️ 1:26:18

4M ago1:26:18

1:26:18

Are you considering aniline leather? Or perhaps a completely painted leather? Join Nick and Phil as they delve into various leather finishes, highlighting aniline leather. Leather can range from unfinished to fully finished, each with its own set of advantages and disadvantages. 0:00 What is Aniline Leather 8:29 Aniline etymology and marketing 14:0…

1
Bespoke Shoemaker Sebastian Tarek on West-End Outwork and Judging the World's Greatest Shoemaking Competition 54:57

4M ago54:57

54:57

When London (by way of Australia) bespoke shoemaker Sebastian Tarek began making shoes in high school, his grandmother let him in on a little secret: he had been preceded in his journey by 18 generations of family cordwainers. After years of schooling—including at the famed Cordwainers College in Hackney, London—he eventually ended up settling into…

1
Meet & Greets New York City Edition Pt. 3 | Brooklyn General Store & VKL 2024 w/ Jen Joyce, ep. 158 52:00

4M ago52:00

52:00

In the final episode of this series, we get to hear from a few more makers that we chatted with during our last visit to NYC! Get to know some very special humans that we invited to join us for our Brooklyn General Store booth Meet and Greets at Vogue Knitting Live and also from our special maker meetup that we hosted with Brooklyn General Store an…

1
EP35: Suede, Nubuck, Rough Out Waxed Flesh and Genuine Leather: Everything You Want to Know 1:21:56

4M ago1:21:56

1:21:56

Nick and Phil discuss the differences and similarities in “genuine leathers” including suede, split suede, nubuck, rough out, and waxed flesh. How should you care for your suede? Is nubuck more durable than suede? Is a split suede of poor quality? All of the answers are here. 0:00 Genuine Leathers 0:21 What is suede? 9:10 What is rough out and waxe…

1
Actor Adam Goldberg on His Lifelong Quest to Remake James Dean's Boots 1:11:01

4M ago1:11:01

1:11:01

Adam Goldberg has quite legitimately always been one of my favorite actors—and from Dazed & Confused, to the Fargo TV show, to A Beautiful Mind, he has always been EXCELLENTLY attired, right down to his boots. But he doesn't just play a person who cares about boots on TV and in movies! Adam is a very real-deal obsessive who's neck deep in Clinch, Z…

1
Meet & Greets New York City Edition Pt. 2 | Brooklyn General Store & VKL 2024 w/ Jen Joyce, ep. 157 49:29

4M ago49:29

49:29

We're continuing our Making Meet and Greets from NYC with crafty friends, old and new! The lovely Catherine of Brooklyn General Store and Aimée of La Bien Aimée asked us to bring a bit of our Meet and Greets to their 2024 Vogue Knitting Live booth and we also co-hosted a maker meet-up at Brooklyn General Store. Lots of great conversation, stories, …

1
Tony & Tobias of Wyatt & Dad Cobblers on Building a Shoe Repair Mini-Empire 1:01:31

4M ago1:01:31

1:01:31

Back in 1989, Tony Wyatt and his brother Lance launched Wyatt & Dad Cobbler Company (and even trained their retired-preacher dad to do shoe repair work, so no it's not just a clever name). Thirty five years later, the operation has seen endless swings in the cobbling industry, weathering them as well as any operation out there. The goal was always …

1
Meet & Greets New York City Edition Pt. 1 | Brooklyn General Store & VKL 2024 w/ Jen Joyce, ep. 156 45:49

4M ago45:49

45:49

In this episode of the podcast, we’re taking it back to New York City! If you’ve been following along for a while you know that we’ve been visiting events around the world, collecting and then sharing important stories. (Mostly fiber arts related but we want to expand that. Hey other maker events, hit us up!) This time we did things a little differ…

1
Goods & Services' Rory Fortune on Handwelting Sneakers, and the Shell Cordovan BIRKENCHONKS 52:14

4M ago52:14

52:14

The sneaker and welted footwear worlds are (very slowly) colliding, and Rory Fortune is smack in the middle of the two In 2019, Rory and his wife Lauren set up shop in LA's design district to open Goods & Services, a half cobbler shop / half sneaker customization pacesetter. Custom resoles—often accomplished via the tricky process of converting cem…

1
The (Mostly) Complete History of Boots with Bata Shoe Museum Director Elizabeth Semmelhack 1:23:14

5M ago1:23:14

1:23:14

In one of our favorite—and certainly the most sprawling—Shoecast episodes to date, Ben chats with Elizabeth Semmelhack, director and curator of the Bata Shoe Museum in Toronto, Canada. Which I believe is safe to say—thanks to more than 15,000 shoes, boots, and related artifacts covering 4,500 years of human history—is the world’s preeminent dedicat…

1
How to adapt to an evolving world of fiber art and craft w/ with Jonna Helin, Aimée Gille, Ashley Yousling, Joji Locatelli, and Jen Joyce, Ep. 155 34:04

5M ago34:04

34:04

During Vogue Knitting Live 2024, Jen took the stage with big names in the fiber arts and maker industry to talk about how we can adapt to the ever evolving world of craft-what has changed, where the opportunity is, and advice on what to do when things are challenging. Our Panelists Jonna Hietala is the co-founder, creative director and CEO of Laine…

1
How to enhance your making | Get to know Liza Laird, author of Yoga of Yarn w/ Jen Joyce, ep. 154 55:16

5M ago55:16

55:16

Liza Laird is a fiber artist, human mom, dog mom, cancer survivor and author of Yoga of Yarn, a knitter’s guidebook to self discovery. (Don't worry dear maker! The book is for makers of all kinds. We chat about that too!) We journey through Liza's life--deciding to leave the corporate world to pursue her passions, how she approached writing a book …

1
EP34: LIVE Q&A Shinki Shell Cordovan, Seidel Double Shot, Calf, Predator, Horsebutt 1:05:26

5M ago1:05:26

1:05:26

Nick and Phil answer your most pressing leather questions. 0:00 Favorite Episodes 4:03 Arabica Lux Leather 6:00 Saphir Mirror Gloss 9:11 Tanner’s Blend on Shell Cordovan 10:27 Favorite and Least Favorite Leathers 14:28 Horween’s Crunch Leather 16:33 VIberg Double Butt Shell Cordovan Boot 22:47 Does Horween Tan Calf? 27:11 What Scent Does the Tanner…

1
Sagara's Bagus Satrio on the Indonesian Bootmaking Explosion 44:50

5M ago44:50

44:50

Sagara head man Bagus Satrio is one of my favorite people in the whole bootmaking game. I absolutely love the work he and his team do—his Cordmasters need to be at or near the top of ANYONE’S best monkey boots ranking—and he’s just a hugely interesting and wonderful man. Sagara’s almost 15 years deep doing exceptional work, and about a half decade …

1
EP33: Ultimate Leather Care Guide. Horween Shell Cordovan Polishing Secrets 1:42:28

6M ago1:42:28

1:42:28

Going deep on leather care. 0:00 1990’s Miami Painting 1:55 The Ultimate Leather Care Guide 4:40 Nick Horween’s Leather Care Routine 7:58 Leather is Designed to Last 12:31 Shoe Trees 13:44 Phil Kalas’ Leather Care Routine 15:48 Air Dry After Washing Leather 17:50 Leather Conditioner and Saddle Soap 20:59 Use Less Polish 23:35 Hard Wax vs. Soft Wax …

1
All about pricing for makers w/ Quayln Stark, Brittany Garber, Terry Streetman & Jen Joyce. Ep. 153 1:28:59

6M ago1:28:59

1:28:59

"How do I price my makes?" "How do I price my services?" "As a maker that does not sell...how can I help change perceptions so my community can get paid what they're worth?" "How do you price handmade items?" Let's talk pricing. Out with the gatekeeping. Patterns, services, finished goods, etc. They name names, spill tea, get really real, and share…

1
Ken Diamond on the Rare Satisfaction of Making Boots by Hand 48:31

6M ago48:31

48:31

Back in the 2010s, Ken Diamond had a booming moccasin business in Vancouver—celebrities wore his shoes, which also secured a hallowed spot on the shelves of Istetan, the Tokyo department store that's home to likely the world's great shoe selection. But at the brand's peak, a bit burned out and seeking something fresh, Ken bailed on it all. Today, 1…

1
Barcelona Knits 2023: Meet the artists and vendors w/ Jen Joyce, ep. 152 1:38:04

6M ago1:38:04

1:38:04

In this podcast episode, we're heading back to Barcelona Knits in…you guessed it…Barcelona, Spain! Get to know some of the vendors, artists, and vloggers who all share the love of all things fiber art, yarn, knitting, crochet, cross stitch, and more! This is a special group of people, dear makers! :) https://www.barcelonaknits.com Who you'll meet: …

1
Trent Johnson 1:23:48

6M ago1:23:48

1:23:48

In this episode we are visiting with Trent Johnson who owns and operates Greeley Hat Works in Greeley, CO. I really enjoyed getting to visit with Trent about his path to business in the hat industry. I think you will really enjoy his story and mindset on business in the western industry.By Don Gonzales

1
Sacred Sheep 2023 - Making Meet and Greets with vendors and artists, ep. 151 48:37

7M ago48:37

48:37

In this podcast episode, we're heading back to the Sacred Sheep Fiber Festival in Portland, Oregon! Get to know some of the vendors, artists, and vloggers who all share the love of the act of making. The full meet and greet videos are coming soon, so make sure you are subscribed. :) https://thesacredsheep.com Who you'll meet: THE SHEEP. Casanova AK…

1
Curtis From Alden Madison on How to Size Into Any Last, and That One Time He Saw Harrison Ford 1:14:11

7M ago1:14:11

1:14:11

Alden Madison is one of the essential New York City shoe stores, stocking and selling more Alden shoes and boots than likely anywhere else in the world. This week, Ben and Ticho sit down with shop co-owner Curtis Bosch to talk about how he got sucked in by the good-shoe tractor beam in the first place, how their makeup program has taken off in wild…

1
Storytelling with Ashley & Jen: starting with community, ep. 150 1:18:55

7M ago1:18:55

1:18:55

Ashley and Jen come together to share stories of their beginnings in the tech industry and how they discovered their passion for building authentic community with Making. Music by Despatches. 💖 Download the Making app and join our amazing community of makers by visiting themakingapp.com If you'd like to give a shout-out, have a question that you'd …

1
Todd Broussard 1:50:23

7M ago1:50:23

1:50:23

In this episode, we sit down with a man that I have known online for almost a decade and only we only just met in person at the Heart of Texas Leather Show in Waco in 2023. His name is Todd Broussard and he is the owner/operator of T-Pop Leather Shop in Louisiana. Todd is a rodeo cowboy, farrier and leather craftsman that has found his passion in b…

1
Shoebag!! Craziest Break-In Stories, Plus Ticho & Ben's Only Five Forever Pairs: Revisited! 58:08

7M ago58:08

58:08

Long, long ago, Ben & Ticho did a Shoecast episode in which they had to (just for pretend, don't worry) get rid of all their shoes and boots—FOREVER—and only keep five pairs that just made sense for their lives. A lot has changed since then! So we went back to revisit our picks, and the results are...interesting! Also on this Shoebag episode: why t…

1
Tips from a Chef: Gathering w/ loved ones, good food, and how the proper prep can lead to (little to) no stress w/ Chef Andreya Nightingale and Jen Joyce 1:38:50

7M ago1:38:50

1:38:50

Chef Andreya is back to share so much amazing information about how to host a holiday party without the stress. She walks us through the planning stages that she has perfected as a chef, along with many valuable tips she has picked up over her amazing career. But what Chef Andreya really wants to remind you is that a holiday gathering (or any gathe…

1
LIVE at Barcelona Knits 2023 w/ Aimée Gille of La Bien Aimée and Jen Joyce 1:02:27

7M ago1:02:27

1:02:27

Jen and Val took Making on the road to Barcelona Knits this past weekend. It was a journey that further solidified our belief in the power of local unity, connection, and creativity. The vibrant sense of togetherness at Barcelona Knits is only magnified by our interview with Aimée Gille of La Bien Aimée. Jen and Val took Making on the road to Barce…

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