jhw

thanks smokeypoint, appreciate you posting your results, you've inspired me to do some testing on some scraps i have of the thin leather i have for the bag i am working on..well which i hope to get back to working on. side note, my pricking irons on careful examination did not seem to pick up any sticky residue from tape (when i used my irons incorrectly that is) ps i did borrow the book mentioned in an earlier post by 25b from the library. it goes over how to make reinforced aka bound edges very briefly, again i will need to experiment and hope i dont run out of scrap leather (:

thanks much for replies.. i actually use 9tpi blanchards.. sorry i dont know why i put 7tpi in my original post stitches are tiny ...use lin cable thread 632, works well on all the different kinds of thin leather i have been using so far, been side tracked recently repairing bass bag, using various samples of leather for some of the repairs.

hello art and 25b, i finally found the forum post on pricking irons.. unfortunately i cant seem to post the link here .ipad issues... looks like i have not been using my pricking irons correctly as you both said here politely. ok live and learn... well in defense of the fine leatherworking folks, i might have misunderstood the blog post, he does also use an awl. in any case still learning, thanks for your kind help!

hello Art, thank you for your response. i just doublechecked to make sure : the pricking irons by blanchard i bought are also considered stitching irons at least according to the fine leatherworking blog and several other sources online. It is shown used as a stitching iron in the blog post on their website, although the blogger does mention using an awl for a second layer. i think tandy and probably other companies have pricking irons just for marking as you mention, i seem to remember getting confused at the tandy store when our instructor tried to explain which was which (: good to know for future reference that pricking irons might not be the same as a stitching iron depending on the maker. i will definitely doublecheck from now on, appreciate the tip!

thanks much, yes that video was one of the ones i found, as you can see its for 4 very thick pieces of leather. the leather i am using is thin and might rip if i use his method (soft awl to widen holes .. i dint think i need to widen the holes unless i really tap lightly on the pricking iron. piping question .. sorry basically i meant reinforced sides that look like piping but no additional strand of 'piping' is actually added ... stitch sides and bottom with seams facing out, put a narrow strip of leather folded over the seams, stitch folded leather together - or possibly all 4 layers are stitched together not sure but that seems like a bear to try to do properly. will check out the amazon book in thr meantime.. thanks again

hi i am new to leather making. i took a workshop at tandy which went over basics for making a little suede pouch. i am trying to make handbags using thin leather. i bought some nice remnants from a good local store just to get started. i have a 2 teeth and 4 teeth pricking iron 7 tpi blanchard which i really like. okay so here is where i get confused. i have searched online and its hard to find compact info.. for multi layers, seam of bag, do i mark and prick one layer and then line up the other layer underneath and prick the second layer? ( clamp together with binder clips) or do i glue or tape layers together and prick through both layers or mark each layer and prick separately or prick one layer and use an awl to go through the 2nd layer or prick the layers but not all the way thru and use soft awl to make hole larger for needles to go thru (i saw this method in one video but again that was use on very thick leather .. i am afraid i might damage the leather if i try this with very thin leather) what to i do for a very thin strap? (leather folded in half so only using single seam) .. what i tried is taping the leather and pricking thru both layers.. not sure if that was best way to use the pricking iron .. it looked fine but .... also wondering if its bad for the pricking iron to be going through tape or glue... how do i added piping .. that is in terms of making the holes? is it best to mark and prick all the holes i will need to stitch the sides of the bag together? thanks in advance for any help. the information i have been able to find online has been mostly for very thick leather and i am not sure if the same processes apply for thin leather or methods are either not fully explained or alternatively there are so many methods shown that it just confuses me more ):

nice job! and you even put in a zipper, not an easy task. kudos to you. i hope you dont completely stop handstitching, your stitching looks terrific.

thank you Art appreciate your getting back to me

hello anyone?

hello, i am new to leather making and been having a problem with saddle stitching seams on the inside and then trying to turn work right side out. sometimes the white shows thru on a few of the stitch holes and i am worried the leather will tear. is it because i am pulling the stitches too tight? or maybe pulling the leather too much when flipping it right side out? would appreciate any advice. i am working with a very thin piece of remnant leather ... it seems to be a nice piece of leather, sews wells and dye doesn't run etc. i dont know enough about types of leather yet to tell what kind of leather it is. i am using lin cable 623 and 4 teeth 9tpi blanchard pricking iron thanks much ps i used marker to make white less notieable but hopefully this photo shows issue..

thank you Bob! that definitely helps.

hi bob, question for you about using sharpies, did you have to set the sharpie ink in any way after it dried or did the color hold? i have been trying various markers and really like how they look but am wondering if i need to set them somehow .. i would rather not because setting might stiffen the edges and i prefer to keep them soft and pliable

depending on the type of leather and its surface you might be able to use white electric type or maybe plastic wrap to cover the areas around the edges you want to dye. if you try this i would test on a scrap of your leather to make sure that 1. dye doesnt bleed, 2. whatever you use to cover the leather doesnt pull the leather and tear it.. i tried white electric tape with varying success (worked on one thin leather i had but not on another distressed leather piece). i also tried blue painters masking tape but that bled .. i ended up liking the pattern the edge paint made and decided to use it anyway.

was hoping a few folks would share their experiences using sharpies, copic markers etc for edges and coloring in blemishes, i am new to leatherwork, still experimenting, and have looked on the forums here and would like to fund out more about what worked for you and what didn't specifically, 1. which markers have worked well for you for coloring edges? and which didnt 2. did you have a particular process before and after using the markers (ex., glue, sand, put gloss coat over afterwards etc) which seemed to work well .. and the opposite, didnt work as hoped... 3. were there types/thicknesses of leather this worked best for you on ; on the opposite side, types where it really didnt work 4. also wondering if marker color holds over time once it dries and sinks in or can it run, or rub off? and a related topic: did anyone try using markers to color in tiny white tears/blemishes in dyed leather? how well did it work.. did the color rub off or sink in and basically work? again, which markers worked fir you, which didnt, types of leather, what processes worked well, etc. thanks in advance for sharing your experiences. i have been working with various remnants .. not exactly sure what type of leather it but at least a few of the remnants seem to be a decent quality. i have been trying markers (several different brands to match a dark navy blue) and the fenice edge paints and gloss coat bought via tandy leather. the experience so far alternates between being fun and being frustrating (: