Smaller Stitching

[Gurkirand]

I have recently tried to get into leather working. i wanted to get a very small stitch on my bags (as i have seen many profesional companies using such stitches) and i wanted to know if this is possible. I have been researching into Hermes and their bags and they seem to be using very small pricking tools and stitches. However when i went to Tandy Leather the guy there told me to instead use a 4 hole punch because if i didnt the bag wouldnt be strong enough. Any Tips?

[Dangerous Beans]

Tandy don't sell such things. and if you choose the right leather and stitch size, the strength will be fine.

What your describing is a prickling iron, they range in width, 1/2 an inch, 1 inch and 11/2 inch.

Stitches per inch range from 4 stitches per inch up to 12 stitches per inch.

Depending on the leather, SPI and thread size as you increase your holes, you drop the awl and harness needles and switch to glovers needles.

The smallest I go is 9 stitches per inch and for light leather i use a John James 11/2 glovers needle.

This is too small for the Tiger thread I like so i switch to 2 ply waxed linen.

you can get the pricking irons from Joseph Dixon here in the UK, Vergez Blanchard in France and C S Osborne in the US, Osborne only do a limited amount of sizes though.

The image below shows the 1 inch 9 SPI Pricking Iron and the stitching is with the glovers needle and thread mentioned above.

The holes below are from an 11/2 6 SPI Pricking iron.to give you some perspective.

Hope that helps

Nigel

[PAMuzzle]

Nigel,

With the 1 1/2" 6 SPI pricking iron, will the slots fit inside a stitching groove for veg tan leather for holsters and such?

Doug

[Dangerous Beans]

Nigel,

With the 1 1/2" 6 SPI pricking iron, will the slots fit inside a stitching groove for veg tan leather for holsters and such?

Doug

It won't Doug, I wouldn't use a stitching groove with a pricking iron, it will defeat the object, the pricking iron sets the stitches at an angle, a grove will force the stitches straight. Plus, you'd need a very wide groove.

You only tend to recess stitching into a groove in areas of high ware such as under saddle skirting.

You don't need one on a holster.

Nige

[Gurkirand]

Thanks for the Help Nigel. I just wanted to ask for 2-3mm leather will the 9 hole per inch work or should i get somehthing a little bigger

[Dangerous Beans]

Thanks for the Help Nigel. I just wanted to ask for 2-3mm leather will the 9 hole per inch work or should i get somehthing a little bigger

It's down to personal preference, but for 2 to 3mm shoulder 9spi may be a little snug. 7 or 8 would be better, for that size leather I'd tend to defer to 7. It depends on what your after look wise.

Nige

[EricIsaiah]

Kind of related question: is there a difference between a pricking iron and a stitching chisel? Or are those just two names for the same thing?

[Dangerous Beans]

Kind of related question: is there a difference between a pricking iron and a stitching chisel? Or are those just two names for the same thing?

As far as I know, it's a pricking iron here in the UK, but Osborne's in the US call it a stitching Chisel.

It appears to be the same thing.

Nige

[Lee05]

Hi

Hermes uses Blanchard pricking irons, hard to come by here in the US. I recently bought a few from a member on the forum, Sean, fineleatherworking.com, and Steve Segiel (I'm not sure if he has any left) . They are very pricey but do wonders for your stitching, I've attached a pic of a project I did using a number 7 pricking iron with Lin Cable 432, the lin cable 532 or 632 looks a little better as you increase your SPI. Hope this helps!

Jason

[spooky]

try ebay

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Leatherworkers-Pricking-Iron-/170992092115?pt=UK_Collectable_ToolsHasdware_RL&hash=item27cfec43d3&_uhb=1#ht_1760wt_922

[Gurkirand]

nice stitching, and thanks for the tip i will definitely look into it.

[Jax]

I regularly stitch 3.5-4mm thick leather 10 per inch with an awl, no problem at all, I have in the past stitched similar weight at 12 struggled to find an awl blade fine enough though. I use Dixons pricking irons, I do ask to have the teeth made finer when I buy them as sometimes they seem a bit big to me, especially when using finer thread I dont like to see it getting lost in the pricking mark.

I have seen some really old English harness the stitching on that is so fine its amazing, about 14 per inch, may have been more on some, & if its been well cared for is still very useable.

[Matt S]

Sheridan leather have a few vintage pricking irons, up to an amazing 18SPI. Don't think i can see that fine let alone stitch! Prices are pretty decent but i held off due to a hefty import tax. No affiliation.

[Summings]

Depending on the leather, SPI and thread size as you increase your holes, you drop the awl and harness needles and switch to glovers needles.

The smallest I go is 9 stitches per inch and for light leather i use a John James 11/2 glovers needle.

This is too small for the Tiger thread I like so i switch to 2 ply waxed linen.

Hello, I know this is an old thread, but I'm hoping to create a handbag using a 9spi overstitch wheel. If you're still on this forum, are you referring to Irish 2ply waxed linen thread?

And on John James website I haven't been able to find 11/2 glover needles. Is this a size they do not carry anymore? If so, do you possibly know what needles and size would be comparable? Thank you