The Story
Corbin Lane Leather Company
The journey of leather crafting is different for every maker. My journey started with molten steel, an anvil, and a hammer.
The Beginning
I made my first knife and sheath in the summer 2021. I immediately became obsessed with taking a simple object and creating something both functional and beautiful. I knew I wasn’t prepared to build my own forge, so my mentor encouraged me to take up leather crafting. One month later, I made my very first cardholder.
I quickly realized that I had a long way to go before what I saw in my mind would become tangible. Each cut I made- and each stitch I finished was pushing me to grow at something I truly loved, creating. I began experimenting with new techniques and absorbing as many tutorials as I could find. I was in love with the process, and it didn’t take long for the hours of practice to add up.
I began making anything my mind could dream up. Bags, collars, wallets, journals, coasters, keychains, the possibilities were endless with this craft. I wanted to create things that would be beautiful, functional, and timeless. Leather was the perfect medium for that exact expression.
I kept refining what skills I had learned, and every new order brought new problems I could learn to solve. Shifting my focus from small leather goods to larger-scale bags was the first huge turning point in my confidence in leather crafting.
“The Kay” tote was the pinnacle of all the skills I had acquired up to that point. It was the first piece I made that I still look at with immense pride. I named it after my grandmother, and my mother carries it every day. It was a symbol of the connectivity leather goods can provide us. Still, it remains one of my favorite pieces.
It was about a year and a half into the craft that I began to dabble with more luxury finished leather. Shell cordovan being the most widely recognized. I wanted to refine my products, from the skills used to make them- to the materials themselves.
Slowly but surely, my craft began to evolve. From the materials to the skills to the final product, there will always be something to learn. As the craft continues to grow, so will the lessons within it. It is the pursuit of a passion, a dream, and an opportunity to leave a mark for generations to come. And the story has only just begun.