Should I slot the holes or punch them?

[johnny7]

I am going to lace the edge of a bible cover with a double cordavan lace. Should I slot the holes or punch them?

thanks

Johnny

[Beaverslayer]

I prefer to always use round holes, because they are less likely to rip apart if you happen to pull your lace to tightly. A round hole has no "start or finish" as to the edge of it, so there is no weak point. Depending on the size of your lace, if using a punc and round holes. Make your holes just a bit smaller than the lace. This will help to hide the hole when done.

Ken

[electrathon]

Personally, I think round holes look incredibly tacky on a bible cover. Wallets, binders, anything like that falls into the same catagory. There is virtually no stress on the lacing, so tear out is not a big deal. Now, I will admit, I can't envision what double cordavan lace looks like, so I am not sure of the pattern appearance.

Slots look much more custom and not mass produced.

[wolvenstien]

Having used both, I am sold on the round more now than the slot. As BS says about the strength of the round hole verses a slot is true, and when you hit a weak point in the leather and you pull on your lace to make it nice and tight, you are more apt to tear the slot than you are the round hole. As He also stated, you use a hole just slightly smaller than the lace (depending on how many times the lace will be going through the hole also plays part in the size of the hole) and it does cover the holes.... Also, finish the leather after you punch your holes so that the inside of the holes are dyed the same as the rest of the surrounding leather lending a camouflage that also hides the holes....

here is a pic of a piece I just finished the other day and used round holes with a round braid.... the holes do not look out of place in my opinion.

You can see the holes, but they dont look out of place.

It is just a matter of taste....

[Rawhide]

I teach a lacing class at a local Tandy and I prefer... well both.

I like different holes for different reasons. When I do a Mexican (round) braid lacing I prefer the round holes. You can't really see the hole once the lacing is complete.

For a double loop (cordovan) lace, I prefer an angled slot. I punch each hole individually with a lacing nipper rather than the four prong punch. I use a 7 stitch per inch overstitch wheel and mark the locations for the slots and punch them one by one. when the lacing is complete, there are no "gaps" between the laces and it looks incredibly professional. I agree that it looks amateurish to have the gaps between the laces.

My 2 cents.

Marlon

[freak]

Another tip i just learn, in case you don't know this. When doing something like a book cover DON"T over tightin the lace. Just get it tight enough to stay in place and look nice. If you start to get it tight it will pull the leather out of shape and will not lay flat.

[Rawhide]

Another tip i just learn, in case you don't know this. When doing something like a book cover DON"T over tightin the lace. Just get it tight enough to stay in place and look nice. If you start to get it tight it will pull the leather out of shape and will not lay flat.

I agree!

[gearsmithy]

They both have their place. The round definitely has more strength than the slot, but slots make for quicker lacing jobs (if you have a 3-4 slot chisel). if your braid requires that you go back through the hole like a mexican round braid then a round hole is the only way to go. For simple cordovan braids I prefer slots because it gives you a cleaner edge. In any case if the joint is under stress you should go with a punched hole. You can close the gaps left in the leather from hole punches by lightly wetting the edge after lacing, this will tighten up the seam and make for a nicer edge. For a bible cover I imagine you could get away with slot, depending of course on the braid you're doing.