Scout carry sheath

[battlemunky]

I've been messing with leather for a year or so as I have time. This is maybe my best piece. I still get my stiching holes crooked on the blind side. Anyone have ideas how to not do that?

 

Any criticism is welcome.

[battlemunky]

[Mattsbagger]

2 choices for getting stitching straight. Chisels. Or Practice,practice and more practice. Looks good.

[Peter Darby]

What Mattsbagger said.  I also will do stitching grooves on each side than pay attention to make sure your awl comes out in the backside stitching groove.

[battlemunky]

Thanks for the advice gentlemen. Do you glue it before you make holes or do you make holes then glue it and hope everything lines up? I can make stuff work but I want to make stuff that works and is as near perfect as possible. 

[bikermutt07]

Watch this over and over and over.....

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=%23&ved=0ahUKEwjNl7W7g73SAhUj0IMKHejjAP8QwqsBCB8wAQ&usg=AFQjCNF1sHlk2z9QIx28jtvfnGP_UlkifA&sig2=ZyzQCZltRy_GhPGMpU6RPg

Glue then stitch.

[battlemunky]

That link doesn't work.

[Mattsbagger]

Glue, sand edges, then I use dividers or a creaser to mark my stitch line. Then I use stitching chisels. If don't have them or want to awl stitch. Use an over stitch wheel or fork or dividers( walking down the stitch line) to mark evenly spaced marks for your awl. Check out the basic hand stitching video in the how do you do section. By Nigel Armitage. He is also on this site as Dangerous beans. And on YouTube under Armitage Leather. Well worth watching many times.

Edited March 4, 2017 by Mattsbagger
Spelling

[MADMAX22]

Use a pricking wheel not a overstitch wheel if you do that method. The pricking wheel actually puts little pricks in the leather which you can find with your awl. Overstitch wheels are meant for going over your stitching afterwards which is a good idea as it smooths it out. 

Make sure your awl is bloody sharp ecspecially when doing thick leather like that. A good stitching horse helps so you have full control. And like said practice. 

I also like to poke a couple of holes so the awl is warm then rub it on some bees wax, this lubes it up a bit and makes it easier to push thru thick leather. 

 

Edited March 4, 2017 by MADMAX22

[Jack142]

I discovered that grinding my awl narrow for about a inch of so up the awl helps me push the awl completely though all the leather pieces. As long as I keep the awl straight, my backside hole is where it should be.

[Instinctive]

I use really good 3/32" lacing chisels to punch holes from both sides to meet in the middle. I have been consistently able to do this with very good results with a total thickness up to 30oz.

My process is:

• Everything is glued first and clamped over night.
• Sand the edged with a drum sander.
• Groove both sides 3/16" from the edge.
• Use a 1, 2 and 3 prong 3/32 chisel set to punch holes down one side.
• Use a stitching awl to punch through the first start point hole for the back side and then punch the holes on the back side.
• I use .045 (1.1mm) thread to saddle stitch.
• I keep the awl handy to open any holes that may need it.

Slow, patent chisel work is key to making this work.

This is a typical result.

[Thornton]

2 hours ago, WRLC said:

I use really good 3/32" lacing chisels to punch holes from both sides to meet in the middle. I have been consistently able to do this with very good results with a total thickness up to 30oz.

My process is:

• Everything is glued first and clamped over night.
• Sand the edged with a drum sander.
• Groove both sides 3/16" from the edge.
• Use a 1, 2 and 3 prong 3/32 chisel set to punch holes down one side.
• Use a stitching awl to punch through the first start point hole for the back side and then punch the holes on the back side.
• I use .045 (1.1mm) thread to saddle stitch.
• I keep the awl handy to open any holes that may need it.

Slow, patent chisel work is key to making this work.

This is a typical result.

Lacing or stitching chisel?

[Instinctive]

1 minute ago, Thornton said:

Lacing or stitching chisel?

2 mm (3/32") lacing chisel. Really sharp and well honed.

[Thornton]

18 minutes ago, WRLC said:

2 mm (3/32") lacing chisel. Really sharp and well honed.

I must have my terminology mixed up. Can you post a picture?

[NCArcher]

21 minutes ago, Thornton said:

Lacing or stitching chisel?

Stitching chisel won't work. You'll end up making an 'X' instead of a '/' at each hole.

But I really like the idea. You could punch from one side with the stitching chisel, use the awl to identify the start point, mark (not punch) the back then use a thin scratch awl from the back to open the holes and provide a path of least resistance for the awl as you sew. I know it's a lot of work and I should just learn to use the awl properly but this might aid in developing good technique.

 

[Instinctive]

9 minutes ago, NCArcher said:

Stitching chisel won't work. You'll end up making an 'X' instead of a '/' at each hole.

But I really like the idea. You could punch from one side with the stitching chisel, use the awl to identify the start point, mark (not punch) the back then use a thin scratch awl from the back to open the holes and provide a path of least resistance for the awl as you sew. I know it's a lot of work and I should just learn to use the awl properly but this might aid in developing good technique.

 

That right but a lacing chisel gives you a '-' and I find that works perfectly with this heavy leather. You don't need a '/'. See my next post.

[Thornton]

12 minutes ago, NCArcher said:

Stitching chisel won't work. You'll end up making an 'X' instead of a '/' at each hole.

But I really like the idea. You could punch from one side with the stitching chisel, use the awl to identify the start point, mark (not punch) the back then use a thin scratch awl from the back to open the holes and provide a path of least resistance for the awl as you sew. I know it's a lot of work and I should just learn to use the awl properly but this might aid in developing good technique.

 

I have flat lacing chisels and angled.

[Instinctive]

18 minutes ago, Thornton said:

I must have my terminology mixed up. Can you post a picture?

Here is a picture of the chisel and a sample piece I was recently playing with. Holes are chiseled on the back exactly the same way. In this case I was opening the hole a bit with a thin round awl after both sides were punched.

Total leather thickness is 12mm. My chisel tines are 8mm long.

 

[battlemunky]

Thanks for the responses everybody. Not only good advice but some good discussion in general.

 

I have several different types of chisels, / and |, along with both round awl and diamond awl, and a dremel and bit but I pretty much left that behind opting for chisels and awls. I guess I need to keep on practicing, slow down, and be patient with all the methods. I also have the overstitch wheel too which I use to mainly set my spacing evenly.

[Thornton]

33 minutes ago, WRLC said:

Here is a picture of the chisel and a sample piece I was recently playing with. Holes are chiseled on the back exactly the same way. In this case I was opening the hole a bit with a thin round awl after both sides were punched.

Total leather thickness is 12mm. My chisel tines are 8mm long.

 

I wouldn't have thought a lacing chisel would have produced that nice of stiching. An excellent new trick for improving my work. Many thanks for posting.

[bikermutt07]

Sorry about the link earlier.

Let's try this one....

http://www.ianatkinson.net/leather/videos.htm

Just scroll down the page. He has two on stitching. He is a little wordy but I find his terminology easier for me then Nigel's.

Any technique you try will take some practice. It's just one of the many things in leather work that takes time to develop.

When it comes to finer leather working I think of it like this.....

In the world of gun collector values, 95% of the value is in the last 5%. It has to be in that good of condition to bring top dollar. Anything that is between 95 and 100% condition will bring the best collectors to the table. Anything below 95% is pretty much just a gun.

I can't achieve close to 80% yet. I make functional stuff that will last and look decent, but it is nowhere near premium.

It's just the most fun frustration a person can wish on themselves.

Enjoy yourself.

[battlemunky]

I found a video Nigel Armitage put together that shows how to prevent my issue. He makes it look simple and isn't stitching on a curve but the principle is the same.

 

Link to the vid:

 

Edited March 5, 2017 by battlemunky

[Mattsbagger]

Yep he has some good videos. He is also on here as Dangerous Beans. You can send message if have any questions. He also has classes if you can get to England.

[plinkercases]

Lots of different approaches and you can try them all to find out what works for you.

I have always worked the way Stohlman set out in his books (finish the edge, groove front and back lightly, overstitch wheel to mark spacing, hand awl) and have been happy all along with all thicknesses I work with.

For the blind side unless you punch both sides as some do I target line or groove helps me. but make both the front and back lines when the edge is done. Then it is a matter of keeping the work held firm in a pony, horse, vice as the case may be and working on consistency with the awl angles

On my current projects I have just started using the stitching chisels on a light guide line punching just into the first layer and I am still using the hand awl.. Kind of a hybrid I guess as I just like the awl work for some reason still - mind you I am not in a production time=money deal here. Next I will try punching the chisel all the way through the layers but assembled not before.

In almost all cases the basic principle is to mark or groove a guide both sides after gluing and the edges are finished (i.e. evened out and rounded/burnished first pass) and then use some mechanism to mark or pound at a consistent spacing and control the awl or chisels.

and no matter what tools or process.. practice, practice, practice,... and have fun and find what you are successful with and that is your way.