items I need? little help

[Tsarbomba]

My sole purpose is to start making badge wallet and badge wallets only. For officers in my department and possibly other depts, The genaric wallets dont cut it. Beres what I have so far. Problem is Id like to saddle stich each wallet and not sure on needles and if I should use a groover. This is whatI have so far. Anything else recommented for either cutting, and or stiching?

[Matt S]

The groove is not essential. Many claim it protects the stitches from wear but my experience and that of many other indicates that such measures are only needed in extremely harsh environments such as when stitching on shoe soles. What the groove does do though is to pull all your stitches into a straight line. This can be great for a beginner as it neatens everything up a bit. The disadvantage is that you can only do straight stitching like Al Stohlman taught, like this ---, as opposed to the "toppled domino" style, like this ////. Which is stronger? I don't know, though I suspect the second. However for your project (a wallet to hold a policeman's badge I think?) the stitching will not come under heavy stress do either style is fine.

Those stitching chisels are fine, great things. Get a bar of glycerine soap (50p) from the drug store and store them stuck in the top. This will lubricate them to make them not stick in the leather and will discourage the tines from rusting. 4mm is the largest stitch I would use for such a project (7SPI) and would probably use 3mm (8SPI) instead, but that's an aesthetic decision more than anything.

The knife looks fine but I've not used that one before. A Stanley 958 would probably do just as well at a third the cost. The blades are disposable but each will last for years if you strop it little and often (see below)

Get yourself a pair of compass dividers (£5). They have a huge range of uses and cost very little. If you can buy in person find the pair with the least bend or flex. You don't need a huge set, anything from 3" to 6" should be fine. The single most common use I have for mine is to scribe a line a certain distance from the edge for marking the stitching. I prefer round points to square but either will work.

Get some metal polishing compound (£4) and make yourself a strop from a scrap of leather, MDF or cereal box card (free). Keep this to hand and use it to clean, straighten and polish all of your edge tools 

How will you be finishing your edges? You may want an edge shave, some fine sandpaper and something smooth for burnishing. A piece of hardwood, bone, antler, hard plastic or even clean denim will get you started. Don't forget to cut a piece of soap off the bar you bought for storing your chisels. Use it sparingly when slicking the edges of veg tan leather.

A framing square allows you to lay out cuts neatly, accurately and efficiently, and has scales for measuring. An 8" one (£10) is not too bulky.

A clickers or bookbinders awl costs about £3 and rivals the dividers for the multitudity of uses. These have round shafts as opposed to the stitching awl's diamond cross-section and are great for marking leather without staining or leaking. You can sometimes find them in hardware stores for very little money but need sharpening for our uses.

[bikermutt07]

I'll chime in on the stitching groover. All it ever did for me was get away from me and make my stuff look a little more sloppy. Just mark your lines with a divider. It will make things less stressful. If that gets away from you, you can just saturated that spot and smooth it flat with something. I use a modeling spoon for that, but only because I have one. You can use almost anything to flatten out the bad spot.

P.s. I just bought those co link chisels and they work fine for us beginners.

Edited June 3, 2016 by bikermutt07

[Boriqua]

I tried the groover and didnt like it. It took all my nifty angle saddle stitch stitches and made it a straight line. I also dont dig cutting through the toughest part of the leather but some people love them. I have a wing divider but what I used for some 20+ years to mark my stitching line is this

https://www.tandyleather.com/en/product/craftool-adjustable-creaser

It does double duty in making nice crease lines as well and while you said you dont see yourself doing anything but badge holders its nice to have tools that can serve additional duties.

The knife matt suggested should work fine. I have never used the tandy knife but have become unhappy with thier cutting tools. Some guys like the Carpet style utility knives but I cant get the damn thing to cut through heavy leather unless I polish the bejez out of them before I use them. I have recently started using a kiridashi but for years and years I used a plan ol box cutter. Works awesome and glides through 10 oz leather. Blades are cheap and I pass mine on my strop before each use and a blade lasts me for months. I bought a box of 25 blades maybe 10 years ago. Still have half. Since they are so cheap I keep one just for cutting file folder and paper and one only for leather. Still use them.

http://www.amazon.com/Handy-Cutter-Open-Close-Assorted/dp/B00006IC0L

 

You will want some type of edger. I dont know how thick a badge holder is but either a #2 or #3 tandy edger should do you. If its going to equal 8 oz or more than the #3 makes a nice edge.

 

I bought these needles because of the reviews and have been using the same pair for the last 6 months. Nice needles!

http://www.ebay.com/itm/321500247324

 

Matt ... nice idea on the bar of glycerin!