Anyone Use A Workmate Instead Of A Stitching Pony?

[leathervan]

I think I am going to try it since I didn't really like the stitiching pony that I used in the past. Its a Tandy bought item but thats not saying it isn't a good item. I like the way the workmate holds the leather tight. Maybe there are other things to use also. On youtube I once saw a guy using a vice to hold a small piece while he hand stitched the leather.

[JerryLevine]

The workmates sounds like a great idea and I think it would hold the piece you're working on really tight. I've not tried using a workmate but I could foresee difficulties with the the length over which you need to stretch (unless US workmates are a different thing to the ones we have in the UK). My workmates are 2 feet long and I suspect that keeping my awl parallel and at 90 degrees might be difficult and so getting a consistent stitch line might be problematic. I have used a vice before ( having first lined the jaws to prevent marking the piece) and that worked very well because of the short length of the piece and I could sit over the work.

Generally I use English saddle makers clems (no surprise there if you checkout my location!) but I have tried the Tandy pony as well. The best compromise, though, might be Bob Douglas's Colt Stitcher (http://www.sheridanleather.com/Colt_Stitcher_p/colt.htm) which has wide jaws, a firm clamping action and fits to a 2-3" table top.

All the best,

Jerry

[Tree Reaper]

I use a stitching pony in the jaws of a workmate.

I can easily store both.