a whine and a question

[okiwen]

My hands feel like I am 90 yrs. old. I sewed a cantle today and between pushing the awl in and pulling the thread tight I have torn and cut my fingers and palms.

Now the question...

Is this normal and is it going to happen on every saddle?

I tell you, I will quickly become an advacate of drilling those stinkin holes.

Thanks for listening.

[bruce johnson]

Been there, done that. A few things and everyone can add to the list -

1) The stand at the proper height. There is nothing worse than bending over a cantle all afternoon. I used to have two drawdowns, one lower and one higher for wahtever fit best for the job at hand. Neither one were right for cantles. Also helpful to be able to tip up the back of the stand and tip to one side or the other. This helps to see underneath, and puts you in a more consistant position. The hydraulic stands with the tip up arm are made for this. I did 4 recovers of the leather trim on rawhide cantles a couple weeks ago. It was awesome, I could stand up afterwards, and never felt crampy.

2) the right awl/needle combination. A slim blade awl and then a needle the size of an 8 penny nail won't get it. A sharp awl is necesary, but if you are pulling needles with pliers, it is time lost and extra effort.

3) Bleeding fingertips on the left hand are just part of it for me sometimes. I have enough calluses that I don't use finger cots much, but am not above a bandaid on the little fingers if they get sore. Cuts through a callus are not fun, but they tend to heal fast.

4) I have used the jerk needles and the saddle stitch. Depends on the cantle, and I have used both on some. Anybody have any thoughts one way or the other?

[Bob]

I don't have problems with that anymore. I have a SHARP awl blade from Bob Douglas, and needles that do fit the hole and no jerking it through with plyers.

I used to pull hard on the thread to get a really tight stitch, thinking I had to pull it that hard. I sew the binding slightly dampened. NOT WET, spoung damp. The thread lays in nice without pulling real hard. try hard to be consistant with the same pull on the threads, it makes for a nicer stitch. Only half a wrap around the finger and pull is enough. If you still have problems, you can use those blue rubber gloves, mostly for grip on the needles, if your having to grip hard to get them through, then you hands will hurt after awhile, also they protect your skin from getting blistered. If your needles are too tight going through, then either your needle is too big, or the awl is too small, you choose.

I'm using a 346 nylon bonded thread from Ludlow thread company, a slim blade awl from Bob Douglas, and most importantly a James John #1 size needle. The needle is quite easy to thread, with good thread, and it almost falls thru the hole, with only slight pressure from my finger on the END of the needle. Works like a hot dam.

[Elton Joorisity]

I know a few of us that use the same sort of product to wrap our fingers up here. It's a green cloth tape sold at a store called Lee Valley Tools. I'm sure there has to be something like it down south of the border. If not then vet wrap works fine too. I have tender fingers no matter how calloused and this tape is tough enough to prevent torn up fingers.

[okiwen]

Thanks all, I did the other side today. The awl I used had a Douglas blade (still hard), I was told to hook through and use a lock stitch. I wasn't using two needles.

I do believe that I was pulling really hard on the string as well. I was trying to pull the underside up snug for a clean appearance. I do think that awled holes look better, by far, than drilled holes. But, whew are my hands sore and tired.

I guess I feel better now that EVERYBODY gets sore. At least I'm finally normal.

[JRedding]

I once agreed to have a guy come into my shop and help him build a saddle by the time he built enough of it to get to the cantle binder every finger he hadn't cut he'd hit with a hammer. And then came time to sew the binder, six hours later he had a dent in his palm that would hold three quarters, reopened every cut from the days before, and seriously needed a chiropractor, but he did say the fingers he'd smashed with a hammer didn't hurt too bad when he stuck an awl in them. It's normal in the beginning. Keep adjusting your awl and needle size like Bruce and Bob suggested and with practice you'll get the hang of it. The thing to remember about leatherwork is if it's hard to do you're doing it wrong. It will never be the easiest thing you've ever done but it shouldn't be kicken' your butt every step of the way once you get the right awl and needle combination and more practice.

[skip]

I will often use athletic tape on my fingers while stiching a cantle binding, the one problem with it is that it makes the thread look dirty rather than clean and white like when I first started. good luck and when you do it enough times the callouses will take the place of the tape. just keep moving forward.