Sewing Holes

[brianjaa]

I am new to leatherwork. I need to know how to punch holes through multiple layers of leather. I am using 8-10oz leather to make holsters. I have been using a drill with a tiny bit to make the holes through both layers so that the holes match up. I know this is not correct, but I have yet to find a good way to do this and ensure they line up. My holsters are turning out okay, but I want to do it right. Can someone let me know if they use their diamond awl to go through two layers at once? Can you let me know if there are different size diamond awls, and if so what size would you recommend. If you respond, pics would be great if possible. I really appreciate your time. I will attach a pic of a holster I did.

[electrathon]

There is likely no single question that will get more differant responces.

What I do. I drill the holes with a very large sewing machine needle. Tandy sells them. Put the needle in the drill press and drill through with it (turn it on). The needle will push leather back but not remove leather like a drill bit will.

Aaron

[brianjaa]

There is likely no single question that will get more differant responces.

What I do. I drill the holes with a very large sewing machine needle. Tandy sells them. Put the needle in the drill press and drill through with it (turn it on). The needle will push leather back but not remove leather like a drill bit will.

Aaron

So you use a drill press but put a sewing needle in it? I thought about that but wasn't sure. Good advice I will try it. Thanks a bunch for your response.

[electrathon]

So you use a drill press but put a sewing needle in it? I thought about that but wasn't sure. Good advice I will try it. Thanks a bunch for your response.

Exactly. The sewing needle is spun like a drill.

[Matt S]

Two layers of 8-10oz? Diamond awl. Sharpen and polish until you think you're done, then do it some more. Use the smallest size you can get away with; the smallest 1-1/2" size does for most jobs like this.

[PutnamLeather]

I like to think of it as creative stiching, as long as it gets the job done and looks good its the rite way to do it.

[thekid77]

Brian, see Nigel Armitage's video at the link below:

This is a great video tutorial about how to make holes through multiple layers of leather. Nigel is a true master of the art

[Dwight]

Brian, . . . one thing which will help you out immenseley, . . . glue your pieces together before you try to sew them.

You can use Weldwood contact cement (my preferred product), Tandy's contact cement, Elmer's wood glue, or a host of other products: just figure out which one you want to use.

You can then dress your edges, . . . which gives you a good starting point for your stitch gouge to roll against, . . . and will make your product look SOOOOO much better.

Once you have done that, . . . Electrathon has a good idea, . . . personally I hate hand sewing, . . . use a machine any time I can, . . . but when forced to do so, . . . I do my stitch gouge line, . . . run my stitch wheel, . . . get out the awl, . . . whet her up real sharp (my awl is a pointy headed little blonde female awl), . . . and go at it.

Now, . . . if you are real persnickity about how it looks, . . . put a plastic cutting board under your project, . . . that will let the awl just peek through the bottom layer. You can then run the awl back through the other way, . . . and the back side will look "very pretty" also. I only do that on projects that have to be "so so" and it is not that often. But that is one way to do it.

Good luck, . . . and remember, . . . practice makes perfect. You have completed a project, . . . that means you have scrap laying around. Sew that scrap together, . . . giving you practice.

May God bless,

Dwight

[camano ridge]

I combine the above methods I also do holsters as well as some hefty sheaths with welts. I glue everything that is to be sewn and dress my edges then run my stitching grove, mark my stitch line. When I am ready to make my stitching wholes i have a very sharp diamond awl blade chucked into a drill press that is not pluged in. I crank the drill down and poke the awl through the mark for my stitch with very little effort and does not take anymore time then pushing an awl through by hand or drilling the whole. It gives a good clean awl hole. when all holes have been punched sitch away.

[brianjaa]

Brian, . . . one thing which will help you out immenseley, . . . glue your pieces together before you try to sew them.

You can use Weldwood contact cement (my preferred product), Tandy's contact cement, Elmer's wood glue, or a host of other products: just figure out which one you want to use.

You can then dress your edges, . . . which gives you a good starting point for your stitch gouge to roll against, . . . and will make your product look SOOOOO much better.

Once you have done that, . . . Electrathon has a good idea, . . . personally I hate hand sewing, . . . use a machine any time I can, . . . but when forced to do so, . . . I do my stitch gouge line, . . . run my stitch wheel, . . . get out the awl, . . . whet her up real sharp (my awl is a pointy headed little blonde female awl), . . . and go at it.

Now, . . . if you are real persnickity about how it looks, . . . put a plastic cutting board under your project, . . . that will let the awl just peek through the bottom layer. You can then run the awl back through the other way, . . . and the back side will look "very pretty" also. I only do that on projects that have to be "so so" and it is not that often. But that is one way to do it.

Good luck, . . . and remember, . . . practice makes perfect. You have completed a project, . . . that means you have scrap laying around. Sew that scrap together, . . . giving you practice.

May God bless,

Dwight

Hey Dwight,

Man, thanks for the information. This may be a stupid question, but what do you mean by "dress your edges?"

[Dwight]

My process either uses a known and proven pattern where the pieces are cut, glued, edged, and sewn before any molding, . . . OR, . . . the pieces are cut a bit big, . . . part of it is cemented (maybe sewn, it depends) and then the holster is molded to the gun.

The second process is by far the most common that I do.

After molding, . . . it has to dry, . . . and for me that is 24 hours, . . . no short cuts there. I then re-insert the gun, . . . close up the holster with one hand, . . . and mark the edges for cutting. After cutting them, . . . I contact cement the edges together and then comes the dressing process. It starts with a 1 inch wide belt sander, . . . which makes all the leather layers even with the others. That also gives the outside edge it's final "shape" of the silhouette of the holster.

After sanding, I edge the whole thing, . . . inside, . . . outside, . . . left, . . . right, . . . top, . . . bottom. Take your time here !!!! Get it right.

Sometimes this is where I do a first burnishing of the edges, . . . dremel tool and water only, . . . then when I start with my stitch gouger, . . . it slides along the edge very easliy and I don't have to tug on it.

After sewing, . . . dying, . . . and drying, . . . I'll sometimes come back for a second burnish before the finish, . . . other times after the finish, . . . depends on the finish product I am using, . . .

Very seriously, . . . not dressing up, cleaning up, burnishing, and making the edges look good, . . . to me looks like a brand new car that just came off the line with no chrome, no trim, and a flat paint job.

May God bless,

Dwight

[brianjaa]

Brian, see Nigel Armitage's video at the link below:

This is a great video tutorial about how to make holes through multiple layers of leather. Nigel is a true master of the art

Thanks for the video. It really is good. When you see it like that it is so simple. Thanks again.

[Monkiller]

Thank you for the informative tutorial.