Rounding A Corner With A Pricking Iron (Vergez Blanchard)

[mrtreat32]

I cant seem to figure out the correct angle to make my stitching seem seamless. Any tricks or tips for making a rounded turn with a pricking iron. I dont have a 2 prong iron so that may be part of the problem. A big rounded turn I think I can figure out but smaller turns Im having a tough time.

I have watched nigels videos and found them helpful with making a sharp turn (90degree angle. I use a scratch awl to make a rounded hole in the corner and than continue with the pricking iron on the new line). But I havent seen any videos of his where he makes a rounded turn like on a watch strap or a small rounded corner. Any links or tips would be greatly appreciated.

thanks

[LTC]

buy the 2 tooth iron.

[DavidL]

A video on his channel he makes a round box w/ curves using a regular iron.

[gary]

Angle the iron back a hell of a lot so only two teeth are touching the leather then go forwards one mark at a time. It works for me with No7, No8 and No 10 irons. Just be slow, careful and not overenthusiastic with the mallet.

[Hi Im Joe]

buy the 2 tooth iron.

Wow great advice!

I cant seem to figure out the correct angle to make my stitching seem seamless. Any tricks or tips for making a rounded turn with a pricking iron. I dont have a 2 prong iron so that may be part of the problem. A big rounded turn I think I can figure out but smaller turns Im having a tough time.

I have watched nigels videos and found them helpful with making a sharp turn (90degree angle. I use a scratch awl to make a rounded hole in the corner and than continue with the pricking iron on the new line). But I havent seen any videos of his where he makes a rounded turn like on a watch strap or a small rounded corner. Any links or tips would be greatly appreciated.

thanks

You can use wing dividers and match them to the prongs of your iron and then use them to mark your holes around the corner. Then just punch with an awl like you normally would. Saves you some money from having to buy the 2 prong iron.

[mrtreat32]

A video on his channel he makes a round box w/ curves using a regular iron.

ill try to find the video. He has a lot though!

thanks

Angle the iron back a hell of a lot so only two teeth are touching the leather then go forwards one mark at a time. It works for me with No7, No8 and No 10 irons. Just be slow, careful and not overenthusiastic with the mallet.

I have been trying this a bit but then I end up messing up the previously marked holes when I turn the iron in the ones already punched. Gonna look a bit closer and try to go slower as you suggested!

thanks

Wow great advice!

You can use wing dividers and match them to the prongs of your iron and then use them to mark your holes around the corner. Then just punch with an awl like you normally would. Saves you some money from having to buy the 2 prong iron.

Yeah thats what I did so far with best results. I stabbed them with my awl without the use of the pricking iron.

How do you all make a turn on a 90degree angle? Im fairly happy with the results Im getting by punching the corner hole with a scratch awl (round hole) and then resuming back to the pricking iron the next line. If anyone has suggestions which they think are better I would leave to hear that as well.

[DavidL]

Thats the best way to use a scratch awl on the edge. You could alternatively make the pattern so there aren't any 90 degree corners, or curve the edge of the wallet so the stitch is curved at the corner.

Anyone have any luck stitching through 3 layers of 2/3 veg tan and getting the pricking iron to press through to the backside?

[Macca]

Anyone have any luck stitching through 3 layers of 2/3 veg tan and getting the pricking iron to press through to the backside?

These tools really are not designed for that, you will eventually damage them by doing this.

Not to mention removing them from the leather afterwards will no doubt, distort it.

They are really not meant to be used as punches, only for marking followed by an awl.

Learn to use an awl properly & you will have no issues stitching almost anything !

As for the OP, heres a link showing how to mark curves with an iron

http://www.britishblades.com/forums/showthread.php?19961-Pricking-Irons-How-to-go-round-corners-not-cut-them!

[UnionCraft]

Do what Gary said. Tilt your iron, but DO NOT PUNCH OR TAP w/ a mallet.

Using your own strength, apply a small amount of pressure to make slanted marks.

After you mark around the leather, use your diamond awl to make the holes. I recommend placing the leather over thick scrap leather or a cork board to drive the awl through to make sure it's perfectly driven straight.

The marks from the pricking iron shows you how slanted each hole needs to be as well as how they need to be spaced apart.

The awl acts as a 1 Dent pricking iron that you drive through the leather.

This is the best way and your results will appear exactly as if you had used a 2 Dents pricking iron.

[UnionCraft]

Mrtreat32,

Again there are multiple ways to achieve round cornered stitching.

In mathematics, 2+2 will always = 4

However, there are many leather craftsman from many different backgrounds of training and there are also many different tools.

Thus, there are various ways to approach a rounded stitch. And there are no correct ways of doing so; it's only based off your preference.

The most common ways I've seen are:

- Tilting your pricking iron. (Commonly used in England)

Some just use the iron alone to mark the holes without hammering and use the marks to guide an awl through.

Others tap lightly to make a short hole and use an awl to penetrate through and exit the backside of the leather. I don't like this way, because you end up slanting the entrance hole and it’s easier to accidentally mar the leather with an extra tooth where you don't want it.

- A pricking wheel. (Used a lot more in the saddlery trade, so Hermès selliers have been seen using the Blanchard griffe à molette when making saddles.)

Just like an overstitch wheel, you push the wheel around rounded ends and then make the holes with an awl.

- A 2 Dents Pricking Iron

(Commonly seen in France due to Blanchards wide offering of pricking irons.)

(Dixon, Barnsley, etc. offer 1/2”, 1”, 1.5” irons, so you see lot old school English craftsmen using the “tilted pricking iron” method. However, to meet the demands of today’s market, Dixon has their own 2 tooth offering now.)

Depending on the size of your curves, you can use a 1-20+ dents pricking iron. The larger the roundness, the larger your pricking iron choice.

I like this method because it’s easier and less time consuming.

If you are looking to try alternatives to the 2 dents iron and would like to use your existing iron, please see my next post, I will show you how to do the “tilted pricking iron” method.