Brynlee Cope
Faith and Features
What began with a worn-out backpack and Bible developed into years of leatherworking and hundreds of handmade pieces for one Oklahoma Baptist University professor.
Mario Melendez, professor of Old Testament and biblical studies, began making leather goods around 2015.
After repeatedly replacing his backpack and Bible, he spoke with his father about the expense of purchasing higher-quality leather products. His father, a retired engineer and builder, encouraged him to make the items himself.
“If someone did it before, there’s no reason that, with the right time, practice and tools, you can’t make one too,” his father told him.
It was advice his father had repeated throughout Melendez’s life. Eventually, it led Melendez to Tandy Leather, where he purchased an entire cowhide of nine-ounce leather and began making satchels and other goods.
One of his first creations was a dark brown satchel he still carries on campus. He has taken the original piece apart and rebuilt it dozens of times while refining its design.
“I’ve only made a dozen or so,” Melendez said of the satchels. “With every iteration, I make improvements based on things I personally want or need.”
Although satchels remain his favorite pieces to make, Melendez has decided not to produce more because of the time involved and the limited amount customers are willing to pay an independent craftsperson.
His most common leatherworking project is rebinding Bibles. Each Bible takes about 20 hours to complete, and Melendez has rebound several hundred during his years in the craft.
The time required is one reason he refuses to rush the process.
“I take my time doing them because if I rush, I make mistakes,” Melendez said.
Leatherworking requires patience because much of the process is completed by hand. Punching holes and sewing leather can take hours, and the physical work can be taxing.
Melendez said people may not understand the time-consuming nature of punching and sewing leather by hand until they try the craft themselves. Even the blisters caused by the work can be difficult.
Despite the time and physical effort involved, Melendez continues to find the process rewarding. One of his favorite parts is taking a large piece of leather — sometimes half a cowhide or an entire goatskin — and transforming it into a finished product.
He also enjoys studying items made by other craftspeople and determining how they were constructed.
“I think, most of all, it means that I can have really nice stuff without paying the horrendous prices that some companies charge,” Melendez said.
For Melendez, leatherworking is not simply about creating an object. It is also about learning to make something that may initially appear too difficult or expensive.
He encourages people interested in leatherworking to remember that skilled craftsmanship develops through repetition and practice. The price of a handmade product often reflects not only the hours required to create it but also the years the craftsperson spent developing the necessary skills.
“Remake it over and over again,” Melendez said. “Every time, learn new techniques and find better products to use.”
A conversation with his father and a trip to a leather store became the beginning of a long-term craft.
What started as an attempt to avoid the high cost of replacing everyday items has allowed Melendez to create pieces that are both functional and personal.
For Melendez, leatherworking demonstrates that quality craftsmanship can be learned through time, practice and patience.
