Angled Chisel / Stitching

[xlr8tn]

I bought one of those angled 4-prong chisels so that my strap stitching would be more angled and have a nice aesthetic look. I read somewhere that you aren't supposed to chisel all the way through the leather, so I made a stitching channel / grove with my groover and tried to hammer the chisel in this groove. Now, when stitching, am I supposed to use a different awl that basically fits the side left by the chisel? Or, am I supposed to make two stabs, one at the top of the slat and one at the bottom? For some reason the last time I tried this, my stitches were straight on one side and staggered on the back. My technique was as follows:

1) punched side was on my right hand side

2) I pushed an awl throught the slat

3) I feed the left needle through and pulled the thread a little

4) I then positioned that thread downwards to pass the right needle on top

5) I then made sure that the thread on the left went on top of my needle when the right one went through

6) I then pulled both thread evenly

Help me out, am I doing something wrong? I tried to follow one from my book, but it was the standard saddle stitch with single holes.

P.S. I'm trying to do something like the photo.

[howardb]

Can't help you with the spiffy offset stitching part, but I groove both sides and then run the multiprong punch straight, and completely, through the leather. Mine is a straight punch style, but the stitching comes out even & smooth.

I have done the same thing with a hand (diamond) awl too, it just takes longer! My stitches didn't offset like that photo, so I'm not sure how to make that part happen.

Brent

PS: I tried a bunch of ways to make that stitching pattern with my hand diamond awl. No dice. The best I could do was punching two small holes & offset the stitching through the two holes. Good luck!

--BH

Edited March 5, 2008 by howardb

[savvydreambuilder]

Hi, the way I get those angled stitches is instead of drawing my thread doownwards, I draw my thread to the left and hold it there while I pass the other needle through.

This sets up a stitch that follows the angled line of the pricking Fork.

I aways stitch starting from the back, then as I said, pull the thread to the left, then stitch down through the front and pull both threads to tighten, then obviously start the process again.

You have to be consistent when pulling the thread to the side as swapping sides will make your stitching look uneven.

Also I've found it helpful to burnish or even file away the edges of the tangs on the pricking fork, you get a tool that releases from the leather a bit more easily and you also get a more refined hole for your awl to pass through.

Hope this helps,

SDB

[Luke Hatley]

Hi, the way I get those angled stitches is instead of drawing my thread doownwards, I draw my thread to the left and hold it there while I pass the other needle through.

This sets up a stitch that follows the angled line of the pricking Fork.

I aways stitch starting from the back, then as I said, pull the thread to the left, then stitch down through the front and pull both threads to tighten, then obviously start the process again.

You have to be consistent when pulling the thread to the side as swapping sides will make your stitching look uneven.

Also I've found it helpful to burnish or even file away the edges of the tangs on the pricking fork, you get a tool that releases from the leather a bit more easily and you also get a more refined hole for your awl to pass through.

Hope this helps,

SDB

TO ADD what savvy said, use #277 nylon thread or 6 cord linnin or flax thread

this will give you the more pronunced angle you are looking for.

[Rawhide]

I'll try to explain this. The best way to get that is to use an awl with a diamond shaped blade. When used at the correct angle, about 45 degrees, it will produce holes that seem to "lean" in one direction. When you start your stitching, start on one side of the article, but maintain that side as the first needle through the leather on each stitch. When you pull that needle all the way through, pull the thread up and into the corner of the diamond shaped hole and hold it there while passing the second needle through the same hole, pull stitch tight. Repeat this around the article and you should be able to see the angled look you're after.

Marlon