Destroying Projects With Stitch Groover :(

[thekid77]

Today I completely ruined two projects (card wallets) with an old osborne compass style groover

I was so upset and frustrated I just felt like quitting...

I made sure to get the edges of the leather nice and square, and perfectly smooth...I rounded off the corners and started to make the groove. Turnng these round corners seems to be where I get hung up.

I have tried turning the project instead of the groover and nothing seems to work.

I'm a pretty patient person, but it took me a day's worth of work to get to the point where I groove, only to find out that I ruin my projects

Here are the routes I see...1). stop grooving the leather period, 2). use a creaser instead, 3). try a different groover (but I can't afford a new tool at the moment)

Anyone have any suggestions? Im stuck...

[humperdingle]

For me, the problem seems to arise as the tool stops and the workpiece needs to be moved.

If you can have an 'island', like a workbench you can walk around, then the workpiece stays stationary so the tool can keep moving.

Works for me

[bruce johnson]

With any groover round corners can be a little tricky and take some practice. What I do is to sometimes use my left thumb to make a "brake" for the blade and really concentrate on swinging the guide around the edge on the corners with the cutting tip mostly pivoting until the guide leg clears the corner. It is the same action I use with a border guide on my swivel knife if I am cutting borders, using creasers, or any similar guided tool going around tight outside corners. Practice on some scrap to get the motion down.

[cgleathercraft]

Have the same issue, I practice on a few pieces of scrap before I actually work on the project piece. I think most of my issue is the dull tandy groover. Need to do some work on it before I do another project.

[ABC3]

We groove way before we edge. That way you are running your groove line on a flat edge (not a round edge).

[silverwingit]

A few "groovy" thoughts (and yes I am an old hippie... ).

You should strop your groover just like you would any other cutting edge.

You might try grooving on cased or at least moist leather. The groover will glide easier.

It may not be necessary to groove at all. Using a groover seems to be rooted in western US leatherwork. European leathercrafters don't groove at all, even with their horse tack items. They use a pricking iron and diamond awl and then hammer the stitches down. The stitching lies down nicely and doesn't tend to wear badly, especially with items that don't get heavy use, like a wallet. I personally think that such stitchwork has a singular beauty to it.

I agree with you. I have a pile of projects ruined by stitch groovers. I don't use 'em on anything I make except knife sheaths and pistol holsters, where rubbing metal against leather presents a wear issue.

Good luck,

Michelle

Edited September 12, 2014 by silverwingit

[DavidL]

I have the same issue using the tandy groover. I use a compass to get a more even line.

[needles]

my groover got used to being used like a dart, it flew many times across the room........ it doesnt ruin anything anymore, because i stopped using it..so I can't mess it up again.... ha ha

[cgleathercraft]

my groover got used to being used like a dart, it flew many times across the room........ it doesnt ruin anything anymore, because i stopped using it..so I can't mess it up again.... ha ha

After one broken Snap-On brand tool making its way across the shop at a high rate of speed, I quit throwing tools. Does make you feel a little better tho! I can say that most leatherworking tools are much more affordable and tougher when it comes to being abused and thrown.

[NVLeatherWorx]

I use a standard groover for the straight or "not so tight" curved lines and for the tight lines I use a "freehand" groover; just make sure that you have a guideline to follow wherever you plan on grooving. Otherwise, when you get to a corner just slow down and slowly walk the grooving tool around the corner until you are back on the straight and narrow. And it does help a bit if the leather is damp, just shy of dry, and you do all of your grooving before you bevel and finish your edges.

[thekid77]

Thank you all so much for sharing your thoughts and experiences!!! I appreciate it so much!! :D

For me, the problem seems to arise as the tool stops and the workpiece needs to be moved.

If you can have an 'island', like a workbench you can walk around, then the workpiece stays stationary so the tool can keep moving.

Works for me

ms to work.

I'm a pretty patient person, but it took me a day's worth of work to get to the point where I groove, only to find out that I ruin my projects

Here are the routes I see...1). stop grooving the leather period, 2). use a creaser instead, 3). try a different groo

exactly same problem for me, i will try doing this, thank you

With any groover round corners can be a little tricky and take some practice. What I do is to sometimes use my left thumb to make a "brake" for the blade and really concentrate on swinging the guide around the edge on the corners with the cutting tip mostly pivoting until the guide leg clears the corner. It is the same action I use with a border guide on my swivel knife if I am cutting borders, using creasers, or any similar guided tool going around tight outside corners. Practice on some scrap to get the motion down.

great tip Bruce, I will be practicing that technique...thank you!! :D

Have the same issue, I practice on a few pieces of scrap before I actually work on the project piece. I think most of my issue is the dull tandy groover. Need to do some work on it before I do another project.

yeah tandy tools aren't the strongest and usually come fairly dull out of the box..thank you for your input

We groove way before we edge. That way you are running your groove line on a flat edge (not a round edge).

I groove before I edge as well, I was just mentioning that before grooving, i sand the edges so that they are nice, smooth, and square so that the guide foot of the groover doesn't get hung up on an uneven edge...but my technique is poor and I still need lots of practice...thanks for the advice!!

[thekid77]

A few "groovy" thoughts (and yes I am an old hippie... ).

You should strop your groover just like you would any other cutting edge.

You might try grooving on cased or at least moist leather. The groover will glide easier.

It may not be necessary to groove at all. Using a groover seems to be rooted in western US leatherwork. European leathercrafters don't groove at all, even with their horse tack items. They use a pricking iron and diamond awl and then hammer the stitches down. The stitching lies down nicely and doesn't tend to wear badly, especially with items that don't get heavy use, like a wallet. I personally think that such stitchwork has a singular beauty to it.

I agree with you. I have a pile of projects ruined by stitch groovers. I don't use 'em on anything I make except knife sheaths and pistol holsters, where rubbing metal against leather presents a wear issue.

Good luck,

Michelle

thank you for sharing your experience Michelle, I may just abandon the groover altogether

I have the same issue using the tandy groover. I use a compass to get a more even line.

Thank you, do you mean that you put a crease in the leather with your compass?

my groover got used to being used like a dart, it flew many times across the room........ it doesnt ruin anything anymore, because i stopped using it..so I can't mess it up again.... ha ha

LOL...I admit that I knelt down in unspeakable frustration after I screwed up my last two projects hahaha...thanks for the humor

After one broken Snap-On brand tool making its way across the shop at a high rate of speed, I quit throwing tools. Does make you feel a little better tho! I can say that most leatherworking tools are much more affordable and tougher when it comes to being abused and thrown.

lol, they do tend to survive through the ages...

I use a standard groover for the straight or "not so tight" curved lines and for the tight lines I use a "freehand" groover; just make sure that you have a guideline to follow wherever you plan on grooving. Otherwise, when you get to a corner just slow down and slowly walk the grooving tool around the corner until you are back on the straight and narrow. And it does help a bit if the leather is damp, just shy of dry, and you do all of your grooving before you bevel and finish your edges.

thank you, by guideline, do you mean a line scribed onto the leather, like with a wing divider? or an actual physical guide template that you can follow with the freehand groover? thank you!

[NVLeatherWorx]

Just use a wing divider and set it to the spacing you want your stitching line to be from the edge and then scribe your line around the entire length to be sewn. Typically your stitching is no less than 3/32" and no more than 1/8" from the edge but everyone has their own style so just go with what you typically do.

[chiefjason]

On really sharp or weird corners, I will grove it to where I think the other edge will be. Then pick it up and place it on the other edge. If they don't connect, I go back and connect them with a free hand groover.

Edited September 16, 2014 by chiefjason