Getting slanted stitches only on back side

[Getting slanted stitches only on back side]

1 hour ago, Hardrada said:

You need to pull your arms at an angle, not straight like an eagle. Pull the left arm away from you and ~45° upwards, and the right arm downwards at the same angle and towards you. Basically, you're pulling the threads following the direction of the hole's slant.

I have done this also. I have tried coming straight out and at an angle. Maybe I need to try again at a sharper angle.

[Getting slanted stitches only on back side]

While I am stitching I am getting slanted stitches on the back and straight stitches on the front. I am using 4mm diamond chisels from weaver with .6mm thread. I am stitching with the holes slanted up and away from me. The side that I punched holes from is on the right and that is also what I am calling the front. I start in the first  hole, even up my thread and start stitching towards me. I place the first needled through the back or left side and catch it on the right side, make a cross, pull it through, slight pull back on the threads so I can go back in the hole from the left over the other thread. I then cast the thread over the needle as it comes through and then pull tight. The stitches on the back look good but the front are straight as can be. What am I doing wrong?

[Trouble cutting leather]

19 hours ago, Hardrada said:

Xactos are just one cutting tool to have and they're not suitable for everything.

What weight is the leather you're cutting?

If you have to make several passes with the knife, you're increasing the chances of going off with each pass.

Methinks you need to get additional cutting tools, such as a half-moon knife, a Japanese skiving knife, and an Olfa snap-off utility blade. The latter is probably the cheapest and more accessible and easier to use option for you right now (not that that means you shouldn't procure the others): if you're cutting thick leather you can pull more blade out (I normally pull out the blade(s) up to two notches when cutting >8 oz leather).

https://www.olfaproducts.com/olfa-l-5-fiberglass-rubber-grip-utility-knife-18mm.html

I am cutting 5-6 oz leather. I will definitely try out all of your suggestions and hopefully see some improvements with practice. So will these techniques help to the point where my curves wont be choppy? Or is some sanding to round things out to be expected?

[Trouble cutting leather]

Im having problems with the simplest of things. I am trying to get smooth cut lines. Are my cut lines ever going to be perfect and right on my template lines? I seem to drift off a little. Also when I am making curved cuts they tend to look choppy instead of smooth. I try to sand it down to where it looks like a smooth profile but when I bevel my edge it is very obvious that there is still same jaggedness to my cut. Any pointers on what I could do to improve? I am using a #2 Xacto knife if that matters.