Hand-stitching holes, the easy way.

[Rayban]

There's nothing new here, but someone mentioned on another thread, how hard it is to hand stitch thru multiple layers of leather, and keep things straight.( I didn't want to hijack that thread so here I am)....here's something I just did for the first time...think Ak Stohlman may be frowning down on me???....anyway. I prepared the leather same way for hand-stitching, using a #6 wheel ( 6 threads per inch) then went to my drill press, inserted a 1/16" bit, and drilled all the holes. It helps to glue parts together if you can so they will all stay aligned while drilling. Then hand-stitched as I normally would.

Much easier, and faster...for hand-stitching.....

[whinewine]

There's nothing new here, but someone mentioned on another thread, how hard it is to hand stitch thru multiple layers of leather, and keep things straight.( I didn't want to hijack that thread so here I am)....here's something I just did for the first time...think Ak Stohlman may be frowning down on me???....anyway. I prepared the leather same way for hand-stitching, using a #6 wheel ( 6 threads per inch) then went to my drill press, inserted a 1/16" bit, and drilled all the holes. It helps to glue parts together if you can so they will all stay aligned while drilling. Then hand-stitched as I normally would.

Much easier, and faster...for hand-stitching.....

I did that years ago when I used to make Revolutionary War replica items for a concern in Valley Forge, except I used a dremel in a dremel drill press, rather than a real drill press. I haven't gone back to production work since I returned to leatherworking, but now I have a real drill press if I need it. BTW, Rayban, that is a very nice sheath!

[Luke Hatley]

Rayban, as long as the holes are straight and even, one will do

what one has to do........ sometimes I will use a razor knife to cut leather..

[superchute]

I use a dremal to for the holes but is use a #56 drill bit that is about 3/4 of the size of a 1/16 and the hole is fillled better and if you use a single speed dremal you can but a sewing machine foot controle to help you line up on the holes. Some times we drill it on a 45% to sew in the bottom or top in things

Russ

[Don101]

its all ok using drills but you cant controll the back holes like using a awl and for me the way the back looks is just as important as the front, drills dremmels been there done it but you end up with round holes and dont get that neat saddler look as with using an awl, just my opinion so if you are getting good results and happy with the look you are getting carry on by all means, im not trying to knock it i just prefere an awl, Don

[JRLeather2]

let me see the back of it......that will tell the tale.........

[Rawhide]

If your awl is sharp and polished, it should be fairly effortless to stab your holes.

Marlon

[Rayban]

If your awl is sharp and polished, it should be fairly effortless to stab your holes.

Marlon

Must be me then...because to stab an awl thru 6 layers of 8-10oz.(top of the sheath) took a fair amount of effort for me. And the back holes were all over the place.

I always use an awl to stab my holes,,,this was my first go-round with the drill press....it worked very well for this particular project.

Edited March 6, 2008 by Rayban

[Rawhide]

Understood. That is quite a bit of leather to stab holes through. You have to kind of get the hang of it to guarantee they will all line up on the backside. If I don't have a grooved channel on the back side, I punch the first hole, and the last hole on one side then connect them with a light scribe line. Then I'll punch in between them using the scribe line to line up the exit point. Works pretty good for me. (I have used a dremel by the way to do a briefcase, it was much faster, but control is the issue for me).

Have a good one!

[whinewine]

(I have used a dremel by the way to do a briefcase, it was much faster, but control is the issue for me).

Marlon, you're right about the dremel. This is why, if you're going to use one, it needs to be in a dremel drill press or in some sort of jig that keeps the the drill bit (&, of course, the holes, by extension,) straight & aligned.

russ