Hand Stitch Webbing To 8Oz Strap?

[Wicked Welts]

I have an 8oz veg tan utility strap project in the design phase and think the addition of a webbing liner to one section of the strap will do me good but I don't know where to start with that. I did a search and didn't narrow it down but I think it would be smart to avoid using pricking/stitching irons to keep from cutting across the webbing fibers so that's where I'm at now - how to and what to use for making my stitching holes?

I haven't tried it yet but thought that cementing the webbing down first would help, then starting from the webbing side I could get away with using a small but very sharp scratch awl after marking the stitch spacing on the webbing with a fine marker. The hope is the awl would get through the webbing without butchering it too badly and I would use the same or another awl to open up the hole in the leather side so I can get my needles through. And that brings to my next thoughts - what SPI should I use and what needle/thread? Thanks for you thoughts.

EDIT - I plan to use webbing that's on the thinner side. I'm looking at the tightly woven stuff that's almost shiny looking, not the thicker, more coarse looking stuff I usually see on dog collars or cheesy laptops begs etc.

Edited April 21, 2015 by Wicked Welts

[Wicked Welts]

Drill press with awl poker? Drill running or not? Sorry, I think I'm gonna need that nap now.....

[bkm]

Have you tried piercing the webbing with a harness needle? Since it is woven, you probably do not need to make holes in it.

The hard thing with webbing is to get neat ends. I suggest covering the ends with leather, or overstitching them.

[Wicked Welts]

Not yet, the material is on the way. I supposed I should have waited before asking about this but I've never worked with webbing so it has been itching my brain in the meantime. Thanks for the added tip on dealing with the ends though!

Edited April 22, 2015 by Wicked Welts

[Thornton]

I would pre-punch the leather. The needle will go through the webbing without punching holes.

[zuludog]

I think Thornton has a good idea

Make the holes in the leather first, by whichever method you use - stitching chisel or pricking iron + standard awl

Then tack the webbing in place with a few dabs of glue or clamp it with Bulldog clips; pad them with scrap leather or thick fabric as they might mark the leather

Push through the holes in the leather and then into the webbing with a round/scratch awl so as not to cut the fibres and sew with a harness needle

Or you could try missing out the round awl and using a sharp needle

I assume the webbing will be synthetic. You can heat seal the ends with a match flame but it's not very neat; it's more usual to turn the end under and sew across. Or bind as has been suggested

I've done repairs & modifications of rucsacs; sometimes webbing and thick nylon fabric can shred the thread as you sew, so use synthetic thread in preference to natural

I'd use a saddle stitch as widely spaced as you think you can get away with. Use a stitch groover on the leather and nothing on the fabric. Bash it down with a mallet to settle the stitches when you've finished

When working from the webbing side, mark the line as you've said, and prod around carefully with the round awl to find the holes in the leather. It's surprising how quickly you learn to estimate this

Edited April 23, 2015 by zuludog

[Wicked Welts]

Thanks for the ideas, they really help. I think I'm on the right track now and it sounds like it should be easier than I expected but to play it safe, I'll have plenty of time and material to play around with.

Another thought was less stitching or no stitching at all and retain the webbing with cross strips of contact cement coupled with rows of paired/tripled eyelets every inch or two so it would sorta look like some older (military?) belts that use buckles with double prongs through eyelets. I'm not sure if this would work because I've never done anything with eyelets as anchors but it's something I could test out as well. If it would work, it might be the best idea since the eyelets could also work as utility lash points plus the webbing could be left slightly slack/open between the eyelets for additional trickery.

Thoughts on that idea are welcome too, I might be able to use both designs depending on what my customer likes.

[JAZZMAN]

Please could you post some pics so we can all learn from this if that is ok with you, i can offer no advice as i too have never worked with webbing either, but i would like to learn how. Thanks.

[bkm]

Another suggestion I have is to consider using ballistic nylon or Cordura instead of webbing. You haven't detailed your design at all, so I wouldn't know how the leather/webbing composite is intended to work, but you mentioned thin, shiny webbing. Invista 1050d ballistic nylon is shiny and smoother than Cordura, and it is thinner than webbing. It has great tear resistance a texture that makes it very pleasing for bag use.

For webbing, my favorite is Blue Water tubular nylon. It is a little smoother, thicker and stronger than seatbelt webbing and because it is tubular the edges are perfectly smooth. The flat webbing has rough edges. Of course, any webbing is going to add a lot more bulk than just a woven sheet like the 1050d.

[25b]

If you're going for strength, do NOT use Cordura fabric...nylon webbing is far, far stronger than Cordura fabric. In the OP's stated use (reinforcement of a leather strap), there is no good reason to use Cordura fabric over webbing.

I've been making and selling professional-grade (i.e. NOT "airsoft") tactical Nylon gear for over fifteen years now (probably closer to twenty), so I know the difference between these materials and am extremely familiar with their characteristics, both good and bad.

Edited April 27, 2015 by 25b

[bkm]

That's right, Cordura is for abrasion resistance, not tensile strength, and of course it is much thinner than webbing. The 1050d ballistic is slightly better for tear resistance, but it is still probably less than 200 lbs tensile strength compared to webbing which can be ~4000 lbs for a 1" strap. But the OP's stated use did not mention reinforcement, but rather a "liner."

In any event, I appreciate the advice from experience. I am working on another project now to build a semi-tactical dog harness/vest with nylon. While leather is the traditional material for harness, it is typically heavy and stiff and not comfortable for all-day wear. I have several webbing harness that I use for carting, ski and bike joring, and for the highest loads (with broad 2" straps). But all of them are overbuilt for light-duty use. I made another one with grosgrain ribbon (polyester). This is normally only a decorative material, but I found 1 3/4" ribbons to be excellent for light-duty use, and obviously much more comfortable than nylon webbing. The grosgrain ribbon would also make a luxurious strap liner, but I can't recommend it for anything that would see abrasion and it hardly adds any tensile strength. Presently I am working on a jacket/harness sewn of a woven nylon fabric for personal use. Most tactical harness incorporate both a Cordura-type woven fabric and webbing straps.

[Wicked Welts]

This project is on hold for now as there's a bit of waffling over my plan vs an all nylon plan.I don't have 100% of the details but I do know it's not for life support/climbing etc and as far as I can tell the webbing is more for support/anti-stretch than for abrasion. The added info is much appreciated though as I hope to try a webbing combo for a few things now, including a harness for my dog and maybe a hiking and hauling rig for me. Either way I'll will update with progress as it goes.