my handsewing technique

[tonyc1]

Do you throw your back stitch?

Best sewing is done by throwing the back thread up and over the emerging Needle. This will give you the same slope as the front if you do it right. Most stitch by leaving the thread at the bottom which leaves a dull stitch that never looks as good as the face. By picking up the thread and throwing it over the needle it will form a simple knot in the Leather and give you the same slope, front and back.

Someone asked about 12#(per inch) stitching. Fine well done stitching is the ultimate!! Please try it People. I see exhibitions of such and such and the raves about the beautiful stitching sometimes as coarse as 4# or 5#. It upsets me to see it as over here it is called a "Jacko Job" ( Jacko was a really rough worker years ago, allways in a hurry so he stitched very coarse and charged a Bob (one Shilling) a stitch). Actually I was taught to use 8# as normal, 10# as good and 12# as best and that was the norm throughout the Trade.

I might add that we had some beautiful Leathers to work with then. Not like the Dry under worked Leathers we get to-day. I used to ask my Tanner to work the Cods Oil, Soap and Tallow in by Hand and it made for beautiful Leather to Sew ( lasted longer too).

I am still trying to get a Demo DVD produced to help explain what I'm saying. Maybe now that I've started teaching Stock Saddle making I'll be able to find a Student who will be able to operate the Camera for a bit and edit the results.

Enough for now, Please have a happy Day.

Kindest Regards.

Jim Saddler.

Jim, we had an old saddler down here, sadly passed on now, whom everyone referred to as "Shilling a Stitch", but he was good!

Tony.

[JerryLevine]

Just to add a bit to Jim Saddler's comments about pricking irons and pricking wheels (not to be confused with stich markers and overstitch wheels)...These still find a lot of use with English saddlery and bridlery, but not much (I don't think) in western saddle making. The great thing about pricking irons/wheels is that they actually produce marks at the right angle and if you get a bit of practice in, holding your awl perpendicular to the surface of the leather and conforming to the angle of the mark, you can quickly produce acceptable results on both the front and the back of the leather.

I sew my English bridles at 10spi, which is still quite hard work, especially on the eyes! I've not tried 12 or greater spi yet. Rumour has it that the old timers here used to do upto 16spi!

The down side with pricking irons/wheels is that new ones are expensive (http://www.abbeysaddlery.co.uk/product_det...;attr1=NO010005) at US$60+.

You can get 2nd hand ones on eBay and they're worth snapping up if you can. Practice hitting them square with a plastic/rawhide mallet/maul, overlap each run by a couple of teeth and practice going round corners by tilting the iron onto its edge and only using a couple of teeth at a time. Try the tutorials here: http://www.bowstock.co.uk/tutorials.html

Good luck!

Jerry

[Monticore]

i picked up a hand sewing book and i was doing it way wrong i was twisting the needles which made a big knot in each hole which neede a lot of tension or bigger holes to get a nice even flush look on the leather.

i am using a ozbourne awl that i have modifed a bit to give a bob douglas sized hole but its definetly not as sharp as it would need to be.

i live in northern ontario where the closest leather tannery or tandy is 4 hours drive away so i have done all my learning online/here and buying leather online is tough.even the leather watch straps i make i have no idea how good they are since i have never seen another strapmakers work in the flesh.the customers have been happy but i know they can be much better.

here is a pic of 1 of my latest done with thonging chisel the one that give an awl shaped hole maybe thonging is a bad term

Edited July 3, 2009 by Monticore

[BondoBobCustomSaddles]

Just a tip, I never use anthing but; an awl. I have made my own out of a lot of different materials and also used several of the store bought ones. The real trick for me, is to make sure that it is sharp!!! I hone it on a diamond stone, then an Arkansas stone, and finally I buff it with jewlers rouge. Sounds like a lot of extra work, but; once you get the hang of it, it dosn't take but, a few minutes and the results is more than worth it. For smaller items like watch bands I use awls that I made out of stainless wire, about 10 ga. in dia. Nothing like good tools!

Bondo Bob

[Monticore]

the problem i have with the awl 1 is practice hehe but 2 is i am not sure how big to make my holes i am using 3, 4 sometimes 7 cord thread , with the small holes i find it hard to pull the needle through , i don't want to use pliers everytime. are my holes too small maybe?, if i make them a bit bigger the awl holes shoe too much and i don't like the look.

i like that idea of using a wire, i had though about using stitching awl (without the thread) just for making the holes.

if you could psot a pic of you wire tool i can see about making 1.

cory

[Monticore]

here is my try with the awl , 7per inch, grooved line, 3ply thread from mainthread. i am a bit afraid to run a deep groove due to the 5oz leathers(doubled)

i have not seem much leather work so i am not sure if this is acceptible or should i make my holes smaller/bigger . i use a spacer on my awl to keep my depth consistent.

the backside didn't turn on great my groove was shallower and i have bad lighting /shadows etcc in my work area.

tips always welcome

Edited July 4, 2009 by Monticore

[jimsaddler]

the problem i have with the awl 1 is practice hehe but 2 is i am not sure how big to make my holes i am using 3, 4 sometimes 7 cord thread , with the small holes i find it hard to pull the needle through , i don't want to use pliers everytime. are my holes too small maybe?, if i make them a bit bigger the awl holes shoe too much and i don't like the look.

i like that idea of using a wire, i had though about using stitching awl (without the thread) just for making the holes.

if you could psot a pic of you wire tool i can see about making 1.

cory

hey Cory

just looked at your stitching. It's up to scratch on the top just a bit of practice needed on the back. Light material are harder to get right though. As for a stitch groove forget it as it will force the stitch into a straight line with allowing it lay neatly. Awls are not complicated item! as long as they have a sharp penetrating point/blade. the body can be oval or a flattened diamond. For fine sewing I preffer an oval as then less leather is cut, so the stitching is stronger. I also use many different materials to make my Awl Blades from as long as it will not bend easily, snap or flex too much. Polish the body sharpen the point and away you go. Usualy cast a few cents or nothing, just 10 mins of time on the linisher and Buff. Bike Spokes, Silver Steel, old Awl blades, high tensile Fence wire, Stainless Steel Mig wire, even made an awl out of an old worn Pocket knife which was excellent as it folded away and I could carry it anywhere.

As for the problem pulling the needle through with different threads. Your Awl should match the Needles, which should match the thread, especially when using ready made thread. for a 3 cord (equivelent) thread I would recomend a #3 needles but for a Hand made waxed end thread I use #5 or 6 egg eyed harness needles. The problem of the bulk at the needle eye means using an awl large enough to allow you to make a hole big enough to pull the needle and thread through with a bit of effort. Might I say that prctice is the only way to judge this as the more you do it the better your grip and pull will become so the hole can be smaller. I often have someone watching me sew efortlessly through Leather, sure enough the question comes up, "can I try that?" So they try and can't get the first needle pulled through let alone the back needle. The look on the face is enough, then the comment of " you've got very strong fingers". So keep going you'll only get better.

I appologise for not using photo's to show you what I mean, I just can't work out how to get them loaded.

Kindest Regards.

Jim Saddler.

[Monticore]

jim thanks for all the info. thanks for taking some of your time in helping. using surgical gloves has helped with pulling needles through, i think i am using 0 or 000 sized needles the smallest ones from tandy, i will try and get bit bigger ones it would probably help.

one last question would u still suggest an awl with supper soft leathers, since most of the stuff i use isn't tooling type leather i have problems with my softer leather with it pulling my glued pices apart sometimes or distorting the leather . this might be due to awl sharpness though .

[Rayban]

They key is absolute consistency. You have to do the exact same thing the exact same way each and every time, or the result will be different.. for instance if you stab a hole and put the left needle in first and the right needle behind the thread in the hole, then you have to do it that way throughout.

My suggestion would be to start with Al Stohlman's, The Art of Handsewing Leather...Hands down the best instruction out there.

Ya know....... you know these things but it just doesn't sink in till someone comes along and slaps you up long side the head with it......

The "consistency" thing I'm talking about......I started concentrating on this and it has really helped...I tend to "wiggle" the awl in the hole just a bit to reem it out somewhat on some projects....well I've been concentrating on doing the wiggle the same way every time.....and it's also just as important to extract the awl in the same angle as it is to stab at the same angle.

Thanks Marlin!! Here's my latest. Not perfect, but a whole lot betta!

[RustyD]

They key is absolute consistency. You have to do the exact same thing the exact same way each and every time, or the result will be different.. for instance if you stab a hole and put the left needle in first and the right needle behind the thread in the hole, then you have to do it that way throughout.

My suggestion would be to start with Al Stohlman's, The Art of Handsewing Leather...Hands down the best instruction out there.

Man you arn't kiddn about that!!! If you stopped and scratched your leg in the middle of the first stitch you better find a place to scratch every time!!! LOL

I work for Springfield Leather (upper right hand corner) and I teach a lot of people how to hand sew in a days time, we have ton of sewing machines , but man there is real satisfaction in having to say, "no its hand sewn"

The holes MUST be consistant weather drilled or punched ( I perfer punched the stitches tighten up as the leather shrinks back,) they should always be at the same angle and distance. The back not looking even will also be cause by your awl or drill bit not going through straight up and down, the thicker the leather the more it can deflect. But what ever you do I always start with the front stitch, once it is through it should be held down and away at a little bit of an angle which will let the back thread lay kind of on top and beside the lower thread, which ever direction you pulled the thread away, always pull it the same way. You must be very careful that everything happens the same dirrection every time, I know thats been said be it can't be said enuff!! hope this helps

Edited September 11, 2009 by RustyD