Newbie Question On Punching Holes For Sewing

[hosscomp]

In some of my earlier reading I saw the Thonging Chisel Set recommended for punching the sewing holes, so I ordered one. Now I am reading the Al Stohlman Art of Hand Sewing and he recommends using the diamond awl and punching one hole at a time. Does it make a big difference for a beginner? If I pre-punch the holes with the chisel set will the item be of less quality or look unprofessional?

[Big O]

I started out using a 4-prong diamond punch. Broke two of them in short order. Worked just "okay". You could still see the holes after stitching.

Then I tried drilling the holes. Same result, just smaller holes.

The awl worked best, and that's what I continue to use.

Keep a washcloth, towel, or gauze pads handy, though, because at first, you'll poke your fingers on a fairly regular basis.....

[Anonnymouse]

Could you get very far in leather with an awl? Seems to me like the awl would be rather imprecise. Plus I think the awl would not go very far in tough leather (4+ ounces)? I'll be using a 4-prong chisel for lacing; I think it should work all right.

[dbusarow]

Could you get very far in leather with an awl? Seems to me like the awl would be rather imprecise. Plus I think the awl would not go very far in tough leather (4+ ounces)?

I've used an awl to hand stitch 5 layers of 16oz. 80oz total. It was work, but completely doable.

Dan

Edited August 29, 2011 by dbusarow

[terrymac]

Using a four prong chiesel leaves holes large enough to drive a truck thru, just doen't look very professional. Using an awl blade in conjuntion with a drill press assures straight holes. Works great for me.

Terry

[GlenH]

In some of my earlier reading I saw the Thonging Chisel Set recommended for punching the sewing holes, so I ordered one. Now I am reading the Al Stohlman Art of Hand Sewing and he recommends using the diamond awl and punching one hole at a time. Does it make a big difference for a beginner? If I pre-punch the holes with the chisel set will the item be of less quality or look unprofessional?

I use either the angled or straight chisels (the straight one is one my dad used in the 70's). No one has complained so far about it looking "unprofessional."

Glen

[terrymac]

When I say "unprofessional", I am referring to being able to see the holes after stitching. If you look at some of the work on this website by people that are truly masters of handsewing, the leather appears to swallow the thread with no visible sign of the hole. There may be some European or Japanese manufactures that sell a "thin" bladed chiesel, but if you are using one of the ones Tandy sells, you can see the hole. I have one. It is simply a matter of personal preference. I just don't want something going out with my name on it that looks like a pre-punched Tandy kit. No offense to those that use those kits, as they serve a very useful purpose for beginners. As one of the members of this forum states: "Make it look handmade, not homemade"

Terry

Edited August 29, 2011 by terrymac

[hosscomp]

Thanks for your replies. Together they answer my question. Since I am a beginner I will start with the chisel set and consider using the awl if I ever get close to being a professional.

But, then on second thought, would it be advisable to start out with the awl?

Edited August 30, 2011 by hosscomp

[azrider]

I started out with the chisel, and it worked. I can honestly say that my sewing got faster and better looking once I got a diamond awl and learned how to sharpen it. Osborne makes a small bladed diamond awl that tandy sells. It would be a less expencive way to see if it works for you. I ruined three chisels before I finally got the awl. (Punched too hard and went through the poundo pad.) I still have my original awl, and have sewn up to an 3/4 of an inch thick with it.

[Guapo]

You're on the right track with the Al Stohlman book. Learn it his way from the start and never look back. Many professionals do it his way.

Guapo

[Ferg]

It seems you have not used an awl to stitch. First off you use a marking wheel/tool and learn to hold the awl at the correct angle. You can be assured using a good awl, I don't recommend

one from Tandy, get a good one, you can pierce a lot of leather. There is a definite plus to hand stitching using an awl when you learn to use it properly, it is beautiful and satisfying.

ferg

Could you get very far in leather with an awl? Seems to me like the awl would be rather imprecise. Plus I think the awl would not go very far in tough leather (4+ ounces)? I'll be using a 4-prong chisel for lacing; I think it should work all right.

[King's X]

I have used just about every technique that I read about and after all of this time, I found two things that work for me. Seiwa tools in Japan sells nippers that were once sold by Hidecrafter's, but i later found out that these were best for lacing holes because of what you mentioned above. I ended up modifying my Tandy chisels by carefully grinding and reshaping the teeth into diamond shapes and thinning them out. They work great and my stitches 'swallow' the holes.................of course, I used a 5 cord thread so the hole has not chance.

Good luck.

[reddevil76]

Check out the pricking irons in www.goodsjapan.jp. They are essentially diamond awls in a row, made for used as a chisel. These are my stitching results.

[Scary Leatherworks]

Check out the pricking irons in www.goodsjapan.jp. They are essentially diamond awls in a row, made for used as a chisel. These are my stitching results.

I was looking at those pricking irons but wasn't sure if they were for "marking" the holes or for actually making them. I like the spacing on the Tandy 4 hole stitching punch but the tool is not the best. I got one one from SLC and it's nicer quality but has 5 prongs and I think it is too many holes per inch. Your stitching looks great!

Edited August 31, 2011 by Scary Leatherworks

[reddevil76]

I was looking at those pricking irons but wasn't sure if they were for "marking" the holes or for actually making them. I like the spacing on the Tandy 4 hole stitching punch but the tool is not the best. I got one one from SLC and it's nicer quality but has 5 prongs and I think it is too many holes per inch. Your stitching looks great!

I have a 6 prong, 2 prong, and 1 prong. One straights, I use the 6 prong. Around the corners, I use the 2 prong to mark the leather and space out the marks evenly, and the 1 prong to punch at the marks. You can use a 2 prong to go around the corners, but I am pretty anal about the orientation of the stitching hole, I like it just nice. So that's why I needed a 1 prong.

[Scary Leatherworks]

I have a 6 prong, 2 prong, and 1 prong. One straights, I use the 6 prong. Around the corners, I use the 2 prong to mark the leather and space out the marks evenly, and the 1 prong to punch at the marks. You can use a 2 prong to go around the corners, but I am pretty anal about the orientation of the stitching hole, I like it just nice. So that's why I needed a 1 prong.

Can you tell me which size you use. I looked at them all but can't quite decide which one I want/need. They have the pricking irons and the awl/punch with so many different sizes; 4x1.5, 4x2,4x3, 6x3 etc...

Thanks

[reddevil76]

Can you tell me which size you use. I looked at them all but can't quite decide which one I want/need. They have the pricking irons and the awl/punch with so many different sizes; 4x1.5, 4x2,4x3, 6x3 etc...

Thanks

Personally, i use the 5mm, it doesn't really make a 5mm hole. The hole is about 2.5mm wide. Not sure how they derived 5mm, but i find it just nice for saddle stitching where i need 2 needles going through.

My friend uses the 3mm, but he can only thrust one needle through at a time, so it slows down the stitching.

[Scary Leatherworks]

Thanks, I just ordered a 6x5 to see if I like it.

Scott

[Radthalan]

I use both chisels and awls. I purchased the Chisel kit first and used the small chisel for hand sewing when I was trying to learn how to. Then I got an awl and the Hand sewing book by Al S. And now I prefer to hand stitch with the awl. It looks nicer IMO, but I still use the larger chisels for lacing projects and they hold tight to the lace. A neat thing I learned about hand sewing is make sure your finger nails are trimmed close. I was putting little divots in the leather when I braced my thumb and fingers against my work when I stabbed with the awl. Luckily I smoothed them out with a burnisher.

[Bard Skye]

I use both chisels and awls. I purchased the Chisel kit first and used the small chisel for hand sewing when I was trying to learn how to. Then I got an awl and the Hand sewing book by Al S. And now I prefer to hand stitch with the awl. It looks nicer IMO, but I still use the larger chisels for lacing projects and they hold tight to the lace. A neat thing I learned about hand sewing is make sure your finger nails are trimmed close. I was putting little divots in the leather when I braced my thumb and fingers against my work when I stabbed with the awl. Luckily I smoothed them out with a burnisher.

That's the way I thought things were supposed to work: chisels for lacing and an awl for stitching.

Skye

Edited September 29, 2011 by Bard Skye

[hosscomp]

It seems you have not used an awl to stitch. First off you use a marking wheel/tool and learn to hold the awl at the correct angle. You can be assured using a good awl, I don't recommend

one from Tandy, get a good one, you can pierce a lot of leather. There is a definite plus to hand stitching using an awl when you learn to use it properly, it is beautiful and satisfying.

ferg

Ah, the joys of learning. I am obviously using the wrong tools or don't know what I am doing. Probably both.

I got an awl and a curved flat blade from Tandy, gouged and marked the holes on 9-10 oz leather for making a tube and tried to punch a hole. I couldn't even get it through one side, with bees wax on it. I then went to the three pronged chisel and started punching the holes. On the first one it took me 5 minutes to get the tool back out of the leather. I then poked the chisel in bees wax and overlapped one hole, punching two new ones and it got a little easier. I had to jerk hard and brisk to get it out each time.

The curved, flat awl blade (the only curved one I could find at Tandy) seemed to have a shorter, steeper curve than the ones shown in the AS books. Looks like I might have to bend one myself to sew the tube. I also may need a larger handled awl. Where do I get an awl and blade of the quality you are talking about? Would the Tandy blades work if I sharpen them? Also, where is a good place to buy needles? The assorted set I got from Tandy had two curved needles, but were different sizes. No two of the straight ones were the same size either.

Thanks,

ron

[Hilly]

Ah, the joys of learning. I am obviously using the wrong tools or don't know what I am doing. Probably both.

I got an awl and a curved flat blade from Tandy, gouged and marked the holes on 9-10 oz leather for making a tube and tried to punch a hole. I couldn't even get it through one side, with bees wax on it. I then went to the three pronged chisel and started punching the holes. On the first one it took me 5 minutes to get the tool back out of the leather. I then poked the chisel in bees wax and overlapped one hole, punching two new ones and it got a little easier. I had to jerk hard and brisk to get it out each time.

The curved, flat awl blade (the only curved one I could find at Tandy) seemed to have a shorter, steeper curve than the ones shown in the AS books. Looks like I might have to bend one myself to sew the tube. I also may need a larger handled awl. Where do I get an awl and blade of the quality you are talking about? Would the Tandy blades work if I sharpen them? Also, where is a good place to buy needles? The assorted set I got from Tandy had two curved needles, but were different sizes. No two of the straight ones were the same size either.

Thanks,

ron

Tandy also sells this kind of awl This is the one you want for hand stitching leather. Just be prepared to sharpen the heck out of it when you get it, and keep it stropped. Also, a quick stab into a cake of bees wax will really help the blade penetrate easier. One work of caution: They break easily if you use lateral pressure on the blade, so be sure and always stab straight holes!

This was my first awl, and after the blade came out, I super glued it back in a couple of times, and it's been fine since. Of course, I only used it until I could afford a SUPERB quality awl from Douglas tools. Now I use that exclusively for my hand stitching.

[hosscomp]

Thanks, awl.

For my first non-kit project I chose a tubular case, which is probably not the an easy project. I finally gave up on trying to follow Al's directions exactly because I just don't know enough to get them to work correctly. I couldn't poke a single hole with a curved awl blade. I could't find the right sized wood dowel for a form that I could use tacks on. Finally found a Lysol can that was the right size, but didn't want to cement it to the can because I had cemented a felt liner to the back of the leather. I couldn't get cement to hold it just on the edges and I don't see how I would ever be able to stitch it if I did.

I used a three pronged chisel to go ahead and punch the holes, formed the leather into a roll and wrapped it in a towel so it would hold the tubular shape, started sewing it without a form with two curved needles from Tandy. I broke one of the needles on the first stitch trying to pull it through with pliers. I then took a Tandy straight needle and curved it with heat and pliers, and polished it. Replaced the broken needle with it then broke the second original curved needle on the second stitch. After spending as much as I have on these tools, books and leather I am determined to learn how to do this. So I bent a second straight needle into a curve, sharpened and stropped a straight awl blade to punch the holes larger as I go. Those curved needles are a pain to use. They keep turning the wrong way. Even punching a larger hole I still have to use pliers to pull the needles through. So after about four hours today I have the first four stitches. I hope it gets faster. I may have to take one of Tandy's classes. Any of you ever taken one?

I looked for those Bob Douglas tools online, finally emailed Sheridan Leather and they said their tools are only sold from their store and not online. So they are sending me a catalog.

I'm sure it is boring, but this venting does make me feel better.

Thanks,

Ron

[hosscomp]

]I got about half of the 8" seem sewed. Broke a third needle pulling it through with pliers. I finally gave up on using the curved needles and straightened them back out, which probably weekend them. I I don't know how Al does it. Trying to angle a curved needle with the least amount of pressure flips it the opposite way. I also started using a small piece of leather to push the needles through and save my thumb. It doesn't look very good. Fingernail marks all over it and the lips are protruding instead of flush. But I have to go through the learning process. I am open to any and all suggestions on how to improve this other than lots of practice, which I am already aware of. Still haven't received a catalog from Sheridan and am still looking for good needles and awl blades.

[jforwel]

After breaking a Tandy awl I went to the trade show in Sheridan this past spring and bought an Osborne awl and also bought a Douglas awl at the store. I haven't used them yet but I like the idea mentioned above about using a drill press for straight punching, turned off of course. I always use a four prong chisel for lacing but I run them on a bench stone first since they come so dull.