Rules for Straps

[Johanna]

Rules for Straps

©Verlane Desgrange 2003

All the stress on a strap is lengthwise.

Straps take more punishment than large pieces of leather.

Because of that, straps need some special treatment.

These rules are designed for the user's safety in mind

and the longevity of the product

Never stitch crosswise on a strap. It is an invitation to break exactly where the stitching is. This is the classic phrase: "Tear on the dotted line".

Remove as little leather as is necessary to get the job done. That includes:

Punch only the number of holes needed (but always an odd number so you have a center hole)

Skive only if needed where the strap makes contact with hardware for a lap. You will lap skive the buckle lap, but not the exact spot where it wraps around the buckle. Use full weight around any hardware and skive only the lap end. Thin leather wrapped around hardware is always an invitation to break at that location.

Doubled and stitched (abbreviated D&S) is never stronger than a single layer of quality leather. Many times D&S is a mass manufacturer's method of using up cheap leather in attempt to strengthen weak leather. Putting nylon between layers can make the final product too bulky for its intended use. Many times D&S products are too thick to be buckled properly. They can be difficult to use.

Never stitch around the portion of the strap that directly wraps around hardware. Limit stitching to the lap behind the buckle or ring. The friction of the hardware will prematurely wear out stitches, leaving holes in the leather.

Tailor the stitch length to the task at hand. Even though small stitches usually outlast larger ones, there is a time and place for either large or small stitches. Know which one to use based on use of the product.

Never staple in a loop. It will pull out or the steel staple will rust the leather causing deterioration of the leather and great weakness in that area.

Do not use steel or iron hardware. The rust will destroy the leather, greatly weakening it. Since the rust is on the inside of a lap, it can be hard to see.

Never skive on the grain side (abbreviated GS). The grain side is where all the strength of the leather is. If you skive colored bridle leather and the skiving exposes the internal natural color of the leather, touch up the natural color with dye to make it less noticeable. Always skive on the flesh side (abbreviated FS).

Punch buckle slots exactly in the center of the strap. If punched off center, one side will be thin and weak. A strap will easily break at that location.

Punch the smallest hole that will accommodate a buckle tongue. Reverse punch holes in most situations. Reverse punch means to punch from the side of the strap the buckle tongue enters the strap. Holes are cone shaped and the entry location of a punched hole is always larger than the exit location. This means you'll generally punch holes from the flesh side location.

©Verlane Desgrange 2003

[Gregory B. Moody]

"Remove as little leather as is necessary to get the job done. " V.D.

Exactly... I have never understood why people would use a gouge in a place where there the stitching was not going to be subject to heavy abrasion... you are simply weakening what you have to stitch together.

In addition to that.. a gouged stitch line is where the project will accumlate dirt which is almost impossible to remove.

"The grain side is where all the strength of the leather is." V.D.

True....but that conflicts with this sentence.... "Doubled and stitched (abbreviated D&S) is never stronger than a single layer of quality leather." -V.D.

The trick is that " quality leather" , which I assume means no internal weak spots , is pretty hard to gaurantee.... So if we are talking something important like a laptop computer....

I see nothing wrong with using the top grain of two thinner pieces of leather glued back to back... which also has the advantage of giving nice surface to both sides... and allows the strap to be given it's curve by offsetting the pieces when glueing them up.

If I am making a strap for something like a laptop I include Stainless Steel aircraft control type cable... available at Tractor Supply Company and places like Grainger's. Even tiny cable is very strong and several total wraps back and forth can be made without undue weight being present. If you are sewing with a welt it can even be hidden in the welt.. which is typically made of hollow plastic tube ....

If you properly design the placement of the Stainless Steel cable then the leather becomes a way to make the cable comfortable for wearing...and many of the rules for leather only straps can be violated with impunity... without increasing the possibility of the strap breaking. This could allow the use of stitching in any direction for decorative purposes.

Greg

[Johanna]

I cut an inch and a half wide 8/9 oz strap, no airplane cable necessary. This strap could support my weight, and my clumsiness will drop my 'puter before the strap will fail. The only thing I need to stitch is a back to the shoulder pad, which will slide on the strap as needed. No, I didn't sew the hardware on- I "cheated" and used the triangular rivet pattern after the fold. All told, the strap will be better quality than the cheap nylon case, and should easily hold <15 lbs.

Johanna

[Gregory B. Moody]

I cut an inch and a half wide 8/9 oz strap, no airplane cable necessary. This strap could support my weight...

Johanna

Wow, I was thinking a little ' daintier' than that.... like some nice soft Chap leather with good foam inside.

Great foam in reasonably small packages can be had at most Automotive Upholstery supply shops... I just got a stack for redoing an old car seat. Greg

[Johanna]

Hey, Greg, sweet thought, but there isn't much about me that's "dainty". I'm one of those women who can drive stick shift big trucks in high heels, though. ;-)

Johanna

[ClayB]

Never skive on the grain side (abbreviated GS). The grain side is where all the strength of the leather is. If you skive colored bridle leather and the skiving exposes the internal natural color of the leather, touch up the natural color with dye to make it less noticeable. Always skive on the flesh side (abbreviated FS).

This reminded me of something Bob Beard brought up in a class making a checkbook cover. Bob said that he doesn't gouge a stitch groove when he sews. Why? Because if the grain side is where all the strength is, and you gouge that away, didn't you just remove the strength of the leather? Bob said that he will use a modeling tool to press in a stitch line without cutting into or removing the grain side. Goes against most instructions on sewing leather, but it does bring up a valid point.

Clay

[Gregory B. Moody]

I will tell you why it goes against most instructions on sewing leather .... because the people writing the books often were working for a company which either made a stitching gouge ... or sold them...

You can not ignore the commercial pressure which existed in the old books.... I am sure that is the only reason a barseeder backgrounder was ever used in a Stohlman book...

If you use an Overstitch Wheel ( and you should ) then it will accomplish exactly what Bob used his modeler for...and more... a properly made Overstitch Wheel first shows you where to put your holes....then after you have sewn makes it look like it was machine sewn... and presses it down also....even more so if you sew with your leather wet. In fact... if you glue your leather together ( which you should anytime you sew or lace ) then you really don't have to sew it in all instances... because the Overstitch Wheel will make it look like it is sewn..... try it if you don't belive me... but you need one with good wide scallops like in the old days..

Greg

Bob said that he doesn't gouge a stitch groove when he sews. Why? Because if the grain side is where all the strength is, and you gouge that away, didn't you just remove the strength of the leather? Bob said that he will use a modeling tool to press in a stitch line without cutting into or removing the grain side. Goes against most instructions on sewing leather, but it does bring up a valid point.

Clay

[abn]

Interesting discussion on the pros and cons of stitching groovers and other construction techniques. Thanks for keeping it going!

Alex

[Dangerous Dave]

Interesting discussion on the pros and cons of stitching groovers and other construction techniques. Thanks for keeping it going!

Alex

I dont use groovers or over stitching wheels. I use a pricking iron to mark the holes, diamond awl to pierce the leather and pound the stitches when finished. Good firm leather is far superior to fleshy stuff and is ideal for cutting straps. I use 10/11 ounce stuff for stirrup straps and 9/10 ounce for quarter/rigging straps with no problems. The key is the firmness of the leather.

[Kevin]

In over 30 years of handstitching, I have never seen stitching improved by using an overstitch wheel. I have a friend that insists all stitching must be hammered afterwards, to my way of thinking, that compresses the leather and leaves you with loose thread. The only time I use a groover is when I'm restitching someone else's mess and the stitches are too big to pull down into the leather (machine stitching).

Of course, I am oversimplefying and generalizing,

Kevin