Where can an amateur with minimal tools learn to work with leather for costuming?

Ein

I've been googling around for a little but, but I'm not finding a lot of helpful resources.

I really, really want to get myself a pair of goggles like these:



A lot of tutorials I've been finding on leatherworking have used highly specialized tools to shave away at it and the likes. I'm mostly unsure as to whether or not you can just go at the stuff with regular tools - i.e. a sharp Xacto knife, for example. That said, is the above something a complete amateur who has never done any sort of leatherworking can make? Anyone have any recommendations as to how to go about this sort of thing?

Figgy

Check out Instructables. They have a lot of steampunk goggles projects.

Feral

I've done a bit of leatherworking here and there.

Most of the tools aren't going to be specialized. A regular x-acto knife is fine for cutting leather.

Some of the tools are specialized. You're going to want, at the very least, a leather hole punch:



some leather stitching needles (they're larger and sturdier than fabric needles):



and a leather awl:



You're probably also going to want a rivet setter, but you need to buy the one that is the right size for the rivets you're setting or else they'll look bad:



You'll also want a nice thick, broad brush for applying dyes or sealant to the leather. And a leather mallet for hammering the awl and rivet setter.

I would characterize the steampunk goggles you've linked as a moderate-to-advanced difficulty project. You're not just working with leather there, you're working with metal and glass too, and there are a lot of little parts there to get right. I'm guessing that the side of the goggle that shades the corner of your eye is molded cowhide. This isn't hard, it just involves saturating the cowhide with water, shaping it around a wooden dowel or block, and applying a varnish or stain. When the cowhide dries, it becomes semi-rigid and keeps the shape it was molded to. It usually takes a few tries to get it right.

My suggestion is to go to a store that sells leatherworking supplies. I use Tandy Leather, but you'll also have good luck with any place that sells saddle & tack (horseback riding) stuff. If you don't have one in your area, Tandy has an online store too. Get some scrap leather. Pick up a basic book on leather working if they have one, and also a beginner's kit if one is available.

And then just sit down and practice on scrap leather. Don't worry too much at first about making a completed project. Just get used to the way leather feels; what you can do with it and what you can't. It's not a difficult craft by any stretch of the imagination, I just don't want you to get discouraged by aiming too high at first.