2nd Wallet

[Selvune]

Here is another wallet I made yesterday and today.  I am happy with my progress over the past few weeks.  I do have a question though, I have the Tandy diamond leather chisels pictured below with the wallet.  I am having issues where I cant punch all the way thru before the base of the chisel start pushing on the leather when i have a thick section.  Without skiving down the leather to make the height less, what other options do I have?  Are there chisels with longer teeth?  I started researching and didn't find might right off the bat.

 

 

[Abelc]

I like it. Love the edges (are painted, like with edge kote or just dyed?), and the stiching.Good Job!!. What you can do with the chisels, is, using a Wing Divider / compass or a Groover to mark the lines in each part, and make the holes individually. Also i have seen that the 

the pockets can be staggered, but also in the shape of a trapezoid (if i remember) to sew them 2 by 2, but I don't know exactly the process.There are a lot wallet youtube videos for inspiration or make a pattern (although easier to buy one).

Or you can use leather of less leather weight, on the inside, in case the wallet is the usual folded type.

My chisels, are one piece, and i think i don't have those problems, but last time i tried to punch like 5-6 mm of leather (see pic of crochet wallet behind), even using bees wax, it wasn't easier to do. All the layers, even with border skived with dremel (dangerous), were like 4-5 mm, plus the outside tooled part that i also skived. So i think anyway you have to look for ways to do it, if the total leather weight is too much.Perhaps try to find some chisel that is like mine. Mine are japanese, but i was lucky of having them in the local store i usually buy.

I have a project in mind of a collar, with two 3 mm straps, and i think i will first do the holes in one 3 mm strap, then use an Awl, or use the divider to make two lines and make holes in each strap.

[DJole]

2 hours ago, Selvune said:

Here is another wallet I made yesterday and today.  I am happy with my progress over the past few weeks.  I do have a question though, I have the Tandy diamond leather chisels pictured below with the wallet.  I am having issues where I cant punch all the way thru before the base of the chisel start pushing on the leather when i have a thick section.  Without skiving down the leather to make the height less, what other options do I have?  Are there chisels with longer teeth?  I started researching and didn't find might right off the bat.

Looking good -- you're off to a great start! doesn't it feel great to know you've improved? I know it makes me happy! ;-)

As for the chisel question:

Your problem is that the teeth of those Tandy irons are too short to go all the way through the layers, right?

1) Lay out your stitching line on the top layer, and make your holes as desired. Then lay it on the top of the lower layer, and using those holes as guides, use your 2-prong chisel or awl to mark the flesh side of the lower layer-- ends of the stitching line, a few in the middle, the corners. Then take the top layer off, mark the same stitching line on the flesh side of the lower layer, and finish making the holes in that layer. Use the guide holes to make sure all the holes line up. Then put the layers together and sew.

2) Use thinner leather for the wallet! ;-)

3) Get a set of reverse irons, and use them on the grain side of the lower layer. Reverse irons work like this: your normal slanted irons go like this \ \ \ \ , and reverse go like this / / / /, so that the hole angles match up. 

4) Learn to do it old-school style: pricking irons to mark where the holes go, and then a sharp awl to go all the way through while the piece is in the stitching pony.

I have done methods 1, 2 and three, and though I have a set of pricking irons, I haven't practiced method 4 yet. 

You could also try switching to a different style of iron, like the Japanese, which are a cross between those straight diamond chisels you have there and the narrow slits of French style irons.
You might want to take a look at Kevin Lee's basic tools, which are very inexpensive, yet well polished and well made. As Kevin Lee points out, "This tool is priced for beginners who wish to try out different SPIs with french-style irons before committing to better tools." I bought a set of his reverse irons, and they have worked very well. (https://kevinlee.global/collections/pricking-irons/products/basic-french-pricking-iron?variant=15905154891876)

Edited March 16, 2022 by DJole

[toxo]

2 hours ago, Selvune said:

Here is another wallet I made yesterday and today.  I am happy with my progress over the past few weeks.  I do have a question though, I have the Tandy diamond leather chisels pictured below with the wallet.  I am having issues where I cant punch all the way thru before the base of the chisel start pushing on the leather when i have a thick section.  Without skiving down the leather to make the height less, what other options do I have?  Are there chisels with longer teeth?  I started researching and didn't find might right off the bat.

Using thinner leather or skiving the edges is one way but before you go spending money on more chisels you have nothing to lose by filing the gap between the spikes on the ones you have. you can get small flat or triangular files but a hacksaw or a dremel will ease the burden before filing.

[Selvune]

18 hours ago, Abelc said:

I like it. Love the edges (are painted, like with edge kote or just dyed?), and the stiching.Good Job!!. What you can do with the chisels, is, using a Wing Divider / compass or a Groover to mark the lines in each part, and make the holes individually. Also i have seen that the 

the pockets can be staggered, but also in the shape of a trapezoid (if i remember) to sew them 2 by 2, but I don't know exactly the process.There are a lot wallet youtube videos for inspiration or make a pattern (although easier to buy one).

Or you can use leather of less leather weight, on the inside, in case the wallet is the usual folded type.

My chisels, are one piece, and i think i don't have those problems, but last time i tried to punch like 5-6 mm of leather (see pic of crochet wallet behind), even using bees wax, it wasn't easier to do. All the layers, even with border skived with dremel (dangerous), were like 4-5 mm, plus the outside tooled part that i also skived. So i think anyway you have to look for ways to do it, if the total leather weight is too much.Perhaps try to find some chisel that is like mine. Mine are japanese, but i was lucky of having them in the local store i usually buy.

I have a project in mind of a collar, with two 3 mm straps, and i think i will first do the holes in one 3 mm strap, then use an Awl, or use the divider to make two lines and make holes in each strap.

Thanks for the feedback.  I first sanded the edges and then finished burnishing with white tokenol burnishing gum.  I have watched a few videos and yes, making a vshaped pocket is good when you have multiple levels, but I really only have 1 pocket on each side, but I will take that into account as I move forward.

17 hours ago, DJole said:

Looking good -- you're off to a great start! doesn't it feel great to know you've improved? I know it makes me happy! ;-)

As for the chisel question:

Your problem is that the teeth of those Tandy irons are too short to go all the way through the layers, right?

1) Lay out your stitching line on the top layer, and make your holes as desired. Then lay it on the top of the lower layer, and using those holes as guides, use your 2-prong chisel or awl to mark the flesh side of the lower layer-- ends of the stitching line, a few in the middle, the corners. Then take the top layer off, mark the same stitching line on the flesh side of the lower layer, and finish making the holes in that layer. Use the guide holes to make sure all the holes line up. Then put the layers together and sew.

2) Use thinner leather for the wallet! ;-)

3) Get a set of reverse irons, and use them on the grain side of the lower layer. Reverse irons work like this: your normal slanted irons go like this \ \ \ \ , and reverse go like this / / / /, so that the hole angles match up. 

4) Learn to do it old-school style: pricking irons to mark where the holes go, and then a sharp awl to go all the way through while the piece is in the stitching pony.

I have done methods 1, 2 and three, and though I have a set of pricking irons, I haven't practiced method 4 yet. 

You could also try switching to a different style of iron, like the Japanese, which are a cross between those straight diamond chisels you have there and the narrow slits of French style irons.
You might want to take a look at Kevin Lee's basic tools, which are very inexpensive, yet well polished and well made. As Kevin Lee points out, "This tool is priced for beginners who wish to try out different SPIs with french-style irons before committing to better tools." I bought a set of his reverse irons, and they have worked very well. (https://kevinlee.global/collections/pricking-irons/products/basic-french-pricking-iron?variant=15905154891876)

Yes, Yes it does feel good knowing that i have improved.

Yes, the irons don't go all the way thru

1. I have thought about this and prepunching everything

2. the leather is pretty thin, but I will see what else I can find

3. I just found out about these the other day, so might investigate them more.

4.  This is what I really want to get into, but was scared when buying my first set of tools.  Everything I heard, the diamond chisels are easier when starting outa

16 hours ago, toxo said:

Using thinner leather or skiving the edges is one way but before you go spending money on more chisels you have nothing to lose by filing the gap between the spikes on the ones you have. you can get small flat or triangular files but a hacksaw or a dremel will ease the burden before filing.

for the leather I used, i could skive it down, but the leather I really want to use is a super soft leather and i haven't figured out how to skive it with it being so soft.  Filing the gaps is a great idea before investing more money.  Great idea.  Thanks.

 

 

 

Thanks everyone!!!