Jim Linnell

[1][2][3] Linnell was raised in southeastern Montana,[1] where he was first introduced to leather working in an industrial arts class in Junior High.

[2] He enjoyed working with leather and began making small projects that he would sell to classmates at enough of a profit to buy a new tool or pattern.

After high school, he worked at Boyd's Boot and Saddle in Miles City, Montana[1] for several years, where he made custom leather goods and taught classes.

[7] During his tenure at Tandy Leather, Linnell dedicated much of his time to promoting leathercraft, having taught in 39 states, Europe, and England.

[11][12] In 2017, Linnell retired from Tandy Leather and started Elktracks Studio Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving the history of leathercraft through teaching, both online and in workshops around the world.