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Basic Saddle Stitch Tutorial By Nigel Armitage

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Love watching Nigel's videos! Very informative, a pleasure to watch a master work, and his sense of humor is great!

I'm itching to start hand stitching using Nigel's method, though I won't be able to afford a pricking iron for some time. So I'll start with the overstitich wheel.

Also, I loved the idea of the log station, so I went and found myself a great log! Lucky my girlfriend's dad owns a big back yard and a chainsaw... I rolled it to the car, took it home and removed the bark. Still have to level it out on top and bottom. I decided to just make a stitching clamp myself! Though I'm still not sure how to connect it to the log. Hey, Nigel, could you maybe post an image of the clamp straight on? The side images just don't show enough to explain how it works. But I'm a complete novice, so I apologise for the nagging questions!

Log.jpg

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Love watching Nigel's videos! Very informative, a pleasure to watch a master work, and his sense of humor is great!

I'm itching to start hand stitching using Nigel's method, though I won't be able to afford a pricking iron for some time. So I'll start with the overstitich wheel.

Also, I loved the idea of the log station, so I went and found myself a great log! Lucky my girlfriend's dad owns a big back yard and a chainsaw... I rolled it to the car, took it home and removed the bark. Still have to level it out on top and bottom. I decided to just make a stitching clamp myself! Though I'm still not sure how to connect it to the log. Hey, Nigel, could you maybe post an image of the clamp straight on? The side images just don't show enough to explain how it works. But I'm a complete novice, so I apologise for the nagging questions!

Log.jpg

Don't apologise for asking questions, I wouldn't post if I minded answering them.

I shall take some detailed images and stick a post up on the log.

Nigel's log... Stitch date 28042013

Contacted by alien culture for schematics on temporary docking device.

This culture seem far more advanced than anticipated.

Perhaps classifying the the Starbucks matter as an invasion was incorrect.

Beginning to regret deploying the Morgan.

Will continue to monitor.

...

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Nige, you are crazy, I love it :), thanks for all the info & fun

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Nige, you are crazy, I love it :), thanks for all the info & fun

Agree - some good ole British humour.

I can't wait to see the photos Nige as well as the log idea you have in your workshop is great. Pity I don't have room to "swing a cat" at my current dwellings. BTW nige - can we have more of the dog saying hello in the upcoming videos. :)

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Nigel , the videos are great, Im an absolute beginer in the process of buying my first sewing machine but I think its absolutly necessary for me to know how to handstitch as well. Before watching the video I had no idea how hand stitching was done .

Thank you very much !

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A big thank you to Nigel and everyone who contributed to this thread. I've taken my first steps in saddle stitching (a wallet) and this thread has helped a lot!

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Thanks Nigel, this is a great tutorial!

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Another thanks from a newbie! I've been wondering about the differences in final result between using an expensive pricking iron, a cheap pricking iron, and an over stitch wheel. What I'm gathering from your last post was that the final result will be the same, since the awl is really making the hole. The only difference would be ease of the work?

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I'm on my lunch break at work and my speakers don't work, so out of curiosity I clicked on the cc button to see if I could follow along. LOL if you want a real laugh try muting it and watching with the cc on and see if you can make sense of it, I lost it when it mentioned palastinian police and sushi. ;D I'll definitely re-watch them when I have the sound working.

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OMG. You're right, that's hysterically funny! Clearly the software is NOT geared up for a UK accent. LOL!!

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I was looking for that little knot you use to make a prepunched rows look better, but it appears they are no longer on Youtube.

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Hi Pip, polishing your awl will help immensely! Moisture can have a huge impact, if you've dampened your leather or moulded it and the leather is not fully dry, it can hang onto the leather.

Most Walsh come rough so need polishing first. What awl are you using.

Can you send me some pics of how your doing what your doing and see if that helps to answere the issue.

Nige

Hi Pip, polishing your awl will help immensely! Moisture can have a huge impact, if you've dampened your leather or moulded it and the leather is not fully dry, it can hang onto the leather.

Most Walsh come rough so need polishing first. What awl are you using.

Can you send me some pics of how your doing what your doing and see if that helps to answere the issue.

Nige

Nige

Been off grid for a while, now catching up on threads, sorry I didn't respond.Kinda got sucked up into my job, haven't had a chance to look. I recently followed advice used a bit of beeswax on the awl and now much better, plus I learned to sharpen better. Thanks for your help.

Pip

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I was looking for that little knot you use to make a prepunched rows look better, but it appears they are no longer on Youtube.

I think the knot is covered in the "Saddle Stitch in Detail" video.

Chris

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The videos seem to no longer be available. Just found this thread and was looking forward to Nige's saddle stitching videos. Seems everyone was very high on them. That's a shame.

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here you go

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Thank you Djanjo57. Much appreciated!

Edited by splinters

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Through the wonders of the internet and what I call internetworking, we have a series of videos made by LW member Nigel Armitage for another member. There have been a LOT of questions about the basics of hand stitching and I thought the entire site could benefit from Nigel's expertise. Take a look at his work and his other videos to see why I am impressed with his work. Thanks Nigel for taking the time to create these videos and I am looking forward to the next installment!

http://youtu.be/zeQt-nvLWyo

http://youtu.be/xS1j_Uifmhw

I have a library of leather working videos, about 100, give or take, on the entire spectrum of leather work. This includes several by Armitage, Dick Cheney, (and other Tandy videos) They are good for both the beginner and the more advanced Leather hobbiest or professional. Easy to download.

Through the wonders of the internet and what I call internetworking, we have a series of videos made by LW member Nigel Armitage for another member. There have been a LOT of questions about the basics of hand stitching and I thought the entire site could benefit from Nigel's expertise. Take a look at his work and his other videos to see why I am impressed with his work. Thanks Nigel for taking the time to create these videos and I am looking forward to the next installment!

http://youtu.be/zeQt-nvLWyo

http://youtu.be/xS1j_Uifmhw

I have a library of leather working videos, about 100, give or take, on the entire spectrum of leather work. This includes several by Armitage, Dick Cheney, (and other Tandy videos) They are good for bothe the beginner and the more advanced Leather hobbiest or professional. Easy to download.

Through the wonders of the internet and what I call internetworking, we have a series of videos made by LW member Nigel Armitage for another member. There have been a LOT of questions about the basics of hand stitching and I thought the entire site could benefit from Nigel's expertise. Take a look at his work and his other videos to see why I am impressed with his work. Thanks Nigel for taking the time to create these videos and I am looking forward to the next installment!

http://youtu.be/zeQt-nvLWyo

http://youtu.be/xS1j_Uifmhw

I have a library of leather working videos, about 100, give or take, on the entire spectrum of leather work. This includes several by Armitage, Dick Cheney, (and other Tandy videos) They are good for bothe the beginner and the more advanced Leather hobbiest or professional. Easy to download.

I have a library of leather working videos, about 100, give or take, on the entire spectrum of leather work. This includes several by Armitage, Dick Cheney, (and other Tandy videos) They are good for bothe the beginner and the more advanced Leather hobbiest or professional. Easy to download.

Edited by Hawk Scarbrough

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Cheers Adam, hers are a couple of snaps of the log, it's not a new idea, I stole if from someone who in turn stole it from someone else, it's just a log with the pony strapped to it, I spend a lot of time at this so I thought I'd make it it's own tool belt, it's just slots and loops so is fully adjustable for all my tools.Log_zps9773ccfb.jpgLog2_zps45e842da.jpgAs for the Veg-Tan, try these, a few links I think you will find useful, I have used them all and have not had a problem with any of them although i have not had any leather from Tandy.Metropolitan Leather http://www.metropolitanleather.com/Abbey England http://www.abbeyengland.com/en-us/home.aspxJ & FJ Baker http://www.jfjbaker.co.uk/you also have LePrevo http://www.leprevo.co.uk/ and Tandy http://www.tandyleather.eu/en-eur/home/home.aspxHope that helps.Nigel

Nigel,

If you don't mind me asking, does the top leather tool strap help secure the pony?

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For hand stitching with a sewing awl, use waxed nylon or poly thread. Black or brown are better because you can melt the ends without looking dirty (white thread melts into brown)


<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1WOKsT64yEA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WOKsT64yEA

You can order thread here:

TandyLeatherFactory.com sewing awl thread:
http://www.tandyleather.com/en/produc...

Amazon.com sewing awl thread:
http://www.amazon.com/284yrd-Leather-...

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Nigel,

If you don't mind me asking, does the top leather tool strap help secure the pony?

I believe the top strap is only a tool belt for the stump. The only strap holding the pony on is the bottom strap.

-BSG

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...

In this terrific video you seem to use the terms "pricking wheel" and "overstitch wheel" interchangeably. Maybe you could provide a bit of terminology clarification for those of us on this side of the big water who might be confused because we are used to the Tandy or Osborne overstitch wheels. As I understand, Tandy and Osborne overstitch wheels differ from a pricking wheel in that their stitch marks are just a point rather than an angled "slit" shaped mark as with a true pricking wheel. I think of a pricking wheel as a sort of circular prickng iron, though it makes only a diagonal mark, not an actual cut or depression into the leather like a prickng iron does when you strike it with a hammer or maul.

As I look closely at the marks your wheel makes, they appear to be angled, slightly elongated slits, not just points, or are my old eyes failing me? If that were the case I would call the wheel you are using a pricking wheel, not an overstitch wheel at least so far as those of us who are used to the Tandy or Osborne tools are concerned. Pricking wheels leave that diagonal mark as a reference by which to maintain the angle of your awl from hole to hole. They are hard to come by Stateside. So far as I am aware, we are limited to an antique one from Bruce Johnson or the like:

http://brucejohnsonl...and-channelers/

or purchase a new one from a Great Britain source like Joseph Dixon.

http://leather-tools.net/

I'd like to find a Stateside source a new prickng wheels but I know of none.

...

I didn't see a response to the above post. You're description matches my understanding of the difference between pricking wheel & overstitch wheels.

It is possible to buy new pricking wheels very cheaply these days. e.g. This one is only £1.29 inc. shipping from Amazon:

31w10LP78VL.jpg

I bought one & tried it out last week. I was rather disappointed because I could not see the tiny point marks in the very dark brown (almost black), textured leather I was using (admittedly my eye sight is not what it used to be). I went back to using pricking irons instead.

Below is what I think of as an overstitch wheel but I have not tried one (they look tougher, more versatile & less prickly than pricking wheels):

handmade-leather-overstitch-0715_sq.jpg? From: http://www.marthastewart.com/1125947/how-sew-leather-hand

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Thanks for sharing these videos, Nigel.

You had mentioned something about your voice. Have no fear sir. Your voice is in contention with the likes of Morgan Freeman and James Earl Jones. And absolute pleasure to the ears.

As a southern man I have always thought my recorded voice sounds extremely hickish. But the ladies have always enjoyed it.

Anyway, I have subscribed to your channel, keep up the good work.

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You may need to email him at nigel@armitageleather.com

He takes requests but he encourages people to email them, that being where he looks most often.

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I noticed some folks wanting samples of the different colors of Tiger thread. Cy at Leatherwurx has samples and will sell you small quantities for special projects where you don't want to buy a whole roll. He is real good to deal with as well. Garry.

https://www.etsy.com/ca/listing/218679671/samples-22-tiger-thread-samples-ritza-25?ref=hp_rv

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