What style and size stitching chisels/pricking irons for starting?

[Moyerbros]

Howdy all.

I’m starting to collect some tools as I begin my journey into this craft and I’m currently trying to figure out what style and size pricking iron/stitching chisel to get. I was leaning towards getting both a 4mm and a 3mm set to start to cover my bases, but what are your recommendations?
 

Any reason to get a French style over a diamond? I’ve been looking at particularly Kevin Lee tools as the reviews are great and the price is very nice https://kevinleathertools.com/products/kl-basic-upgrade-pricking-iron?VariantsId=10715

https://kevinleathertools.com/products/upgrade-basic-diamond-iron?VariantsId=11398

 

For context, my goal is to try to make some belts, knife sheaths, and holsters eventually. For now, I’m planning on trying some smaller projects as well such as valet trays, wallets, and dog collars. 
 

Thanks! 

[tsunkasapa]

I have never felt the need for 'irons' in the decades I've been doing this. I have several marker wheels, 5-10 stitches per inch, and several sizes of awls. It is far faster and a lot easier.

Edited Tuesday at 05:31 AM by tsunkasapa

[GatoGordo]

I like the hole that a French iron leaves, but I find them difficult to use. The bottom of the teeth are flat and lining up on the stitch line is not accurate.

The tips of the diamond chisels are pointed so placing them on the stitch line is easy and accurate, however, I am not a big fan of the hole they leave although I don't think it really matters since it will close up again after stitching.

I like Kevin Lee's black stitching chisels (Japanese Diamond Style) that provide the best of both. The tines are pointed and easy to line up and the hole is somewhere between the French and diamond styles (go to 6:30 in the accompanying LeatherToolz video and you can see the hole it leaves.

I have stitching chisels in 3.0, 3.38, and 3.85 mm  and use them all depending on the project. For belts and holsters, I use the 3.85 mm.

[wizard of tragacanth]

I totally agree with GatoGordo on all points. Japanese tines are the best of both worlds.

I only make holsters and would recommend 4mm for them. I use the Crimson Hides brand, which are fantastic but one reason that I especially went with them is that they make a single tine tool, which is very important for the way  that I work. Unfortunately, the single tine tool does not come in the 4mm version, only the 5mm, and it makes a slightly larger hole. Wish it came in 4mm but I have no choice. Then I have the 2+5 tine set. Crimson irons are highly polished and super easy to remove from the leather. The price you see is in Singapore dollars. Right now $100 (S) dollars would be $80 in US dollars.

https://crimsonhides.com/products/crimson-irons 

Nick

[TonyV]

tsunkasapa uses the traditional awl style of sewing. JUst mark it with a wheel, pierce with an awl as you sew.  Arthritis doesn't allow me to hold the awl and needle at the same time, so I use chisels.

A lot of people use the terms 'chisel' and 'pricking iron' interchangeably.  I see a difference, with the chisels used to cut through all layers of leather to be sewn, and pricking irons used to simply mark and start the hole (similar to wheels), to be followed with an awl.  See my dilemma above.  At present, I am using Weaver Leather's chisels in 4mm and 5mm.  I started out with the cheap Amazon chisels, but they didn't last long and are definitely inferior to Weaver's.  Bent, broke and dulled easily.

I have recently seen Kevin Lee's chisels in action.  The tapered tines make it a lot easier to pull the chisel out from the holes.  A definite improvement over standard diamond chisels.  They're sorta spendy, so I'm saving my pennies to get a set.

[YinTx]

I do a lot of hand stitching, and have dozens of pricking irons from many brands in many styles and sizes, as well as a stitching wheel.  Of all of them, I generally reach for my 3.38mm KS Blade Punch irons, followed by 3.85mm KS Blade Punch, with my Vergez Blanchard coming in a distant third.  If I had known now what I knew when I was buying irons, I would have only bought these and saved a lot of $$.

[DoubleKCustomLeathercraft]

Don't go expensive. Tandy craftool offers diamond chisels for dirt cheap. They are an excellent starting point. Or weaver's diamond chisels, they're not much more than tandy and gold up well. Buy cheap tools to learn. As you develop, replace said tools with higher quality. This will save you tons overall because you will find that you don't need everything you think you do. I have a bunch of expensive tools hanging up that I have never used. A great example: When I decided to start my own business, I just bought complete sets of everything. I've got punches from 0.5mm to 12mm, and another set from 1/8" to 3/4". Why? I dunno why. I saw a metric set and a standard set and bought both. I never use the standards, except the 3/4" and I only use the 2mm-6mm from the other set. I have 2mm to 5mm spaced stitching chisels in 2,4, and 6 prong. I use the 2 and 6 prong on the 2mm. I don't think I've ever sunk the 4 prong in anything yet because I rarely use 2mm. I've never used any of the 5mm and have only used the 4mm set once. The 3mm set has been the go to for 99% of everything I make. I hand stitch only, don't have nor want a machine as the sale stitch is the superior stitch. Again, a lot of wasted money there that could've bought me more stamps for tooling. That's where money really starts to add up fast! 

Of you take the advice of the old timers with the most experience  they're always going to say use an awl. I use my awl very regularly because I'm working with leather up to 1/2". Chisels are good for a couple layers of holster leather. They're not long enough for a lot of my work, and they don't make them longer because they would either break or bend. I find the awl difficult as hell to use. If I was working with chrome or oil tan that might be different, but I'm working with 9/10 oz veg with 4/5 linings and sometimes up to 5 layers of 9/10 oz. 

Good luck with your journey. It can start off being very affordable, and end up breaking the bank lol

[wizard of tragacanth]

After thinking about it for bit, I think you should start with some cheap irons, like Tandy. You should experience the struggle and frustration of the experience. You need to learn how to improve a crude tool. The first thing that I learned was that I had to remove all of the black paint from the tines. That was not enough, so then I had to polish the tines with fine grit sandpaper and finally a strop. I tried rubbing the tool on a block of wax, which also helped but it was still difficult to remove the tool because the edges between the tines were still rough and would resist removal from the leather. I learned to use a wooden block to hold the leather down and pull against it to get the tool out. Presto!

These are the types of things that you can learn only by using cheap tools. Once you have gone though that experience, only then will you fully appreciate a good tool but first you must pay your dues and suffer for the craft, learning these things through personal experience. You will be better for it. Starting with good tools is kind of like cheating and is basically robbing yourself of useful experience. Start out with all cheap tools. Your projects and progress may suffer a bit but you learn a lot from it.

Get some cheap irons, but nothing with black painted tines. Good stitching is possible with diamond shaped tines. You do not need Japanese style irons, they are a luxury that should be reserved for experienced crafters. Extend this logic to other hand tools such as edgers and groovers. When you have experience under your belt I would recommend Horseshoe Brand edgers. 

Here is a link to their super comfortable handle with changeable blades that cut a rounded corner rather than a flat bevel. Much nicer and saves sanding.

https://www.ranch2arena.com/collections/horse-shoe-brand-tools/products/65-2988-qc-western-edgers 

Nick

Edited 7 hours ago by wizard of tragacanth

[Dwight]

Since you are doing holsters, belts, etc . . . go for 5 stitches per inch or 6 at the most.  Either makes a really good looking and good working belt, knife sheath, or holster.

More stitches makes it look like an over sized watch band . . . fewer won't hold as well.  My machine is set for just over 5 . . . and I never have any problem with the item being held together.  AND it really  looks better whether I'm using matching stitches or contrasting stitches (think black belt with white stitches).

And the plus side . . . there will be times for one reason or another . . . you will want to pull out X number of stitches . . . and 5 or 6 doesn't take long and is not tedious to do.

The other side of that as well . . . sometimes when I'm doing a very special holster or knife sheath (or other stuff) . . . I use my machine to punch the holes . . . and then hand stitch the item . . . using a saddle stitch.  5 or 6 stitches per inch is sort of quick to do . . . many more than that is a real pain.

May God bless,

Dwight