Newbie Question On Punching Holes For Sewing

[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.

[Bard Skye]

]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.

The only thing I can say about your difficulty piercing the leather is that there's no such thing as an awl that *too* sharp. <g>

The needle *should* follow the channel that you've punched without a great deal of pressure.

I also notice that the holes you're punching are emerging from the underside of the leather. For the type of seam you're doing, the holes need to emerge in the cut edge, as shown in the attached illustration.

Hope this helps.

Skye

[Toolingaround]

Hello

Newbie here, I can't afford to buy an awl yet so presently I am just abusing scrap leather and have not done much in the way of a real project yet but I thought I would tell you about these needles from spotted pony traders. Here is there link

http://www.spottedponytraders.com/products/i/?id=TO&action=detail&prod_id=125

These needles are super sharp! I took a picture of them stuck in heavy armor leather but can't seam to up load it to the form on my iPod at the moment. Any how the large S curve needle went through the super heavy leather like butter. Infact these needles are so sharp that you probably can not saddle stitch with them as they will probably cut the thread. They are great for frontier type cloths and moccasins. In a pinch they would probably do for your project and are cheep as dirt. The people are nice at spotted pony and so is their leather, unfortunately they don't carry veg tan.

Good luck with your project!

Cheers Toolingaround

[hosscomp]

The only thing I can say about your difficulty piercing the leather is that there's no such thing as an awl that *too* sharp. <g>

The needle *should* follow the channel that you've punched without a great deal of pressure.

I also notice that the holes you're punching are emerging from the underside of the leather. For the type of seam you're doing, the holes need to emerge in the cut edge, as shown in the attached illustration.

Hope this helps.

Skye

Wow, Skye. This really helps. When I started, I was wondering if it should go all the way through or just channel to channel and even looked it up again, but I was seeing that picture as an angled shot rather than a cross section as it is clearly labeled. Any way, I have completed that seam the wrong way now and am going to make it work even if I have to cover it with something decorative. But I will know how to do the next one right.

Thanks again,

Ron

[hosscomp]

Hello

Newbie here, I can't afford to buy an awl yet so presently I am just abusing scrap leather and have not done much in the way of a real project yet but I thought I would tell you about these needles from spotted pony traders. Here is there link

http://www.spottedpo...ail&prod_id=125

These needles are super sharp! I took a picture of them stuck in heavy armor leather but can't seam to up load it to the form on my iPod at the moment. Any how the large S curve needle went through the super heavy leather like butter. Infact these needles are so sharp that you probably can not saddle stitch with them as they will probably cut the thread. They are great for frontier type cloths and moccasins. In a pinch they would probably do for your project and are cheep as dirt. The people are nice at spotted pony and so is their leather, unfortunately they don't carry veg tan.

Good luck with your project!

Cheers Toolingaround

Thanks, Tooling,

Since my last post I went to Tandy and bought a bunch of needles, two of which were the S curve type. I tried them and they work much better than the single curve ones I tried, but I switched to the blunt straight needles to finish that seam. The straight ones worked well since I was sewing it wrong anyway. But, thanks for that link. I will keep it handy. And good luck in your new hobby. I am a 60 year old learning this because I just love it and it will give me something to do when I retire from computer programming.

Thanks again,

Ron

[Bard Skye]

Wow, Skye. This really helps. When I started, I was wondering if it should go all the way through or just channel to channel and even looked it up again, but I was seeing that picture as an angled shot rather than a cross section as it is clearly labeled. Any way, I have completed that seam the wrong way now and am going to make it work even if I have to cover it with something decorative. But I will know how to do the next one right.

Thanks again,

Ron

Glad to be of service.

Skye