Clicker Presses for Leather Goods & Saddlery
Leather goods manufacturing — belts, wallets, holsters, dog collars, saddlery, and small leather goods — is one of the most common applications for clicker presses in Australia. The combination of consistent cut quality, fast cycle times, and the ability to cut complex shapes from expensive hide makes the clicker press the standard tool for this sector.
Which Press for This Industry
The most common press in small to medium leather goods workshops. The moveable arm lets you position the die anywhere across the cutting beam, which is useful when cutting around defects in a hide. Good for single-layer cutting of belts, straps, wallets, and small components. Most Australian leather workshops start here.
For higher-volume production or multi-layer cutting. The fixed cutting area is larger and more consistent than a swing arm, making it better for production runs where you're cutting the same shape repeatedly. Also handles thicker materials — 6mm+ veg tan — more consistently than a swing arm at the same tonnage.
A manual option for very small workshops or low-volume work. No hydraulics, no power required — just a weighted flywheel and a screw mechanism. Limited to thinner materials (up to about 3mm leather) and simpler die shapes, but cheap to buy and maintain. Some saddlers use them for punching holes and setting hardware.
Material Considerations
| Material | Typical Thickness | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Vegetable-tanned leather | 2–6mm | Higher force factor than chrome tan. Stiffer material, cleaner cuts. Force factor 15–25 N/mm² |
| Chrome-tanned leather | 1–4mm | Softer and more pliable. Cuts cleanly at lower tonnage. Force factor 10–20 N/mm² |
| Bridle leather | 3–6mm | Dense, waxy surface. Treat as upper end of veg tan force range |
| Suede / split leather | 1–2mm | Low force required. Edge quality depends on die sharpness |
| Synthetic leather (PU) | 1–3mm | Generally cuts cleanly. Force similar to chrome tan |
For a full breakdown of force requirements by material, use our interactive tonnage calculator.
What to Look for When Buying
- 01Match tonnage to your thickest material — if you're cutting 5mm veg tan belts, calculate the required force first using the tonnage calculator, then add 25% headroom.
- 02Beam length determines maximum material width. A 600mm beam is fine for belts and small goods; if you're cutting larger saddlery pieces, look at 900mm+.
- 03Single-phase power (standard 240V) is fine for most swing arm presses up to about 10 tonne. Larger presses require three-phase — check your workshop supply before buying.
- 04Die quality matters as much as press quality. A sharp, well-made steel rule die on a modest press will outperform a blunt die on an expensive machine.
- 05Consider the cutting board. Nylon cutting boards are standard — they self-heal and extend die life. Replace them when they become visibly grooved.
- 06For used presses, check the ram seal condition and test the pressure hold — a press that won't hold pressure under load needs a seal rebuild before it's usable.