Which holes?

[Tina]

Hi all,

I'm in process to start with some lacing for the first time. I choose the tripple loop style. The question is, should I use holes from a punch or from a chisel prong? What would look best and if holes from the puch, how far between the holes? (I bought that little spacing tool for holes with 3 different spacing wheels to help if I need it)

Have a great day//Tina

[ClayB]

Tina,

Usually lacing looks better with the slits from the chisel. With holes, depending on the lace you use, some of the hole wont be filled up. You probably have instructions to help you out, but here are some tips if you dont. To punch holes with the chisel, scribe a line however far away from the edge you want the lace. Then when punching the holes with say a 4 prong chisel, punch the first set of holes. If you put the first prong on the chisel in the last hole punched when you move it, it will keep your spacing right. When you get to a corner, I usually punch a longer slit, at an angle. When lacing at the corner, you will usually go through the corner hole 3 times and the hole on either side of it twice. When pulling the lace tight, always try and use the same amount of tension and it'll look better when you are done. Then when you are all finished lacing, I will put a piece of leather over the lacing and tap the lacing down with a hammer. It sets the lace and makes it look nicer. If you have any questions, ask away. There are people here with more experience lacing than me and they will be able to give you lots of tips if you have any problems.

[HorsehairBraider]

I agree with Clay, with one tiny exception: when I get to the corner hole, I punch a round hole. The reason is I have to go through it 3 times like Clay says, and I don't want to weaken the leather with a longer slit while at the same time I want enough room to go through 3 times. My feeling is that a round hole in the corner solves these problems. The three layers of lace seem to fill the hole nicely.

I am sure there are other ways to do it though.

[Johanna]

Yep, everything Clay said but I use single punch chisels on the corners. Can't wait to see it, Tina!

Johanna

[Rawhide]

I disagree just a tiny bit. When I lace, I punch each hole with nippers (you could also use a single prong chisel). I use a 7 stitch per inch wheel to space them out. The reason I do this is to eliminate gaps between the lace, and it completely covers the edge. I usually don't use triple loop unless the stackup of leather is really thick, but there isn't a rule to say you couldn't use it.

The method that I use is described in Al Stohlman's book Leathercraft Tools on the page that describes the lacing nippers.

Enjoy your lacing!! Oh, and I also punch the corners with the nippers and enlarge it when I get to it. I usually go through that hole twice as well as the holes on either side of the corner hole twice.

Marlon

Edited January 30, 2008 by Rawhide

[Tina]

Hi all friends and Super Thank You for all your input and knollage. What did I do before i found this place? :-) (wasted a lot of leather!)

Oki, some of this is new and some of it I've seen in the book you get with a starter kit (Al Stohlmans something It's upstairs and I"m to lacy to get out of the chair to have a look *s*)

I'm going to lace together 2 pieces of around 7 ounce leather, quite thick and want to be sure I cover it as much as possible hence the tripple loop style.

I have one of the revolver punches (not sure if the name is right, makes round holes) a 4 and a 1 prong chisel prong so I should be covered:-)

Marlon, you only go through the corne holes twice? In the manual I have it says 3...I guess I have to di trail and error:-) The taping over the laced pieces, that make sence Clay...Well let's see how this is going to be:-)

This is going to take some time, I forgott, I actually have to cut the lace too (it's called atzhimers light in the family) I have a nice piece of kangarooo to that.

I just finished of a huge (in my book) piece of carved leather today, I enclose a picture, it might look goofy at places, I had to put a couple of pictures together the scanner isn't big enough. This is going to be a handbag...Hopefully:-)

Edited January 31, 2008 by Tina

[BillB]

One thing I did not see mentioned is the fact that the hole size (slit or round and I have used both) and the spacing is dependent on the width of the lacing being used.

As for corners, I prefer to only use two consecutive stitches in a hole and will expand the number of holes I use to make the turn depending on the sharpness of the curve, that way there is a gradual decrease in spacing going into the curve and then a gradual increase in spacing coming out of the curve. I try to achieve symmetry across the corner.

There are time when dealing with the long graceful curve of a handbag cover that I will throw in an extra stitch one either side to keep the slant of the stitch consistent

I am also curious as to when did the Cordovan stitch (single, double, triple, quadruple) become the Loop Stitch?

[Kevin]

That carving is so perfect it doesn't look real, I think I will just throw out everything I own and go to church. Kevin

[ClayB]

Tina,

That looks like it REALLY turned out nice! I hope we get to see bigger pictures of the carving when you are done. I think you will know a lot about lacing by the time you get finished with it, and it's gonna be neat.

[Tina]

One thing I did not see mentioned is the fact that the hole size (slit or round and I have used both) and the spacing is dependent on the width of the lacing being used.

As for corners, I prefer to only use two consecutive stitches in a hole and will expand the number of holes I use to make the turn depending on the sharpness of the curve, that way there is a gradual decrease in spacing going into the curve and then a gradual increase in spacing coming out of the curve. I try to achieve symmetry across the corner.

There are time when dealing with the long graceful curve of a handbag cover that I will throw in an extra stitch one either side to keep the slant of the stitch consistent

I am also curious as to when did the Cordovan stitch (single, double, triple, quadruple) become the Loop Stitch?

I just wrote the name that was in Al Stohlmans book - "tripple loop"...

[Tina]

That carving is so perfect it doesn't look real, I think I will just throw out everything I own and go to church. Kevin

I'm a bit of a neat freak I guess :angel_not: (I actually wish I could let go sometimes)

Clay...Here is some pictures of the lions and the "quilting" as I call it. I used a checkerd beveler towards both ends.

[BillB]

I just wrote the name that was in Al Stohlmans book - "tripple loop"...

I guess I never noticed the use of two names for the same stitch until recently. I have the Al Stohlmans Book as well as F. O. Baird's Leather Secrets (1976 revised Edition) (uses cordovan) as well as How to Lace (22nd Edition) (uses cordovan) and Braiding and Lacing for Fun (1962) (uses Loop). I wonder if it was a regional thing and depending on which region of the country it was Loop or Cordovan. I guess I never noticed since I keep the How to Lace book on may work table for reference. Interesting.....

I guess you can teach an old dog new tricks or at least new names. 8-)

[Pip]

wow beautiful lions, you have an eye for charector thats a lovely peice of work!!