Stitching Groover Technique ?

[Alfa34]

Having some difficulty with the stitching Groover. I am using the one from Tandy. Seems to not follow very well on corners and curves. What technique is most popular? thought that I might use the wing dividers to mark and the free hand with Grover. It has more or less ruined what would have been decent projects several times.

[chiefjason]

On sharper corners I stop just short and finish free hand. Keep in mind, our thought about ruined and a customers ability to see minor stuff is not the same. I know every annoying detail of that "perfect holster" they sent me an email raving about. Sometimes we are our own worst enemies. Just a thought.

Even when I get a weird wiggle, after stitching and finishing it usually does not show up. It looks far worse on a bare item.

[King's X]

Question: Did you sharpen or polish the groover tip especially the tools from Tandy? I have been using one since I started, but it is sharp and polish. It is not require much force to get it going, but with some leathers, I find that lightly wetting the leather helps a bit. But it all comes back to the quality of your cutting surface.

Good luck

[SouthernCross]

What specific tool do you recommend for freehanding?

[King's X]

You cannot go wrong with a Bob Douglas groover, but the new Craftool Pro freehand groover looks promising. As long as you get the sea air off it after buying it.

[SouthernCross]

Sea air?

[King's X]

Coming from China via a cargo ship.

[SouthernCross]

Gotcha.

[Alfa34]

I have determined that the tool does need to be sharpened, is there a page here that discusses that? Also part of the problem is that my edges are never consistent do to poor quality knife have been using standard utility knife blades that never cut. Must go over cut multiple times which leaves the edge wondering about .

[SouthernCross]

I have the same problem, Alfa34. I do find that I can reduce the wandering a bit if I sand my edges using my drill press with a sanding mandrel before I try to use the stitching groover.

[Widget]

FWIW, I find it helpful on corners to use a wing divider set at the same distance as the groover first to set up a "path" to help the groover follow.

Also, I've been working on my patience lately, and have started grooving in two passes. The first very light, removing very little material, then a 2nd time removing a little more. I think that helps my grooves stay neater as I'm not pushing real hard on the tool around corners, etc.

Also, I have a hard time with this style groover: http://www.tandyleather.com/en/product/craftool-adjustable-groover

I have completely switched to using only this kind. I feel like the blade in line with handle helps me out a lot. http://www.tandyleather.com/en/product/pro-stitching-groover-set

[JerseyFirefighter]

For what little input I can give, when I round belt ends with a groover I try my best to keep the groover at the same perpendicular angle as I round the corner. The slightest deviation gives it that difference in a nice smooth rounded edge bevel.

[chiefjason]

What specific tool do you recommend for freehanding?

I use this adjustable one.

http://springfieldleather.com/29076/Groover%2CStitching%2CAdjustable/

And this style free hand.

http://springfieldleather.com/37729/Groover%2CStitching%2CFreehand/

I sharpen mine when needed by running them backwards on a piece of 800 grit sandpaper, leather strop, or cardboard with white jewelers rouge rubbed into it. Depending on what I want to do, or what's close.

To take a step back. I glue and trim my edges. Then sand them square. Then groove. Then edge. If you edge first the groover had more of a tendency to move around. The straight edge after sanding give it something to ride on.

[SouthernCross]

Jason,

Can you explain what you mean by glueing and trimming your edges?

[JerseyFirefighter]

Jason,

Can you explain what you mean by glueing and trimming your edges?

He glues multiple pieces together that arent always square and flush. Then he trims the two pieces so they are square. That will give you an even edge to groove off of.

Edited February 4, 2016 by JerseyFirefighter

[SouthernCross]

Got it. Thanks

[Alfa34]

All great advice. I will finish my edges better so the Groover has a better edge to work from. Thanks all.

[byggyns]

The way I do it is to glue, trim, then sand the edges before running the groover. Then after I make the groove, I'll stitch, use the edge beveler to round the edges, then burnish the edges.

Regarding your utility knife, if you take a new blade & strop it, you will get a much better cutting edge that will last longer than if you just used the blades as they come. If I keep stropping one blade, it seems to get better each time I refresh the edge. When it gets dull & starts to drag, hit the strop. Make sure your angle when you strop stays the same as the blade bevel.

Regarding the groover, I sharpened mine with a fine stone, then stropped it. To strop a groover, cut a nice deep groove using multiple passes of the groover into some thicker leather scrap. Load the groove up with some jewelers' rouge, then run the groover blade backwards through the groove. if you have a very small needle file, you can clean up any burr on the inside of the hole in the blade. I've heard of some people using a string with grit on it to do the same thing, but I haven't gotten the right abrasive to try that trick.