Total Newbis Has A Few Questions

[SimonJester753]

Prewaxed is fine for starting out, and I still use it for colored threads. They usually overdo the wax, so rub it with a piece of brown paper bag a couple times to take some of the wax off and even it out. Other than that, I stitch pretty much just like the book, harness needles and awl in hand. For a makeshift stitching pony, I actually use a Jorgensen wood clamp with padded jaws, and clamp it in a bench vise, and spin it sideways, like so:

I angle it towards me to keep the threads from winding around the screws, and it's tall enough to stitch standing up or sitting on a stool. I'll be making an actual stitching pony when I get around to it, but this has been working so well for most of the stuff I make, and it was practically free since I had the vise and clamp already, so I'm in no hurry. When you're up to getting linen thread, here's where i get mine. I use 6 cord, left twist. $42 sounds like a lot, but 1000 yards goes a looong way.

Thanks for the info. Now, what's the deal with left twist vs right twist thread? Would you choose one or the other depending on if you were left-handed or right-handed?

[Skidder]

Tandy sells small stitching ponies/horses and they're probably cheaper than the wood vise in the picture. The Stohlman book will be a great guide and I would venture to say, most people use his methods for most things. I'd avoid the speedy stitcher route, or drilling holes. The Stohlman book explains why the diamond awl is better. Sewing machines are great. I have a Tippman Boss, but still sew almost everything by hand. When I sew by hand, I know I'm not going to miss any stitches, or have any issues. I control the quality. Many will argue that with the right machine, you don't have to worry about any of that so it's preference. Some people prefer leather goods that are hand sewn. My personal OPINION is at some point you're going to have to hand sew. Learn how to hand sew first and once you can run stitches that look almost as good as machine sewn, then get a machine if you want. If you build saddles, you have to hand sew several parts. If you can't make the hand stitching look almost as good as machine sewn, it's really going to look like crap when you have a piece that's hand sewn next to something done by machine. I hand sew because I want to keep getting better and faster. I like the look of well sewn goods and there's something about something handsewn that says the maker was proud and cared. Look at saddles in the store that are mass produced and machine sewn. They cease to be a piece of "art". Of course there are a number of ways to do most things so it comes down to preference, opinion, and what you're goal is.

[bkingery]

I know this is old but everytime i have tried using my stiching awls the thread is always getting cut by the needles unless i prepunch the wholes so I decided that if i'm going to have to punch the dang holes anyway I am just going to handstich everything, I think it looks better anyway, and oh yeah they sell those wood clamps at almost every pawnshop for about ten bucks, thats where i got all mine anyway like I said INGENIOUS, I had ten of them sitting in my garage and never once thought to just put one in a vise, (slapping head while repairing sewing awl size holes in wall)

[Saddlebag]

I punch the holes all the way through as I was never told to do it otherwise and I got some good "larnin" from a very knowledgeable leather worker/saddlemaker.

[bootsmt]

It is twisted right and left because of the way the machine shuttle wraps the main thread around the bobbin thread for the lock stitch

Thanks for the info. Now, what's the deal with left twist vs right twist thread? Would you choose one or the other depending on if you were left-handed or right-handed?

Edited December 20, 2010 by bootsmt

[SimonJester753]

It is twisted right and left because of the way the machine shuttle wraps the main thread around the bobbin thread for the lock stitch

So if I hand stitch, it shouldn't matter?

[bkingery]

So if I hand stitch, it shouldn't matter?

It shouldn,t just be sure that you always lead you front stitch the same way every stitch, either front first and down or back first and front on top, if that makes any sense cuz i think i just confused myself????

B

[reddevil76]

So if I hand stitch, it shouldn't matter?

It doesn't matter, but it does matter that you always use the same needle in front. If right needel front, then it is right front all the way. So the thread sits the same way throughout.

Like the others said, there are many ways to mark a stitching line. The groover is used, only when you want the stitches to sit slightly below the surface, so that it doesn't get rubbed so much during the product's lifetime.

If you are using hand tools to pre-punch stitching holes, it is very important to keep it upright so that the holes on the other side lines up too. One thing i do is to keep a firm pressure on my pricking iron before hitting it with a mallet, so that it doesn't bounce. And yeah, eyeball the angle, keep it straight down, before hitting.

And always use a striking surface beneath to protect your pricking iron. I use soft wood, As I found Tandy's poundo boards too soft, and cause the pricking iron to slant as it goes down through many layers of leather.