Chisel Size for Pocket Projects?

[NDphung]

Just now, Tugadude said:

Thanks.  It is the first in the items on the page.  I says "The Perfect Stitching:  What Does It Require"

Yes

 

[NDphung]

Following up on my previous about the OKA Diagonal (french style) and Diamond Chisel I manage to sew quickly for comparison. Note the leather is very low quality scrap leather.

 

From Left to Right 

1) OKA 5mm Diamond w/ Ritza 1.0 mm and John James 002 aka #2 (It is actually the same size as #1 or #3 i.e. 1.02 mm DIA and 54mm Length)

2) OKA 4mm Diamond w/ Ritza 0.8 mm and John James 004 aka #4 (0.86 mm DIA and 48mm Length)

3) OKA 3.5mm Diagonal (French Style) w/Vinymo #8 System S+U #5

4) RML 3.85mm Diagonal (Euro Style)  w/Vinymo #8 System S+U #5

5) JunLin 3.00mm Diagonal w/ Xiange #30 System S+U #7

6) OKA 3.00mm Diamond w/ Xiange #30 System S+U #7

Personally I don't think the OKA 3.5 mm Diagonal (discussed in earlier post is not too bad especially considering how cheap that chisel is compared to the budget RML or the Junlin. The biggest drawback is that the biggest they offer is 6 Teeth so If you have long stitch line it is far from ideal. Their 3.00mm Diamond is also a surprise because of the high SPI I expect worse performance but it holds its own.  My wife (with a western background) loves the low SPI and the thick thread, I prefer higher SPI and thinner thread. 

I would love to hear from all of you on the topics of chisel size and thread and needle selection.

[Tugadude]

NDphung, all of the examples are more than adequate and would look just fine depending on the project.  The thicker thread isn't my style, but would look just fine on large bags, holsters, etc.  

My preference is the 3.0mm and both the diamond and flat irons yield a very attractive, consistent result.  

Thanks for sharing your work with us!

[NDphung]

2 hours ago, Danne said:

Most of my wallets have their exteriors punched before glued to lining, and after fully assembled holes are opened with an awl. And it's not as hard as many people believe. I did struggle a lot at first, but when I finally learned how to sharpen my awl correctly, it didn't take that much practice to get straight holes. A wine cork on the back side can be very helpful to avoid distorting the leather. And if someone wonder why I use an awl for wallets, the reason is because i prefer stitching from the exterior side, and interior leather will have skived edges so punching all the way through is not possible (not with good results)

Thanks again for the tips, I will have to try this. May I have a couple of questions?

1) You use a wine cork on the backside, so do you clamp your wallet on a vertical stitching clamp? I have seen some crafters lay down their work on a flat rubber/cork surface and literally use an awl to go through the punched/marked holes from the top layer.

2) Do you stitch with an awl on your hand or you use an awl only to open the holes?

3) When you sharpen your awl do you keep its Diamond shape or you sharpen it to a straight blade?

Thanks for the great advices as always.

[Danne]

42 minutes ago, NDphung said:

Thanks again for the tips, I will have to try this. May I have a couple of questions?

1) You use a wine cork on the backside, so do you clamp your wallet on a vertical stitching clamp? I have seen some crafters lay down their work on a flat rubber/cork surface and literally use an awl to go through the punched/marked holes from the top layer.

2) Do you stitch with an awl on your hand or you use an awl only to open the holes?

3) When you sharpen your awl do you keep its Diamond shape or you sharpen it to a straight blade?

Thanks for the great advices as always.

1. I have it clamed on my stitching clamp when I open the holes with my awl, it wouldn't work on a flat surface since the edges of the wallets interior are skived, so it wouldn't lay flat, and if it did I could instead punch all the way through with stitching irons.

2. I find that I get a more consistent result if I open up like the whole row of holes before I stitch, then I reposition the wallet to stitch another part, and first open those holes with an awl also. That way I feel more certain that I have the same angle all the time. 

3. I first cut of the sharp tip, then I flatten it to an oval shape. A lot of people don't want to spend the time doing this and then Palosanto have awls that people seem happy with, and they are already sharp and have a good profile. 

[NDphung]

Sorry again for being late to this topic but previously I read that European Irons/Chisels are meant for marking only not punch through. I believe that most modern European(French) Irons/Chisels can be used to punch through to about 4-5mm thick leather (9-10 oz) with their slim and long teeth (ref. Kevin Lee, JunLin, KS,Sinabroks, ZJ, Beagle, Craft Jayme etc). I could be wrong please let me know.

I even committed the most sacrilegious act by punching through 4mm of combined French Chevre and reinforcement using a Vergez Blanchard #8 Pricking iron (the class was given by a French teacher to boot). I know that it should be strictly use for marking follow by the awl. but here is the result, The backside of a clutch I made (2 x 1 mm French Chevre + 2mm Reinforcement with Campbell's Satin Laid Linen thread 532 or 832  I forgot).I will send front side (interior)   

[NDphung]

Front side interior . So I think technically you can punch through 4mm of leather even with a Vergez Blanchard Pricking Iron. To an untrained it actually doesn't look too bad. I rushed so a couple of stitches are messed up and I have not finished the other side (But the holes are punched through). 

[NDphung]

22 minutes ago, Danne said:

1. I have it clamed on my stitching clamp when I open the holes with my awl, it wouldn't work on a flat surface since the edges of the wallets interior are skived, so it wouldn't lay flat, and if it did I could instead punch all the way through with stitching irons.

2. I find that I get a more consistent result if I open up like the whole row of holes before I stitch, then I reposition the wallet to stitch another part, and first open those holes with an awl also. That way I feel more certain that I have the same angle all the time. 

3. I first cut of the sharp tip, then I flatten it to an oval shape. A lot of people don't want to spend the time doing this and then Palosanto have awls that people seem happy with, and they are already sharp and have a good profile. 

Thanks, I have not seen many crafters do it this way but I have seen your BiFolds and they are pretty spectacular so the result speaks for itself.

[Danne]

25 minutes ago, NDphung said:

Sorry again for being late to this topic but previously I read that European Irons/Chisels are meant for marking only not punch through. I believe that most modern European(French) Irons/Chisels can be used to punch through to about 4-5mm thick leather (9-10 oz) with their slim and long teeth (ref. Kevin Lee, JunLin, KS,Sinabroks, ZJ, Beagle, Craft Jayme etc). I could be wrong please let me know.

I even committed the most sacrilegious act by punching through 4mm of combined French Chevre and reinforcement using a Vergez Blanchard #8 Pricking iron (the class was given by a French teacher to boot). I know that it should be strictly use for marking follow by the awl. but here is the result, The backside of a clutch I made (2 x 1 mm French Chevre + 2mm Reinforcement with Campbell's Satin Laid Linen thread 532 or 832  I forgot).I will send front side (interior)   

 

18 minutes ago, NDphung said:

Front side interior . So I think technically you can punch through 4mm of leather even with a Vergez Blanchard Pricking Iron. To an untrained it actually doesn't look too bad. I rushed so a couple of stitches are messed up and I have not finished the other side (But the holes are punched through).

Yes, I would say that the older French irons (Like Blanchard) is pricking irons, and you are supposed to use them in combination with an awl. And new models like the ones you mentioned can be used as either pricking irons or stitching irons where you punch all the way through, because of their slimmer prongs without a taper.

When you used Blanchard to punch all the way through 4mm, the temper of the leather will determine how it will looks. A softer leather like goat leather will close up the holes better than for example a firm bridle leather. 

As you know, I like to make watch straps, and here these new irons really shine, because without using an awl it's possible to punch all the way through and get slim clean holes. And in my opinion it's not just the fact that the holes are less visible, with a slim hole the thread position itself better, which can be hard on thin leather when you cast the thread, but it's certainly easier if the hole isn't that wide at the front side.