Leather Guru Report post Posted August 7, 2014 Hello everybody, some handsewing. RB. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
electrathon Report post Posted August 7, 2014 Looks very nice. Great consistency with spacing and tension. BUT, I can't believe that you do not have a rubber ball of a chunk of shoe midsole to back up your awl. Possibly it is jut for posing but my stomach turned a little when I saw the pic of your finger backing up the leather and the awl lined up to push. Again, great looking stitching. Aaron Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mudruck Report post Posted August 7, 2014 Awesome looking stitching. I have tried using a backer when stitching and it just doesnt work for me either. You only jab yourself once or twice before you learn to be very, very careful about pushing the awl through with your finger behind it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Big Sioux Saddlery Report post Posted August 8, 2014 Hmm never ever thought of or even heard of anyone using a backer. I can usually hit in between my fingers but every once in awhile I miss. Might try it and see how I like it. My 14 year old son has been handsewing for me some this summer, and doing a great job, but he makes me punch the holes! He's a tough kid in many ways but sharp pointy objects freak him out. Maybe we'll try the backer idea and see if he can stab the holes himself. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billybopp Report post Posted August 8, 2014 I've only poked myself with an awl a few times, and mostly side cuts at that. Recently I watched a video of a guy using a wine bottle cork to back his awl pokes and thought it a great idea. I'm going to give it a try on my next stitching job to see if it helps to keep very thin leather nice and straight while poking at it. Bill Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hi Im Joe Report post Posted August 8, 2014 Billy beat me to it. For a while I used a wine cork for all my stitching. Now I only really use it when I'm at a corner or somewhere where it is hard to support the leather with your fingers. Honestly though most of the hand stitching I do I use chisels instead of an awl. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sona Report post Posted August 8, 2014 Right nice stitching I just wonder, what the mdf-construction with the two clamps on your table is used for (Plus I think it would really annoy me to smoke while stitching as the smoke would get into my eyes from time to time ^^)I don´t use any backing, too. pushing the needle into cork or something similar would propably dull my awl much faster than just pushing it through leather. You´ll learn how to do it quite fast (if needed by pain ^^) and you got your left hand free for stitching. But there are some spots from time to time where it´s difficult to support the leather, might be an idea for that situations. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Leather Guru Report post Posted August 8, 2014 Hello everybody , It's not posing AAron . I wiggle the awl a little bit & when i start to feel the point I move out of the way so to speake . I've been doing it that way for 40 years & yes I've been bit a few times ! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Spence Report post Posted August 8, 2014 I like the idea of wiggling the needle. For backing up the awl, I've used a ball of beeswax that I keep the awl in when I'm not using it. Since moving down to a hotter climate, the wax is getting a bit softer so I think I'll try the cork trick. I like the stitching. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tex Shooter Report post Posted August 10, 2014 I poked myself with my awl a couple of days ago in the top of my thumb. I still don't know or can not explain how I did that. -- Tex Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
