Cavediver

I actually have a small spool of the tiger thread from when I first started a few years ago (sidetracked by divorce, finally getting my hands dirty again!). I'm in practice mode right now having not produced any functional projects, but I do want to give others a shot to see what's what. Thanks for the info!

Thanks for the heads-up! I had no idea there was a supplier in this area. Unfortunately they aren't open to the public at this time (according to their contact page), but I'll order up a sample card and maybe a spool or two anyhow.

Is there a substantial difference between the two? I'm just getting started in hand stitching and wanted to pick up a couple of smaller spools of the .6mm Tiger thread with my next RML order, but they are out of several colors. Aside from black, the colors I am looking for are available in the .55mm Polybraid thread. To my inexperienced eye they sound like equivalent products. Is that the case, or should I hunt for other suppliers of Tiger thread?

So, an update... I bought an awl from Tandy so I could practice my sharpening... I've got the blade cleaned up pretty well, but still need to work on the point and transition; I think the blade gets too wide too fast, making penetration more difficult than it needs to be. I tacked the Stohlman Hand Sewing book on to that order so I could have a visual reference on hand while I'm learning. I'm in the middle of my DIY stitching pony with cam lock. I need to pick up a hinge this week. I bought some John James #002 and #004 harness needles plus some Tiger Thread from Rocky Mountain Leather Supply. As I'm not 100% sure I can get that Tandy awl where it needs to be, I opted to add a King #0 awl blade to the RM order... It'll give me a good idea of what sharp really is, and I'll make my own haft for it after I figure out what I am doing. Tanks again for all of the advice. I'm going to practice with this for a bit while I make up my mind between pricking irons and diamond chisels. Maybe in a week or three I'll have a better idea about where I want to go with all of this nonsense!

I'm in the same boat! I need something to get my head away from my daily grind. Hopefully I'll get some nice looking stuff out of it as well, and maybe even a marketable skill way on down the road. In the meantime it's great mental therapy!

Thanks all. Some good points to consider! I've been looking at stitching chisels and know that's the easier route for a beginner, however I figured I'd also need to know how to do it by hand in some cases; hence the decision to buy a decent awl. I've got my eye on a cheaper set of chisels from ebay, and maybe a couple of Seiwa chisels once I figure out my size requirements. I'm pretty close to a Tandy store, so I'll skip out at lunch one day this week and check out the Craftool awl. While I prefer the idea of a replaceable blade, the $30 price tag is certainly more appealing than the $75 version, especially since this is just the beginning of a hobby I may or may not keep... I've got plenty of wood working tools on hand, and have a plan to put a stitching pony together this weekend. On that same note, I'd turn my own haft, but I have no idea what a good stitching awl should feel like in the hand (what features it should have, size, balance, etc). That's why I figured I'd start with a pro model and then make my own if or when I needed another. To your points Ornito and YinTx, I know this isn't going to be an easy ride. Most things worth doing well take a lot of time, practice, and patience. I have one out of those three on any given day; hopefully I'll be able to muster the other two from time to time and learn how to make some nice looking stitches

Hello all, After a few simple no-sew projects, I've decided I should learn to stitch. I've watched a couple of videos, have the Stohlman book on order, and now it's time to buy an awl. I've read enough to know I should avoid Tandy and the other inexpensive version, so I'm looking at the Barry King hafts and blades (available from the same source). Good choice for a first tool, or should I pick something else? Which one? I have medium sized hands (7.5" tip to wrist). My guess is the small haft with the flat side, but if someone has a better idea, I'm all ears! Blade: Are the Barry King blades good for a beginner, or should I bite the shipping bullet and make a second order from Bob Douglas? Blade size? I'm working with small-ish projects (journal cover or smaller) and using ~5oz leather , 2-3 layers. Also, will one small blade cover most small to medium projects, or will I need more than one type? Thanks!

Hello all, I'm just getting into leather work and can already tell I need an upgrade from my current maul (20 oz soft poly woodworking maul). I am going the DIY route and will be making three or four in a variety of weights. UHMW, HDPE, or Delrin heads (2", tapered), wood handles, and lead insert weights are the plan. What I don't know is how / where these should be balanced. Head heavy, head /haft joint, or...? I'm guessing the heavier mauls should be weighted towards the top and the lighter tooling mallets should be more balanced, but thought I should ask before putting tool to material Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated! Thanks! Jay M