Pricking Irons

[studawg03]

I was wondering if anyone had a preference between Dixon pricking irons and The Blanchard pricking irons. Is it worth the extra money for the Blanchard ones over the Dixon models? I am stitching with 3 cord Barbour linen thread and was debating between a 9 or 10 TPI tool. Any thoughts would be wonderful and much appreciated.

[jk215]

Ive never used the Dixon's but have used the Blanchard tools and they are beautiful. I think there is a post somewhere comparing the two brands and the consensus is spend a little extra for the Blanchards.

[Macca]

Ive never used the Dixon's but have used the Blanchard tools and they are beautiful. I think there is a post somewhere comparing the two brands and the consensus is spend a little extra for the Blanchards.

Its not a little though, its a huge amount more, buy a few sizes in different SPI & it gets scary expensive buying the Blanchards

they may be finished a little better but I would question the usage or end result being any better

looking at a single iron

1 inch, 12 SPI

blanchard 180 euros

dixons 66 euros

Edited November 4, 2013 by Macca

[cjmt]

The quality of the Dixons stuff hasn't been great of late - I don't know if you have a recent Dixons iron there Macca but I haven't been impressed with their output recently..

[Macca]

I got a set of 10SPI irons couple of months ago

Cant fault them in all honesty, some of the other tools weren't great, creaser etc but the irons were spot on.

[cjmt]

I got a set of 10SPI irons couple of months ago

Cant fault them in all honesty, some of the other tools weren't great, creaser etc but the irons were spot on.

Fair enough, you can only speak as you find! I know one of the girls who works for us had to send a 1" 10 spi back 3 times to get a good one, but the good one is really rather nice. Ive always been a Dixons man but their oval hole punches of late have been so awful Im wondering wether to go the Blanchard route as well..

[Macca]

hmm, maybe I got lucky with my set, might have to go Blanchard if this is common, just hate the idea of paying 3X the price !

heres the dixons I got

[tanda4]

Is there really any options besides Dixon and Blanchard?

Is there really any options besides Dixon and Blanchard?

[Macca]

chinese knock offs

unknown quality though

goodsjapan do pricking irons, more like diamond shaped punches, very different type of tool, but still good quality.

http://www.goodsjapan.jp/category/pricking-irons-stitch-punch/catId=4252442

[jk215]

Is there really any options besides Dixon and Blanchard?

Is there really any options besides Dixon and Blanchard?

I think CS Osborne makes 1 size but Ive never seen it for sale retail. I wish there was a quality USA made alternative with the amount of options Blanchard offers.

[studawg03]

Thanks so much for all of your input!! I think I am going to bite the bullet and buy the Blanchard b/c I just need one at this point

[simontuntelder]

I've tried both. Blanchard may be slightly better, but I would definitely go with Dixon because of the price. However I haven't heard about a decline in Dixon's quality...

There are some Japanese makers of pricking irons (ie with the angle and NOT the diamond shaped) and I recently purchased a full set. They were a whole lot cheaper than Dixon - I think I paid in the region of $175 for 6 irons. But I haven't received them yet, so I don't know about the quality. But Japanese made tools are often rather good, but not quite as good as European/British tools.

[Macca]

I've tried both. Blanchard may be slightly better, but I would definitely go with Dixon because of the price. However I haven't heard about a decline in Dixon's quality...

There are some Japanese makers of pricking irons (ie with the angle and NOT the diamond shaped) and I recently purchased a full set. They were a whole lot cheaper than Dixon - I think I paid in the region of $175 for 6 irons. But I haven't received them yet, so I don't know about the quality. But Japanese made tools are often rather good, but not quite as good as European/British tools.

Link to the Japanese ones ? Very interested

[simontuntelder]

Hi Macca, I can't share a link sorry. It's not that I don't want to, but because I simply haven't got one. I bought them directly through the seller, but I can let him know that there's more interest in them, and if they become widely available I'll forward a link to you straight away.

[Macca]

Many thanks !

Very interested to see what they are like

[jk215]

Very interested to see how the Japanese irons are as well!

[greekgod]

Try leathercraft.jp then use google translate to view the website. You will see them under "European punches" or something to that effect in the "Tools" category. DO NOT USE the English Website version you would not get half the things available on the Japanese version.

Hope it helps

[awharness]

I use Blanchard, have seen the dixons, but never used them! I'm very happy with the blanchards!

[Pablo27]

http://www.goodsjapan.jp/

[Firdaus Hilmy]

I don't know if this qualified as a pricking iron or not, but I'm pretty sure this is not a diamond chisel. They called it Diagonal Chisel. At first, it's only available in their Japanese website, but after contacting them, about 30 minutes, they replied and the chisel is now available in their English website!

http://www.leathercrafttools.com/shouhin.jsp?id=3882

*sorry for my bad English