Recently I talked shop with leather craftsman James Hebert of Hebert Leatherworks. James is one of the craftsmen continuing an age-old tradition that he began out of necessity. “I had horses and my sons participated in rodeos and horse shows, and I started repairing my own tacks. I went on to repair saddles and tacks for others for 35 years,” he says.
As the need for saddle repairs dwindled, the retired Lafayette firefighter of 41 years pivoted to making other leather goods. And since 2016, the self-taught craftsman has made wallets, bookmarks, key fabs, valet trays (to hold change, jewelry, and odds and ends on the dresser) and magnetic money clips. His custom items – which entail most of his work – include custom knife sheaths, belts for men and women (especially popular at Christmas) and more particular items like leather slings used by duck hunters to carry their game.
While he sources top-grain American-made leather by Springfield and Weave, James occasionally acquires some from Brazil. Items made of alligator are not affordable for most clients, but when he gets an order for an alligator wallet, he purchases a small piece of local hide, pointing out, “The back side of an alligator wallet, alone, can cost me just over $90.”
The shop behind James’s Milton home is kept clean so that leather doesn’t get soiled or stained. Among his most used tools are three second-hand sewing machines- one heavy-duty and two for small projects. He also relies on several hand tools: bevelers to cut edges of the leather, stamping tools to make designs like a basketweave in the leather, border tools that create half-moons or squiggly lines, a prickling iron to mark the stitch lines and an awl to punch holes.
With everything involved in working with leather – including avoiding leather cuts – James says the trickiest part is dyeing it. “It’s hard to get a uniform color, he notes. “It can be darker in one area than another. That’s why I prefer using an airbrush to apply the oil dye; it gives a more uniform finish and uses less dye.” The dyeing process involves first cleaning the leather with acetone or alcohol. Once dry – which doesn’t take long – a lacquer finish or wax product is applied to protect the leather.
Like most leather craftsmen and women, James says the best part of his work is seeing the end product. “When I take raw leather and make something like a belt with a nice design and cut or stamp someone’s name or initials on it, I’m proud of it.”
At this November market, James will be adding smaller magnetic money clips to his inventory, something several customers have requested. Hebert Leatherworks first hit the scene at the Delcambre Market in 2021, and James says he’s enjoyed it. “The market has a lot of customers, and I like to talk to the people and explain my process.”
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