Hello! Hand Stitch ?

[LilRay]

Ray, I use the chisel on thinner leather, say sewing 2 3oz. pieces together. On thicker leather it makes the holes too big, although I sometimes will use it to lay out my stitch line on the thick stuff. I use the 1/8" chisel.

I'm gonna be making a few wallets for friends. I don't guess the leather is over 4-5 oz

For belts and holsters, using 8/9oz leather, FORGET about diamond chisels. I tried that. Broke two of the Tandy 4-prong diamond chisels (made of pot metal, apparently) before I gave up and started drilling holes.

Then katsass schooled me in the merits of diamond-shaped stitching awls, and I got one, and once I got comfortable with its use, I'd never go back.

As for belts, I've made ONE. I'll probably make one or two more, for myself. I wouldn't want to try it as a commercial venture, though, because it takes HOURS and HOURS to HAND-stitch a belt. Think about it. 40-60 inches of belt, stitching on both sides, 5-6 stitches per inch. That's at least 400 stitches. And you need about 4 times the length of thread as the length of the work. You spend most of your time pulling the thread through......

Gotta find a diamond awl then. How does one mark spacing then?

God Bless, Ray

[Big O]

You might check out "overstitch wheels". They're basically spiked wheels attached to a handle. You just roll the wheel along your stitch lines, and it dimples the leather in regular increments. They make different sizes. 5 or 6 holes per inch is pretty standard.

I have one, and tried it, but couldn't see the marks consistently, so I usually just wing it. The bad news is that it's sometimes pretty OBVIOUS that I'm winging it.

[azrider]

When you use an overstitch wheel, dampen the leather first. It makes it a lot easier to see the marks. I do all my stitching in a channel I gouge first, and just run my sponge along the channel before the overstitch wheel. If I dampen it right, I can actually feel the marks with the end of the awl, and don't have to look quite as closely.

[lazybum]

Alternatively, get the diamond chisel and use it to mark the stitch holes by tapping it with a mallet. This makes it easier to angle your awl, though it takes a bit more time.

Japan and the UK sells better quality diamond chisel. They're usually referred to as pricking irons.