DieselTech

Ok. Thanks for sharing that. The other thing I was wondering if maybe my stitch length is too close together & it is stretching the leather between the stitch holes. I will play around some more. Lmao I bought 2 full sides of leather just to make 2 rear flank billets, soo I got some practice leather. Just hate that it's Hermann Oak sides I'm practicing on.

Let me ask this? Cause I don't know. Can your thread tension be soo tight it causes your needle holes to elongate from high thread tension? Causing the stitch/needle holes to appear/be enlarged? Lmao last time I used this machine I sewed 2 layers of 5oz Conceria Walpier Buttero with 277 thread. The time before that I sewed 2 layers of 2oz Conceria Walpier Dollaro with 138 thread & a #23 throat plate & feed dog.

Ok I switched to a #24 S point needle & backed off my presser foot presser by 2 turns. The 2nd stitch line in from the edge of the leather is the # 24 S point needle. I think I could get away with a # 24 S point needle with the lubricated polyester 346 thread. I'll continue to decrease my presser foot pressure, until the presser feet tracks go away or at least try.

Thanks. Yeah I am going to switch to a S point needle in the morning. Then start playing with my presser foot pressure too. I think it needs backed off a bit now or I need to lower my feed dog height a touch. I guess it all part of the game, plus I haven't had my Cobra class 4 out & sewing in probably 4 months or longer. Thanks.

Ok. I cut 2 pieces of the actual leather I will be sewing. Looks Ok to me. I think my feed dog height might be a touch high. Or I need to back the presser foot tension off a bit. I'm not sure, I'll have to do some more practice/testing.

No I have not touched the thread tension since switching to 346 poly thread. But I will mention that when I was using 277 thread I had to tighten/increase bobbin tension by 1 full turn on the bobbin thread tension to get it to even the stitches out. Should I decrease my bobbin tension by 1 full turn back. This will put the bobbin tension back to how the machine was shipped to me. Thanks.

Also I forgot to mention, I am using @Patrick1 #25 throat plate & feed dog. Also would switching to a different needle point change anything. Like go to a #25 S point leather needle? Thanks.

Guys & gals I have a Cobra class 4 & it was set up for 277 thread & sewed fine. I need to sew some rear flank billets for a saddle. The billets are 9mm thick that I need to sew. Which they will be 2 layers. They will be constructed using 5mm veg tan saddle skirting & 4mm Latigo, both Hermann Oak. Ok. So here we go: I swapped the thread over to lubricated 346 bonded polyester thread, both on top & in the bobbin. #25 Schmetz D point needle. So when I 1st started sewing, it kept picking up the leather when the needle was coming up. So I increased the presser foot tension, by 20 turns in. So now it no longer picks the leather up when the needle is on the up stroke, but at 1st it kept breaking my top thread. So I re-threaded it 3 times before it stop breaking my top thread. So now I got it sew thru 2 layers of 6mm saddle skirting, but it made lot of squeaking as the needle came back up thru the leather. So my question is: Why did it keep snapping my top thread at the beginning of sewing? Was it because my thread is 8-10years old? (Thread was in zip lock bags stored in the dark) if that matters on its age? Or because of the #25 needle is too small & I should go to a #26 needle? Should I be running a lube pot? Only running my machine at 200 rpm. Thanks. Any help or pointers will be greatly appreciated.

Got ya. Yeah I'm a tinkerer to. So I know what your saying.

What's wrong with the winder on the machine? I use mine & it seems to work great.

Very nice! Looks Great.

Try some alcohol based dyes on a test piece. Like fiebings Pro dye.

Can you take pictures on how you got it threaded. Also a 140 needle sounds small to me for 207 thread. If nothing else I am sure leather machine company will help get you going. I'll have to look, but I think I use a 140 & 160 needle with 138 thread on my cobra class 26.

Thanks. Yeah I dabble in making knives & I happen to stumble on a bunch of linen micarta. It does look like wood when contoured & sanded. I will have to test the knife after a while & see what I think of it.

One word! OK 2 words!! Nicely Done!

As promised. What a Beauty!!! Lmao too nice to use. Just kidding.

1st off I want to say, Thank You @bruce johnson very much. This history/old time experience has explained a lot to me. It also means a lot to me. Thanks. Ok now that I got a cup of coffee, I am going to whittle at this a Lil at a time. I will have to read this a few times, to get all the great info/history of your article on C.S. Osborne tools. I am going to go slow on this reading & I am going to have more than 1 response to this article, so I can take it all in. Plus I want to add pictures to my responses, to help, show, & maybe help others on their tools. Thanks again. @bruce johnson Later today I got some pictures to add & another response/comment to add to this thread.

Thanks. I do have the means/skills to make them, but dang it I don't want to make my tools too. I do have some handmade tools of my own, but more speciality tools you could say.

Well hopefully the big box leather store I ordered it from, will replace it. They haven't got back to me yet. Other than a email saying, a customer service agent will be in touch. Now the other thing I think, this being a big box leather store, I think they would check their punches before they are shipped out. I am sure this punch was bent like this from the factory. None of the boxes showed damage anyhow.

Thanks Mablung. No the dent/bend on the back side of the round end punch, is bad enough it traveled up to the cutting point of the punch. Slightly out of round. Hard to tell from my pictures.

Thanks. Yeah I am such a newbie to the horse stuff, I don't know even differences between English & Western Tack. I got a good idea, but my idea/thoughts might be way off the wall.

Thanks TomE. At least the small bag/oblong punches I got are sharp. Not as sharp as they could be thou. Yeah them big strap end punches have a fairly pricey tag on them. Wonder what their rossette cutters are like?

TomE have you ever checked out Shaun Woodsum hand forged Damascus hardware? Just Beautiful stuff he makes. Thanks for reminding me, I need to try & get a catalog from Beilers.

Guys & gals I am a fairly new leatherworker, been doing it off & on for 8-10years now. My question is to some of you older seasoned leather guys. Or who ever wants to chime in. So thru the years of working with leather. Do you think C.S. Osborne quality has went down hill today, from the older days of their tools? I'm not sure what to expect, but I have ordered a few bag punches & strap end punches & to me, they look bad. 2 new bag punches I got look like they are poor welds & appears to be cracks in them, running down the sides. 1¾ round point strap end punch I just got, looks like someone got pissed & threw it against the concrete floor. It is bent out of shape. What's yours guys thoughts? Ok I'm done venting.

Nice work. It looks great! With brass hardware, to me = Classy.