zuludog

OK, here are a few comments, and I hope that with these and looking at appropriate videos things will get better The spacer between the font & back parts of a knife sheath, to protect the stitching, is called a WELT The prongs on the Craftool chisel are a bit basic and angular; they can be improved considerably by polishing them. I also use Craftool chisels, this is how I do mine ..... Make a small file or 'polishing wand' by gluing fine abrasive/wet & dry paper to a lollipop stick or a thin strip of aluminium or stiff plastic, so that it's like a manicure board but thinner and tougher ...... carefully smooth & polish each face of each prong, and the points, rounding off the shoulder where the point meets the long part of the prong. You will remove the black coating, but don't worry about that; in fact as you remove it and reveal the steel underneath you will probably see the grinding marks. There's no need to remove them completely to obtain a mirror finish unless you're really keen, but try to reduce them and the roughness as much as possible.......do it with 600 grit then 1,000 grit paper. This is a tedious sort of a job, but you only need to do it once, and it's well worth doing When using the chisels, stroke the prongs on beeswax to lubricate them. Don't waggle them around to remove them, that will distort the leather and the stitching holes, and possibly bend the prongs; what you want is a straight vertical pull ...... hold down the leather with a small block of wood placed right up against the prongs then pull out the chisel The prongs of a stitching chisel are about 7mm long. For layers that are thicker than that I glue all the layers together then make the holes as far as possible with the chisel, than complete them with an awl. Since you will be using an awl anyway, there's no need to really hammer the chisel in as far as possible, just go up to the base of the prongs so you don't damage the leather underneath. This method is very similar to the traditional method using a pricking iron & awl. If you use the chisel & awl you should make a stitching line with dividers on each side of the leather, then concentrate to get the awl coming through neatly on the line; you soon get used to it. Just one point(!) about the Craftool chisels; the size of most stitching chisels is measured between the points of the prongs, but for Craftool the distance is measured between the sides of the prongs, which means that the distance between the points will be bigger by about 1,25mm. For example, My 4mm Craftool chisels are about 5,5 mm between the points. You should be able to push a diamond awl through the leather with hardly any effort or distorting the leather. There are several YT videos about sharpening an awl, those by Nigel Armitage, JH Leather, and Leathertoolz are good, but the more you watch the better the chance of picking up a technique that suits you. Briefly, here's how I do it - I start with a very fine oilstone, either on the edge of your desk or raised on a block of wood so you can easily get your fingers around & under the awl handle. Move the awl back & forth and rotate your hand so you polish all the faces of the awl. You can round off the flatter points of the diamond slightly, but the edges should be thin & sharp without being absolutely razor sharp. Keep the blade flat to polish along its length. The tip of an awl should not be absolutely needle sharp & pointed; it should be more like a very small rounded chisel, so raise the handle slightly to shape and sharpen the tip. Use the stone to get the shape right; the next stages are for polishing & sharpening. Besides moving the awl blade in & out, you can sharpen the tip by rotating the tip in a sort of an elliptical movement - watch the videos I don't know the grade of my oilstone but to be sure I follow it with wet & dry paper, say 1000, 2,000, then 5,000 grit. Place the paper over a block of woof, add a drop of water, then polish as for the stone. It should be sharp & shiny by the time you've done that Then use a strop; same sort of thing, but right at the end lift the handle slightly, and only pull back & lift, to sharpen the tip - rather like sharpening any knife, but on a much smaller scale That should be OK if you use a clamp. If you still have trouble, be patient and keep on trying....or I've seen some videos, especially of Japanese leatherworkers, where they lay the work on a sheet of cork and press down with the awl By chance, soon after I started with leatherwork I got talking to a retired traditional cobbler - in a pub, where else? I asked him just how sharp should an awl be? He replied 'Ahhhhh....so it goes about 'alfway through yer finger before yer notices'.

For wallets and similar items with a right angled turn at a corner, make the lines of stitching holes along each edge up to the corner, except for the hole right in the corner. For that, make a round hole with a round/scratch awl, or an old dart head, or similar

I, too, find the sizing system for needles is confusing, be they John James or any other make, but I have settled on a few that cover the work I do - For thin leather like wallets I use 0,35 to 0,45mm thread and John James Saddlers Harness needles item code L3912 size 004 For medium leather like pouches and small to medium knife sheaths I use 0,6mm thread and JJ L3912 needles size 002 For heavier leather like large knife sheaths and axe covers I use 0, 8 to 1,0mm thread and Tandy Stitching Needles item code 1195, sometimes called 'Tandy Big Eye Needles'. These choices are not fixed, I can have a bit of variation. For example belts can be treated as medium or thick leather depending on the exact thickness of the leather and what I feel like at the time I also reckon that there is a bit of variation between threads of different manufacturers even though they may be listed as the same - or to put it another way, I'm sure some 0,6mm thread is thicker than others......

If the leather for the wallet is thin, say about 1mm you can probably manage without skiving; but as the thickness gets towards 2mm the total thickness becomes rather a lot. So usually you skive the edges of the inner compartments & pockets, but can probably manage without skiving the outer layer. There are several YT videos about skiving; or make your wallet without skiving, see how it goes, and practice skiving on scrap, ready for the next one Your ideas about punching a thick layer of leather are correct Knife sheaths are typically made from 3 to 3,5mm leather, then either folded over or made as a front & back, plus a welt. So the total thickness would be 3 + 3 + 3 = 9mm or more. But the prongs on a stitching chisel are usually about 7 or 8mm long, so you have two choices - Glue the leather together.....use the chisels as far as possible..... then complete the holes with an awl...... that's what I do. And yes, this is similar to the traditional method of using a pricking iron and an awl . An awl should glide through the leather with hardly any effort and with the minimum of distortion to the leather, so you will probably need to sharpen & polish it. It is only the expensive & custom made awls that you can use straight out of the box. Or you could make the holes on each piece of leather separately then align them as you make up the sheath (or whatever); this is called pre - pricking. Nigel Armitage has a few YT videos on making pouches which show pre - pricking. As you've probably gathered, the same sort of techniques, like stitching, skiving, edge finishing, are used on most items of leatherwork There are several videos on Skiving, but this one is good and impressive When, Why, and How to Skive Leather by Hand - YouTube And this shows pre - pricking, but it's worth watching the first one, where he makes the templates, and others How to Make Pouches: 2 Round Pouch Flat. - YouTube

If you can find a course with a good instructor and a small group that could be useful, but not so much if there is a larger group and a not so good instructor But it seems that you have read books and watched a load of videos, so really you should just go and do it! And spend the money you would have spent on course fees, travel, and possibly accommodation on leather; then practice, and get started!

We have all worked out our own preferences and what suits us, and we could go on & on, but that's what forums are for. I use - For wallets - Tandy Craftool Pro chisels, 3,5mm spacing; John James L3912 size 004 needles; 0,38 to 0,45mm thread For belts & pouches & small to medium knife sheaths- Seiwa Diamond/Japanese style chisels 4mm spacing; JJ L3912 size 002 needles; 0,6mm thread For axe covers and medium to large knife sheaths - Craftool stitching chisels '4mm spacing' = 5,5mm ; sometimes JJ L3912 size 002 needles & 0,6mm thread; sometimes Tandy 'Big Eye' needles item code 1195 & 0,8mm thread. This shows the choice is not fixed, there is some variation in what is a medium knife sheath, thread & needles used, depending on what I think is best at the time Here are some low cost suggestions - RMLS have short lengths of Ritza 25 0,6mm thread at a reasonable price Perhaps someone in the USA can suggest a supplier for reasonably priced stitching chisels with a genuine 4mm spacing Polish the prongs of your chisels with a homemade polisher made by gluing fine wet & dry or abrasive paper to a lollipop stick. Say grits 500 to 1,000 in a couple of increments; there are You Tube videos. Rub the prongs on beeswax as you use the chisels to lubricate them and use a small block of wood to hold down the leather as you pull them out; this will reduce distortion of the leather around the holes. Just a thought.... have you waxed the thread before sewing?

Here's something you should know about Tandy stitching chisels- For most diamond stitching chisels the spacing is measured by the distance between the points, and the Tandy Craftool Pro chisels with the flat handles and silver/metallic finish, item code 88057 are like this But Tandy Craftool with the round handles and black finish, item code 88046 are measured between the sides of the prongs, which means that the distance between the points is bigger; I've just measured my 88046 - 02 & - 04 and I reckon the distance between the points is 5,5mm, so you could improve your stitching by getting chisels that are actually 4mm between the points For 4mm spacing I use John James saddler's harness needles item code L3912 size 002 and 0,6mm dia thread. Hmmmm..... you might also try better quality thread. It's not so easy to see from the picture, but your thread looks a bit rougher than that shown by GatorGordo Ritza 25 and Twist synthetic are good threads; they, and the needles are available from Leathercraft Supplies – Rocky Mountain Leather Supply (rmleathersupply.com)

Saddle stitch is meant to have a slight zig - zag or sawtooth appearance, that's why the prongs on diamond stitching chisels are slanted, and not straight across Here are a couple of suggestions -- I assume you are using two needles -- when you pull the needles out of the holes don't pull the thread straight out at right angles to the leather, pull upwards with your left hand and downwards with your right at an angle of about 45*. This should ensure that at the start of the next stitch the thread is always set below the previous stitch -- and pull the thread a bit tighter I stitch away from myself ..... put the right needle through first .... then the left needle below the rh thread that has emerged .... then pull the needles & thread tight as described -- left hand up and right hand down Use a round/scratch awl to enlarge the holes if necessary, and to tease & fiddle the thread & stitches so they lie evenly. But have a look at YouTube videos on The Saddle Stitch; watch as many as you can manage and you'll see how other people do things

Fair enough. I think many people try a few different types of thread when they start, it's just a question of looking at a few suppliers and seeing what you fancy. If you ask them nicely they might just send you a few samples to try. MEISI thread is good, though I don't know a supplier in the USA, you could try Searching. They have a range of several different threads which can be a bit confusing. They have linen thread under the Meisi brand, and two types of polyester worth considering - WeiXin and XianGe which is polyester made to look like linen.

As you've probably seen on videos, you can sharpen flat bottomed bevellers on an ordinary strop, similar to sharpening your knives. but for a beveller that is grooved along the bottom you must find a way of making a very narrow raised piece of fine abrasive paper, and a very narrow raised strop, that fit inside the groove. So -- Place something like a bamboo skewer or a length of wire, or a metal rod or a length of firm stiff cord on a flat surface; lay your abrasive paper on it & hold it down at one end, and pull the beveller along it. It's easier if you glue the rods to a board. For the strop, bevel both sides of a suitable thickness of veg tan leather - say 2 to 3mm. Then cut it off so you have a strip about 150 mm long and about 5mm wide, but it doesn't have to be precise. Glue the strip on a board by the flat cut edge so the bevelled edge is raised up. Let it dry, then apply stropping compound and away you go!. Within reason the leather is soft enough to conform and adapt to the groove Here are a couple of relevant videos, but the more you watch videos on 'how to sharpen an edge beveller', the better idea you will get Leather Edge Beveler Sharpening Solutions - Leather Tool Stropping - YouTube This one takes a couple of minutes to get organised, but once he's started, it's good how to sharpen an edge beveller - YouTube Remember that you should also lightly strop the back of the tiny blade, either by a suitable leather strop as described, or pulling through a length of cord loaded with compound. You can use your full size strop for flat bottomed bevellers, but I have found it's more convenient to make a stropping board with raised rods, very narrow strops, and a small flat strop, similar to that used in the second video If you want to try a flat bottomed beveller, these are cheap, easy to sharpen, and easy to use. A size 2 or 3 will do for average thicknesses of leather. Craftool® Edge Bevelers — Tandy Leather International (tandyleatherfactory.uk)

They could be Kemovan Craft - they have a brass end plate on the handle; the handles have a similar shape, as do the blades, which are un branded Leather Edge Beveler "NEW Ver-3" D2 Steel Leather Craft Edge Tool by K – KemovanCraft

Moderator - feel free to move this topic to another section or to remove it altogether if it's not relevant I am separated from my wife, but we have stayed on good terms and phone each other regularly. She kept the dog Well, something I had been expecting for a while as he was old and had arthritis for a long time. She phoned to say that in the last week or so it had quickly become much worse and he could hardly walk at all, so this afternoon he was put down. Sad, but we know from the day we get a dog that they don't live very long He was a German Wire Haired Pointer; we kept the name the breeder gave him - Zulu

I am wondering the same as CHUCK - Ritza is excellent thread, and the preferred choice for many leatherworkers, including acknowledged experts such as Ian Atkinson and Nigel Armitage, so if you're happy with Ritza there's no need to change However, you might like to try a few other makes, just to see. For synthetic thread, in the relatively large diameters used for hand sewing the diameter is usually given in mm. It is only when you use the thinner diameters used for machine sewing that things get complicated & confusing, as there are several systems in use Shop around and try if you wish; I like Twist thread from Rocky Mountain Leather Supply, both synthetic and linen, which is the Chinese Yue Fung thread rebranded by RMLS. Linen thread is traditional, and some people don't like using synthetic on leather; on the other hand synthetic is stronger and doesn't rot. If you want to try linen, again RMLS sell Twist in linen., and the French Fil au Chinois is another good make of linen thread. But usually the diameter of linen thread is not given directly, there are two systems in use. Besides the diameters in mm RMLS also give the diameter in the French system, and a conversion table between the two There is another system for measuring the diameter of linen thread, the British system. Size 18/3 is about 0,6mm but I don't know the others. It's useful to know if you see it used anywhere There's nothing wrong with Ritza, but by all means shop around and try a few others if you wish, it all depends on how much you're willing to spend. Search YouTube for 'thread for leatherwork' there are a few videos Leathercraft Supplies – Rocky Mountain Leather Supply (rmleathersupply.com) Tandy have several types of thread available, but the only one I've tried is Waxed Nylon Thread SKU 1227, and I quite like it; the short rolls are cheap enough to try Tandy Leather — Tandy Leather, Inc.

I think the most usual widths for JLKs are about 24, 32, & 36 mm. I've just measured mine and they are 33 & 35mm; I use them for both cutting & skiving If you don't use the wide ones you could try grinding or cutting off the trailing edge to make them narrower, or find someone who will do it for you. But be careful as it is easy to burn such thin hard steel, and you should go slowly with frequent quenching. There are loads of YT videos about using & sharpening JLKs, watch as many as you have the stamina for.

Here is one of several videos on sharpening a JLK, but it really is worth watching all, or as many as you have the stamina for, on using & sharpening a JLK and similar 'chisel' type skiving knives, such as Chartermade How To Get a Razor Sharp Edge - Leatherwork Knife Sharpening Tutorial - YouTube Corter Leather, Leathertoolz, and Haku - Handmade Leatherworks are good - just click on and follow the Links & Prompts to watch others, as many as you can. Oh, just one thing - you should stand up to sharpen a knife, especially something like this type, or a plane blade, so that you can apply even pressure and keep the bevel flat on the stone. If you sit down to sharpen there is a tendency to slightly lift the cutting edge off the stone as you push the knife away from you.

I've just remembered that Tandy sell Since tools, which are Chinese, under their name TandyPro, and I hear they're good, too Shop TandyPro® Tools — Tandy Leather, Inc.

I have two JLKs that I use for both cutting & skiving and a 'chisel type' skiving knife I made myself from a piece of 40mm hacksaw blade. None of them have a secondary bevel and they work well enough Search YouTube for 'sharpening a japanese leather knife'. There are several videos, and they will all help to show how it's done. I don't think any of them make a secondary bevel. They usually have a long low angled single bevel and flatten the back

I use Tandy Craftool Pro, and as I have been saving money thanks to The Lockdown I treated myself to Palosanto, which are rather expensive. However I have heard good reports of Kemovan, which are sold via Etsy, though I haven't used them myself. And Goods Japan sell good mid - priced tools such as Seiwa, Kyoshin Elle, and others KemovanCraft Leather Craft Tools Customized Leather Working Tools Leathercraft Tools & Supplies | Goods Japan

I've just read Hardrada's comments, and yes, you could be better using a stone that has a more continuous surface. A Japanese Water Stone is the common for this, but you could use others - I use oilstones, and don't forget the strop. A good cheap option is to use this - The full system is a bit expensive but the sample sheets are cheaper and just right for Japanese Leather Knives; but find your own sheet of glass or similar hard surface. This is a British supplier but you should be able to find a US supplier. Most abrasives are measured by the grit size, but these use microns, however it's easy enough to find a conversion on The Net Also Search YouTube for Haku Handmade Leatherworks. He has some good videos on sharpening & using a JLK; mostly in Japanese but with clear filming, diagrams, and English subtitles. Also Search YT generally for using, and sharpening JLKs http://www.workshopheaven.com/hand-tools/sharpening-tools/scary-sharpening.html

In the video about making the knife, at about 5min 35sec click on the link on the screen for 'Process of Making Handmade ...... Wallet'. For the first few minutes you see that type of knife in use; and the rest of the video is interesting and shows some techniques that are new to me, at least.

Thought you might like to see this - Making a Japanese style leather knife in Korea. In the West we call them Japanese Leather Knives, but I think they are used all across the Far East - China, Japan, Korea, and so on

It all depends on what you want to use it for. According to Leathertoolz videos, a Japanese Leather Knife (JLK) is intended mainly for cutting leather, with skiving being less important; for skiving he uses a simple flat length of steel with a chisel/single bevel at one end, and no handle. But in the West a JLK is used more for skiving So since you already have a JLK try using that just as it is, with right angled corners; if you find you have problems with it digging in, just round them off slightly yourself, but maybe not as much as the Chartermade shown by Tugadude. You can get a similar knife at a cheaper price from Rocky Mountains Leather Supply Vergez Blanchard - Skiving / Paring Knife - Straight – Rocky Mountain Leather Supply (rmleathersupply.com) Besides this knife you can get JLK s with a more fully rounded edge Here you see that Corter Leather manages to skive well enough using JLK s with 'sharp' corners ; and of course, you can hold the JLK at a slight angle so that the leading corner is clear of the leather When, Why, and How to Skive Leather by Hand - YouTube Search YT for using a JLK and see how people use it You can skive with the bevel up or down. If you eventually sharpen it so much that the handle prevents the blade from lying flat enough, you can flatten the handle slightly, but I think it will be a while before you need to do that This is another good video. Although it is mainly in Japanese, the video and the English sub titles make it clear enough, and he uses a JLK with sharp corners 【レザークラフト】HAKU流・革漉き術 / [Leather Craft] my leather skiving technique using a Japanese leather knife - YouTube So try skiving with sharp corners first, you can always round them later, but it's not so easy to put the steel back on!

Thanks FREDK. I thought there was a chart of leather uses on Tandy but I couldn't seem to find it, only the weight/thickness guide And TIBI, Fred's right, once you start you soon get used to what does what

You're right, we should select leather type & thickness for various items and projects. Search around on Google and YouTube for things like - Choosing leather thickness; choosing leather for projects; choosing leather for wallets; leather thickness and uses; and so on. I know that Corter Leather; Ian Atkinson ( who has a YT channel called Leodis Leather) and many others have videos on choosing leather. I have found this, but there will be others Unfortunately most of these guides are American and measure the thickness in ounces, but search around and you might find one that also uses millimetres, otherwise you'll just have to find a conversion chart between ounces & millimetres A Handy Guide to Leather Thickness & Weight - With a Chart (libertyleathergoods.com) I have found this which should help, but most of the video channels I listed earlier should have a video guide on leather thickness and use Leathercraft Guide - Leodis Leather (ianatkinson.net) And also this - as I mentioned, keep searching on Google and YouTube as there are several guides, and you might just find something that is what you want Leather Education — Tandy Leather, Inc. If you ask a leather supplier they might send you a selection of small samples their types & thicknesses of leather, known as swatches

The holes used for sewing leather are in fact slits or slots, the idea is that after you have finished sewing they close up around the thread and seal the hole. They also make the distinctive zig zag or sawtooth pattern to the stitching, which many people find attractive. You can use two types of awls for this - A diamond cross section <> , so the awl blade is like a very small dagger. It makes a slit that is wider in the middle, which gives room for the needle, then closes up A flat awl makes a slit that has flat sides, like a very small rectangle and some people think this gives a neater result than a diamond awl, but there's not much difference. But I suggest you start with a diamond awl, as it is slightly easier to use. You can round the edges of a flat awl so the edges are much thinner, like this () instead of [] and it is a compromise between the two; you can just try different ideas and see what you like Yes, it is much easier to have separate fixed blade awls than swapping between them. From your list choose a round awl blade and a diamond or flat awl blade. There's not much to choose between 2,0 and 2,5 mm; it depends on what sort of leather you will use mainly - a smaller awl for thinner leather Unfortunately, and probably for woodwork as well as leather tools, the only way to find out what you like is to buy & try! Beware! You often see a 4-in-1 awl listed by suppliers - do not get it as it is not very good quality, and is expensive - you can buy the two separate awls for about the same price, and they are easier than constantly swapping the blades around. A round awl is often used to enlarge the stitching holes for sewing, they will close up afterwards I haven't used Kemovan tools, but I hear they are good. I already have enough leatherworking tools, otherwise I would consider their edge beveller New Ver 3. Their diamond stitching chisels look good too, but I haven't heard anything about them