Stitch Holes

[RWP]

okay guys what do YOU do to make your stitch holes. i unfortunately dont have the luxury of machine so everything is done by hand. right now im using a mini drill press which is okay but im just trying to gauge what other people use, thonging chisels? just a regular awl? what? any input is appreciated guys

[troop]

okay guys what do YOU do to make your stitch holes. i unfortunately dont have the luxury of machine so everything is done by hand. right now im using a mini drill press which is okay but im just trying to gauge what other people use, thonging chisels? just a regular awl? what? any input is appreciated guys

before i got my cobra class three machine, i marked my leather with the overstitcher then used a 00 hole punch. came out pretty good that way.

Tony

Edited December 11, 2010 by troop

[Bronson]

I mark my stitch locations with an overstitch wheel and use a stitching awl and two needles as described in Al Stohlman's "The Art of Hand Sewing Leather" Before that I used the diamond stitching chisels from Tandy but someone here mentioned that my stitch holes looked huge (which they did) and suggested I learn to saddle stitch with an awl. It was good advice and I'm glad I listened.

Bronson

Edited December 11, 2010 by Bronson

[thecapgunkid]

Ask the guy running this forum about the hand stitching articles by The Capgun Kid. Last year I submitted a bunch of articles on hand stitching as taught to me when I learned to make historical shoes and boots. In that article sequence is a section about awls, how to make them, how to engage them and how to taper thread and make finer stitches and holes. I dunno what happened to those articles and have not seen them since. They were originally published in The Cowboy Chronicle years ago.

The long and the short of it is stop using the drill press, pay attention to the replies you received about marking wheels and overstitchers.

Finely taper and then polish your awls and they will glide through the leather, especially when using the Stohlman book and stitching in a clamp. I attached one of those articles and, hopefull;y, one of the pics. There is no Photopoint.com anymore, so if I can find some time I'll dig up the photo's if you think they will help.

Hope this helps

Don't shoot yore eye out, kid

The Capgun Kid

SASS# 31398

gjgeiger@zoominternet.net

Stitching by hand.gunfighter.doc

[Rayban]

Another awl and saddle stitch guy here....my advise is get a good awl, I didn't know how heavenly one could be til I got me a Bob Douglas.

When I have to go through 4 or more layers of 8oz. I make "pilot holes" with a 3/64" drill bit in a drill press. Then use the awl as I stitch, the awl actually stretches the hole to the right size and shape for stitching.

[Shorts]

Overstitch and awl

My first year I hand stitched. I'm on a Cobra machine now.

Edited December 11, 2010 by Shorts

[katsass]

okay guys what do YOU do to make your stitch holes. i unfortunately dont have the luxury of machine so everything is done by hand. right now im using a mini drill press which is okay but im just trying to gauge what other people use, thonging chisels? just a regular awl? what? any input is appreciated guys

Ditto what Rayban says........I do just as he does. Mike

[Lobo]

I hand-stitched for years using a stitching groover, overstitching wheel, stitching awl, and harness needles. I can still do it, but a good machine has me spoiled completely.

[RWP]

thanks for the replies and believe me if i could afford a machine i'd so go that route but working part time retail doesnt make that completely possible lol

[Lippy]

Here's a link to a post made last week with video and links to the Capgun Kid's original hand stitching articles.

http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=28041&view=findpost&p=176210

Cheers,

Lippy