silverwingit

Harag, you might ask fellow Brit, Master Saddle Maker and leatherwork.net member, Nigel Armitage (Dangerous Beans herein) whether he feels his Barry King Mauls were worth the extra shipping.

A question for you sewing machine experts: I am far more used to hand stitching than I am with my new Cobra 4. In general, I am doing fine with this lion of machine, but I don't know how to handle a common scenario with it. Since I lack a way to precisely calculate and then set the stitch length for a particular run so that stitches will end exactly at a corner, I often end too short or worse, too long as I approach the corner. With hand stitching I know several ways to adjust the length of the stitches "on the fly" so that they end where I want them to, while "hiding" longer or shorter stitches. I see lots of examples of projects sewn by a 441 clone that do have the stitches end right at a corner but I can't figure out how it's done. Any help?

I've had good luck with this polyester waxed thread. http://springfieldleather.com/29843/Thread%2CWax%2CPoly%2CBlack%2C4oz/ I use this with CS Osborne #2 harness needles. http://www.zackwhite.com/Harness-Needles-Sizes-21_p_864.html Nigel Armitage (user "Dangerous Beans" herein), who's hand stitching videos are a treasure trove of information and must-viewing for all hand stitchers prefers bonded nylon thread. I've been trying that recently as well. I've found that #207 bonded nylon thread also works well with those same #2 harness needles. It's cheaper in the long run than the above polyester waxed thread and it's the same diameter. http://springfieldleather.com/26066/Thread%2CBlack%2C%23207%2C1lb/ It is meant for a sewing machine so you need to wax it, but it holds up well for long runs of stitching. A 1lb spool would last a hundred years or so.

We've all done this. IMO, trying to separate the layers entirely is an act of desperation which is fraught with many landmines. Instead, I very gently cut a "U" shaped window the appropriate size on the inner layer, being very careful not to cut into or especially through the outer layer. Then with a utility knife or other pointed blade, I -- again very gently -- pry the window flap of liner material away from the outer layer. The little uncut part of the "U" forms a little hinge, which you should place on the side of the flap that is towards the opening. That way inserting the iPod won't abraded against the "cut" part of the flap. Once the flap is dissected away the outer layer is exposed for your punch and snap setter, while leaving a built-in cover for the snap post that's inside the pouch. You just re-cement the little window flap over your snap. Once the pouch is stitched up, you'd have to inspect it closely with a dental mirror to detect that the problem ever existed. This has saved lots of work and potentially entire projects for me on more than one occasion.

ioann, The reason that your stitching is not looking like Nigel Armitage's (the author of the video you cited and member, "Dangerous Beans" on this forum) is that you aren't taking advantage of the angle of the slots of your awl holes (whether or not you used a pricking iron as Nige does). It can get a bit complicated to describe but essentially however you achieve it, the thread should leave a given hole at the top of the slot and enter the next hole at the bottom of the slit to yield that beautiful, even zig-zag appearance of the final stitched line. How to do this? That depends on: which hand is your "lead" or primary hand, which direction you are stitching (toward or away from you) and whether you place the primary needle over or under the secondary needle between your thumb and forefinger in your secondary hand. One little tip is to give the primary thread a little tug toward the bottom of the slit (or top, again direction-dependent) after you have penetrated the leather but before you penetrate with the secondary thread. Then you place the secondary needle on the top (or, again, being direction-dependent the bottom) of the slit. This helps prevent piercing the primary thread and ensures that your stitch will adhere to that nice zig-zag pattern. I hope that helps a bit. Michelle One last thing, Nige has added a new video in which hwe goes into great detail about his stitching.

A bit of pondering about the difference between pricking and overstitch wheels... Overstitch wheels as their name implies, in addition to marking stich hole locations, are also used to refine the appearance of stitchwork by running the wheel to and fro over stitchwork that has already been laid into a stitch groove. I'd guess that a pricking wheel wouldn't produce a pleasing result if used similarly. To expand a bit more on that thought, maybe it's me but I associate stitch groovers with overstitch wheels, but not with pricking wheels (or chisels). With a stitch groove, the stitchwork is almost forced to lie down into the groove, making the stitches lie in a straight line. I don't see pricking wheels or chisels used much if at all in conjunction with stitch groovers. With a pricking wheel or iron (and no stitch groove), the stitchwork is designed such that each stitch ends at the bottom of the angled slit left by the awl and the next stitch starts at the top of the next slit (or vice-versa). Thus these stitches lie in a sort of zig-zag pattern that has a different "eye appeal" than stitches that lie in a straight groove. I know that stitch grooves are intended to protect stitchwork by allowing the stitches to lie below the surface of the leather. But in "American" leatherwork I see grooves used almost universally even where there would be no concern for friction or contact against another object. In contrast, the British stitching I see needs no stitch groove to lie down into the surface of the leather, apparently if the thread is pulled tight enough. Therefore, while we are on the subject of stitching nomenclature I have a question. I know for example, Nigel, that you prefer not to use stitch groovers for "external" stitchwork (stitches that "show"). That seems to be consistent with the work of other British Master Leatherworkers I am aware of such as Valerie Michael, the author of an excellent book titled, "The Leatherworking Manual." Is this lack of use of a stitch groove consistent enough across those who use pricking chisels or wheels to term it the "British" style of stitching? If so what might one call work that almost uniformly combines an overstitch wheel with a stitch groover on external stitching? I trace that trend to Al Stohlman's famous book, "The Art of Hand Sewing Leather." I'm not sure where it came from before that. I suspect it has a Mexican heritage, since much of the American Western style of leatherwork and carving has its origin south of the border. For the sake of discussion, let's call it the "Stohlman' style. The answer to that question would clarify my thinking and permit a more consistent and precise dialog amongst us "leatherheads." Thanks, Michelle

Hey, Nige - In this terrific video you seem to use the terms "pricking wheel" and "overstitch wheel" interchangeably. Maybe you could provide a bit of terminology clarification for those of us on this side of the big water who might be confused because we are used to the Tandy or Osborne overstitch wheels. As I understand, Tandy and Osborne overstitch wheels differ from a pricking wheel in that their stitch marks are just a point rather than an angled "slit" shaped mark as with a true pricking wheel. I think of a pricking wheel as a sort of circular prickng iron, though it makes only a diagonal mark, not an actual cut or depression into the leather like a prickng iron does when you strike it with a hammer or maul. As I look closely at the marks your wheel makes, they appear to be angled, slightly elongated slits, not just points, or are my old eyes failing me? If that were the case I would call the wheel you are using a pricking wheel, not an overstitch wheel at least so far as those of us who are used to the Tandy or Osborne tools are concerned. Pricking wheels leave that diagonal mark as a reference by which to maintain the angle of your awl from hole to hole. They are hard to come by Stateside. So far as I am aware, we are limited to an antique one from Bruce Johnson or the like: http://brucejohnsonl...and-channelers/ or purchase a new one from a Great Britain source like Joseph Dixon. http://leather-tools.net/ I'd like to find a Stateside source a new prickng wheels but I know of none. Nigel, thank you once again for so freely providing the wisdom of a true master to us mere wannabes. Michelle

Rooster, I picked up a very nice 1/2 ton arbor press by Palmgren from Amazon for ~$60, with free shipping. http://www.amazon.com/Palmgren-61051-2-Ton-Manual-Arbor/dp/B00068U7QS/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1352829398&sr=8-2&keywords=palmgren+arbor+press It's a nice press that already has a 3/8" hole drilled in one end of its ram. It comes with several mandrels that fit into that hole, and it has a magnet inside to hold them in. This means that you won't have to modify the press unless you see fit. I had my machinist turn down the tools I have that are larger in diameter than 3/8" and had him make a shim to accommodate smaller ones. Many rivet setters, etc. come in 3/8" diameter, so you don't need to modify them at all. Works for me and you won't have to wait for Santa! Michelle