What is your name, your leather craft business, and where are you located?

Nate Walker, Lost Dutchman Leather in Mesa, Arizona.

What types of leather goods do you make, or what is your role in the leather craft business?

Mainly smaller items – wallets, card holders, and notebook covers.

What purchase of $100 or less has most positively impacted your leather crafting in the last six months (or in recent memory)?

I would have to say my Palosanto beveler (purchase link) . That thing is awesome.

How has a setback, or seeming setback, set you up for later success in leather craft? Do you have a “favorite failure”?

I look at every failure as a chance to grow. You have to look at it that way, otherwise you’ll only get depressed with every mistake you make. I remember once I was commissioned to make a large portfolio (my first), and it was a complete failure. I sized it wrong, used the wrong weight of leather, wrong type of leather… it really was terrible.

But, I learned how to size a folio, what type and weight of leather to use, and how to interact with customers on issues like that.

If you could collaborate with another leather crafter to make an item, which leather crafter would it be and what would you make?

Tough one. There are so many great craftsmen out there. Because I’ve never really made a bag, I’d love to collab with Ryan from Little King and we’d make the most boss bag out there.

What is one of the best or most worthwhile investments you’ve ever made? (Could be an investment of money, time, energy, etc.)

Time is always a worthy investment. If you do something long enough, you’re going to get better at it, that’s just the natural result. When I first started I made it a rule to always be making something, even if I didn’t have paid work to do.

What’s an unusual or odd technique in your process that you’re pretty sure most people don’t do?

To clean up my edges, I scrape it with my skiving knife laying flat on the edge. I guess I could just buy one of those edge planer things…

In the last five years, what new mindset, behavior, or habit has most improved your leather craft?

I don’t get discouraged by the success of others. I used to spend too much time on social media looking at everyone else’s work and comparing myself to crafters who appeared to have overnight success. I guess I just accepted the fact that I was growing at my own pace, as everyone does, and if I worked hard enough at it it would eventually pay off.

What advice would you give a smart, driven person about to get into leather craft? What advice should they ignore?

There’s a lot I could say, but I think one of the most important things is to focus on the craft before you focus on getting sales or growing your Instagram. Be passionate about what you’re doing and hone your skills, and people will notice that passion.

What are bad recommendations you hear in your profession or area of expertise?

Anytime someone tells you that you need a super expensive tool, do some research. I started off with cheap tools, and while maybe not ideal you can still create beautiful work and not spend a fortune. With time of course you can begin to upgrade your tools.

When you feel overwhelmed or unfocused, or have lost your focus temporarily, what do you do? (If helpful: What questions do you ask yourself?)

When I’m feeling overwhelmed I just do something else for awhile. It might be a workout, doing some “just-for-fun” photography, etc. Just something to take my mind off it for a while. Then, I get back in and figure out what my next steps need to be. Writing things down always seems to help me.

Where can people find you (links to online store, blog, twitter, Instagram, etc.)

My website is lostdutchmanleather.com, my @lostdutchmanleather on the socials.