On holiday, North Yorkshire, and we enjoy looking around antique shops, unfortunately no leather tools. However did buy these, total £40
A leather strop which has a box inside. Needs the leather replacing. A real bone that will be shaped when I get home. A pair of R Heinisch H 4 shears, around 100 years old. Though they are tailors scissors I might be able to use them on thinner leather. Anyway I do like old tools. As they say there is no tool like an old tool!
Nice findings there!
R Heinisch is one of the oldest shears makers of the USA along with Wiss and Compton. Funny enough, they were imported in the UK although there was already a strong establishment of scissors and shears makers in Sheffield area, amongst them Wilkinson, Whiteley and Wright which all still exist. Wilkinson though, has been taken over by Whiteley.
I also have a 12" Heinisch shear which is one of the most ergonomic from my entire collection, surpassed only by a Wiss and a Solingen made one.
Beautiful finds Mike! I love those shears. So many modern shears are made with cheaper stainless steel these days, so a well preserved pair is a great investment. £40 is money well spent.
Yes, thin skins such as lamb or goat will be no problem. I use mine for canvas and suede linings mostly
These are dressmaker's shears: