Stitch Groover?

[awharnessshop]

I saw a post on here a while back with a custom stitch grover... Who makes good groovers? Whats everyone use?

[TracyMoss]

I use a Bob Douglas stitch groover, it works really well, however the saddle shop I used to work for had several of the old osborne compass style groover and I want one of those, and as a plus Bob Douglas' groover tips fit the old osborne model.

Edited February 24, 2008 by TracyMoss

[Elton Joorisity]

I have an old Osborne compass groover with a medium Douglas tip in it and wouldn't get rid of it for love nor money!!!

[Rawhide]

I have an old Osborne compass groover with a medium Douglas tip in it and wouldn't get rid of it for love nor money!!!

Is that a Douglas Versa Groover's tip?

Marlon

[Elton Joorisity]

Yes it is a versa groover tip. They come in three sizes.

[Art]

I use a few different ones.

I use Ron's for stitching, especially where I like to lay the thread below the top surface like on belts and harness where they go through buckles.

I use the Tandy more for decorating now, however it works for small thread.

I use dividers to draw scratch lines then follow those with Ron's.

In the following pictures, I dug as deeply as possible to show what maximum is, I am usually a little lighter handed when following scribe marks and correspondingly a little shallower.

First, Four grooves made by (from left to right); Ron's #3, Ron's #2, Ron's #1, and Tandy Groover.

I laid 346 T\Rice Nylon in each Groove.

I Stitched 346 Rice Nylon in each Groove, I backed tacked the ending stitches (Ron's #3), note that in a large enough groove this does not show prominently. I didn't back tack the starting stitch as the groove (Tandy) was too small and it would have looked off.

Here's the culprits: Dividers, Ron's #3, Ron's #2, Ron's #1, and the Tandy Groover.

If you like the way the Tandy works but want something heavier like the Ron's, you can either use your finger as a guide (takes a little practice), or you can use the Tandy and then go back over with the free hand edger like Ron's. Douglas, Jeremiah Watt, and CSO make the old patent style divider groovers also, and Watt also makes a free hand groover. These are all good first class tools. There is also a Craftool edger similar to the Tandy but a little better, they all take a little practice getting used to. Danny Martin used to make one that was pretty big like a Ron's #3. I use the #1 and #2 most and the #3 if I really want a trough.

Art

I saw a post on here a while back with a custom stitch grover... Who makes good groovers? Whats everyone use?

[Rawhide]

Yes it is a versa groover tip. They come in three sizes.

Ok,

Would you post a picture of it in your compass? I can't imagine how it would work. My Osborne scratch compass has interchangeable scratches, but the scratches are a 1/4 diameter on one end and taper to the scratch on the other. The versagroover has an "L" style scratch like the one you can get at tandy.

I must be confused on something.

Thanks,

Marlon

[Elton Joorisity]

Marlon,

First off, Osborne's made two styles of compasses. One being the style you have and the other being the style I have. Second of all, Bob Douglas' versa groover does have an"L" shaped egde guide and not an "L" shaped blade. The best comparison that I can think of to the compass that I have is the one that Jeremiah Watt makes. It's darn near identical. I hope I was able to clear things up.

[barra]

This is the main style of stitch groover I use. I also have a tool that I was taught was called an American racer. From what I can gather it is like the Ron's tools style of stitch groover and I use it to groove free hand scrolls etc

[Art]

Hi Barra,

Ron's are like the "U" type American Racer. Dixon and Blanchard also made them in a "V" type. The "V"s turn tight curves better.

Art

This is the main style of stitch groover I use. I also have a tool that I was taught was called an American racer. From what I can gather it is like the Ron's tools style of stitch groover and I use it to groove free hand scrolls etc