Are Prongs Different Sizes Seiwa Stitching Chisel?

[Docott]

I'd like to order several different sizes/SPI of Seiwa stitching chisels. I plan to get a six prong and two prong in each size. Are the prongs different widths depending on SPI? Not sure if I need individual single prong chisels or are they all the same?

Spence

[ContactCement]

It depends on the manufacturer. A lot of stitching chisels appear to use the same tooth or prong dimensions and just vary the spacing. I recently bought a single tooth pricking iron and just use a stitching wheel to get the spacing I want. My little experience tells me this... More teeth or prongs  = more friction when removing a stitching chisel. It was simply faster to pull fewer prongs out of the leather. If I buy more high quality stitching chisels in the future they will be a 1 & 2 prongs.

[strathmoredesigns]

I have two sets of Seiwa chisels. I can't recall if the prongs themselves are different sizes (they're very close, if they are, and I'll try to remember to look tonight), but obviously the spacing between the prongs vary. Personally, I own three sets of chisels, two by Seiwa and one by Craftool (Tandy). For each set I have a two prong and then either a six prong (Seiwa) or an eight prong (Craftool). I don't have any single prongs.

One thing that was pointed out to me as I was selecting my chisels was that if you just need to add a single hole, or a couple of holes, and you don't have a chisel with exactly that amount of holes is that you can place the prongs you don't need into a hole you've already punched and only leave out the number of prongs you do need to create new holes. (In case that was hard to follow: I can punch 12 holes with my Craftool 8 prong chisel by first punching a full set of 8, and then sticking 4 of the prongs back into holes I've already punched and leaving 4 prongs out to punch new holes). I find doing this also makes it easier to ensure you're punching in a straight line and so I pretty much always put about half of the prongs in old holes and only leave half out to create new holes. If you really want to be able to create a single hole, but don't like my method or want to invest in two single punch chisels, you could also use and awl to create a hole. 

One thing I would caution also about the Seiwa chisels, as I've seen others make this mistake, is that in addition to varying SPI, they also make a couple of different styles, European and Diamond. They are different, so you wouldn't want to get a 2 x 3 European and a 6 x 3 Diamond and expect them to be a set. And if you're planning to purchase them from GoodsJapan you'll need to actually get on the waiting list... I spent like 3 months checking their site daily before I figured that one out. To get on the waiting list you have to submit your email where it asks if you want to be notified when the item is back in stock and you have to do it for each product you want. Eventually, they'll send you an email and tell you when you can purchase it.

Finally, in response to @ContactCement's comment about it being easier to pull out fewer prongs, while I agree that this is true, you can also make the larger ones easier to pull out by polishing and bees waxing them (and using something like a bone folder or piece of wood to hold down the leather while you pull). Nigel Armitage goes through the process in his review of the Craftool 3.5 mm chisels. 

[strathmoredesigns]

Ok, I remembered. Here's the 3 mm and 4 mm Seiwa chisel side by side. This must be the first time I've really compared them, because I was pretty surprised at how much wider the 4 mm is than the 3 mm. As for the prongs themselves, I don't know if the picture conveys it, but the 4 mm prongs are slightly larger than the 3 mm. Not huge, but just a little bit. Most of the size difference is in the spacing of the prongs. Anyway, hope that helps!

[ContactCement]

I recently purchased some craft tool diamond chisels. 88046 - 1,2,4,6 prong diamond chisels. I used a metal ruler to measure nothing fancy. The teeth / prong approx. 2mm width & maybe 1.5 mm thick. Space between prongs is 4mm as described. Using a steel rule SAE these are approximately 4 stitches per inch. I noticed the metal handle diameter increases with the number of prongs / teeth. The tools teeth / prongs are reasonably sharp, smooth and went through the leather easily with very little effort.

[Stetson912]

Seiwa chisels are  a good beginning chisel set. I'm eying the crimson hides stitching chisels. They are very nice but you pay for it too. Go to Armitageleather.com and check out the review pages, or he has videos on seiwas as well. I thought he said the size of the prongs changed for the spacing but I can't remember 

[paulw]

Check out Nigel Armitage web site (nordic badger) he has done a very extensive review in stitching and pricking irons, it will tell you all you need to know, and you can print out everything he has found out about them