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All4Christ

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Posts posted by All4Christ


  1. What is the stitch per inch (SPI)you are using? The more SPI the smaller the thread normally. I typically use a higher SPI on smaller items such as wallets. .8 to 1 mm is fine for a finished look an feel. For wallets I use a 9spi pricking iron with .8 but 1mm for beefer items same spi.

    A really great video series on YT would be Armitage leather. Whether you use a stitching chisel or pricking iron he talks about this subject of thread size and spi in detail.


  2. Thanks for the reply JL and Joe! I'm in the northeast USA. I'm hand stitching now. I really like the English saddle stitch and the work that Nigel Armitage does, so much so I sacrificed some comforts to get my hands on a Dixon pricking iron. The tandy glazed splits look horrid as a finished product. Not picking on Tandy, if not for them I wouldn't have ever tried this. I was looking at RJF leather. I haven't called him yet but will they split the leather and sell single shoulders you think?


  3. I've been leatherworking for a couple of years now and I'd like to upgrade from the economy leather I've been purchasing from Tandy. Fortunately I live nearby the store and have been able to hand select the single shoulders. But the economy quality is not acceptable for some of the finer leather projects I want to do now. They do have premium leathers but they seem to be a bit expensive and not much to choose from on sizes. I'd like to make some higher quality wallets, bags, purses. I'm just not impressed with the selection of leather at Tandy anymore.

    So I actually have to confess I feel I don't really know what I'm doing when it come to selecting quality leather. Is there a supplier that will sell single shoulders of higher quality. Most of what I'm seeing is double shoulders or full sides. I just don't need or can afford that much at one time at the moment. I'm looking for leather to makes wallets. I've been using 4-5 oz but that still seems to be a bit thick. The splits at tandy that I wanted to use for the wallet guts appear low quality as well. What can you suggest in smaller quantities? I'd love to be able to try some bridle leather but its way too thick and I don't have a splitter. Is there a company that any of you guys use that can help an inexperienced person like me.

    Any advice and help would be greatly appreciated.


  4. I have gone through all the old posts on pricking irons. I'm having a very hard time finding any suppliers state side that sells Joseph Dixon pricking irons. Does any one know any suppliers this side of the pond that sells these irons? I did get a pricking chisel from CS Osborne but its just not the same thing.


  5. I just realized that if I don't skive down the skin side of the tooling leather ill end up with part of the leather being 6oz leather with very thin embossed leather hanging off of it unless I back it with some thinner leather. That sounds like way more work than its worth.

    To add the leather I'm using is a embossed split about 2oz in weight with the 6-7 oz single shoulder for tooling.


  6. You could go ahead and skive the two pieces to matching bevels and cement them together. You could then run a line of stitches along the length of the joint. Could look very nice and the stitching would greatly strengthen the joint.

    Thank you for the response. I did attempt to skive down the embossed croc leather. It is already very thin and very tricky as it has almost no flesh to it. I don't know if it advisable to skive down the skin side or skive down the flesh side of the tooling leather. I'm thinking of doing the latter and wetting the embossed leather and form a lip edge down flat and attempt your suggestion.

    I did one book cover and simply glued it down on top of the tooled leather after skiving the edge very carefully. It is so thin. I'm not too happy with the lip it has above the skin of the tooled leather. I will be stitching it next as well. Soon as I do that I'll post picks. I've never worked with exotic leathers but I like the look so I decided to try the fake embossed leather first. I'm sure they are two different animals. Haha. I just don't want to have that edge peel up in front of the stiching over time.

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