Redhairing Report post Posted November 30, 2015 (edited) Hi- I am using 4-5 oz. bridle leather for a satchel and using a diamond stitching chisel to go through a thin calf skin interior pocket and the bridle leather and am getting a horrible round blister shape around my holes on the surface. they don't smooth out with hammering.....any ideas? Is the surface just too firm a temper to prick through the backside? I would be very difficult to catch the pocket edge by pricking through the top....is this just another lesson learned about a particular leather? Only make holes from the top or could my tools be too dull? I'm using a mallet on a poundo board....thanks!!!! Susan Edited November 30, 2015 by Redhairing Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
terrymac Report post Posted November 30, 2015 My guess is your chisel is dull. The leather is stretching before the chisel penetrates. Terry Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DavidL Report post Posted November 30, 2015 Could also be that iron is catching on the calf interior maybe because the chisel is not sharp enough or glue doesnt hold the leathers together. An option is to use a rounded bone fold or wooden slicker and gently even out the marks. Your fingers will do if neither are available. Too much pressure could mark the leather. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
zuludog Report post Posted November 30, 2015 (edited) Similar thoughts to terrymac. Try this sequence of ideas---- Just use your chisel as a pricking iron, ie marking the positions of the stitches by tapping the chisel with moderate force, just enough to make the marks or depressions Then make the holes themselves with a saddler's awl; make sure it is sharp! If the resulting holes are OK then the problem lies with blunt prongs on your stitching chisel Sharpen the prongs with a needle file and a small polishing pad made by glueing some fine wet & dry paper onto a sliver of wood, like a lollipop stick Lubricate the prongs by stroking them on a block of beeswax before use You need a surface that is quite firm, but not so hard that it will blunt the prongs I use an HDPE kitchen chopping board If this doesn't work then I'm afraid you'll have to try other advice. As a temporary measure you could try burnishing down the bumps/blisters with the back of a spoon or a rounded plastic screwdriver handle if you don't have a burnisher Have a look at this video on YouTube 'Hand Stitching Leather' by Leodis Leather It's a bit long, but covers just about everything At about 1:04:50 he shows using beeswax on a stitching chisel In fact there's a lot of advice on YouTube, especially by Nigel Armitage and Leodis Leather. Armitage has a video on making a simple wallet (forgotten the exact title) It shows several basic techniques Edited November 30, 2015 by zuludog Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Redhairing Report post Posted November 30, 2015 Thank you all so much! It's clear to me now. Tried to smooth out the blisters with a bone folder with little success. Dull tools plus softish poundo board equals pockmarks. I will learn to sharpen my chisels and meanwhile ordered the Seiwa chisels that Nigel reviewed and start again!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TinkerTailor Report post Posted November 30, 2015 Have you tried to go back in with the stitching chisel from the other side? You can see the marks to line it up, and wont miss the calf, which was why you punched from the other side in the first place. This should neaten up the holes significantly. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DavidL Report post Posted November 30, 2015 Have you tried to go back in with the stitching chisel from the other side? You can see the marks to line it up, and wont miss the calf, which was why you punched from the other side in the first place. This should neaten up the holes significantly. That would create a hole going both ways in the back. Im curious if the irons are meant to go all the way through. They are meant to pierce farther than pricking irons. Are the stitching diamonds recomemended to go clean through the leather? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Redhairing Report post Posted November 30, 2015 Thanks for that advice, TinkerTailor. Yes, I tried going back through with the chisel and stitching and the blister shape is lessened but still not pretty. Will sharpen my tools tonight and might sew on a slightly bigger exterior pocket to cover and hide the blemished stitching rows. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mlapaglia Report post Posted November 30, 2015 That would create a hole going both ways in the back. Im curious if the irons are meant to go all the way through. They are meant to pierce farther than pricking irons. Are the stitching diamonds recomemended to go clean through the leather? Yes they are meant to go all the way through. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
zuludog Report post Posted December 1, 2015 Pricking irons have short prongs that just mark the positon for a hole, but you make the hole all the way through by following up with a saddler's awl Stitching chisels have longer prongs, and are intended to be knocked all the way through the leather. Often this is enough, but If the combiined thickness of the leather is more than the length of the prongs, then you must finish the job with a saddler's awl Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
