Yona Report post Posted March 25, 2010 (edited) I have read a lot in here on lacing and agree and disagree on a lot of things....I do motorcycle seats mostly.....I like to mold my leather to the shape of the seat and usually do it in two pieces...top and bottom! I don't like rivets and felt, cause it shows no craftmanship and less willingness to do a job right.....I know people that get a $1000 or more for a seat......I only wish....They sew the seat and punch big holes, install brass eyelets, and use skinny lace in a X pattern that in no way would hold a seat together. Then they pop-rivet the thing on and cover that mess with thick black felt .....to "protect the paint", as in cover up the mess!! I agree with Marlon mostly as to the choice style, how to punch holes and the type of needle to use .....I like the 2-prong flat needle for price, ease of use and the fact that after you have done it enough, once you have started, and have the shiney side up, you can slide trhe lace thru your fingers and lace with out even looking at it...the flat keeps the lace going thru the hole in the proper orientation......I too hold the spool and pull the lace above my head , without fully extending my arm, .......I dry splice by leaving about 3/4" inch to tug on and start the new length with the same and weave the ends in and out inside the weave. I butt the edges of leather together, and use the slit, straight or angled Punch, customer choice. I use 2 and 3 loop, applique, and round braid. If I can't mold the leather to fit tight on sharp corners I will cut and fold, useing applique style and a thin backer strip. Mostly this is needed on P-pads for bike with solo's. I never use round holes as like Marlon says....looks like a kit!! I like to use the foam in Camping pads, sold at Wal-Mart...Good supply and it can be shaped with a sanding disc on a air grinder...I cover that with a 1/4 close- cell foam, used on Landau roof on cars....easy to get at your local auto upholstery shop. I spend a week of nights usually lacing and placeing each stitch on a seat....On a 2-loop, you go thru the front , out the back, over thr e top , back 2 stitches, under 2 in the front and 1 in the back....don't sit there and tug till the laces are pull out of place ...snug it and then fold , hold with L hand and thread lace thru the next front hold and pull the needle thru, gripping the neddle at the 2prongs and pull till snug, pushing leather together and flattening lace with the left thumb and repeat. Been doing this since the late 60's and I can do this in the dark....take pride in what you do and how happy your customer is going to be, not on how much you get to stick in your pocket...... Picture below is of a LePera, modified by customer so end of tank would come point and tuck in to the seat....doing a 2-loop in that V was a b---h...I had to roll the end of the needle to get it thru the tight slits.....can't do that with a round needle... ; P As my hands get old and stiff , my carving skills aren't the best any more but I take pride in knowing that one of my molded and laced seat, is more of a saddle, than just a buttbucket, to be replaced every 2 years...Plus there is a reason a show saddle is carved and a working saddle is not....... Used to make saddle bags in the old days that buckled to the saddle and one could be removed and used to get water for the horses. you could dip it in a stream and it would stop dripping (leaking) before you got back to the horses....Good tight laces... I have a rawhide Tandy mallet that I bought at a craft shop in Germany in 1974........the handle is oak and it is polished so smooth, that I take the rawhide end and use the handle to tap along each finished section, and then bone to a smooth finish...I use the stylus end of my spoon/stylus to open holes, tug strands in place and give the lace a uniform look. I punch all of my hole, 7 to an inch, on the bottom, spacing around sharp curves and indentations......if you double up on a curve, I think every other one make a nicer uniform look. you have to plan them and it takes more time ...BUT after all , that why we like to be called leathercraftsmen...or ladies.... ; ))))) Thanks for listening....Yo-Na of the Cherokee Edited March 25, 2010 by Yona Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
