Thonging Chisles vs. Stitching Awls

[JRB]

Can someone explain using thonging chisles vs. sewing hafts & blades?

Edited December 16, 2008 by JRB

[Hilly]

Can someone explain using thonging chisles vs. sewing hafts & blades?

A thonging chisel punches little slits in the leather to accept leather lacing (or thonging). An awl (haft + blade) makes little diamond shaped holes in the leather to accept stitching with thread.

[MADMAX22]

True Hilly but remember that some awl blades are made to punch for lace also. The chissle is just a hammer chisel method of doing it and the awl is a hand push method or whatever you wanna say. Thing with the chisel for lacing is that you can do sometimes 4 to 6 holes I think.

[Hilly]

True Hilly but remember that some awl blades are made to punch for lace also. The chissle is just a hammer chisel method of doing it and the awl is a hand push method or whatever you wanna say. Thing with the chisel for lacing is that you can do sometimes 4 to 6 holes I think.

Ahhhh, yes, MADMAX22! My memory is failing me. Either my older than dirtness is affecting my mind, or I've been sniffing too much rubber cement and given myself drain bamage.

[Jordan]

Luff Rife ain't it! The thing I don't like about the prong chisel I have, is the holes are too big and it seems to smoosh the leather all out 'o' wack rather than cut clean holes. I don't use it much.

Edited December 17, 2008 by Jordan

[ClayB]

And to confuse things even more, there are also chisels made to punch diamond shaped slits just for hand sewing.

[TwinOaks]

....and when you use an awl, you don't have to beat the leather off of the chisel because it stuck when you drove a 4 prong chisel through it.

[Timd]

I use the diamond chisel all the time for hand sewing. It's the only way I can keep even spacing.

[antipaladin]

I tried the Tandy thonging chisel my first day...made holes the size of Lake Erie. Now I use the thinnest awl blade I can get from BD. Keeps your stitches looking neat and professional.