Newbee Hello, Advise Please?

[skidmk]

You will soon hear about Tandy, which is a well known supplier of leatherwork tools & materials. Here is their agents in Britain; I have always found them to be pleasant & helpful when I've phoned them for advice

http://www.theidentitystore.co.uk

ordered their brochure thanks mate

Tandy do have a shop in Northampton and depending where you are Pittards in Yeovil also carry some of the basics but I would also look on the other posts for frequently mentioned suppliers over here.

Tandy not to far from me thanks mate!

[skidmk]

just a quick one.....Will either of these two be adequate for making the sewing holes for a pouch similar to the above one in my first post?

Or do I need to order one of the fork pronged stamps?

Thanks

Mark

[zuludog]

When you sew leather, the usual method is to make the holes first, then pass the thread through them using blunt needles. So, as you have guessed, first you need to make a line of holes, and there are three basic methods

1) To mark the line and spacing of the holes using a tool like those you have shown, called an overstitch wheel or a pounce wheel or a stitch marking wheel. This will make small marks or depressions in the leather at the appropriate spacing, depending on the chosen wheel. You then follow this with an awl to make the proper holes

2) To mark the line and spacing of the holes using a chisel with short prongs, called a stitch marking chisel or a stitching iron. As above, you follow this up with an awl. You can get irons with various numbers of prongs, and the spacing between them.

3) You can get a chisel with longer prongs, which both set the spacing of the holes, and make the holes themselves, simply by hammering the chisel all the way through the leather. Usually this is enough, but sometimes you may need to do a bit of work with an awl as well. This chisel is called a stitching chisel. If you just tap it gently you can use it as a pricking iron

So the answer is no, you can't use the wheels you have shown to make the holes on their own; you must also use an awl or a stitching chisel, which you call a fork pronged stamp

Be careful, there are two kinds of similar looking chisels. The stitching chisel, which you want, has fairly narrow prongs set at an angle.

To do lacing you need a chisel which has broader prongs set flat in line with the main body of the chisel, and called, logically enough, a lacing chisel. Only get this if you want to do lacing

When you do buy an awl you want the one with a diamond section blade. You usually have to buy the blade & handle separately, then fix & sharpen them yourself. Ask nicely and a supplier might do this for you.

Don't get the Tandy 4-in-1 awl; it is expensive and not very good. A separate harness awl & round awl will be cheaper and better

Really, this is the sort of stuff you can find in any decent leathercraft book. Besides Valerie Michael's, here are two others

Leatherwork - A Practical Guide by Chris Taylor

Leatherwork - A Manual of Techniques by Geoffrey West

Also recommended are the videos on YouTube by Nigel Armitage Leather, especially 'How To Make A Simple Hand Made Leather Wallet'. This includes several basic techniques.

Edited August 11, 2015 by zuludog

[skidmk]

When you sew leather, the usual method is to make the holes first, then pass the thread through them using blunt needles. So, as you have guessed, first you need to make a line of holes, and there are three basic methods

1) To mark the line and spacing of the holes using a tool like those you have shown, called an overstitch wheel or a pounce wheel or a stitch marking wheel. This will make small marks or depressions in the leather at the appropriate spacing, depending on the chosen wheel. You then follow this with an awl to make the proper holes

2) To mark the line and spacing of the holes using a chisel with short prongs, called a stitch marking chisel or a stitching iron. As above, you follow this up with an awl. You can get irons with various numbers of prongs, and the spacing between them.

3) You can get a chisel with longer prongs, which both set the spacing of the holes, and make the holes themselves, simply by hammering the chisel all the way through the leather. Usually this is enough, but sometimes you may need to do a bit of work with an awl as well. This chisel is called a stitching chisel. If you just tap it gently you can use it as a pricking iron

So the answer is no, you can't use the wheels you have shown to make the holes on their own; you must also use an awl or a stitching chisel, which you call a fork pronged stamp

Be careful, there are two kinds of similar looking chisels. The stitching chisel, which you want, has fairly narrow prongs set at an angle.

To do lacing you need a chisel which has broader prongs set flat in line with the main body of the chisel, and called, logically enough, a lacing chisel. Only get this if you want to do lacing

When you do buy an awl you want the one with a diamond section blade. You usually have to buy the blade & handle separately, then fix & sharpen them yourself. Ask nicely and a supplier might do this for you.

Don't get the Tandy 4-in-1 awl; it is expensive and not very good. A separate harness awl & round awl will be cheaper and better

Really, this is the sort of stuff you can find in any decent leathercraft book. Besides Valerie Michael's, here are two others

Leatherwork - A Practical Guide by Chris Taylor

Leatherwork - A Manual of Techniques by Geoffrey West

Also recommended are the videos on YouTube by Nigel Armitage Leather, especially 'How To Make A Simple Hand Made Leather Wallet'. This includes several basic techniques.

perfect description thanks, i have ordered the first book you mention just impatient waiting for it to arrive. have been watching a lot on youtube but have seen a few people doing things different ways so trying to work out what's best. the pricking iron seems most common from what i have seen will make sure i get the right one....not lacing iron. thanks

cheers

Mark