Handstitching

[Vikefan]

I am currently working on a shoulder holster and put a stitch groove on one side of my leather, but not the front side on part of the project. I used a diamond shaped awl blade (usually I use a dremel with the smallest bit I can find). I used a stitching wheel to space the holes and poked the awl blade thru the leather on my workbench (straight down - I thought). When I stitched my project the stitching looked great (best I've done) on the side I put the stitching groove into, but the other side looks ok (not very pretty) and kind of uneven.

How can one side look great and the other not so good?

Please let me know how to correct this problem I am having, so both sides look good.

Thanks,

[tonyc1]

I am currently working on a shoulder holster and put a stitch groove on one side of my leather, but not the front side on part of the project. I used a diamond shaped awl blade (usually I use a dremel with the smallest bit I can find). I used a stitching wheel to space the holes and poked the awl blade thru the leather on my workbench (straight down - I thought). When I stitched my project the stitching looked great (best I've done) on the side I put the stitching groove into, but the other side looks ok (not very pretty) and kind of uneven.

How can one side look great and the other not so good?

Please let me know how to correct this problem I am having, so both sides look good.

Thanks,

Correct tools and lots of practice!

Tony.

[Spence]

Tony, I get the 'practice', but what are your suggestions for 'correct tools'? lol

[Rawhide]

I would never use an awl like that, simply because, your point of reference could yield a different angle of viewing each time and that will cause your awl to enter at an angle to the leather, but looks straight to you. The best method for using an awl is the tried and true stitching horse or pony. this way the point of view is right over the top of the edge and you can see the straightness of your stabbings. Also place a guide line on the other side where you didn't use a groove. This will help when piercing the leather to get the alignment right. At first this process will go slow, but practice will improve speed dramatically.

[TwinOaks]

+1 to Marlon's comments.

Pick up Al Stohlman's book on handstitching, it explains everything. Also remember that when you stab through the leather, you can see the awl's position before penetrating the grain side. There's nothing that says you can't 'wiggle' the blade of the awl to reposition it. Also practice keeping the awl in exactly the same position. That will help the thread to lay consistently and improve appearance.

[celticleather]

There's a pretty useful online tutorial at http://www.bowstock..../saddstit0.html, but as others have said, the only real secret is to practise!

[JRedding]

The reference line on the backside, watching before you penetrate it, making small adjustments and years of practice are all on the money from my experience but no one has mentioned if you want a sweet job you need to find the right awl / needle combination also. Using the smallest awl you can reasonably pass the needles and thread through will improve the finished appearance of your work, it will be more difficult than using a haft size so large you can just drop a needle through but it's the way to go. Ideally when finished you don't want to see any unused hole left behind, the thread should appear to fill the hole you made and make it pretty much dissappear. Just my two bits.

[rcsaddles]

All great advise. Thats what I really like about this place. Everyone is so willing to help.

When I went to saddle building school, I was taught to stick teh awl in from the backside a little way, (not even half thickness) and then stab from the front side. This makes a hole for the awl to find as you stab in. Of course the awl needs to be sharp and you need the control to not just shove the awl through. On the projects you can use in a horse or pony, do. It makes a world of difference.

[Dwight]

Some in the cheering section will definitely boo my idea, . . . but I absolutely detest hand stitching with a passion. On the few occasions when I do any, . . . I first use my Tippmann Boss to punch the holes, . . . and they go where they need to go.

Not having a Boss, . . . I would go out to my shop, . . . get my handy dandy little $49.95 drill press, . . . put the awl needle in the chuck, . . . and use it to make the holes. If your leather projecte is laying flat on the drill press table, . . . the holes will be perfectly perpendicular to the leather, . . . and will be much easier to keep in a nice row on both sides. Oh, . . . and no, . . . you don't turn on the drill press, . . . you use it for the leverage and the perfect angle you get by making it make the hole.

AND, ..................... if you want to get fancy with it, . . . use a sewing machine needle, . . . so the eye is at the bottom, . . . thread the thing up, . . . use a second, regular needle below, . . . and you can get a stitch that is for all tense and purposes, . . . just like a sewing machine stitch job, . . . it will just take you a bit longer than it would with a stitcher or sewing machine.

May God bless,

Dwight

[thecapgunkid]

It would seem that the core of your problem is that your eye can't regulate the stitch in the vertical..."straight down"...method you are using.

Grind a really fine taper into your awl and then polish it on a wheel. Put your piece in a clamp and, since it positions the work horizontally, you will be able to see both sides of the seam.

You can eyeball your stitches straight by being perched above both sides of said seam instead of only being able to see one side whilst drilling down. The polished awl will slide through the leather almost effortlessly if it is tapered right, giving you an almost complete control with a little practice. You might also want to cut a shallow groove on the underside the same distance from the edge as your original, topside edge. Then you can almost aim the awl when you stab through.

Don't shoot yore eye out, kid

The Capgun Kid