What Does It Really Mean to Be a Craftsman?

The word craftsman is used quite often, but I’ve sometimes wondered what we actually mean by it. Is it simply someone who can make something with their hands, or does it imply something more?

Richard Sennett, in his book The Craftsman, offers a definition that I think gets close to what craftsmanship is really about. He describes craftsmanship as “an enduring, basic human impulse, the desire to do a job well for its own sake.”

I like this idea because it moves craftsmanship beyond simply being good with your hands. It suggests that there is something about the attitude we bring to our work that matters too.

The finished object is important, but so is the desire to do the work properly, to develop the necessary skills and to take pride in the result.

That distinction feels particularly relevant to leatherwork.

Skill is only the beginning

Skill is obviously important. In leatherwork there are techniques that need to be learnt and practised, and you need to understand how to use your tools and work with the material.

But knowing how to perform a technique is only part of becoming a craftsman.

Experience changes the way you see things.

After spending enough time working with leather, you begin to notice details that might previously have passed you by. You start to recognise when a proportion doesn’t quite look right, when an edge needs more attention or when a particular piece of leather would be better suited to a different project.

My own journey in leatherwork began more than ten years ago, learning from experienced leatherworkers who shared a strong belief in traditional techniques, quality materials and careful workmanship. That experience has continued to influence the way I work today.

There is also a great deal to be learnt from mistakes. Sometimes a piece doesn’t work as you expected and you have to understand why. Occasionally the best decision is to start again, even when you’ve already invested considerable time in something.

Experience develops judgement

Sennett makes an important distinction between simply acquiring a technique and developing genuine skill. For him, craftsmanship is founded on skill developed to a high degree.

I think you can see this quite clearly in leatherwork.

When you first learn to stitch, you’re concentrating on the mechanics of the process: where to put the needle, how to hold the thread and how to keep the stitches even.

With experience, those actions become more familiar. Your attention can move towards the quality of the stitch, the behaviour of the leather and whether the finished piece is actually working as it should.

That is where judgement becomes important.

Not every decision can be reduced to a set of instructions because every hide, every piece and every project is slightly different.

Craftsmanship is a continuing process

I don’t think becoming a craftsman means reaching a point where you know everything. In fact, the longer you work with a material, the more you realise there is still to learn.

There are different leathers to understand, different techniques to explore and different problems to solve.

For me, craftsmanship is ultimately about care. It means caring about the material, caring about the process and caring whether the finished piece is as good as it can reasonably be.

Sennett’s idea of wanting to “do a job well for its own sake” captures something that I think is easily lost when we concentrate only on speed, productivity or the finished result.

The tools may be in your hands, but experience teaches you how to use them with greater judgement.

Perhaps that is what separates simply knowing how to make something from becoming a craftsman.

Reference: Sennett, R. (2008) The Craftsman. Yale University Press.

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