New hobbyist

[Tpc]

Hi ,

I'm thinking of taking up leatherwork as a new hobby. I'm in engineering and am hoping some skills are transferable, patterns, marking out, hand tools , cutting etc. I want to begin by making a stitched belt. I've seen on you tube about groovers and creasing tools. can I use a creasing tool to sit the stitching in as opposed to a grooving tool? The reason I ask is that ,I could bye only one tool, the creaser wouldn't remove leather to see the colour underneath. This may well be a stupid question but I look forward to some replies. Thanks Tpc

[Wild Bill46]

The Creaser is basically a guide line marker. it could be used as you describe, But, I don't practice that method myself.                                                                                                                                                                               I'm in favor of the groove.( it seats the stitches in the stitch line, and makes for a much neater apperaence).              The grooved line is simply colored before stitching.                                                                                                         There is a basic leather tool collection available on such as, Tandy Leather, E-Bay etc.i've seen                             them on Pinterest too !                                                                                                                                                      Hope this might have helped in some way! ---  Wild Bill46 

[Colt W Knight]

A lot of folks will not use a groover, only a creasing tool because the groover cuts away the strong portion of the leather. The Groover cuts a deeper impression and really sinks the thread down below the surface, but if you match the creasing tool with the thread and tap it down with a smooth face hammer, you can set the thread down nicely as well. It is my understanding that over in your part of the world, groovers are rarely used.

 

 

[Colt W Knight]

I stitched this, this morning. I used a creaser and a 138 thread. The thread sits flush with the leather.