We designed our tool organizer to fit tools with a tapered shape, meaning the tool’s tip is narrower than the handle. A tool like a stitch groover or flat head knife won’t work with this type of strap organizer because the tip is wider than the handle.
We’re using a 4 to 5 oz. natural vegetable tanned hide for our tool organizer. Veg tan leather works best for wet molding. You can’t wet mold chrome tan leather, and processed veg tan leather does not work as well as natural veg tan.
Wet molding leather is the technique of submerging veg tan leather in water until all the air has escaped the hide. Then you can pull the leather out, pat it dry with a towel and form it into your desired shape. Wet molding the loops on our tool organizer creates a custom-shaped loop for each tool’s handle. Every tool has its designated place on the strap. That way, you’ll know exactly which tool is missing based on which loop is empty.
This project pairs perfectly with our "How to Make Leather Strap Shelves" tutorial. In fact, you’ll see our tool organizer attached to the front of the shelves in that video. We’re outfitting our Sailrite leather workshop with organizational projects like these to keep our space tidy and looking great.
We hope you enjoyed this leather tool storage tutorial. If you’re looking for more free content, check out our leather DIY projects page. You’ll find project ideas and inspiration for your leather journey. Sailrite is your destination for leather hides, tools and supplies, as well as the best free educational and DIY content available anywhere.