Stitching A Replacement Leather Handle

[ericjoswald]

I have an old artisan tool chest that I am trying to restore. The trickiest part is the handle. Leather had been stitched around the handle like this...

http://www.gerstnerusa.com/images/hardware/part-1020.jpg

...but has now completely dried out and cracked off. I want to stitch a replacement similar to the one in the picture. Does anyone know where I could find a how-to for something like this?

Do any of the Al Stohlman Making Leather Cases cover handles like this?

thanks!

[Ferg]

I have an old artisan tool chest that I am trying to restore. The trickiest part is the handle. Leather had been stitched around the handle like this...

http://www.gerstneru...e/part-1020.jpg

...but has now completely dried out and cracked off. I want to stitch a replacement similar to the one in the picture. Does anyone know where I could find a how-to for something like this?

Do any of the Al Stohlman Making Leather Cases cover handles like this?

thanks!

I know you probably wish to make the handle, in case you decide an easier way, access this page:

http://www.ohiotravelbag.com/FlipBook/hardware%20catalog%20p210/index.html?pageNumber=136

ferg

[JohnBarton]

If it's like the one in the picture then you will want to glue nappa leather around the plastic or wooden body and sew it by hand. Then trim off the excess and finish the edges and you're done. Pretty simple really if you have the original to work with.

[ericjoswald]

thanks guys! i would like to do it myself although i might need that link depending on the end result

What is nappa leather exactly?

I tried using some thin suede (not sure what kind exactly) and in terms of creating a nice tight fit it was great! It tore through the stitch holes as I was stitching.

All the heavier leather I have wont hug the shape tightly - I get bulges and folds around the bends.

thanks again!

[whinewine]

thanks guys! i would like to do it myself although i might need that link depending on the end result

What is nappa leather exactly?

I tried using some thin suede (not sure what kind exactly) and in terms of creating a nice tight fit it was great! It tore through the stitch holes as I was stitching.

All the heavier leather I have wont hug the shape tightly - I get bulges and folds around the bends.

thanks again!

Did you try wetting the leather? If you would use fairly thin veg tan, wet it, form it around, let dry, then sew, your holes wouldn't rip out.

[JohnBarton]

thanks guys! i would like to do it myself although i might need that link depending on the end result

What is nappa leather exactly?

I tried using some thin suede (not sure what kind exactly) and in terms of creating a nice tight fit it was great! It tore through the stitch holes as I was stitching.

All the heavier leather I have wont hug the shape tightly - I get bulges and folds around the bends.

thanks again!

Think of a leather couch, that's nappa leather. What you need to do, based on what I see in the picture, is to glue the leather up and then pull-stretch it into place. For this you should have a pair of pliers with two flat edges on them flat edge on them

These are called canvas pliers - http://www.johnannes...nvasPliers.html You want something like these. You can find flat edge pliers at the hardware store.

You will use these to stretch and crimp the leather so that it forms tight to the handle body. This requires some patience to massage the leather into place. With the pliers you will flatten the leather close to the body so that you can sew it. Then you will trim off the excess close to the seam and you're done.

That's how we do it if we make this type of handle. I actually don't make this type of handle for our own cases because I don't like them. But we have done them on prototype cases for customer requests.

Watch the video on this page to see how Dunhill does it.

http://www.luxuo.com...hill-movie.html

There you go.

[ericjoswald]

thanks so much! this info. is great and that video is incredible.

[machinistchest]

Hi Eric,

I`d love to share that info with you however, somethings I like to keep a mystery.

http://www.machinistchest.com/site/products.php?category_id=55

...MC