puckers up between stitches

[Sjm1027]

I agree with everything else here - big stiches and heavy thread. I am going to add one more factor. I do a fair amount of this kind of seam on some bags. If your awl is not a little thinner than maybe normal, you will get these raised puckers. When you go through the leather at an angle it is different than straight through like a strap. You will essentially be undercutting and raising the side of the hole toward the edge, and compresing and lowering the side of the hole away from the edge. If your stitching groove is not deep or thread is big, pulling the thread with enough tension to close the seam will raise and hold these "pucker" up even more. This is a whole different cat then handsewing a flat piece. Groove deeper and use a thin blade. You can either rework the readily available blades, or Bob Douglas makes some dandy blades in regular and slim styles ready to go.

Thanks for the critique, Looks like a have some work to do. Is there a guide for thread vs. leather thickness?

Appreciate the help

Steve

[bruce johnson]

Steve,

The thread guide is what ever looks good to you. I have seen some guys who like to use that heavy 5or 6 cord waxed handthread from TLF or Weaver on card cases. Other guys that use 138 equivalent on a big piece. I kind of hit the middle. I usually handsew the work gear with the heavy thread. If I am handsewing a smaller dressy item, I like 207. some of the little repair jobs are 138. I just beeswax it up and it holds the lock alright. I have tried some of the linens at times, found they were lumpy and not all that consistant. I also groove pretty deep.

I have a few different groovers. I like a deeper narrow groove usually. I think the TLF saddlemakers groover is OK. One thing I found it will only plow so deep. Might be alright for some things. To make mine go deeper I carefully dremeled off the sides to narrow it, and rounded off those square corners on the back. Made a huge difference. I have one of the Osborne compass groovers (actually two). The smallest points on those work alright. One I left the other point sharp for centering and grooving circles. The other I dulled, rounded, and flattened to be more like the old grooving compasses to ride an edge better. I have a third style that is a shoe groover (not a channeler). It has a wooden handle, loop type blade like the Osbornes, and adjustable fence. It will plow a pretty good furrow. You will find especially on handsewing the mitered or butted 90 degree corners that a deeper groove and catching plenty of leather in both pieces is more forgiving to do, and more durable in the long run.

I am attaching a pic of a style of bag I make that has the butted corners on the top and bottom pieces. I hand sewed them all top and bottom. I have probably done about 150 of these. That is where I figured out to groove deep, smaller thread, and sew with a thinner awl blade. These were one of my most popular award items for several years when I was activley seeking that work. These are a cosmetic bag, but the barrel racers in AZ all thought they won camcorder bags. They called to order them for gifts and friends, asking for cam corder bags. It hit me what else they thought they were.

[Sjm1027]

Thanks, makes sense... I think I will do some experiments... Very nice work, thats a beautiful bag.

Steve

Steve,

The thread guide is what ever looks good to you. I have seen some guys who like to use that heavy 5or 6 cord waxed handthread from TLF or Weaver on card cases. Other guys that use 138 equivalent on a big piece. I kind of hit the middle. I usually handsew the work gear with the heavy thread. If I am handsewing a smaller dressy item, I like 207. some of the little repair jobs are 138. I just beeswax it up and it holds the lock alright. I have tried some of the linens at times, found they were lumpy and not all that consistant. I also groove pretty deep.

I have a few different groovers. I like a deeper narrow groove usually. I think the TLF saddlemakers groover is OK. One thing I found it will only plow so deep. Might be alright for some things. To make mine go deeper I carefully dremeled off the sides to narrow it, and rounded off those square corners on the back. Made a huge difference. I have one of the Osborne compass groovers (actually two). The smallest points on those work alright. One I left the other point sharp for centering and grooving circles. The other I dulled, rounded, and flattened to be more like the old grooving compasses to ride an edge better. I have a third style that is a shoe groover (not a channeler). It has a wooden handle, loop type blade like the Osbornes, and adjustable fence. It will plow a pretty good furrow. You will find especially on handsewing the mitered or butted 90 degree corners that a deeper groove and catching plenty of leather in both pieces is more forgiving to do, and more durable in the long run.

I am attaching a pic of a style of bag I make that has the butted corners on the top and bottom pieces. I hand sewed them all top and bottom. I have probably done about 150 of these. That is where I figured out to groove deep, smaller thread, and sew with a thinner awl blade. These were one of my most popular award items for several years when I was activley seeking that work. These are a cosmetic bag, but the barrel racers in AZ all thought they won camcorder bags. They called to order them for gifts and friends, asking for cam corder bags. It hit me what else they thought they were.

[superchute]

howdy all new to the site and love it just a little shot note on the boxes my dad makes a lot of them. He cuts the grove on side and top then 45s them both and with a light glue he puts them together then he use a dremel and drills the holes around the case. He used one string and 2 needles he makes shere to all was us the top or side needle first all the way around the case or the stitch looks funny. Russ