Stitching

[JRB]

Gotta newbie question on stitching when making your holes.

The drilling method is pretty straight foward. What size bit is preferred?

However, if you're not going to drill and use tools, which tools are for making the holes?

From left to right can someone tell me what's for what? Will the thonging chisles go thru both layers front & back?

I know the top left is the stitch groover. I don't have a freehand groover. Will it work to use the edge groover for all grooves?

Edited December 16, 2008 by JRB

[JRB]

I guess my biggest question is the difference between using the thonging chisles and the sewing awl.

[Rawhide]

I guess my biggest question is the difference between using the thonging chisles and the sewing awl.

The difference is that the sewing all is for making holes for hand stitching. The thonging chisels are for lacing an edge.

For drilling holes most people that do so use the smallest drill bit they can find, and a dremel tool to drill the holes.

That being said, I don't use the drill method as I feel it makes the holes too big for fine stitching. Also the Tandy awl in the pic is WAY too big for making proper sized holes for most hand stitching. I use several awls for different projects. But they are probably 1/4 to half the size of that Tandy one.

[CitizenKate]

Just my own two-bits of trial-and-error...

I tried drilling my holes, and they ended up looking very blown-out and chewed-up, regardless of which direction I drilled from. A stitching awl makes nice clean, tight holes, and in my experience is much more convenient to use than a power drill or even a dremel tool.

Kate

[JRB]

I guess what I have is not a sewing awl though. They are sewing hafts & blades. What are these used for?

[CitizenKate]

That looks like the Craftool 4-in-1 awl set. The blade I use is closest to the smaller of the two awl blades you have shown, although mine is smaller/thinner. The other two blades are a scratch awl for marking, and a lacing fid, for making holes for lacing.

Kate

[superchute]

I belive the size is a 53 wire bit vary little and use a dremal with a sewing machine foot feed to slow it down to drill nice works vary well.

Russ

[MADMAX22]

I have done the drilling also and thought I got a very professional appearance. It is different then using a awl to do it. WIth drilling your stitching will be all in a row, with a stitching awl your stitching will have the cant to one side for each stitch which is also why its important to pierce the leather the same way each time and when you stitch make sure you stitch the same way each one. This will make your stitching look great.

When drilling I used I think it is a 3/64, use a good drill or a new bad one and they will drill perfectly each time. I did find this a little more clumsy then the awl once I got use to the awl. Now you also have to make sure that the thread your using is the right size for the hole.

Tandy sells a smaller stitching awl that I use for all my stitching and it works very well.

Stitching Awl With 1-1/4" Blade

31218-01

[JRB]

So the 2 larger on the right are for lacing?

The one 2nd from the left is an awl (round) and the 1 on the far left is diamond shape. I thought I read that it was better to have a diamond shaped hole???

[Rawhide]

So the 2 larger on the right are for lacing?

The one 2nd from the left is an awl (round) and the 1 on the far left is diamond shape. I thought I read that it was better to have a diamond shaped hole???

You'll get a bunch of different answers to that question. Some like round (from drilling) some like diamond from awl. I prefer the awl for three main reasons. I like the way the stitches lay if they are done properly, two, the awl is easier to control where the point comes out of the back. This will give you as straight a line as the front, three, the holes seem to disappear with the proper awl and the proper thread.

Yes it's a little more work, but I'm more fond of the results.

[JRB]

You'll get a bunch of different answers to that question. Some like round (from drilling) some like diamond from awl. I prefer the awl for three main reasons. I like the way the stitches lay if they are done properly, two, the awl is easier to control where the point comes out of the back. This will give you as straight a line as the front, three, the holes seem to disappear with the proper awl and the proper thread.

Yes it's a little more work, but I'm more fond of the results.

So does the width of awl/haft go w/the seam or against the seam?

I also don't follow the angle. I read that most say to make the hole at a 90 degree but a few say 45 degree angle???

[Rawhide]

So does the width of awl/haft go w/the seam or against the seam?

I also don't follow the angle. I read that most say to make the hole at a 90 degree but a few say 45 degree angle???

I highly recommend you getting The Art of Handstitching, by Al Stohlman. Here is a scan of a page from that book. (pulled from the knifenetwork dot com site). It shows how to properly align your awl blade. I align mine 45 degrees in the other direction, but the principle still applies exactly the same.

[Shorts]

I second the handstitching book by Stohlman. It details the steps and has very good illustrations. That's how I got started. It takes a little practice to get smooth but once you do, you're set.

I prefer the awl punch compared to the drilled holes.

Edited December 16, 2008 by Shorts

[JRB]

I highly recommend you getting The Art of Handstitching, by Al Stohlman. Here is a scan of a page from that book. (pulled from the knifenetwork dot com site). It shows how to properly align your awl blade. I align mine 45 degrees in the other direction, but the principle still applies exactly the same.

Got it. Now it makes since.

I'm going to my local Tandy Factory today. They are offering tutorials from now til Christmas. While I'm there I'll see about the Stohlman book. Otherwise, maybe I'll hit the library (haven't been in there for awhile!).

Thanks guys!

[esantoro]

I need to get some CS Osborne awl blades from Weaver. Do you think the cs042 1.5"/1.2 mm diamond shank would be adequate for 277 and 346 bonded poly, or should I go for a thicker shank?

Ed

[D.A. Kabatoff]

Esantoro,

I'm not sure I'd bother with an Osborne awl, to start, they are the wrong shape being almost square instead of diamond. They will need alot of work to get them the proper shape, sharp enough to use smoothly and even more time to polish so that they glide through the work.

I think most people who have tried an awl blade from Bob Douglas of Sheridan, Wyoming would agree that there is nothing even close to comparable and they come completely ready to use. They make them in a couple sizes with small variation among those sizes as they are handmade. If you call Bob and tell him what size thread you are sewing with and what you are making, he'll be able to pick one out for you that is most suitable.

Darc

[gtwister09]

Esantoro,

I'm not sure I'd bother with an Osborne awl, to start, they are the wrong shape being almost square instead of diamond. They will need alot of work to get them the proper shape, sharp enough to use smoothly and even more time to polish so that they glide through the work.

I think most people who have tried an awl blade from Bob Douglas of Sheridan, Wyoming would agree that there is nothing even close to comparable and they come completely ready to use. They make them in a couple sizes with small variation among those sizes as they are handmade. If you call Bob and tell him what size thread you are sewing with and what you are making, he'll be able to pick one out for you that is most suitable.

Darc

I would have to double Ditto what Darcy said for sure on the Osborne and Douglas items. Bob's gear is WELL WORTH the money spent. I would have loved to find them first beforfe I started hand stitching. It would have saved some (actually a lot) of frustration.

Regards,

Ben

[celticleather]

For what it's worth, I'm a great fan of what I dare to call the 'classic' stitch! I believe that when hand-stitching, this can only be achieved by using the tried and tested traditional tools - the pricking iron and the diamond awl.

I really like to see the gently angled stitch that is formed when the thread pulls into each end of the diamond-shaped hole, but it is important that the awl should follow the angle formed by the teeth of the pricking iron.

I have occasionally used a 0.5mm drill when stitching stiff and dry harness-work, but before stitching I always follow up by pushing a diamond awl through the holes at 45º to the stitch line. It's a bit time-consuming, but I think it helps to maintain the 'hand-sewn' look.

I've posted the pic just to illustrate what I call a 'classic' stitch . . . but not everyone might agree!

[D.A. Kabatoff]

Celticleather,

I agree with you about the pricking irons and the resulting stitch. I often mark my horncaps and cantlebindings with a pricking iron and then follow the angle they set with my awl. Often people try and make their complete hole with the iron and really make a mess of it because the tool was not designed for that. The other problem is that it is very hard to get good pricking irons in North America and impossible to get the pormanteaus and people end up with cheap ones that don't help the task.

Darc

[celticleather]

Beautiful stitching, Darc! I'm glad I'm not alone in preferring the old-fashioned methods!

Pricking irons are fairly easy to obtain in the UK - a couple of suppliers who come to mind are Abbey Saddlery (http://www.abbeysaddlery.co.uk/product_listing.cfm?page=3) and Le Prevo (http://www.leprevo.co.uk/sewing.html).

While the British Pound is at a low against the dollar, perhaps you should import some and make an overnight killing!

Terry

[JRB]

OK...So I got some bad advise today (Not from here...At a local store ). so my 1st holster is not going turn out to be exactly what I'd hoped. The stitching is going to be horrible (at least part of it).

I need to figure out what size diamond shaped awl and what size needles I should be using. I guess to go w/it I should also get the correct size thread. Any help w/this will turn the other half of the holster into practicing the proper stitching.

I've also learned that the Pro Leather kit from Tandy has a lot of stuff I don't need for holsters and not a lot of stuff I do need. Oh well, live & learn. Maybe I'll grow into it!

[Shorts]

OK...So I got some bad advise today (Not from here...At a local store ). so my 1st holster is not going turn out to be exactly what I'd hoped. The stitching is going to be horrible (at least part of it).

I need to figure out what size diamond shaped awl and what size needles I should be using. I guess to go w/it I should also get the correct size thread. Any help w/this will turn the other half of the holster into practicing the proper stitching.

I've also learned that the Pro Leather kit from Tandy has a lot of stuff I don't need for holsters and not a lot of stuff I do need. Oh well, live & learn. Maybe I'll grow into it!

Well, making some booboos is a learning opportunity. The longer you keep doing leather, the more booboos you'll make and the more you learn - it doesn't stop!

I use the things I posted in your What Tools Are Needed thread

For needles I use Harness Needles size 000

[JRB]

Well, making some booboos is a learning opportunity. The longer you keep doing leather, the more booboos you'll make and the more you learn - it doesn't stop!

I use the things I posted in your What Tools Are Needed thread

For needles I use Harness Needles size 000

I saw that but couldn't figure out what size awl came w/the kit???

[Shorts]

I saw that but couldn't figure out what size awl came w/the kit???

The one I use is 2 3/8"~2 1/2" long...I guess size 46 according to websites.