Saddler's Shoulder Crease And Pricking Wheel

[yankeeinoz]

Hi All,

Does anyone have experience using a shoulder crease or shoulder pricking wheel? I am wondering how these tools differs from a normal crease and pricking wheel and how to use them properly.

Thanks.

[Kevin]

I have a shoulder crease and I never use it. For my use, it is too big and clunky. I want my crease lines to meet at the point and that thing is too big to get a crisp end of the line. I don't crease properly though, I'm going for a rounded bead on my edge, not a burned crease line.

I assume you're talking about the Blanchard pricking carriage, I sometimes use that, but the same issue of control in tight curves keeps me from using it very often. I mainly use pricking irons and McMillen or Osborne overstitch wheels because of the smaller size of the wheels.

But this is just my experience, I'm mainly doing repairs and custom work so I never do the same thing twice in a row and if I do, I won't do it the same way because I will try to improve the second one over the first.

Oh, I forgot, I have a crank creaser for long items like lead shanks or reins, if I had to crease them by hand, I would use the shoulder crease more.

Good luck,

Kevin

[yankeeinoz]

Hi Kevin,

A rounded bead is exactly what I am looking for but I haven't even been able to get a properly burned crease line with the screw crease I have. I have tried heat, wet , you name it but all I get is more like a thin cut rather than a burnished crease. I purchase a more blunted edge crease tool but did not get the result I want. I thought it was because I am not able to apply the correct force (even hot) so was looking at a shoulder crease thinking that leverage might be the problem...I am sure I am over thinking this!

As for the shoulder pricking wheel, it was for sale by the same ebay seller from the U.K. that had the shoulder crease. Both items were shoulder type tools so I assume they came from the same set. What attracted me to the shoulder crease was that the metal part looked like cast iron rather than the steel that my crease is made from, which in my mind might heat more consistently and with better downward pressure I might get a more rounded indentation? But, what you said about using a shoulder crease is exactly what I thought - too fiddly.

Anyway, if you have a photos of your crease tool of choice and a finished piece showing the rounded bead, please don't hesitate to show it.

Thanks a bunch.

Jen

I have a shoulder crease and I never use it. For my use, it is too big and clunky. I want my crease lines to meet at the point and that thing is too big to get a crisp end of the line. I don't crease properly though, I'm going for a rounded bead on my edge, not a burned crease line.

I assume you're talking about the Blanchard pricking carriage, I sometimes use that, but the same issue of control in tight curves keeps me from using it very often. I mainly use pricking irons and McMillen or Osborne overstitch wheels because of the smaller size of the wheels.

But this is just my experience, I'm mainly doing repairs and custom work so I never do the same thing twice in a row and if I do, I won't do it the same way because I will try to improve the second one over the first.

Oh, I forgot, I have a crank creaser for long items like lead shanks or reins, if I had to crease them by hand, I would use the shoulder crease more.

Good luck,

Kevin

[Kevin]

Hey Jen,

To get the bead shape, your creaser has to be shaped that way (rounded). If you use an adj. creaser, there's nothing there to mold the leather. I probably have at least ten creasers, but I only really like two of them. They are both old Osbornes. I've tried new ones but they just don't have the right shape for me, I can't control them and they run right off the edge. You may be able to use a new one if you're not already spoiled like me.

The way I get the bead is I first bevel the grain side only with a #0 edge beveler. Then I wet the raw edge only. If you wet the whole surface on some English tanned leathers the grain seems to sort of bubble up in spots and we don't want that. So just wet the edge and the moisture just goes in enough that you can run the creaser and shape that bead the way you like it. The reason for only edging the top is so that you have something to put pressure against on the bottom. If you edge the bottom before you crease there is nothing supporting the leather under the creaser. After you're happy with your crease, you can bevel the bottom edge. I usually bevel the bottom with a beveler at least one size larger than the top, sometimes two or three sizes bigger depending on the thickness of the leather.

I will try to post some pics, but no promises, My camera doesn't seem to like detail shots and my pictures end up too big, even with the automatic resizer.

Kevin

[awharness]

To get that rounded edge crease Ive found that Barry King sells an edge beader http://barrykingtools.com/handtools.htm The new osbourne never work for me! Ive got an old gomph double line ones that I really like, and a bunch of Osbourne double line ones that I dont like! I dont heat the Barry king, but I do heat the Gomph double line. and for long runs Ive got a crank creaser. My arms are long and I'm a big boy, they dont feel right for me! I have Blanchard pricking Irons that I really like too!

-Andrew

[Pkay]

I have noticed that people hold creasing irons in different ways.

I use mine right handed with the blades! sloping away and up. The right hand blade holds against the side of the leather and the left blade which is higher makes the crease. I do bevel both of the edges first as I find the crease iron pulls the surface of the leather slightly towards the crease.

Some people use them curving down from the hand which I could not get into.

[gmace99]

I use the shoulder crease if I'm making several bridles at once. If I'm only doing bits then I pick up my screw crease. I do get a better line using my shoulder crease.