Hey Y’all, before you all get upset and angry about how I sometimes use a laser in my workflow, I want you to understand that I hear you. Making things by hand is incredible and I learned a lot in my career as a crafter doing it that way. As a brand grows and as your demand gets higher, machines like sewing machines and clicker presses and lasers become a lot more beneficial and prevent personal burn out. I understand that most of you are hobby crafters and do everything by hand and I commend you. As your a business grows and you become full time, you will see in time that you will benefit from machines. Thanks for your comments and I wish you all very well!
Love your work Ryan! Keep up the incredible videos! Your transparency from the craft, the tutorials, the materials and the way you deliver it all as a business mind is inspiring. All the best in your continual growth 👍🏼
honestly it's just like a modern clicker press I think... It cuts out your designs while your prepping your day/designing new things on AI. why do people have trouble with this one and not with the clicker press I wonder. It's even original, I mean, who lasercuts his wallets? It's something a crafter would come up with, to me it's as creative and original as any other think Ryan makes, with the benifit he gets to play more with his sons when they get home from school. The only thing I kinda understand somewhere is that of course the whole collection shouldn't start to be made massproduction, but that's an obviousity that Ryan knows about himself and is weird to call him out on. Exclusivity is key, that's just 'duhhh' :)
@@LittleKingGoods I don't see anything wrong too. From what i've seen on the video, you still do more than 60% of the work by hand even with the "pre-made" by laser - cuts. It's not like 100% of the work is done by machine and the quality drops. I'm glad that you grow and you grow fast. I hope you will have a big production line one day!
Ryan, Love my glowforge and very happy I took advantage of the discount they offered thru your channel! For those thinking about full time work, but are still employed elsewhere, consider the payment plan. I retire in a year from the Army and set up my payments to end right before that. Excited to think about the future with this machine. Congrats on the continued success Ryan......and thank you for zooming in during the skill share lead in on the couch....the nipples had me distracted for a moment!! 😂😂
I really look at it like you said for the repeatability and consistency. The ability to take cutting parts from an hour or more to a few minutes is not only a life saver but profit in my pocket.
I say every day, "Oh, how I wish I had a 3D Printer! I can't wait until they come down in price.... Then, I'm There!!!" The sky is the limit! You are awesome in your thinking and intelligence. You are so inspiring. 👍 (Leather and wood are my passion! Earthy.)
I would get one today if I could! This is awesome! I'm 62, just retired, and don't have a "lifetime" to learn a trade. This sounds like it's fairly quick to learn? The older I get, the longer it takes me to retain new skills. Frustrating...... If I could, WOW! WHAT A BEAUTIFUL MACHINE!
Hey! Yea it’s a nice machine for sure. If it will help you in your business it’s definitely worth the investment! I understand these can be expensive but if it can turn a profit it’s worth it ✌🏼
I'm so happy to see a new video up. I was starting to worry. I started working with leather at the beginning of this year after seeing the videos on this channel, and all the information I learned here was priceless. I even designed patterns of my own and had some acrylic templates and cutting dies made for me. It would be amazing to have a laser cutter that could cut acrylic templates on the fly. I don't really have the space for that right now, but I love seeing the info about it here. I have some background in photography as well, and I really appreciate the cinematography and photography in your media. I don't know why there are so many negative comments on this video, but I love all of the content and seeing you building out your brand and channel.
I understand perfectly why this laser cutter / engraver would be useful, designing & prototyping takes a lot of time and this will dramatically speed up the process. Time after time you hear on the business news about the importance of automation. In my view, its great to have 100% traditional trades using 100% traditional techniques, but the fact is that traditional 'home country' trades, both here in the UK and the USA, are being smashed by mass importing from China & the Far East, whom HAVE invested in the new technology. Companies like Little King Leather goods are using a blend of modern & traditional techniques and that must be the way forward, surely? Thanks to Little King, Al Bane, Stock & Barrel & many others, there is a movement building to enable us to compete against these foreign imports, but it does mean we have to learn some new skills and embrace technology.
It was because of you I got into leather crafting. It was because of the love and effort you put into this business I decided to give a go at it. I'm a full stack developer so burn out is real, and If i didn't use the tools I have to the best of my ability it would ruin me. You have found a tool to help you cut the perfect designs and it is a really cool piece of kit. Buying a tool like this is no different than buying a better quality knife, or a sturdier mallet. Creators are creative for a reason, they are engineers and designers. You my friend have found a way to still be creative and improve the work you do. I just got one of your templates to practise on so i can eventually make my father a wallet. Thank you so much for the inspiration, you are awesome. Very awesome.
so, in few words, you are mass producing you stuff, should we aspect a noticeable reduction in prices? one thing is buying handmade goods, another is buying hand-stitched ones
Why is it that every time a maker automates a part of his/her process (and the processes that can be automated are the “monkey” ones,everyone can cut a piece of leather) to improve their work and make it quicker,people always demand them to lower the price? He still designs ,glues, stitches and finishes his products by himself,plus he has to keep the business running. They’re still handmade,the important and valuable processes are still made by him.
@@OgeiDennepeL have you aver made a leather object by yourself? the cutting part, punching holes are one of the most time consuming operations one thing is making one wallet per day because you are doing everything by yourself, a completely different story is being able to make 10-15 of them because you could simply attach few pieces and call it a day. his stuff is pretty pricey, and i'm willing to pay that amount if is something truly handmade
Thank you for posting this video. Awhile back I saw you put these out, its now 2022 and I'm back looking into what a laser could mean for the work I do and would like to do. Really love your studio and how you have it set up - - would work there in a heartbeat, the organization is so zen.
Love the idea of a machine like this...my only issue is there should be an offline option. If something happens to the company, then it becomes an expensive brick.
You are the man! Thanks Ryan for everything. You inspire me to create my own leather business. And I did! I hope one day to be like you✊🏼 much love and support from this fella all the way from Oakland California!
So many salty people on here! Do you guys realize that he’s a business owner,he lives off of his products? As a business owner,the most sensible thing for him to do is to automate the parts of his process that aren’t specialized and take away time,so he can concentrate on other,more important steps of the process,like stitching and finishing. His products are still designed,glued,stitched and finished by him,which are,in my opinion,more crucial steps to deem a product as “handmade”. Should he open up a tannery too,since he doesn’t tan the leather himself? Or even better,to make the process completely handmade,he probably should buy a ranch,buy the cows,kill them and tan their leather all by himself. But then you’d still be mad cause a simple card holder would cost you people 6/700$ to keep up the whole gig.
I have been cutting/etching leather with a laser for a few years now. Greatest investment you can have if you want to make repeatable designs. Yes, I have my purists that like directly hand made items having all process done manually with hand tools only and are willing to pay handsomely for those articles. BUT, as stated above and in the video content itself, the time savings to get basically the same end product over and over there is no match for laser cutting. What’s really nice on the veg tanned leather is that the edge is automatically darkened. So, you can actually skip the color/stain step at the end for a nice raw finished look. I have an Epilog Mini and the Glowforge Pro. The Epilog is a little monster that is extremely expensive and more suited for a production environment. But for the money, the Glowforge line of flatbed lasers is absolutely the way to go. The quality of these machines is outstanding and as soon as it lands on the table, you have just opened up a massive amount of possibility. In the Epilog I have a cylinder feed roller set up that drops in to do round cylindrical objects like bottles and such. That unit alone was the cost of the mid level Glowforge, so they have the price points right at the range where you can easily recover your investment if buying it for using as a business tool. Remember, there is STILL a lot of creativity and handwork needed in the process. I call what I make that is cut from the laser “Handmade TA”. That’s handmade with a technology assist, lol. Lasers and leather were made for each other.
You couldn't have timed this video better. I am starting to get serious about leather craft and am looking to invest in my business. I have been trying to decide between buying a press and dies or buying a laser cutter. Eventually, I want both, but this video showed me that I will get more mileage out of the laser cutter early on. Thank you, so much for all of your amazing videos.
As an older designer I remember Quark Xpress and the early versions of photoshop and illustrator. As a new leather crafter I am intrigued by this crossover! As a beard product user I know that small batch beard oil producers sell customized merch. Like leather logos on ball caps. Big market in the states.🤘
Apart from the price (almost 6 grands - for that price it should be a 5-year warranty, not 1 - and it has to be worth AT LEAST the praises you made), I totally understand it is an absolute necessity when being full-time in your field. I guess many have never tried to make a decent leather creation and to sell it, that is while making profits! (20 bucks of labor an hour (it should at least be that, right...), tools and material costs... the final price is going to be a galaxy away from competitive - or even worth it!). Good luck! It's nice to see a business with such an invested man and beautiful work. And thank you for sharing with others. :) I wish huge companies such as Apple, BP and all were like that. But it seems at some point, money burns the essential neurons. Destroying must be more fun? I prefer creating.
A couple of questions please. I’m confused about how you use the laser. I took the implication that you used it produce the components that you then hand assembled, stitched, finished into your items for sale but, in a comment, you say that you use it for prototypes only. Can you clarify how you use it please? I already use a cheap laser cutter/engraver but the burn left on the leather when cutting through is very visible. Do you get the same and, if so, what do you do about it?
Super awesome video. I'd like to ask you what do you use for masking leather? Because I have small experience with leather engraving and it leaves there that not really good looking "smoky" effect. Is it some kind of masking tape? It really caught my eye and I keep thinking about it. Thank you
Love your videos. I love the laser cutters but was worried about the venting but with the filter, it's now very viable for me and my business. Your videography is on point as normal, love your videos. There are a few (only a few) videos I must watch on the big screen because the phone won't do it justice and yours is one of them. Keep up the good work.
Brett Myhre , laser cutting veg tan is a no brainer. With chrome tan you just have to watch the you balance between power and speed. Most of the time with chrome tanned in the laser I’m all the way up to 100% power and moving very fast. And you can do effective etching as well on either tanned or chrome. The best images come on chrome.The smell from either is awful, lol. Even with a fresh HEPA filter the smell still permeates. I use both an Epilog Mini at 35 watts and the Glowforge he is using here. Both are excellent quality, but the Glowforge Pro has the edge, no doubt.
Would like to see how you design a wallet or card holder and add the holes for sewing. I havent received mine yet, just wondering how you add the holes, spacing, and size. Great video!!!!
Would love to know how you go about picking your laser settings when you’re cutting and engraving leather. I’ve not been using the Glowforge sanctioned leather so I’ve been having to trial and error my veg tan.
4k-7k on the machine, 1.3k on the air filter if you don’t want to use it next to a window, 600 dollars for shipping. Even with a discount code, it’s hard to chalk up. Also, you’re kind of left with a useless machine if the company ever goes under. Yeah, I’ll stick to acrylics and hand cutting.
Hello! I love your work! Big fan here! When you laser engrave designs on leather, how to you go about the soot it leaves behind? Wash it with saddle soap? Or seal it with top coat? Your input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks! 🙏
Hey Ryan, sorry if you answered this already in the comments, but how do you deal with the charred edges and stitching holes? Do you sand the out edges before burnishing etc? Do the laser cut stitching holes get your thread dirty? I imagine it wouldn't matter much with dark thread, but have you used it with lighter thread?
Please would you describe the amount of charring (or lack of it) on the edge of the leather and the holes coming out of the GlowForge? I've played around with diode lasers, which are really not up to the job, even with the addition of air assist, and to make them cut 3mm leather takes 12-18 passes, resulting in a lot of charring = unusable. That's why I'm asking :)
As a CAD guy I would love to experiment with one of these. Too cool! What kind of up keep does this require? Any parts etc that have to be replaced every so often?
Ryan! Your products look great! Now that I have seen that your press sounds like a jet ✈️ it makes it even more impressive! I do believe that is my favorite part of your new shop! Thanks Petter for introducing me to this amazing ‘creator on the rise’ 🙏🏾‼️
I know this question is late but I'm just now weighing options for laser or clicker press, I spend so much time cutting out patterns and I use thick leather so it's twice as hard it seems. My question is, how thick of leather can this Glowforge cut out, I use 6-8oz Wicked and Craig mostly.
I think a toll like this cutter would be a great investment to any craft business especially a leather business!!! And it true it’s not for everyone but I’m sure if someone has a business and they make enough to buy it it’s worth it
I got the glowforge pro from your link and did a few things. Now using iOS illustrator I’m trying to make stitch holes. I’ve found a few sVg files with them but can’t figure out how to make them. I asked my daughter who draws with illustrator and she thinks it was a brush. I know you use the computer but can you share the Ai tools used to do it or any other reference. Thanks for your time Chris
Thanks for the vid Ryan, its cool to see whats out there for people like us! Not really my thing but hey, ya never know. Business is business. Thanks again and keep it up!
Awww man . Applied for it today didn't get approved for the finance part but ill deff find another way to get it. ...I might have to wait for a miracle lol... hopefully I can still use that 500 discount your giving when I'm ready . Love your channel ❤
Question for you, can you make a video on making a leather jacket? I'm intrested in making one but want to see how a master does it and in a way that I can see the steps and parts and how they come together. I would 100% buy a print for a leather jacket if it were simple enough to make for a semi beginner. Thanks! And I love your videos
Everything you do is incredible. I would love to hear your suggestions on laser settings. We find the leather to be really brittle and charred after going through and I would love to hear your solution.
Can you provide an Amazon link for the large tape rolls you used to protect the leather? Also, can you use both chrome and vegetable tanned leather? I'd love to see more videos about how you design in AI for the glowforge. Thanks for all the great info Ryan!
Hey Heidi! Here is the link:www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001BY2BC4/ref=as_li_qf_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=littlekingg0f-20&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B001BY2BC4&linkId=70d3393a5a1cd890ec9ad1ad48801e59
Hi, Ryan, love your designs and your videos. Great Job! 3 questions: Do the edges show any burning? Does the Laser work with thick or soft leather? In Illustrator: how do you create the stitchlines and make them follow round corners?
Hi Ryan! Great video. I'm going to have to buy one of these machines sometime. Have you tried it on thicker cuts of leather? Like 6-7 oz, or 8-10 oz? Is there a bit of charring on the edges, and will the software automatically detect the variance in thickness for the same leather and compensate to minimize charring? Thanks!
Hey! I haven’t tried thick leather because I haven’t had any projects that needed it. You might have to use multiple passes to cut through the thicker stuff. Charring will happen regardless of the thickness of the leather. It cuts by burning through. It’s something that can’t be avoided. You can minimize it by playing around with settings but in the end I’m always sanding off the char.
Great information!! If you don’t have the filter and you use the hose does it keep the smoke and fumes completely out of the room still? I’m interested in getting one but I have severe MCS (multiple chemical sensitivity) so fumes of any kind can make me super sick and dizzy so am wondering how well the hose works, thanks Ryan
Hey Rita, the fumes when cutting aren’t bad. Once the cut is finished and you extract the material, it can get bad depending on the material you are using.
I've spent a decent amount of time laser cutting leather and I wonder how you handle the sticky char left behind or the smell. Best I've found is to sand the edges immediately, throw the parts in a box with an ozone generator, and then spray them down with some nitrocellulose lacquer. Another issue I ran into is hole char staining light colored thread when you go to sew. Any tips?
Hello Ryan, Love your leathercraft, all your video is very inspiring for leather craft newbie like me, i have laser cut machine but i have problem that after cut the leather makes the edge burn black, do you find same problem with glowforge? If yes do you mind sharing how you finished the edge after laser cut, thank you very much
Hey, you will always have black edges because of the laser regardless of the laser cutter. Using Vegtan Leather is a must though. It doesn’t leave residue. A chrome tanned leather is terrible for burning and is toxic when cut through. You can sand the edges after you cut if you don’t like the black.
Hey Ryan, love your videos and your brand. I'm curious about your social media strategy. Do you try and engage more with people who are interested in starting leather craft or those who are more likely to buy your products? Just asking because I'm starting a leather business myself and I'm not exactly sure what kind of content to post and who to engage with and follow. Thank you so much for all the stuff you've been doing, love every single one of your videos!
I like doing a variety of different content. I hate doing the same thing over and over again. I love having the freedom to shoot all kinds of things ✌🏼
Hello from France. Very interesting and instructive video, thanks a lot. Do you know where to ask for the prices in my country ? Love what you're doing !
Yeah, machine is great with all it's advantages but it also makes Your products, in my opinion, not handcrafted since the only thing You do by hand is takeing care of the edges (beveling, burnishing) and assembling (glueing, stitching) all the parts into final product. Not hating, just sharing my opinion.
All of these comments show that you cant make everyone happy. A lot of people react out of emotion and don't maintain an open mind different ways of doing things. Being the smart man that you are, I bet you saw these conflicts coming before you purchased the unit. I dont know if you employ any workers to help you with making products. If you don't, then what was it that ultimately made you choose to purchase a machine and risk the handmade controversy over hiring people to help and being able to maintain what others are claiming is a truly handmade product? Keep doing you and dont let the haters sway you 👍
@@Tinker.Studio Of course I am capable of finding out how much the Glowforge costs, but this is a conversation and if 'Little King' are reviewing and by default promoting the product, then it is of course just an obvious question, to ask how much it costs, especially as 'Little King' mentioned a financial discount! Now I am and my company are serious about buying a laser cutter, but it may or may not be this laser cutter! That decision will be made when I have all the facts in front of me regarding this laser cutter and other lasers cutters on the market! But thanks for your comment Kyle.
@@LittleKingGoods I am interested in learning leather crafting. I have a glowforge also but I have no idea about leather work. Any tips or guidance would be greatly appreciated 🙏. Thank you
Hey Ryan! I used your referral code 😊 Enjoy your benefit! I just placed my order today. I’ve been watching reviews on RUclips and bit the bullet. Side note: My baby girl’s name is Ryan too, so I went with your code as opposed to others out there. Sometimes weird things, get you bonuses. Haha 🤪
@@LittleKingGoods I understand, And I respect that you also have to make a living And create more content. And every form of creation is respectable to me, But it feels like your latest videos are more focused on the products, not the craft itself.
Who cares? This comment you posted is also stored in the cloud. Your browsing history is stored in the cloud. Your purchases are stored in the cloud. Your online life is stored in the cloud. I would be way less worried about a pattern stored in a cloud than your life 😉
Repeatability and consistency is nice, but I like the "one-of-a-kindness" of handcut leather. Perhaps I'm just too much of a traditionalist to really embrace something like that. I find joy in spending time with designing, cutting, sewing, dying, etc. It looks like a great machine, but it's definitely not for me.
I don’t know if you’re a professional leathercrafter,but he is,he owns a business,and turning your passion into a business means taking away some of the passion in order to make money and keep the business running. I’ve heard it repeated time and time again by the great knife maker Geoff Feder,ti make a profit and live off of your products you have to treat it like a business.
I think people don’t understand what is being presented here. I appreciate your comment. Prototyping and design are a part of business. It’s also one thing to be a hobby crafter but when you have 400 wallets to make, machines are 100% necessary. You wouldn’t make a living if you did it any other way. You’d burn out. I was there. People don’t realize the true amount of work that goes into a business. Thanks again.
The biggest issue I have with the Glowforge is that the day they go out of business, you end up with a 6k$ piece of junk who can't do anything. Otherwise, it is a wonderful machine.
Hey Y’all, before you all get upset and angry about how I sometimes use a laser in my workflow, I want you to understand that I hear you. Making things by hand is incredible and I learned a lot in my career as a crafter doing it that way. As a brand grows and as your demand gets higher, machines like sewing machines and clicker presses and lasers become a lot more beneficial and prevent personal burn out. I understand that most of you are hobby crafters and do everything by hand and I commend you. As your a business grows and you become full time, you will see in time that you will benefit from machines. Thanks for your comments and I wish you all very well!
Love your work Ryan! Keep up the incredible videos! Your transparency from the craft, the tutorials, the materials and the way you deliver it all as a business mind is inspiring. All the best in your continual growth 👍🏼
Thanks man!
honestly it's just like a modern clicker press I think... It cuts out your designs while your prepping your day/designing new things on AI. why do people have trouble with this one and not with the clicker press I wonder. It's even original, I mean, who lasercuts his wallets? It's something a crafter would come up with, to me it's as creative and original as any other think Ryan makes, with the benifit he gets to play more with his sons when they get home from school.
The only thing I kinda understand somewhere is that of course the whole collection shouldn't start to be made massproduction, but that's an obviousity that Ryan knows about himself and is weird to call him out on. Exclusivity is key, that's just 'duhhh' :)
You got it!
@@LittleKingGoods I don't see anything wrong too. From what i've seen on the video, you still do more than 60% of the work by hand even with the "pre-made" by laser - cuts. It's not like 100% of the work is done by machine and the quality drops. I'm glad that you grow and you grow fast. I hope you will have a big production line one day!
Ryan,
Love my glowforge and very happy I took advantage of the discount they offered thru your channel!
For those thinking about full time work, but are still employed elsewhere, consider the payment plan. I retire in a year from the Army and set up my payments to end right before that.
Excited to think about the future with this machine.
Congrats on the continued success Ryan......and thank you for zooming in during the skill share lead in on the couch....the nipples had me distracted for a moment!! 😂😂
I really look at it like you said for the repeatability and consistency. The ability to take cutting parts from an hour or more to a few minutes is not only a life saver but profit in my pocket.
I say every day,
"Oh, how I wish I had a 3D Printer! I can't wait until they come down in price.... Then, I'm There!!!"
The sky is the limit!
You are awesome in your thinking and intelligence.
You are so inspiring. 👍
(Leather and wood are my passion! Earthy.)
I would get one today if I could! This is awesome!
I'm 62, just retired, and don't have a "lifetime" to learn a trade.
This sounds like it's fairly quick to learn?
The older I get, the longer it takes me to retain new skills. Frustrating...... If I could, WOW! WHAT A BEAUTIFUL MACHINE!
Hey! Yea it’s a nice machine for sure. If it will help you in your business it’s definitely worth the investment! I understand these can be expensive but if it can turn a profit it’s worth it ✌🏼
I'm so happy to see a new video up. I was starting to worry. I started working with leather at the beginning of this year after seeing the videos on this channel, and all the information I learned here was priceless. I even designed patterns of my own and had some acrylic templates and cutting dies made for me. It would be amazing to have a laser cutter that could cut acrylic templates on the fly. I don't really have the space for that right now, but I love seeing the info about it here.
I have some background in photography as well, and I really appreciate the cinematography and photography in your media.
I don't know why there are so many negative comments on this video, but I love all of the content and seeing you building out your brand and channel.
I understand perfectly why this laser cutter / engraver would be useful, designing & prototyping takes a lot of time and this will dramatically speed up the process. Time after time you hear on the business news about the importance of automation. In my view, its great to have 100% traditional trades using 100% traditional techniques, but the fact is that traditional 'home country' trades, both here in the UK and the USA, are being smashed by mass importing from China & the Far East, whom HAVE invested in the new technology. Companies like Little King Leather goods are using a blend of modern & traditional techniques and that must be the way forward, surely? Thanks to Little King, Al Bane, Stock & Barrel & many others, there is a movement building to enable us to compete against these foreign imports, but it does mean we have to learn some new skills and embrace technology.
It was because of you I got into leather crafting. It was because of the love and effort you put into this business I decided to give a go at it. I'm a full stack developer so burn out is real, and If i didn't use the tools I have to the best of my ability it would ruin me.
You have found a tool to help you cut the perfect designs and it is a really cool piece of kit. Buying a tool like this is no different than buying a better quality knife, or a sturdier mallet. Creators are creative for a reason, they are engineers and designers. You my friend have found a way to still be creative and improve the work you do. I just got one of your templates to practise on so i can eventually make my father a wallet. Thank you so much for the inspiration, you are awesome. Very awesome.
so, in few words, you are mass producing you stuff, should we aspect a noticeable reduction in prices?
one thing is buying handmade goods, another is buying hand-stitched ones
All of my products are made by hand. I prototype using the glowforge.
Why is it that every time a maker automates a part of his/her process (and the processes that can be automated are the “monkey” ones,everyone can cut a piece of leather) to improve their work and make it quicker,people always demand them to lower the price? He still designs ,glues, stitches and finishes his products by himself,plus he has to keep the business running. They’re still handmade,the important and valuable processes are still made by him.
@@OgeiDennepeL have you aver made a leather object by yourself? the cutting part, punching holes are one of the most time consuming operations
one thing is making one wallet per day because you are doing everything by yourself, a completely different story is being able to make 10-15 of them because you could simply attach few pieces and call it a day.
his stuff is pretty pricey, and i'm willing to pay that amount if is something truly handmade
Thank you for posting this video. Awhile back I saw you put these out, its now 2022 and I'm back looking into what a laser could mean for the work I do and would like to do. Really love your studio and how you have it set up - - would work there in a heartbeat, the organization is so zen.
Love the idea of a machine like this...my only issue is there should be an offline option. If something happens to the company, then it becomes an expensive brick.
You are the man! Thanks Ryan for everything. You inspire me to create my own leather business. And I did! I hope one day to be like you✊🏼 much love and support from this fella all the way from Oakland California!
So many salty people on here! Do you guys realize that he’s a business owner,he lives off of his products? As a business owner,the most sensible thing for him to do is to automate the parts of his process that aren’t specialized and take away time,so he can concentrate on other,more important steps of the process,like stitching and finishing. His products are still designed,glued,stitched and finished by him,which are,in my opinion,more crucial steps to deem a product as “handmade”. Should he open up a tannery too,since he doesn’t tan the leather himself? Or even better,to make the process completely handmade,he probably should buy a ranch,buy the cows,kill them and tan their leather all by himself. But then you’d still be mad cause a simple card holder would cost you people 6/700$ to keep up the whole gig.
Finally someone who gets it.. Thank you!
I would love to see how you design for the glowforge!
I have been cutting/etching leather with a laser for a few years now. Greatest investment you can have if you want to make repeatable designs. Yes, I have my purists that like directly hand made items having all process done manually with hand tools only and are willing to pay handsomely for those articles. BUT, as stated above and in the video content itself, the time savings to get basically the same end product over and over there is no match for laser cutting. What’s really nice on the veg tanned leather is that the edge is automatically darkened. So, you can actually skip the color/stain step at the end for a nice raw finished look. I have an Epilog Mini and the Glowforge Pro. The Epilog is a little monster that is extremely expensive and more suited for a production environment. But for the money, the Glowforge line of flatbed lasers is absolutely the way to go. The quality of these machines is outstanding and as soon as it lands on the table, you have just opened up a massive amount of possibility. In the Epilog I have a cylinder feed roller set up that drops in to do round cylindrical objects like bottles and such. That unit alone was the cost of the mid level Glowforge, so they have the price points right at the range where you can easily recover your investment if buying it for using as a business tool. Remember, there is STILL a lot of creativity and handwork needed in the process. I call what I make that is cut from the laser “Handmade TA”. That’s handmade with a technology assist, lol. Lasers and leather were made for each other.
You couldn't have timed this video better. I am starting to get serious about leather craft and am looking to invest in my business. I have been trying to decide between buying a press and dies or buying a laser cutter. Eventually, I want both, but this video showed me that I will get more mileage out of the laser cutter early on.
Thank you, so much for all of your amazing videos.
I would love a glowforge if I could afford it 😂 so many possibilities...
You could afford it, if you really wanted to. The question is how can you?
As an older designer I remember Quark Xpress and the early versions of photoshop and illustrator. As a new leather crafter I am intrigued by this crossover!
As a beard product user I know that small batch beard oil producers sell customized merch. Like leather logos on ball caps. Big market in the states.🤘
Apart from the price (almost 6 grands - for that price it should be a 5-year warranty, not 1 - and it has to be worth AT LEAST the praises you made), I totally understand it is an absolute necessity when being full-time in your field.
I guess many have never tried to make a decent leather creation and to sell it, that is while making profits! (20 bucks of labor an hour (it should at least be that, right...), tools and material costs... the final price is going to be a galaxy away from competitive - or even worth it!).
Good luck! It's nice to see a business with such an invested man and beautiful work. And thank you for sharing with others. :)
I wish huge companies such as Apple, BP and all were like that. But it seems at some point, money burns the essential neurons. Destroying must be more fun? I prefer creating.
Congraaats, Ryan!! Now you can smell smoked beef every time the robot burns leather! 😄😄 . Thanks for the video, thanks from 🇮🇩
A couple of questions please.
I’m confused about how you use the laser. I took the implication that you used it produce the components that you then hand assembled, stitched, finished into your items for sale but, in a comment, you say that you use it for prototypes only. Can you clarify how you use it please?
I already use a cheap laser cutter/engraver but the burn left on the leather when cutting through is very visible. Do you get the same and, if so, what do you do about it?
Super awesome video. I'd like to ask you what do you use for masking leather? Because I have small experience with leather engraving and it leaves there that not really good looking "smoky" effect. Is it some kind of masking tape? It really caught my eye and I keep thinking about it. Thank you
Love your videos. I love the laser cutters but was worried about the venting but with the filter, it's now very viable for me and my business. Your videography is on point as normal, love your videos. There are a few (only a few) videos I must watch on the big screen because the phone won't do it justice and yours is one of them. Keep up the good work.
Are you cutting chrome tanned leather with it? I thought I read somewhere that you weren't able to cut chrome tan only Veg tanned? Thanks!
Brett Myhre , laser cutting veg tan is a no brainer. With chrome tan you just have to watch the you balance between power and speed. Most of the time with chrome tanned in the laser I’m all the way up to 100% power and moving very fast. And you can do effective etching as well on either tanned or chrome. The best images come on chrome.The smell from either is awful, lol. Even with a fresh HEPA filter the smell still permeates. I use both an Epilog Mini at 35 watts and the Glowforge he is using here. Both are excellent quality, but the Glowforge Pro has the edge, no doubt.
Would like to see how you design a wallet or card holder and add the holes for sewing. I havent received mine yet, just wondering how you add the holes, spacing, and size.
Great video!!!!
Would love to know how you go about picking your laser settings when you’re cutting and engraving leather. I’ve not been using the Glowforge sanctioned leather so I’ve been having to trial and error my veg tan.
Congratulations on the 300K milestone! This is definitely helpful! You deserve more than subscriber count! Keep it up, man!
An illustrator video would be good!
We getting ours the Pro in a few weeks 🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼
Stoked!!
4k-7k on the machine, 1.3k on the air filter if you don’t want to use it next to a window, 600 dollars for shipping. Even with a discount code, it’s hard to chalk up. Also, you’re kind of left with a useless machine if the company ever goes under. Yeah, I’ll stick to acrylics and hand cutting.
Hello! I love your work! Big fan here!
When you laser engrave designs on leather, how to you go about the soot it leaves behind? Wash it with saddle soap? Or seal it with top coat? Your input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks! 🙏
Hey Ryan, sorry if you answered this already in the comments, but how do you deal with the charred edges and stitching holes? Do you sand the out edges before burnishing etc? Do the laser cut stitching holes get your thread dirty? I imagine it wouldn't matter much with dark thread, but have you used it with lighter thread?
I have loved the glowforge for a while now. Watching this video has confirmed my desire to get one.
Please would you describe the amount of charring (or lack of it) on the edge of the leather and the holes coming out of the GlowForge? I've played around with diode lasers, which are really not up to the job, even with the addition of air assist, and to make them cut 3mm leather takes 12-18 passes, resulting in a lot of charring = unusable. That's why I'm asking :)
As a CAD guy I would love to experiment with one of these. Too cool! What kind of up keep does this require? Any parts etc that have to be replaced every so often?
Ryan! Your products look great! Now that I have seen that your press sounds like a jet ✈️ it makes it even more impressive! I do believe that is my favorite part of your new shop! Thanks Petter for introducing me to this amazing ‘creator on the rise’ 🙏🏾‼️
I know this question is late but I'm just now weighing options for laser or clicker press, I spend so much time cutting out patterns and I use thick leather so it's twice as hard it seems. My question is, how thick of leather can this Glowforge cut out, I use 6-8oz Wicked and Craig mostly.
I think a toll like this cutter would be a great investment to any craft business especially a leather business!!!
And it true it’s not for everyone but I’m sure if someone has a business and they make enough to buy it it’s worth it
wow i was just to sleep after watching ur previous videos.
I got the glowforge pro from your link and did a few things. Now using iOS illustrator I’m trying to make stitch holes. I’ve found a few sVg files with them but can’t figure out how to make them. I asked my daughter who draws with illustrator and she thinks it was a brush. I know you use the computer but can you share the Ai tools used to do it or any other reference. Thanks for your time Chris
I would love for someone to cut a leather pattern bag for me with the pro to see if it will work for me.
Thanks for the vid Ryan, its cool to see whats out there for people like us! Not really my thing but hey, ya never know. Business is business. Thanks again and keep it up!
Awww man . Applied for it today didn't get approved for the finance part but ill deff find another way to get it. ...I might have to wait for a miracle lol... hopefully I can still use that 500 discount your giving when I'm ready . Love your channel ❤
Question for you, can you make a video on making a leather jacket? I'm intrested in making one but want to see how a master does it and in a way that I can see the steps and parts and how they come together. I would 100% buy a print for a leather jacket if it were simple enough to make for a semi beginner. Thanks! And I love your videos
Everything you do is incredible. I would love to hear your suggestions on laser settings. We find the leather to be really brittle and charred after going through and I would love to hear your solution.
Can you provide an Amazon link for the large tape rolls you used to protect the leather? Also, can you use both chrome and vegetable tanned leather? I'd love to see more videos about how you design in AI for the glowforge. Thanks for all the great info Ryan!
Hey Heidi!
Here is the link:www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001BY2BC4/ref=as_li_qf_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=littlekingg0f-20&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=B001BY2BC4&linkId=70d3393a5a1cd890ec9ad1ad48801e59
Also I have a video of how I create designs here:ruclips.net/video/uCSNmQDgWT8/видео.html
Hello @LittleKingGoods, can I ask what material you used to protect the grain from scorch marks?
Hi, Ryan, love your designs and your videos. Great Job! 3 questions: Do the edges show any burning? Does the Laser work with thick or soft leather? In Illustrator: how do you create the stitchlines and make them follow round corners?
Love stuff like this. Sadly there will always be elitists who think using technology and not doing every detail by hand is a bad thing.
Hi Ryan! Great video. I'm going to have to buy one of these machines sometime. Have you tried it on thicker cuts of leather? Like 6-7 oz, or 8-10 oz? Is there a bit of charring on the edges, and will the software automatically detect the variance in thickness for the same leather and compensate to minimize charring? Thanks!
Hey! I haven’t tried thick leather because I haven’t had any projects that needed it. You might have to use multiple passes to cut through the thicker stuff. Charring will happen regardless of the thickness of the leather. It cuts by burning through. It’s something that can’t be avoided. You can minimize it by playing around with settings but in the end I’m always sanding off the char.
Great information!! If you don’t have the filter and you use the hose does it keep the smoke and fumes completely out of the room still? I’m interested in getting one but I have severe MCS (multiple chemical sensitivity) so fumes of any kind can make me super sick and dizzy so am wondering how well the hose works, thanks Ryan
Hey Rita, the fumes when cutting aren’t bad. Once the cut is finished and you extract the material, it can get bad depending on the material you are using.
Can I cut my own acrylic patterns with this??
I've spent a decent amount of time laser cutting leather and I wonder how you handle the sticky char left behind or the smell. Best I've found is to sand the edges immediately, throw the parts in a box with an ozone generator, and then spray them down with some nitrocellulose lacquer. Another issue I ran into is hole char staining light colored thread when you go to sew. Any tips?
Are you using a high quality Vegtan leather?
@@LittleKingGoods Nope! Does that make a big difference?
Yes sir!
Hello Ryan, Love your leathercraft, all your video is very inspiring for leather craft newbie like me, i have laser cut machine but i have problem that after cut the leather makes the edge burn black, do you find same problem with glowforge? If yes do you mind sharing how you finished the edge after laser cut, thank you very much
Hey, you will always have black edges because of the laser regardless of the laser cutter. Using Vegtan Leather is a must though. It doesn’t leave residue. A chrome tanned leather is terrible for burning and is toxic when cut through. You can sand the edges after you cut if you don’t like the black.
Congrats on 300k!
Thanks man! Pumped!
Hey Ryan, love your videos and your brand. I'm curious about your social media strategy. Do you try and engage more with people who are interested in starting leather craft or those who are more likely to buy your products? Just asking because I'm starting a leather business myself and I'm not exactly sure what kind of content to post and who to engage with and follow. Thank you so much for all the stuff you've been doing, love every single one of your videos!
I like doing a variety of different content. I hate doing the same thing over and over again. I love having the freedom to shoot all kinds of things ✌🏼
Hello from France. Very interesting and instructive video, thanks a lot. Do you know where to ask for the prices in my country ? Love what you're doing !
too expensive for Russia
Где купить такой принтер?
Yeah, machine is great with all it's advantages but it also makes Your products, in my opinion, not handcrafted since the only thing You do by hand is takeing care of the edges (beveling, burnishing) and assembling (glueing, stitching) all the parts into final product. Not hating, just sharing my opinion.
Enjoyed this one man. I would love to see what your able to do with it in future projects.
Thank you so much for that wonderful review....it is that kind of laser machine i have been looking for....
How much does it cost?
This is super helpful. Thanks for the video. I'd love to buy one of these.
How thick of leather will it cut?
How thick of veg tan can you cut on it?
Can you cut leather with laser? Or only solid materials?
5:23 Lol, rly thought it was a plywood but this is a leather:)
Can the glowforge work on chrome tan leather, particularly thin leather? i'm concidering the glowforge but i have so many questions ^^
Veg tan only. The chemicals in the chrom tan process are released when cut with the laser.
All of these comments show that you cant make everyone happy. A lot of people react out of emotion and don't maintain an open mind different ways of doing things. Being the smart man that you are, I bet you saw these conflicts coming before you purchased the unit. I dont know if you employ any workers to help you with making products. If you don't, then what was it that ultimately made you choose to purchase a machine and risk the handmade controversy over hiring people to help and being able to maintain what others are claiming is a truly handmade product? Keep doing you and dont let the haters sway you 👍
Congratulationes for you work Master!!!
From Bogota
Just ordered my glowforge two days ago lol
Enjoy! Hope I could help you out!
I just love seeing you discovering new technologies, yet sticking to the old method 😊 Keep up the great work Ryan 👍🏻
Can you tell us how much money the Glowforge Pro costs? Then we can start working on finding a budget for one.
Hey! Click the link and you can see all the different models and price ranges and what they offer.
@@Tinker.Studio Of course I am capable of finding out how much the Glowforge costs, but this is a conversation and if 'Little King' are reviewing and by default promoting the product, then it is of course just an obvious question, to ask how much it costs, especially as 'Little King' mentioned a financial discount! Now I am and my company are serious about buying a laser cutter, but it may or may not be this laser cutter! That decision will be made when I have all the facts in front of me regarding this laser cutter and other lasers cutters on the market! But thanks for your comment Kyle.
Well its about time. Been waiting for a video 😍
how long have you had the pro
Great Video, Awesome to see your process and future proofing of your designs. Not really understanding the hate on this video. Keep it up ✌🏼
Where's the #ad?
You were obviously a card worker at some point in your life.
Glowforge is amazing!
Would've been better if you mentioned the pros and cons of the machine 🙂
More video with thr glowforge.
Will be more for sure!
@@LittleKingGoods I am interested in learning leather crafting. I have a glowforge also but I have no idea about leather work. Any tips or guidance would be greatly appreciated 🙏. Thank you
Amazing machine and even more amazing user! Good job!
Hey Ryan! I used your referral code 😊 Enjoy your benefit! I just placed my order today. I’ve been watching reviews on RUclips and bit the bullet. Side note: My baby girl’s name is Ryan too, so I went with your code as opposed to others out there. Sometimes weird things, get you bonuses. Haha 🤪
Haha thanks Stacy! I appreciate it. Stoked for you to make amazing things!
Do you teach or do some training?
I think most people didn't understood that he only uses this machine to create prototypes.
А где ручная работа?
man, when did all of your videos became one big commercial?
loved your early videos...
Just trying to help people with the craft. Not every video is going to be about making something. Just enjoy ✌🏼
@@LittleKingGoods I understand,
And I respect that you also have to make a living And create more content.
And every form of creation is respectable to me,
But it feels like your latest videos are more focused on the products, not the craft itself.
Porfavor comparte de forma gratis las plantillas estoy empezando porfavor
de donde eres tio.... escribeme y compartimos apuntes... estoy empezando tambien... martinesbaps@gmail.com
Queria tanto uma dessa 😭
You'll save enough on clicker plates that thing will pay for itself...
Kick Ass! You changed my mind. I am getting one.
Cool tech, dude!
And now I need one 🤩
"Cloud based software". Congratulations, you're giving your designs, talent and expertise away to some factory in China.
Who cares? This comment you posted is also stored in the cloud. Your browsing history is stored in the cloud. Your purchases are stored in the cloud. Your online life is stored in the cloud. I would be way less worried about a pattern stored in a cloud than your life 😉
Muito top o seu trabalho
Очень не хватает русских субтитров! Мои знания английского не позволяют бегло переводить.
Repeatability and consistency is nice, but I like the "one-of-a-kindness" of handcut leather. Perhaps I'm just too much of a traditionalist to really embrace something like that. I find joy in spending time with designing, cutting, sewing, dying, etc. It looks like a great machine, but it's definitely not for me.
I don’t know if you’re a professional leathercrafter,but he is,he owns a business,and turning your passion into a business means taking away some of the passion in order to make money and keep the business running. I’ve heard it repeated time and time again by the great knife maker Geoff Feder,ti make a profit and live off of your products you have to treat it like a business.
I think people don’t understand what is being presented here. I appreciate your comment. Prototyping and design are a part of business. It’s also one thing to be a hobby crafter but when you have 400 wallets to make, machines are 100% necessary. You wouldn’t make a living if you did it any other way. You’d burn out. I was there. People don’t realize the true amount of work that goes into a business. Thanks again.
14 minute commercial, with another commercial in the middle... nice. All positives with no negatives? Sure buddy...
Pumped for you!
Goaaaals
5600$ 😳😳😳😳😳
The biggest issue I have with the Glowforge is that the day they go out of business, you end up with a 6k$ piece of junk who can't do anything. Otherwise, it is a wonderful machine.