Saddle Stitching Beginner Piercing With Awl And Not Straight Line At The Back W Vergez Blanchard

[naz]

hi. I use vergez blanchard 10 pricking iron and although the front side looks nicer, the back always is messy 'especially' if I am using a thicker leather and piercing with an awl? Is it just practice or which step I am missing? Here is how it usually looks, whenever I use awl and try to hold 90 degrees to leather, it is not a straight line at the back. thanks

[snubbyfan]

I'll hold the pricking iron as straight as possible, give it a good whack with a mallet then push my awl through.

I make sure my awl blade's polished and stropped.

That's the technique I used on this holster and belt;

I still seem to get one or two holes off.

But in my defense, it was through 3 layers of 9 ounce.

[Tramps Leatherworking]

Hi, welcome to the forum... I could go into detail how to clean up your stitching lines, but watching this video might be more helpful.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zTOqJCWbfY

Happy Leathering!

[25b]

This one's better...https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGuiha5S2oE

And the answer to your question is "practice."

[chiefjason]

It does not appear that you are using a stitch groover. That can actually clean up some of the problem by giving the thread somewhere to lay. If you have access to a drill press you can chuck the awl blade in the press and keep it more vertical than you can do by hand. I punch all my holes on the press, then hand stitch.

[Macca]

Practice

Oh & your thread is too thick for the SPI

[zuludog]

Use a stitch groover or a creaser or even a pencil line, on both sides, to mark the line of the seam. Then mark the stitching holes with a pricking iron or a rotary stitch marker/pounce wheel.

The videos mentioned above are good, and there is also a pinned thread in this forum under 'Sewing Leather' entitled 'Hand Stitching Guide'

Have a trawl round YouTube or get some leathercraft books from your library. A book that's often mentioned is The Art of Hand Sewing Leather by Al Stohlman

[naz]

thank you much for the replies,

I use a VB compass to mark 1/8 inch on both sides but as I cannot find the perfect spot when using the awl to rip, the back looks not lined.

MAcca, thanks yes I will change the thread!

Trampsleather, thanks for the videos

Snubby fan, beautiful! thank you.

[Jango]

nice info, i also new to leather craft and my stitch alwas a mess on the back.

[simontuntelder]

The angle on you backside looks a bit too steep.

But your main problem is sewing with a thread that's way too thick for that SPI

That being said I think people are too fuzzy with the look of the stitches on the backside. I mean I've looked at so many antique bags that were handsewn and I'm pretty sure that the saddler who made it didn't cry himself to sleep because there was a couple of stitches that weren't visibly perfect. It's about the strength and longevity of the saddle stitch and the saddle stitch can't be straight all the time.

Edited November 9, 2015 by simontuntelder