Slippery Needles Makes Hard Hand Stitching

[Avion]

Going back to Nigel Armitage, I just recently watched a video of his regarding a sharp and properly dressed diamond stitching awl. Well, worth watching. Nigel says you can't sew without it, and shows how he preps his diamond awl. I am trying to chase down a cheapy sharpening stone just for this reason.

[Boriqua]

ok my 2 cents .. I use a chisel sometimes but an awl more lately. Here is what I use that works. I use the Tandy Needle Number 1192-10, Sz 0 harness needles. While I might be able to go with thinner thread I like the look of .040 or .045 when I sew a holster or sheath together using 2 pcs of 8 oz or more. I usually use .040 when I awl and .045 when I chisel. Maine thread is what I have been using almost exclusively for the last 2 months. When I thread my needle for using the awl and using .040 I cut my thread to length and I take a razor blade and scrap the last 3 inches at either end. You can see when you start to shave off fibers. When I have thinned down the 3 inches at either end I rub it through a block of bees wax and twist it back up. It is now about half the thickness of the thread.I put my needle in about 1.5 in and fold.

Now that tight spot at the eye comes right through the hole. It is a huge help but I still like to use a rubber finger tip on my right thumb to pull through the second needle. Just makes things faster. I dont have very large hands and I can use a size 13 fingertip rubber on my thumb. They are very durable and I think a box of a dozen was 3 dollars. I only need to use the pliers sometimes when I am back stitching at the end and I have a little spring loaded jewelers pliers I got from Harbor freight. I think it was also about 3 bucks and it had no teeth and being cheap junk the metal is so soft the needle actually dents the inside of the jaws. Has worked great and I have been using the harbor freight pliers for some 6 months easy without any problems. Other than that I dont need to use the pliers so long as I prep my thread and use my little rubber.

[HondoMan]

A two-years old thread, but people do come back to read....  me two-cents....  had a student with me the other day and she was having this issue.  I clarified the issue she was having and it made me look here.  There can be numerous issues if one is having to tug on the needle and fingers are not gripping the needle

1.  Most like, the holes are not large enough.  Either the stitching irons are too small for the thread or the awl is not sharp or large enough.

2.  Has the thread 'knotted' behind the eye?  A loop behind the eye assist in this and if it has knotted, that comes from tension while pulling on the thread.  I refer to this as a small fist.  One is attempting to pull a fist through the hole.  Mind the loop.

3.  If using a stitching iron, when were the holes made?  I've seen countless times, people make the holes on a Thursday and won't stitch until Friday.  Bad practice indeed.  Not long after the holes are made, they are starting to close.  Don't make your holes at 4pm, knowing you're going to call it quits at 5pm. 

4.  Needles and thread need to be paired with the stitching or pricking iron and awl.  If the holes are too small, one will struggle to get the needle and thread through if they are too large for the holes made. 

5.  From what point is one stitching in regards to the stitching clam?  If the hole to be stitched is 3cm above the jaws, the leather is too flexible.  Move it down closer to the jaws of the clam.  It's more stable and the needles will not struggle through the hole.

6.  Pliers are nice to have, especially when back-stitching.  Best ones to have are dental pliers.  The metal is softer, without grooves or teeth in the jaws and some don't fully close.  They won't mark the needles and they are relatively inexpensive.

Edited December 5, 2017 by HondoMan

[austinious]

People do come back to read.

I was having large problems with my finger slipping off the needles.  I have to wash my hands a lot, I figure this is the culprit.  Long story short, nitrile gloves got me back up to speed.  Thanks!  I'll have to find and try the finger condoms.

 

[silverwingit]

I just use secretary's thumb cots. The rubber ones with the bumps on them. Work great.

[Handstitched]

And heres me thinking that I was the only one that used pliers, boy was I so wrong. 

 But I second the comment by ' snubbyfan' , wiggle the needle about  bit if they get a bit stuck.  I also have a similar  issue with the  waxed mox thread. After a short while , my fingers are ' greasy' and don't grip the needle. I always have a roll of paper towel handy ,  dampen my hands with water, and wipe dry with paper towel , grip returns . 

HS

 

[Lloydc]

The problem I’m having is that the needle gets hung up on the knot that forms in the thread and slides up to the eye. Having to use pliers on practically every stitch is a royal pain. I’ve tuned my pricking irons and stitching awl to a fair thee well—the latter will inflict painful puncture wounds if you’re not careful.  How can I keep this from happening? Paradoxically, I’ve found that a bit larger needle, seems to be easier to get through the leather, because its eye is also larger and, like the fullback in football, makes the hole larger so the following knot (runner) can pass through more easily.