zuludog

Same here as Tugadude I think that most stitching chisels measure the distance between the points, but Tandy Craftool as shown in the picture use the distance between the sides of the prongs, so the distance between their points is a bit more I've just measured mine - between the prongs = 4mm, between the points = 5,5mm. I use them for knife & axe sheaths, and it looks OK to me; neither has anyone who's had one of my sheaths made any adverse comments I have chisels by Seiwa, Abbey England, and, interestingly, Tandy Craftool Pro, in the natural metal finish, and they all use the distance between the points. I don't recall ever seeing chisels with a 6mm spacing, but if you Search t'Net long enough you might find some. I've seen some with 5mm spacing though

Leather -- 3mm thick Stitching chisels -- At this level, most stitching chisels will produce the same sort of holes; what's more important is the spacing of the prongs, which will set the length of the stitches. Choose 4mm spacing However, most stitching chisels will only penetrate up to about 8mm thickness of leather, so you would have trouble with items made from thick leather like an axe sheath, especially when you include a welt. The answer is to start the holes with a stitching chisel and complete them with an awl. So you will need a saddlers awl, aka diamond awl, as well. I would use synthetic thread for this 0,6mm dia is a usual choice for most leatherwork, including axe sheaths, and that would go with John James Saddlers Harness Needles item code L3912 size 002 If you want a heavier or more rugged look, use 0,8mm thread; but the eyes on JJ needles are a bit small and you might have trouble getting 0,8mm thread through them. In which case, Tandy needles # 1195 would be easier Search YouTube for 'making an axe cover' there are several videos, and you'll see how it's done and the things that are used

About 25 years ago I got a sewing machine to repair tents & rucsacs, and just got some thread snips from the haberdashery stall on my local market for about £1-25, probably less than $2. No idea what make they are, but they've worked perfectly ever since, for both machine sewing, and later when i started doing leatherwork

Yes, try a stitching chisel, they are designed to produce a neat stitch Search YouTube for 'making a leather notebook cover'..............'using stitching chisels'...............'saddle stitch'. You'll see what can be done.

You should be able to hand sew leather easily and smoothly using just your fingers for about 95% of the time - we'll come to the 5% later. The needles should pass through easily, but not so much that they fall out of their own accord; there should be a slight resistance or 'feel' that I have seen described as 'a satisfying drag' If you're struggling there are three possible explanations - the holes are too small.........the needle & thread combination is too thick........or a combination of the two 0,8mm thread is perhaps a bit thick, but not excessively so, and JJ #002 needles are a good choice; you shouldn't have much of a problem with that, it's quite common. You don't say exactly what type of punch you're using, but if it's a small round punch that removes a small plug of leather to make a 1mm dia hole, then that is a bit small, and there is no provision for the hole to expand A stitching chisel or a saddler's awl, aka diamond awl, makes a slit that's longer than 1mm, and as the name implies, they often have a thicker centre part to the prong or blade which automatically makes a hole as well. Thus when you sew, the slit will open up to give more room for the needle to pass through, especially at the eye where the thread is folded over I suggest you change the punch for a stitching chisel, or get an awl and push it through the 1mm holes to turn them into a slit Have a look at the many How To..... videos on YouTube about the Saddle Stitch and Hand Sewing Leather and you'll see how it's done, and how easy it should be; bearing in mind, of course, that the people making these videos are experts. In particular, note that they pass the needles & thread through the leather with little effort. Nigel Armitage, Geordie Leather, Chartermade are good, but there are many others The 5% exception to this is for backstitching, where the hole or slit already has thread in it. It might go OK, but usually you need to expand the hole with a round awl, aka scratch awl. This doesn't have any sharp edges, so it will temporarily enlarge or expand the hole without cutting the thread or the sides of the hole After you've done the sewing the slit will close up; that's why you should hammer the stitching when you've finished, it helps this to happen Of course it helps if the holes are properly lined up, and you can also - rub your fingers with beeswax to give you a better grip.........push the needles with a piece of scrap leather........pull the needles with pliers. Tape the jaws so they don't scratch the needles Just one more thing - check that you are using JJ 002 needles, and not JJ 2/0 needles, which are bigger and would give you this sort of problem

By the look of the picture in the first Post, in the background you are just using a scrap of leather to support your work when using the stitching chisels. Use something larger and firmer, so your work is well supported on a flat even surface; like a plastic (HDPE?) kitchen chopping board or an old magazine - this is strong and firm enough to support the leather, but soft enough that it won't damage the points of the chisels Polish the prongs with fine abrasive paper, like the wet & dry paper used for car bodywork repairs, going down the grades 600 -> 800 -> 1000 grit....................lubricate the prongs by rubbing them on a block of beeswax now & again..............hold down the leather with a block of wood when you remove the chisel, this will prevent the leather from stretching or being distorted Obviously check that the chisel is correctly positioned, but also hold it firmly in place, pressing down into the leather, not just lightly on the surface Marking the stitching line with dividers is OK.................practice on scrap.............get it right first, even if it's slow, then you can speed up as you get used to it Watch a few YouTube videos on making wallets, and other items, and you'll see how other people do things. Try these - GEORDIE LEATHER "#10 Preparing Leather for Stitching - Leatherwork for Beginners" THE IDENTITY STORE LTD "Using Stitching Chisels in Leathercraft" Geordie Leather has made a series of 14 or 15 videos for beginners on various aspects of leatherwork, all useful.

To confuse things further, apparently you can skive with a French Edger, though I've never used one. Search YouTube for 'french edger tool' and there are several videos Search for the usual suppliers, including Etsy, and as you might expect, there is a range of prices

Don't worry about it, we've all got to start somewhere, and it's better than watching daytime TV. As I said, the same sort of techniques - cutting out, saddle stitch, edge finishing etc - are used on various items, be it belts, wallets, knife sheaths, pouches or bags. As you watch videos you will see that there are variations in the tools used and the exact way of doing things. Gradually you will develop a method that suits you

This sort of question & confusion comes up regularly here. As I understand it - PRICKING IRONS have short teeth or prongs. You tap them onto the leather with moderate force and they leave shallow depressions on the surface of the leather to show the position & spacing of the holes, but you make the actual holes with a saddlers awl, aka diamond awl STITCHING CHISELS have longer prongs. You hit these harder so the prongs go all the way through the leather. However, if the combined thickness is about 9mm or more even these longer prongs will not go all the way through, so you will still have to complete the holes with an awl An alternative would be to make the holes in each piece of leather separately and line them up as you sew them. This is called pre - pricking And yes, as you mentioned you can use chisels lightly to indicate the position of the holes, but as with irons, make the holes themselves with an awl Watch YouTube videos by JH Leather, especially saddle stitch. She marks with an iron then makes the holes with an awl Watch YouTube videos by Nigel Armitage on pouches, even if you don't want to make one, as they are masterclasses of precision and show pre - pricking well You don't say what your project is, that would have been useful. Whatever it is, watch YT videos on it and other items, and see how others do it You mention 'fewer prongs' and if you have prongs I suspect that means you have a stitching chisel. And most stitching chisels can be improved by polishing the prongs with fine abrasive paper, such as wet & dry intended for car bodywork repairs; work your way through a few grades 400 ->600->800 It helps if you lubricate the prongs every so often with beeswax To pull them out, hold down the leather with a small block of wood........... Arturomex's U - shaped tool is even better, I might make one myself. ..........Sand & round off the corners so you don't mark the leather A more general comment now - There is a lot of information and advice on YouTube; Play around with the Search box for 'polishing stitching chisels' .......'using stitching chisels'.........the same sort of techniques are used on most items of leatherwork - the saddle stitch is pretty much the same for belts, wallets, sheaths etc, so watch a few videos to see how things are done. These channels are good - Nigel Armitage........Ian Atkinson.......JH Leather.........Leathertoolz.......Geordie Leather.......Weaver Leather

I have one of those cheap Japanese style leather knives shown in the OP. Search the Net and you can find it for about £5, certainly <£10 It's surprisingly well made for the money; the blade is stiff, firmly mounted in the handle, and in line with the handle It is obviously made to a price though, and the finish can be improved - the handle is uneven and has a coating of cheap & tacky paint. I scraped and sanded that off, then sanded the handle to improve the shape and remove any sharp corners. Now it is more comfortable to hold, and as the grain is exposed, it looks quite attractive The blade has a very small secondary bevel. I ground that out on progressively finer oilstones, followed by stropping, and gave it a longer bevel of about 5 or 6 mm. It did take a few sessions spread over a week, but the result is much better Now it is easier to use, and can be made very sharp However, you need to know a bit about what you're doing, and have a selection of sharpening stones. If not you would be better paying just a bit more, say around $30 for something from one of the better known Japanese manufacturers like Kyoshin Elle, Craft Sha, or Seiwa. Also, you can do good work with a Stanley knife, aka utility knife, aka box cutter. you can resharpen blunt blades, and they seem to work better, probably because you've reduced the shoulder of the bevel and polished it. even new blades are better if you strop them first

A Japanese leather knife can be used for both cutting and skiving leather. Search YouTube for 'skiving leather by hand' and 'japanese leather knife'; there are several videos, those by Chartermade and Leathertoolz are good, but the more you watch, the more tips you will pick up I assume you are in the USA; Rocky Mountain Leather Supply lists Japanese leather knives, or Search Google for 'Etsy - Japanese leather knives' , or go to www.goodsjapan.com, or there may be other American stockists I have two of these knives; one I use for cutting with the sharp right angled corners, and on the other I have rounded & sharpened the corners for skiving, similar to the Chartermade, but mine was not as expensive You will, of course, need to get them as sharp as possible, and work on a hard, shiny surface like polished stone or a sheet of glass; that way when the blade comes off the leather it slides over the surface and is not blunted You should apply about 75% of the pressure downwards and about 25% forwards. It should not be a simple push, rather a sort of stroking or slightly sideways motion as well. But only practice will help you develop the best technique Sometimes marking a starting line with a scratch awl or dividers helps; also dampening the leather slightly Bevel up or down? I think bevel down is more controllable, but try both and find what suits you; could use either depending on the type of leather and the work you're doing Make a sheath/case/simple slip cover for the knife. It will protect your fingers from accidental cuts and the blade from damage

It would be a nice touch to give them a simple billfold or card holder as a thankyou

Most leatherworking tools only come with a basic finish; you'll probably need to sharpen and polish the awl so that it cuts & glides through the leather easily. There are several videos

Have a look at some of JH Leather's videos where she makes items out of thicker leather, like belts and dog's collars. She uses a pricking iron, which is similar to a stitching chisel but has shorter teeth. It just makes shallow depressions to mark the position of the stitching holes, but you make the actual holes with an awl. You will see that she can go very quickly using this method, but it does take a certain amount of practice to get to that stage She also has a video on the saddle stitch, which she calls the double hand stitch, which shows this method more clearly

Here are the methods I use for stitching, but firstly, Search YouTube for 'Nigel Armitage - Pouches' even if you don't want to make a pouch. He makes the holes before stitching, which he calls 'pre-pricking' and they are a masterclass of neat, precise working. For all my work I mark the line of stitching with dividers. SHEATHS - Check the dry fit with clamps.......glue the pieces together......make holes with a stitching chisel.......if it doesn't penetrate all the way through I complete the holes with an awl......as I do this, I check that the awl is coming through on the marked stitching line......with a bit of practice, once you've got the alignment of the awl right you can be quite consistent You could pre - prick sheath, it just depends what suits you WALLETS - Check the pieces fit correctly, and you haven't forgotten one or made one back to front! ........ but there is less need to do this as they are mostly straight cuts........glue together......make holes with stitching chisels, which will usually go through all the thicknesses BELTS - Make a pattern or template of the buckle end on card, showing the stitching holes, buckle slot, and gap for the keep if necessary........transfer to the leather......skive where necessary........fold over.......clamp ......sew. Card is cheaper than leather, and as the buckle end is a bit complicated, this will help to get the sequence right I don't usually glue belts, just clamp; there are lots of belt making videos. JH Leather is good, but there are many others There is no right or wrong way; watch videos and you'll see how other people make their items, and work out your own method

He's obviously never heard of that well known shopkeeper's adage -- the customer is always right

Thanks for the new link, I think I'll get a size 3 in one of those. It's £24 inc P&P, so the total cost compared to a cheaper price but paying for P&P probably works out similar Yes, Abbey are a good company, I have bought some stitching chisels from them, they will accept a one off order by phone - or at least they used to, they've stopped doing that thanks to The Lockdown

I have a Craftool beveler with the flat bottom, and that's OK mostly for knife sheaths, but for edging belts in about 3mm leather I want to use a beveler with a grooved bottom, on both surfaces, to give a more rounded edge I think I'll try a Keen Edge Beveler; I can get it from The Identity Store; the price is reasonable and if it does the job why look any further?

Buying anything from Abbey is difficult as you must register with them first, and I haven't I see this as a hangover from the old restrictive practices of British industry

And you're going to post it to Great Britain for a couple of dollars are you? Read my OP

Search YouTube and Google for a mini leather plane; also play around with the Search for leather skiving plane, japanese leather plane and similar combinations. Find them via Google, Etsy, Amazon and so on Not as good as a bench mounted skiving machine but you can get them for about £10 if you shop around, and it should be OK for skiving a welt I have one - get the blade sharp enough and they are surprisingly handy Or Search for a razor plane; a bit bigger and more expensive than a mini plane, but still cheaper than a bench skiver

I'm looking for an edge beveler that makes a rounded cut, and I'm wondering whether to get a Tandy Craftool Keen Edge Beveler or see what I can find on Etsy - any suggestions or recommendations please? Remember that I will be ordering from the UK. I can buy Tandy and Osborne tools from UK suppliers, but I suspect that importing from the USA would be too expensive

For stitching chisels and punches I just use an old magazine It is strong and resilient enough to support the leather, but soft and yielding enough not to damage the tools and thick enough so that the tools do not penetrate all the way through to the bench It is effectively free, and when it's worn I just replace it

I don't really want to divert this Thread, but here's another common mistake that's easy to make If you make a knife sheath, check and check again that it's not going to turn out left handed if you want right, or reversed, or a mirror image, or however you want to describe it; you'll probably know what I mean Guess how I found that out?

I think that the two most common reasons for a belt turning out to be too short are - Your waist of your trousers/pants may be, for example, 34" but that is against your skin. Remember that belts need to go over your clothes so you should give them a bit extra, say 1,5 to 2" But to have a belt that is short by 4 or 5" it sounds like somehow you've got confused and forgotten to include the buckle turnover there are loads of videos on YouTube about making a belt, have a look at a few and see how it's done You could also make a mock up or pattern - cut some card, say breakfast cereal packets into strips and tape them together till you have a belt length. Then make it up as you would for leather and see what it's like Ah! I've just re - read your OP, where you say you bought a blank - did you actually measure it yourself to check, or did you just assume that the measurements from the supplier were correct?