KayeMagic Report post Posted September 28, 2015 Hey everyone! I am new to leather working and have done a few small projects. As I have limited funds and can't afford a sewing machine I was wondering how you guys make your hand stitching look so good. Any tips or tricks for big/thick projects? Thanks in advance! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
25b Report post Posted September 28, 2015 (edited) Youtube. Nigel Armitage / Armitage Leather. "Saddle-stitch in detail" Watch repeatedly until you get it. Edited September 28, 2015 by 25b Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KayeMagic Report post Posted September 28, 2015 Ok great Thanks!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
snubbyfan Report post Posted September 29, 2015 My take on hand stitching. I've got some leatherworking videos on my YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOM3hbruUKHov9kquIxXKlA/videos If you'd like to check it out. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
penguineer Report post Posted September 29, 2015 One little tip - "set" the stitching when you've finished, either by rubbing it down with a bone folder or using a smooth face hammer. This tends to even the stitches out and ensure they lay lawn into the stitching groove. Cheers! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
25b Report post Posted September 29, 2015 This tends to even the stitches out and ensure they lay lawn into the stitching groove. Cheers! Note to OP...Not everyone cuts a stitching groove into their leather and it is NOT required that you do so...don't let anyone try to tell you otherwise. If you have any questions, please PM me and I'll help. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KayeMagic Report post Posted September 29, 2015 Thanks Everyone! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
chiefjason Report post Posted September 30, 2015 I do cut stitch grooves. But I want my thread to lay on or under the surface of the leather. I use a stitch wheel to set spacing. And pre punch my holes with an awl chucked into a drill press. Works well for me. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
thekid77 Report post Posted September 30, 2015 Hey everyone! I am new to leather working and have done a few small projects. As I have limited funds and can't afford a sewing machine I was wondering how you guys make your hand stitching look so good. Any tips or tricks for big/thick projects? Thanks in advance! Hey there!! I will be the first person to tell you to stay away from most Tandy tools because they are generally poorly machined and made of cheap steel, BUT I would suggest that you also try out Tandy's Fine Diamond Chisel (comes in 6, 7, and 8 stitches per inch, I believe).......the one I use is model # 88056-09 and it works great for wallets and card holders....one of the big advantages of using this chisel is that the teeth are designed to punch thru the leather (they're not tapered), not just to make marks in it as the european pricking irons do..... it's also a time saver (not that anyone doing leatherwork is in a hurry) since you're getting all of your holes punched before you begin stitching, which helps you keep a consistent rhythm and tension going when your feeding the needles thru and pulling the thread tight... If you're punching through thick leather, it can be done with this tool, but i would suggest you punch lightly at first, remove the tool, punch thru a little more, remove, and keep doing this until you're all the way thru....if you try to punch thru 4+ mm of leather or more with this tool, it will get stuck. Also, you may wan to polish the teeth because although the points are sharp, the sides are quite rough.....I hope this helps!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
25b Report post Posted September 30, 2015 (edited) The Seiwa ones are much better quality than those tandy pieces of garbage. I would strongly recommend anyone considering purchasing stitching chisels to go view Nigel Armitage's comprehensive reviews on them on youtube. I personally have used both and the Seiwa ones are the best in my (and others') opinion. Edited September 30, 2015 by 25b Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SmokeyPoint Report post Posted October 1, 2015 Kaye, you've just asked the question "Which (Car, truck, shotgun, movie, restaurant, etc.) is the best?" You'll end up with a gazillion different answers, many strong opinions, and few actual concrete directions on how to make decent hand stitches on the cheap. I would contend that a talented leather craftsman, or craftswoman, can make (and are making) beautiful products using the crudest of materials and tools. You don't need the finest stitching chisels money can buy, tiger thread, genuine English bridle leather, or John James needles. They will help, for sure, but there are many, many people using hand ground, back yard mechanic tools doing it better than a whole lot of us. My uncle made a living making leather goods for his little boutique shop in Spain in the 60's with crude tools he bought from street vendors in Morocco for pennies. What you need is consistency, and a repeatable pattern that produces the results you are after. Unfortunately that means practice, practice, practice. Maybe the better question would be "How do I avoid sloppy stitching?" There are very specific answers to that question, here are a few: Test the stitch you are considering on a scrap piece (the same piece of leather as your project) first. Try different combinations of stitch length/thread size/pull tension/knot or no knot/etc. until you get the look you're after. When pulling on your thread to set the stitch, always pull with the same tension for every stitch. This takes practice, but shows up as bigger/smaller stitches when you don't. If you start out with the left needle going through the hole first, then the right needle going over the left needle, ALWAYS use that pattern on the same stitch line. If you forget, even once, and put the right needle in first, you'll see it as a change in your stitch pattern. Learn to handle your awl properly. Just a little change in the angle of an awl shows bigger and bigger inconsistencies on the back side the thicker your leather gets. In other words, thin leather can hide bad awl work, thick leather shines a beacon on it. There are sooo many more. Unfortunately my train is arriving... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
victorl Report post Posted October 1, 2015 I'm a newbie myself and learned a great deal from forum advice and youtube videos. It was definitely a struggle at first and took forever and the stitches looked like I was working with my feet instead of my hands. Once I practiced enough to get into a rhythym things started looking better but there's always room for improvement. After some practice and experimentation, you'll be able settle on a technique that works for you. Also as someone recommended earlier, try the Seiwa stitching chisels as they will make punching holes a breeze and eliminate the need for an awl so you can just concentrate on your needles and thread. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
thekid77 Report post Posted October 1, 2015 Note to OP...Not everyone cuts a stitching groove into their leather and it is NOT required that you do so...don't let anyone try to tell you otherwise. If you have any questions, please PM me and I'll help. Amen. I never use a groover....I make wallets and card wallets.....when the wallet has cards/cash in it, it makes the inside leather around the stitching puff up......nothing ever rubs the stitches because it hits the ridge of leather first..... Hey everyone! I am new to leather working and have done a few small projects. As I have limited funds and can't afford a sewing machine I was wondering how you guys make your hand stitching look so good. Any tips or tricks for big/thick projects? Thanks in advance! also, like I said before.....I am the first one to tell you not to buy Tandy products....however, this is what I have achieved with the Tandy stitching chisels: each to their own but I am a perfectionist and have been satisfied with the results that I've been getting.....here's and example: Amen. I never use a groover....I make wallets and card wallets.....when the wallet has cards/cash in it, it makes the inside leather around the stitching puff up......nothing ever rubs the stitches because it hits the ridge of leather first..... also, like I said before.....I am the first one to tell you not to buy Tandy products....however, this is what I have achieved with the Tandy stitching chisels: each to their own but I am a perfectionist and have been satisfied with the results that I've been getting.....here's and example: and this... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KayeMagic Report post Posted October 1, 2015 After reading posts on this forum for a couple of months, I know NEVER to even mention Tandy. At all. Also, at this point I'm not looking to buy any tools (I have enough for the projects I'm doing). For the little projects i have done I have used a stitch marker, awl (scratch as it is the only one i have), waxed thread and a rounded stitching needle. The finished products look good enough for me but I would not give them to anyone else unless I figure something out that works and looks better. Thanks everyone for your suggestions! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
thekid77 Report post Posted October 1, 2015 (edited) After reading posts on this forum for a couple of months, I know NEVER to even mention Tandy. At all. Also, at this point I'm not looking to buy any tools (I have enough for the projects I'm doing). For the little projects i have done I have used a stitch marker, awl (scratch as it is the only one i have), waxed thread and a rounded stitching needle. The finished products look good enough for me but I would not give them to anyone else unless I figure something out that works and looks better. Thanks everyone for your suggestions! caveat before reading: these are my opinions, fwiw I think what you need is TIME....as others have said in previous posts, you also need to practice. One of the worst things you can do in this trade is to lock your mind into one track. TANDY tools are NOT all garbage....their Craftool Pro Fine Diamond Chisels work great......and I have thrown away and returned my fair share of Tandy tools, believe me...a quality tool is a quality tool I don't care whose name is stamped on it... If you want a better product you will have to make an investment. Period. Invest your time in practice, and eventually you will need to invest in other tools. Not necessarily better tools, but you will need the right tool for the job. There are some tools that a leatherworker simply cannot do without, for example, an edge beveler. Without this tool, appropriately sized, a person will not be able to make a good quality product... Yes, you can use a round awl to poke the holes for your stitches, but the stitch line will not be as strong as the line created with a diamond awl. Round holes leave less leather from one stitch to the next than diamond shaped holes, creating a weaker seam... I have been at it for three years. Come back to this same thread three years from now, and if you have stayed with it, you will have answered your own questions. I'm sure you have discovered that leatherwork is not a cheap trade to get into, and I understand that you are making due with what you have. You said that you want to "figure something out that works and looks better." Yes, as others have said there are people out there who can improvise better than MacGyver and turn a piece of chewing gum into an edge beveler.....the bottom line is, you need to have the right tool for the job. As others have recommended, you need to be watching everything on Nigel Armitage's youtube channel, and also find Ian Atkinson who owns Leodis Leather.....they're both brilliant guys who can break down the fundamentals. Notice though, that both gentlemen have the correct tools for the job!! Good Luck!! Edited October 1, 2015 by thekid77 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Boriqua Report post Posted October 2, 2015 I dig it not wanting to invest alot of money on tools out of the gate but you can get a diamond stitching awl for about 15 bucks and it will make you so much happier, make your stitching easier and produce a much nicer result. If you can swing it its a great little investment. You will need to polish it up some when you get it but Nigel has a vid for that too. There may be others but Seiwa and Craft sha are available for that price but you have to wait two weeks for delivery from japan. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
25b Report post Posted October 2, 2015 If I recall correctly, Nigel said the Seiwa ones were much better quality than the craft-sha ones...for what it's worth. I'd recommend watching his video reviews. He's very thorough and objective. I've used the Seiwa ones and they are awesome. I like them more and more every time I use them. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
whistler Report post Posted October 6, 2015 I'm trying to buy the minimum number of tools I can but don't want to buy junk. I am interested in hand sewing leather holsters, knifes sheaths and the likes at this time thus when I look at tools I'm confused as to which size to buy. A Seiwa Awl comes in multiple sizes and I've not a clue to which size is best suited for my planned application, Also I had just about decided I would start sewing using some 1.0mm thread. Thinking it would be large enough to work with pretty easy and also large enough to see my mistakes easy.........is this analogy correct. With out starting a thread discussion or argument as I stated I'm just playing around and learning anybody want to throw out a thread that's reasonably priced and decent quality. Probably won't buy but black and white to start out. Please keep in mind I'm new at this and right now I'm just wanting to poke some holes in leather and see where it all leads me! Thanks to all. KayeMagic, I sure don't mean to hijack your thread but I've got a lot of the same questions. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Boriqua Report post Posted October 6, 2015 (edited) I'm trying to buy the minimum number of tools I can but don't want to buy junk. I am interested in hand sewing leather holsters, knifes sheaths and the likes at this time thus when I look at tools I'm confused as to which size to buy. A Seiwa Awl comes in multiple sizes and I've not a clue to which size is best suited for my planned application, Also I had just about decided I would start sewing using some 1.0mm thread. Thinking it would be large enough to work with pretty easy and also large enough to see my mistakes easy.........is this analogy correct. With out starting a thread discussion or argument as I stated I'm just playing around and learning anybody want to throw out a thread that's reasonably priced and decent quality. Probably won't buy but black and white to start out. Please keep in mind I'm new at this and right now I'm just wanting to poke some holes in leather and see where it all leads me! Thanks to all. KayeMagic, I sure don't mean to hijack your thread but I've got a lot of the same questions. I can tell you through personal experience that The Seiwa #2, craft sha standard and vergez small and medium work well with the size thread you plan on using without having to thin the thread at the ends. I like using the Waxed Poly Cord from Maine thread company and its pretty inexpensive but I also like the tiger thread copy stuff from tandy very much but its a little stretchy. Makes a very pretty stitch though. They call it Waxed Braided cord. The standard waxed thread at tandy is a bit to gummy. I have never tried Tiger or Ritza but its on the list to do but is pretty pricey. If you buy the maine thread then the .40 is the size you are looking for. If you go higher you have to thin the thread at either end or sewing will be unhappy. Edited October 6, 2015 by Boriqua Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
whistler Report post Posted October 7, 2015 I can tell you through personal experience that The Seiwa #2, craft sha standard and vergez small and medium work well with the size thread you plan on using without having to thin the thread at the ends. I like using the Waxed Poly Cord from Maine thread company and its pretty inexpensive but I also like the tiger thread copy stuff from tandy very much but its a little stretchy. Makes a very pretty stitch though. They call it Waxed Braided cord. The standard waxed thread at tandy is a bit to gummy. I have never tried Tiger or Ritza but its on the list to do but is pretty pricey. If you buy the maine thread then the .40 is the size you are looking for. If you go higher you have to thin the thread at either end or sewing will be unhappy. That's a great help and something I can work with Thanks and million. I assume I will order the Seiwa Awl from Goods Japan as that's the only place I know that handles them. I have some Tandy size 0 needles will these be OK with that combo or should I get a different needle when I place my order............. Again Thanks! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Boriqua Report post Posted October 7, 2015 (edited) I am using the Tandy size 0 needles with this set up and it works just fine. If you are getting some stuff from tandy anyway you may want to grab a pack of size 4 too. The .040 thread does fit in the eyelet and for thinner leather projects I find I like it better sometimes but you will need to experiment and see if you like it. For holsters sheaths and the like I use the size 0 with the threads I mentioned and the awls I mentioned with no problems. Have fun! Im sure there are dozens of other thread awl combos but I KNOW these work. Edited October 7, 2015 by Boriqua Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hawk Scarbrough Report post Posted March 5, 2016 My take on hand stitching. I've got some leatherworking videos on my YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOM3hbruUKHov9kquIxXKlA/videos If you'd like to check it out. I haven't finished watching your video at this point in time, but I had to comment on a great tip you didn't mention. Using that clamp to keep your glue (paint, water etc.) from turning over. Great tip for a master klutz like me. Hawk Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hawk Scarbrough Report post Posted March 5, 2016 I haven't finished watching your video at this point in time, but I had to comment on a great tip you didn't mention. Using that clamp to keep your glue (paint, water etc.) from turning over. Great tip for a master klutz like me. Hawk Here I am again. Is this video on you tube? Should be. There are a lot of good tips here. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Toney Report post Posted March 5, 2016 I'm using a old drill in a jig with a nail and my dial calipers to scribe the stitch line and the stitch holes. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
snubbyfan Report post Posted March 6, 2016 Here I am again. Is this video on you tube? Should be. There are a lot of good tips here. Yup, it's posted on my YouTube Channel. I try to be thorough. There's lotsa videos out there on leather working. My videos are just how I do it. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOM3hbruUKHov9kquIxXKlA Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
