hand stitching guide

[walter roth]

Hello together.

I'm a Swiss SADDLER, and about the profession for over 30 years.

Excuse my bluntness, ...aber this sewing steeds that I see on the pictures, which are all useless. It is also of the Al Stohlman.

I am amazed again and again how this poor utensils so long time get on the world and always some used.

I have sewn English coach harness, with 14 stitches per inch, and all with double seams. Here you can sit for weeks on the Nähross.

I've now got some km seam in the fingers, they gave up here all these instruments in Switzerland many decades ago.

Here are some pictures looks like something you can really use it.

The sewing horse must be separated from the Chair, not everyone is the same and not everyone sits right at the sewing.

Under this sewing horses we screw here is still a heavy plate, so they have a good level.

So here the LInks to do so.

http://lederflechten.ch/e_shop/popup_image.php?pID=587&osCsid=0snuofjjhhket6a0hfl2qq6qp3

http://www.bernhardw.ch/typo3temp/pics/eb690a48df.jpg'>http://www.bernhardw.ch/typo3temp/pics/eb690a48df.jpg

http://www.bernhardw.ch/

Greeting

Walter

Edited September 14, 2013 by walter roth

[Tannin]

Hi Walter, I could not access your first link (is it correct?), however I was able to access the others. For the convenience of others I have re-stated them below as an image link and an active hypertext-link:

http://www.bernhardw.ch/

Doing an image search on Google for "Nähross" is quite interesting.

Edited July 30, 2014 by Tannin

[walter roth]

Hi Tanin ....................

I was 6 weeks traveling abroad, and I have brought Salmonella what another 10 days busied myself ........)))))) -:

But now here an answer.

So the picture shows exactly "Nährössli" ​​or "Nähzange" = Sewing Clamp, .... sold the company Bernhard.
The company Bernhard shows almost no tools on his website.

These Sewing-Clamp is here in Switzerland for sure on the 100 years of the standard at the saddlers.

I would even without these Sewing Clamp-It could not be, what you can see at the 99% bad leather seams.

Of course, the topic of "Sewing Awl" is also something that should be necessarily improved. One issue that should be urgently improved also 99% of the leather craftsmen. Unfortunately, the awls will prepare nowhere more not shown correctly even by the learned saddlers.
In our traditional saddlers this is something which is most practiced what has been learned very thoroughly and at least 3 years requires exercise until you can do it right.

But a usable sewing horse is always the first requirement to do so.

[silverbullet]

Nice job I kind like to hand stitch my leather goods too. Even tho I have a. Couple machines nothing like the cowboy or Steve's , but my Adler 104 ? Will do a nice job up to about 3/8 leather mine has a walking foot on it , I think it was made for making the ruffled tops on moccasins . I'm disabled and one hand doesn't work as well as my other but it looks good to me when I'm done I'll never be an artist at leather but I like doing it , I made a fully adjustable sewing vise this summer so I can put it between and under my legs in my hospital bed and swivel and rotate it the vise to any angle while reclined or uprite , if I ever put some pictures on here that would be one I'd put up plus the mauls I made . Gary ,,, again thanks for the sewing hints , you make each step sound easy . I'm greatful thanks

[Tannin]

Hi Walter, hope you are feeling better after your Salmonella poisoning . That is a very fine clamp/Nähross indeed - I would expect nothing less from Switzerland (a beautiful, clean and "ordered" country). You will laugh when you see mine, which I made from an ash log:

Silverbullet, would be interested to see your vice & mauls.

...

After roughing up the welt area on the flesh side of the sheath as well as the welt itself on both sides with a hand leather rougher that's made for the job...

I had to Google "leather rougher" - closest thing I have come across in the UK would be the somewhat cheaper "suede brush", a small, stiff wire-brush - traditionally used to clean suede "desert boots" , brogues & the like:

Suede brush on Amazon

Edited September 11, 2014 by Tannin

[Tannin]

Hi Tanin ....................

...

Of course, the topic of "Sewing Awl" is also something that should be necessarily improved. One issue that should be urgently improved also 99% of the leather craftsmen. Unfortunately, the awls will prepare nowhere more not shown correctly even by the learned saddlers.

In our traditional saddlers this is something which is most practiced what has been learned very thoroughly and at least 3 years requires exercise until you can do it right.

But a usable sewing horse is always the first requirement to do so.

Hi Walter,

Any chance that you could post information on how you prepare awls (here or perhaps in a new thread)?

I was surprised when I first learnt that awls must be sharpened before use. I have several sharpening stones & sharpening sticks* & recent experience sharpening hand-tools & knives and so keen to learn. I learnt a technique from Nigel Armitages free youtube video:

...and more recently from one of Al Stohlman's books (probably the tools one) - although not identical, their techniques are consistent with each other.

*Wooden batons wrapped with wet & dry paper. I normally use worn-down 600grit but for awl blades that seem too coarse, other than perhaps for a short initial grind, so I recently bought some 1200grit (from Screwfix.co.uk, as my local hardware store doesn't carry grades finer than 600) specifically for awl blades. I also made a small leather strop stick & rubbed it with white compound ("rouge"!). For the baton, in this case I re-used old MDF (Formica covered medium density fibre board - dreadful stuff!) - flat & v. smooth.

Edited September 27, 2014 by Tannin

[walter roth]

Hi Tanin .......

I've looked at the video.

I'll try to explain the photo Graphically what I mean.

What Al Stohlmann doing there is very inadequate, in principle, but somewhat true. Stohl Mans Ahlen handle is completely useless.

In addition, one must also show how to sewing, whether the proceeds photos ... must try it ......

Unfortunately I only speak bad English, I must try .........

It will take a few days to make it. But I do it.

greeting

Walter

[Tannin]

That is kind of you Walter - but please don't "bust a gut" rushing to get this out if you are busy. As for your English, I usually get the gist of it and, if not, we can always ask.

I use Google Translate when I need to translate things (so far, I have used it for: German, French, Italian, Swedish, Welsh, Spanish and Japanese!) - it is not perfect but it usually works well enough for my needs. Folk on the WWW have helped me translate a few tricky/uncommon phrases.

[chleblove]

So you use a single diamond shaped awl but not a speed stitch awl with a thread bobbin, right?

Do you have any opinion on using those 2x, 4x, and 6x diamond shaped awls (the ones that look like little forks)? Do those have a special purpose or is it just a personal preference thing?

[snubbyfan]

Here's my take on hand stitchin'

And yes, I have sharpened my awl.

[club49]

Your article really helped me get started. It is well written and all the helpful hints are easy to understand for a newbee like myself.

Thank you for taking the time to help keeping leather working alive.

Jim

[AhniRadvanyi]

There is so much helpful information here! Thank you for taking the time to post an encyclopedia of hand stitching knowledge. The best knowledge is that gained from your own experience. Trial and error! Hells yes, I have wailed and wallowed over the lack of available leather hand sewing instructions. Even the lack of instructions on the back of the package my sewing awl came in.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1WOKsT64yEA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

The lack of instructions on how to use this sewing tool was so frustrating- and now I am happy to share a video tutorial originally made for a buddy. I am a visual learner, and for those of you who need to see it than hear it, this video is for you:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WOKsT64yEA&feature=youtu.be

This little hand sewing tool sews 3 times faster regular needle and thread. I have sewn through 12+ layers of leather with it, sewn through bison and stingray like butter, even sewn inside boots and bags, and sewn through chain. This hand tool has been my business partner, it's more than a tool. I have used it for 7 years now, and can sew 3 inches in 2 minutes. Not bad at all for small hand stitched bags.

Goodluck with many successful leather projects!

Edited December 19, 2015 by AhniRadvanyi

[Reegesc]

The pawn shop tips alone was worth the read. Every pawn shop I've ever been to had sky-high prices (guitars is what I always look at) and I just scratch my head and wonder how they managed to sell anything at those prices and where the heck are the supposed great deals? DOH! Of course. Pawn Shops use the "Tourista" pricing model -- they expect to be dickered down to half or less. I don't why that never occurred to me, but I tell ya what, I'm gonna keep that in mind next time I pawn one of my guitars or get one out of hock. ;-)

[zwallz]

if you are a beginner, hope this link will help you : http://rainierleather.com/how-to-sew-leather-by-hand/

[paloma]

The transmission of know-how is the best way to remember the person who transmits, it ensures eternity.

Thanks for that.