seanafk

Hi all, we’re thinking of creating an online course on how to do traditional finished edges. There are two techniques that we would cover- a European/French method and a Japanese method. People write to our store all the time for advice on best practices and alternates to 'western' techniques. It seems like most of the visitors here are self-taught, are there other areas that have been difficult to get information on or learn online? What do you guys think?

Full Disclosure: we are the distributor for the creasing machine in the US. We chose to carry this machine over the other ones for several reasons: * I was trained in using this specific machine, so it's what I know and what I have the most experience with. * It has very good heat control. The G6 has bit more control and power than the M3000. Heat control is probably the most important thing with any kind of creaser. * Heat consistency- the second most important thing with any heated creaser. You want consistent temperature otherwise your lines look...well ... inconsistent. * the accessories/tips - they're just better. The sizes that I need, the application of them is better. It's not the variety; there are other machines that have more choices. I prefer these accessories. I don't prefer the stamper though. There are better and cheaper ones out there. Cons for this machine: * it's expensive- it's the best we've found so far but you definitely pay for it. Don't get me started on the import taxes. * it is definitely not a toy- it is truly an old-school industrial machine. No manual. It requires finesse. We offer instructions and a virtual tutorial to everyone who buys it from us otherwise they'd be lost. Bottom line I thought long and hard before adding this machine to our offering even though I use it all the time. It's a large investment and it's a very niche item. It is a huge time saver though not only in creasing the edges but also prepping them for painting. If you're looking for the best machine this is it, but it's definitely not for everyone. [edit for typos]

That's interesting about the Sajou site- I didn't see that they group together the spools, capsules, cards and buttons. They may in fact be using the same Lin Retors for all four offerings. What I can say for certain is that Lin Cable is very different than Lin Retors/ Retors Extra. It has different weights, colors and holds its shape and firmness differently. I think someone commented earlier on this thread (unintended pun) about comparisons. We actually started with the capsules but quickly realized that Lin Cable was better suited to our needs and aesthetic. You may find that Retors is better for your work and it indeed is less expensive if you buy smaller quantities. Might be a good future blog post for us to do a thread comparison so that people can see the differences and make an informed decision on cost/quality. Best of luck in your search for a thread that fits your needs.

Hi all, Here's a copy of the relevant FAQ about Lin Cable. When viewing any of the linen thread product pages you can see additional details about the thread. What's the difference between Câblé linen, Lin Retors Extra, Lin Retors, etc.? All of the corded linen lines are great products, each have been perfected to different sewing applications. Lin Retors often comes in small sewing thread capsules and is a single twisted thread used for embroidery and cloth sewing. Lin Retors Extra is the next step up- three strands twisted and then retwisted for extra smoothness and durability. Lin Câblé is yet a another step up from that, in that it is moistened and smoothed for even more strength and durability. My personal experience is that the Lin Retors in the capsule is a bit too thin for leatherworking. While it looks great, it's more intended for more delicate work and is a single twisted thread. Lin Câblé is what is most often used because it holds its shape and color better and is stronger. The retwisting surprisingly makes a big difference in quality and durability but it is also that multiple strands are used, not just one. [edited for paragraph breaks]

Hi all, We now carry all sizes (332, 432, 532, 632 & 832) of Ecru as well as Brown, Black and White/Natural. You can see a comparison of all of the sizes on our site. 332 and 632 are generally the most often used sizes and we also now carry 332 and 632 in all available Lin Cable colors.

no problem- thanks!

Hi all, Per customer demand, we've expanded our needle offering to include 1/0 and 2/0 sizes. These are larger than the #2s and #4s we normally offer. We also added glover's needles for sewing through shearling/wool. Happy sewing,

Yes and also in Al Stohlman's book on leather cases volume 2, page 90 there is a construction guide for two cases that have a wide flat center with a zipper. He does his with welts which I think also helps with the pillowing but you could also probably do them without and get the same result.

Well done! That leather looks really nice too and I like the color reveal on the inside. For the pillowing you can taper the width in more at the top to help get rid of that. Also when you're gluing the inside and outside together, you can put glue down over more of the leather instead of just at the seams to make the top more rigid. Or you can also use a filler.

We carry thinner linen thread and needles and there's also Maine Thread and Royalwood. For threading, you push through the middle in two or three little loops and then pull through. I think there was a video on another thread for saddle stitching which covers this.

the 000s seem to be good when you are using 5ply or higher thread. For 4ply or 332 to 432 thread, the #2s work well. For smaller 532-832 thread the #4 are best, imo. size difference between them in case you want it by the numbers. Size 2 55mm length x 1.02mm diameter Size 4 50mm length x 0.86mm diameter PS- size 1-3 are the same needle size (in John James anyway). They're just numbered differently depending on where you live.

We carry Blanchard pricking irons but I've been to the Kyoshin Elle store in Tokyo where (I think) GoodsJapan site gets their irons. Kyoshin Elle carries other irons that aren't on the GoodsJapan site that I'd say on par with the CS osborne irons or maybe the Dixons. They make smaller holes than the diamond shaped stitching chisels. It's a great shop to visit if you live in that part of the world plus that surrounding area is full of other leather-related shops where they sell used Nippy skivers and Juki machines.

I was also trained to punch all the way through with pricking irons. Though we have leather on both sides, the overall thickness is not much. Seems like the Dunhill case is the same. I'd guess 6-8 oz total thickness max.

How wide is the groove that you make? The teeth make marks on a slant like so //// and the width from the top of the slant to the bottom is a little less than a 1/16" If you want, I can stamp some stitches for you to try it out. Just mail me a leather scrap with the grooves already marked and a return envelope. I'll put the stitch marks in the groove and send it back to you. If you have a particular thread that you use, send a little bit of that as well since the thread when put through the holes adds a bit more width as well. You can then see for yourself if it works with the look you're going for. Sean

We're starting to carry them. I also recently did a post on pricking iron basics on our blog.

hello folks- this is an older topic but I thought it would be relevant. I did a short basic tutorial on pricking irons, have a look if you get a chance. Feedback is welcome and appreciated.

Hi folks, Just wanted to share a recent post that I did for those who are into seeing a few different ways of saddle stitching. I did a short video round-up of five styles- they all get you there but some may find one technique better for them than others. They're a nice supplement to reading about stitching and then seeing it in action. I'd be happy to add to the list if you have any other suggestions and I second (or 3rd or 4th) the recommendation for Al Stohlman's book, it's a must read for anyone wanting to hand sew leather. Here's the post: Saddle Stitching Video Round Up

FWIW I was taught to hit the iron until it just goes through. The holes kind of close up after you punch them and are temporarily re-opened with the awl. We also use Blanchard pricking irons which are orientated //// ( when looking at the outward facing side of the piece). The piece is put in a sewing clam and mostly sewn starting at the back (furthest end of the clam from you) to front.

Polycotton and linen have worked well for me but I notice if I don't stay on top of waxing, it tends to fuzz or unravel. Nylon is good though it apparently rots in sunlight and weather over a long time (years and years) but I have not experienced this first hand. At a certain point having thread that is tougher than your leather is a detriment as stress causes the the thread to cut through the leather (like those fancy wire cheese slicers). If you're using something tough like horsehide or pig, it probably doesn't matter but it might for calf or thinly skivved cowhide.

I actually don't use an overstitch wheel after stitching; instead I lightly hammer them flat over a granite tile. This might also help with your stitches puckering. If they don't hammer flat, then you know you pulled too hard when stitching. Sounds like you're on the right path and the stitches should improve over time.

Hi Kevin, I tried to answer some of your questions in more detail, I hope this helps (and more experienced folks, pls feel free to correct me): For Barbour's, essentially yes. They use the same base thickness of thread and then twist 2-12 of them together which yields the total thickness of thread. I snapped a picture of the 2ply to the 12 ply so you could see the thickness difference. Other brands of thread usually list their thickness in different ways. A super sharp awl is, as others suggest, very key. If it is dull, it will stretch the leather before piercing and you'll get saggy, inconsistent edges. Also consider using a stitching/pricking iron or a stitching wheel. This will both help even out the spacing of your stitches but also pre-marks where each stitch goes. If the stitches are pre-marked with an an iron, you don't have to go 'fishing' for the other side of the stitch, the awl serves to just temporarily widen the hole until you put the needle through. Your awl ideally only goes through just to fit the needle through; less than 1/2" poking out the other side or wherever your awl stops tapering if you've made your own. Any more and it overly stretches the hole. For wax, opinions vary but I usually count 5-6 passes over my wax button and it's fine to start. You can alway re-wax later. An indicator of not enough is that the thread starts to look fuzzy and unravel near the needle. An indicator of too much is when your hammering your stitches flat and you see a lot of wax coming off of the hammerhead. This takes bit of time to find the right balance. Hope this didn't confuse you more and good luck! Sean

I also take class from Bea, she's part of the inspiration for starting my own high quality leather supply site. Her hand work (and machine work for that matter) is quite amazing. Even if you don't end up taking class, it's worth it just to pop in there and see what really high-end hand leatherworking looks like. Every single detail is perfect.

Sorry for the late reply, somehow notifications got disabled for me for this topic. All of the smaller threads are more expensive; my guess is that they're harder to manufacture successfully. (smaller tolerance since it's thinner?) Also they're spooled by weight (50g) so a 432 spool is 133 meters vs 375 meters for a 832 spool so you get more thread per spool in the finer threads.

A simple billfold wallet with smooth calf on the outside, grain calf within. Hand sewn linen stitching, edged and creased with an electric iron. This was one of my earlier projects, I really tried to focus on straight stitching and smooth edges. I kept it simple so that the complexity didn't detract from my efforts at sewing and edging. Even though it's finished on both sides, the overall thickness is still quite thin, probably 2-3oz I'd guess. Might seem overly basic but I'm still learning.

I know what that feels like! Thanks for checking out the site and we will definitely try to stay around a long time.