Hand Stitching

[tielz]

I agree with your characterization of the differences between American and English leatherwork. You must understand that the English have centuries of tradition to maintain, while here in the U.S. most of the leather work is the result of trying to keep alive the traditions and workmanship of our 'western' era, post civil war (around 1860 or so). It's primarily done by individual and independent craftsmen --- most of us learning bits and pieces as we go. Ask any three American leather craftmen how to do one thing, and you'll get four differing answers. Hell, we've not got the centuries of tradition and example that you do. We've only been a country of a combination of French, English, Spanish, Irish, German, Russian, etc. mutts that left every civilized nation in the rest of the world less than 300 years ago. But we try our best. Mike

Western tack actually does go back much further than post-civil war.

Lawrence ClaytonVaqueros in Spanish North America were here centuries long before the Anglos.

Edited July 4, 2012 by tielz

[katsass]

Western tack actually does go back much further than post-civil war.

Lawrence ClaytonVaqueros in Spanish North America were here centuries long before the Anglos.

tietz, I agree with you on tack, however, a very large part of what's going on now is the atempt to emulate, primarily, the Spanish influence of leather carving, and, the styles of the 'cowboy' era, (with some modern twists tossed in) --- post civil war. Especially in saddles and gunleather. Mike

[tielz]

tietz, I agree with you on tack, however, a very large part of what's going on now is the atempt to emulate, primarily, the Spanish influence of leather carving, and, the styles of the 'cowboy' era, (with some modern twists tossed in) --- post civil war. Especially in saddles and gunleather. Mike

Exactly. "Cowboy" itself is the English translation of Vaquero.

Your holster is very, very nice!

My primary work is making English strap goods. I have pricking irons that vary from 9 to 12 stitches per inch that are angled rather than straight that will give you the start of the holes you will be stitching through. I use the two needle method using waxed linen thread, making sure each stitch starts and ends on the same side of the holes to give a uniform and smooth look. Over shorter areas like when I stitch the ends of the lacing to the reins, I will just use a backstitch.

[katsass]

Exactly. "Cowboy" itself is the English translation of Vaquero.

Your holster is very, very nice!

My primary work is making English strap goods. I have pricking irons that vary from 9 to 12 stitches per inch that are angled rather than straight that will give you the start of the holes you will be stitching through. I use the two needle method using waxed linen thread, making sure each stitch starts and ends on the same side of the holes to give a uniform and smooth look. Over shorter areas like when I stitch the ends of the lacing to the reins, I will just use a backstitch.

tietz, Thanks for the compliment. In my limited observations, I find that the English seem to have more (number wise) specialty tools, or more tools specifically designed for a singular application, than the Americans do. Pricking irons being one of them. But in the case of those particular items, many of use just use the overstitch for marking, then again to finish out the stitching. In my experience the English do make some very fine tools however. Mike

[Doozer]

Beautiful stitching, nothing like my easy to spot hand stitching. If you don't buy Tabdy needles, which indeed the eyes are HUGE, then please tell me where I can purchase better needles. Being new to this craft, Tandy is the only supplier I know besides Amaon.com, both are very limited as far as non-leather supplies.

[mlapaglia]

Beautiful stitching, nothing like my easy to spot hand stitching. If you don't buy Tabdy needles, which indeed the eyes are HUGE, then please tell me where I can purchase better needles. Being new to this craft, Tandy is the only supplier I know besides Amaon.com, both are very limited as far as non-leather supplies.

Tandy sells Harness needles Get a #0 NOT the #000. Its a good start. Then you can look elsewhere for a #1 needle. The #0 is a lot smaller than the Big eye needle.

[Matt S]

Just to throw my dog into the fight I use number 4 needles and number 2 when using an unusually thick thread. Using as small a needle as possible really does help, which goes hand in hand with tapering your thread or even hand rolling, which not only allows the use of a smaller eyed needle but also makes pullingstitches through much easier.