How To Stitch The End Cap In A Round Motorcycle Bag

[Eccho]

Hey everybody. I have a lot of call for round bags, for tools, essentials, or sometimes just for bling. Till now I have always used a simple whip stitch to put the end caps in. I do not have a machine, everything is by hand. Sometimes I use lace, sometime just heavy waxed nylon. I have never had a complaint, but | would still like to have another option to offer. So I am open to any and all opinions as I know there are many on this forum with far more experience than I. So lets hear some ideas.

[Bob Blea]

In the Tandy 'Hand Sewing Leather' book, I believe it shows an example of sewing a round bottom in a case by cutting a mitre joint in both the round end and the tube end. You are basically cutting the edges of the leather at a 45 degree angle. You then insert your awl through each piece of leather at a 45 degree angle to your leather and come out the other side.

I can't remember for certain if the round case mitre example was in the hand sewing book or in the 'Art of Making Leather Cases' books. The cases books definitely had examples of installing round ends in cases. I'm not at home so I can't check the books out at the moment.

[Nuttish]

This is the butt stitch. You can find it described in detail in the Valerie Michael book. It's just a saddle stitch at a 45º, but you don't need to mitre anything. The downside is that the stitch seems more prone to puckering than a flat saddle stitch, so proper thread tension is the rule.

Check out document tubes, pool cue cases, fly rod cases, etc. for examples.

Edited April 23, 2014 by Nuttish

[oltoot]

Also check plug sewing in some of the holster making books and be advised that unless extremely thick leathers are used, it does not provide a great weight bearing capability. If that is required then some kind of two layered approach is indicated.

[mtroyalguy]

The mitred saddlestich example is in Al Stolman's Art of Hand Sewing. It works quite nicely, my issue is getting my end round and my mitre square.

[Troy Burch]

Al Stolmans how to make leather cases volume 1, 2 and three shows how it's done with about any case you want to make. He mitres the corners for square corners such as breifcases but he doesn't on round plugs, theres just no reason for it.