Chisel Size for Pocket Projects?

[Tugadude]

1 hour ago, Heartless said:

actually, there are times when a single point chisel is useful

say you are going around a zipper cut out - you get close to finishing and realize that the spacing is slightly off to use the 2 point for that last hole... use the single point to center the last hole and minimize the visual impact of that one being slightly different than the rest.

If i were going to skip one when buying individually, it would be the 4 point...  6 point for long straight runs, 2 point for working around curves, and the single point for times like described above. I have a full set as shown above and rarely use the 4 point

If I need to do that I use an awl, works just fine.

[Heartless]

9 hours ago, Tugadude said:

If I need to do that I use an awl, works just fine.

yeah, i suppose it would, if one had the correct type of awl.. I dont, so...
all i have at the moment is just a scratch awl.. still building my tool set a little at a time

 

[chuck123wapati]

On 6/7/2023 at 7:29 PM, Heartless said:

yeah, i suppose it would, if one had the correct type of awl.. I dont, so...
all i have at the moment is just a scratch awl.. still building my tool set a little at a time

 

you need an awl before you need chisels or at the least at the same time.

 

On 10/24/2022 at 9:55 AM, Tugadude said:

For the price, I have found these to be pretty effective.  For small wallets, the 3mm would be good.  EDIT:  No need to buy the one-prong iron in my opinion.  But if you buy the whole set, not a big deal, still less than $10 bucks per.

https://www.springfieldleather.com/Craftmaster-3mm-Diamond-Point-Stitching-Chisel?quantity=1&other-options=1

i tried some similar to these, they bend really easily. 

[Tugadude]

46 minutes ago, chuck123wapati said:

you need an awl before you need chisels or at the least at the same time.

 

i tried some similar to these, they bend really easily. 

Mine never have.  I own some of the black ones which Tandy sells and the tines on those are prone to bending.  

One thing that helps is to make 100% sure that the chisel is plumb before striking it.  Another is to avoid twisting the iron when removing it from the leather.  I use a block of wood and pull straight up, and they release very easily that way.  The other negative to twisting is that it enlarges the holes.  The holes should only be large enough that you can easily pass the threads through.  Too large isn't good.  Tapping them down with a smooth-faced hammer helps, but it won't close up huge holes.  

[Tugadude]

The most recent irons I purchased were the Aiskaer ones off of Amazon.  For the price, the quality is ridiculously good.  $9.99 and free shipping if you have Prime Plus.  

https://www.amazon.com/Aiskaer-Diamond-Lacing-Stitching-Leather/dp/B014549SNG/ref=sr_1_5?crid=3GDG154QZX5W5&keywords=stitching+chisels&qid=1686580411&sprefix=stitching+chisels%2Caps%2C86&sr=8-5

[chuck123wapati]

44 minutes ago, Tugadude said:

Mine never have.  I own some of the black ones which Tandy sells and the tines on those are prone to bending.  

One thing that helps is to make 100% sure that the chisel is plumb before striking it.  Another is to avoid twisting the iron when removing it from the leather.  I use a block of wood and pull straight up, and they release very easily that way.  The other negative to twisting is that it enlarges the holes.  The holes should only be large enough that you can easily pass the threads through.  Too large isn't good.  Tapping them down with a smooth-faced hammer helps, but it won't close up huge holes.  

mine were cheapo amazon, I replaced them with Tandy craft tool pro series and haven't had one bend yet and use them just the same.

The cheapos work ok and they do the job plus they are just as easy to straighten as they are to bend lol. 

[Tugadude]

15 minutes ago, chuck123wapati said:

mine were cheapo amazon, I replaced them with Tandy craft tool pro series and haven't had one bend yet and use them just the same.

The cheapos work ok and they do the job plus they are just as easy to straighten as they are to bend lol. 

The Tandy Craftool Pro series irons are nice.  I own two sets, the 2.5 and the 3.5mm.  They are the diamond chisels and the only thing I wish was that they were a little more slanted and that the teeth were a tad narrower.  There are some irons on the market that I suspect would be perfect for my taste, but I'm not in the mood to spend $200.00 when the ones I have work nearly as well.  

The ones from Tandy that bent were the black ones.  You can bend the teeth back one time, then they want to crack and fall off.  It is a shame, because otherwise they give a good result.  

[Tugadude]

 

[Heartless]

2 hours ago, chuck123wapati said:

you need an awl before you need chisels or at the least at the same time.

LOL, no you dont.
if you use pricking irons, then maybe yeah, but the diamond chisels do not require an awl. if I need to poke a hole outside of the stitching chisels, I have plenty of other options

I actually have two "cheap" sets of the diamond chisels (included with other Amazon purchases), both 4mm spacing, and neither set has tried to bend on me.. and I have used them on some pretty thick leather - the pistol case I did, the main body pieces are out of 10-12oz leather.. the handles are of the same leather split down the middle, doubled over and stitched together.. had to punch down one side, fold them and mark a starting point for the other side (scratch awl worked for that, but a needle, or anything else small enough to fit thru the hole would have worked) because it was just too much to punch all at once.

You use what you have and being on a fixed income, i dont have a lot yet.. have only been playing with leather for a couple of months.. started purchasing stuff in March of this year.

 

[chuck123wapati]

2 hours ago, Heartless said:

LOL, no you dont.
if you use pricking irons, then maybe yeah, but the diamond chisels do not require an awl. if I need to poke a hole outside of the stitching chisels, I have plenty of other options

I actually have two "cheap" sets of the diamond chisels (included with other Amazon purchases), both 4mm spacing, and neither set has tried to bend on me.. and I have used them on some pretty thick leather - the pistol case I did, the main body pieces are out of 10-12oz leather.. the handles are of the same leather split down the middle, doubled over and stitched together.. had to punch down one side, fold them and mark a starting point for the other side (scratch awl worked for that, but a needle, or anything else small enough to fit thru the hole would have worked) because it was just too much to punch all at once.

You use what you have and being on a fixed income, i dont have a lot yet.. have only been playing with leather for a couple of months.. started purchasing stuff in March of this year.

 

lol you've been doing this for two months and asked for advise ....   ok good luck sorry i wasted your time.