Do you pound your stitches in?

[Johanna]

I was taught to pound stitches (and lacing) to "set" them in veggie tanned leather. If you ask 50 leatherworkers how to do something, you will get 51 different answers, so I want to know if you folks pound your stitches in, too? If you do, why? If you don't, why not? I'm curious to hear the reasoning behind the methods, and what works best for you.

Johanna

[abn]

Johanna, it's interesting that you do this. Is the point to make the stitching look better? Other than cosmetic, I don't see how this would affect the strength of the seam or have any other functional value (but I've been wrong many times before )...

My stitching seems to turn out fine without any additional help, but on rare occasions, I'll run an overstitcher over top just to clean things up a bit.

-Alex

[Art]

Hi Johanna,

I will wet the stitch line and "bone" the line to close-up the holes right after stitching. Maybe pounding on them would accomplish the same thing? I don't think it has anything to do with strength, just makes it look better.

Art

I was taught to pound stitches (and lacing) to "set" them in veggie tanned leather. If you ask 50 leatherworkers how to do something, you will get 51 different answers, so I want to know if you folks pound your stitches in, too? If you do, why? If you don't, why not? I'm curious to hear the reasoning behind the methods, and what works best for you.

Johanna

[gary]

As I use a pricker, in almost all circumstances, to make the initial stich marks, the stitches sink into the leather as I stitch so there's no need to pound them afetrwards (and pointless too as the stitches have 'sunk' into the leather and are, in the main, below the surface).

Gary

[Beaverslayer]

On my lacing I use a lace roller just to make the lace lay down better wher it goes into the holes.

Ken

[Don101]

im the same as abn i just run over with an overstitcher for a better visuall affect

[D.A. Kabatoff]

I too was shown pounding the stitches with a wide face shoe hammer and it was for two reasons. I think the idea was flattening the thread helped to fill the hole made by your awl when handstitching, or the needle or awl when usuing a machine. Flattening the thread caused it to fill in the hole a little more to give it a more attractive appearance... it also served to prevent dirt from getting in the stitching holes and potentially wearing on the threads.

I no longer do this because the machine I use is a Landis 3 needle and awl machine that is set up in such a way that the holes are extremely tight as they are. When I handsew something like a cantle binding, I use an overstitch wheel very lightly to give the waxed linen stitches a more uniform look. My feeling about pounding the stitches on a cantle binding is that I've used the stitch groover to recess the stitching, hammering on it will simply push the leather down on each side of the stitch and make it vulnerable to rubbing again.

I suppose it depends on the item being made.

Darc

[The Major]

I used to be of that mindset. And all I got out of it was squished thread. As have been mentioned already, I just run a bone folder over the stitches to set them in the stitch groove. You can also use the overstitch wheel, but I have found if you do a nice tight stitch to begin with, you almost never have to go over them again after you are done.

[gesa]

Hi,

I voted for " sometimes, it depends" because I do it rarely. I pound the stitches with my saddler hammer if there is wear on the stitches.

I do mostly english tack and when I sew a pair of english stirrup leathers I pound the stitches flat . It is life threatening when these stitches come loose.

I can not remember other items at the moment.

Gesa

[Art]

Hi Gesa,

I know folks around here who consider English tack life threatening when it does hold together.

Art

Hi,

I voted for " sometimes, it depends" because I do it rarely. I pound the stitches with my saddler hammer if there is wear on the stitches.

I do mostly english tack and when I sew a pair of english stirrup leathers I pound the stitches flat . It is life threatening when these stitches come loose.

I can not remember other items at the moment.

Gesa

[gesa]

Hi Art,

I personally think similar........thats why I own an American Paint Horse and prefer riding with western tack.

So I am sort of exotic where I work, but I am not the only one !!

Gesa

[Seasoned Warrior]

I never pound, I believe it weakens the thread. On edges I frequently gouge out the stitch line and sometimes I'll use an overstitch wheel. Other times I use a hardwood roller to even out the stitches and eliminate any tendency to "bunch". With lace I always roll it with a dowl and even braiding, rolling it tends to level out the braid and make it more even.

[Mike Craw]

I've never heard of "pounding in stitches". Rubbing or pounding lace to make it lay flat, yes, but never stitches. Stolhman shows using the wheel marker over the stitches to make the whole line of stitches look "dressier", so that's what I do. I usually glue all my seams on combat holsters that guys are going to use on the street BEFORE I sew them, and I pound that glued (Barge) seam, but I never heard of pounding them afterwords. That's why I check this site every day. I always find something new.

Mike