About Us

It all started with an axe, and a piece of property that needed a lot of cleanup. Early on, I got an ax, but needed a sheath and decided to make one. I figured, as long as I was going to make the sheath and strap, I may as well decorate it, so, I came up with a design, got a basic set of tools plus one specialty stamp, and some veg-tanned leather from the craft store. It has exploded from there, and I now offer

  • Hand-tooled custom leatherwork
  • Bespoke leatherwork
  • Leather tooling classes

Why Ravens?

They're pretty amazing animals really, and I have always appreciated them. Intelligent, playful, creative tool makers and users, they are culturally affiliated with life, light and creation on one side, and trickery, mischief, battle and death on the other. But, as much as anything, it's a play on words. It just makes me smile!

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Our Values

Handmade is Better

In a world of disposable, bulk-made, all the same, I believe handmade allows me the attention to detail and craftsmanship my customers deserve.

  • Hand-rounded edges are more comfortable.
  • Hand-rubbed finishes sink deeper into the leather, last longer, and age and patina with use and time.
  • Hand-stitched means it will hold, even if a thread breaks, until you can get it repaired.
Handmade

Durable

I pour my heart, sould, blood sweat and tears into my work - why would I want that thrown away?

You spend your valuable time to make hard earned money to buy something amazing. Don't you want it to last?

Durable

Repairable

I want you to be happy, not just when you walk out the door, but 20 years down the road. If it breaks, I want to fix it, so you have your purchase for years to come.

Repairable

Respect

My customers become friends and family. I want to respect:

  • People - You deserve my best work.
  • Materials - I only use premium leathers - no pleather, no cheap imitations - just the good stuff that will last.
  • Environment - I avoid waste, by keeping the work small, close-cut, and re-use scraps for other purposes than the landfill.
Respect

Service

I am honored to extend a 15% discount to veterans and active duty alike, whether military or civil, as well as to educators. You folks protect, serve, inspire and teach. Thank you!

Service

Services

What we do offer

Repairs

Whether I made it not, I am happy to help you out with repairs to your leather goods.

Custom Leatherwork

Take a standard offering, like a blank purse, and make it more "you." Custom designs and colors can be put on most anything you might wish.

Bespoke Leatherwork

Start with you, add a dash of conversation, a heaping spoonful of my work, and you have a unique, made to your desires, item that is truly one of a kind.

Leather Tooling Classes

Join me at the local Port City Makerspace, in Portsmouth, NH, for a class or two in tooling and carving leather!

Portfolio

What we've done

  • All
  • Strap Stuff
  • Bag Stuff
  • Other Stuff

Purse 1

Tooled Purse

Padfolio

Tooled Padfolio

Dashboard

Center of 76 Triumph Spitfire

Rifle Sling 1

Nordic Themed Rifle Sling

Rifle Sling 2

Desert Rose Rifle Sling

Tooled Belt

Oak Leaves, Acorns and Basketweave

Purse 2

Tooled Purse

Phish Belt

Belt to Match Commemorative Buckle

Chukkas

Oak Leaf and Acorn Chukkas

Footstool

Reupholstered Footstool Tooled with Magnolias

Pricing

Prices will vary depending upon the work. These are premium, and luxury goods, so, please do not expect "cheap."

Standard Offerings

$

  • Basic wallets
  • Basic belts
  • Basic purses

Custom Work

$$

  • Custom colors
  • Custom tooling and design
  • Send me your design
  • Specialty lining
  • Buckstitching

Bespoke Work

$$$

  • Shoes
  • Purses
  • Upholstery
  • Coachwork
Classes

Classes

Join me at Port City Makerspace

$

Currently offering:

  • Basic Leather Tooling
  • Intermediate Leatherwork
  • Advanced Leatherwork

F.A.Q

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Custom is

    Imagine buying a suit, and then taking it to a tailor, to have the sleeves, shortened, the waist taken in a bit, and the inseam lengthened a bit on the left leg. That suit has now been customized.

    The same thing can happen with leather. Take something fairly standard - a wallet, a purse, a checkbook cover, and get it dyed in green, with mushrooms tooled on the front. It's a bit of a shortcut to something "you," but not as involved as designing something from scratch.

    Bespoke is

    Now imagine going to the tailor, being measured, picking out the suit fabric, lining fabric, stitching, thread color, collar type, and all the rest of the details that make the suit exactly what you want, made to exactly fit you. That conversation is called "bespeaking," and the resulting suit is called "bespoke."

    If you have an idea of a special piece of leatherwork, a special design that is unique to you, give me a call, and let's start bespeaking! It takes longer, is more expensive, but, in the end, is exactly what you want.

  • Mostly, I use vegetable-tanned cowhide. It's the only leather, really, that I can tool to get that lovely burnishing.

    Of course, I will use other things as needed and appropriate - ostrich hide for a wallet, stingray for a holster accent. Most anything that has skin, can also be leather.

  • Well, it depends on what you want, really. If you're just looking to hold up your pants, you could go even cheaper and get a piece of rope from the hardware store. If you're looking for an individual, wearable, piece of art that speaks to who you are, and what's important to you, that you can hand down to your grandchildren, come talk to me and let's get something started!

  • You absolutely could, and I would be happy to help you learn! It doesn't take much in the way of expensive tools, but, it takes time, patience and practice to learn to do the work well. Either way, let's talk!

Who is the Raven Lunatic?

Our Hardworking Team

Justin Williams

Owner, Artist, Craftsman

But not complete without the love and support of my wife.

Contact

Contact Us

Location:

228 Piscataqua Road, Durham, NH 03824

Call:

603.812.8341