Newbie with questions

[Tigdim]

Thanks guys, 

I will order some 346 nylon thread. 

Forgive my ignorance, but what needle was used for the Top row of stitching? That one looks better than the one below it too me... Looks like you have it marked #25 S (346)

JLS, 

I must be a bit slow... I have seen you post that last tip at least once before (could be 2 or 3  times), I just now realized what you are saying!!! Spray adhesive the pattern to the card stock, cut out the middle, and use the outside for the pattern! Wow... I have no idea why it took me so long to get it, but that makes perfect sense. 

 

2 hours ago, Dwight said:

EDIT:  forgot to mention, you said you were doing a 50/50 pancake.  Some day when you feel like experimenting, go for a flat backed pancake.  I personally choose flat backed holsters for CCW over any of the others.

Most of my holster making technique I borrowed from looking at Milt Sparks holsters, . . . I would not make a copy of one of their designs, . . . but I have let their ideas influence what I do, . . . and so far it has worked really well.  

Most of their CCW holsters are also flat backed.

May God bless,

Dwight

Hahaha... your "New Shield Holster" is one of the ones I bookmarked... My father has a Shield 9mm. I am thinking something similar will make a great gift for him! He has a clip on Galco "stow and go" that He uses when he is not in a suit at Church, but finds it very uncomfortable.

[JLSleather]

30 minutes ago, Tigdim said:

Spray adhesive the pattern to the card stock, cut out the middle, and use the outside for the pattern! Wow... I have no idea why it took me so long to get it, but that makes perfect sense. 

OR, you could take teh file to a print shop and have them print a few on 80 lb or 100lb stock, then it's a done deal.  Using the OUTER of the pattern lets you see the piece you'll end up with.

 

31 minutes ago, Tigdim said:

Forgive my ignorance, but what needle was used for the Top row of stitching? That one looks better than the one below it too me... Looks like you have it marked #25 S (346)

That's a SIZE 25 needle with an "S" point.  346 is the thread size used.  The S point makes a different "hole", so it makes it appear that the stitches are spaced more (they aren't) because the hole is longer and not filled in.  The other is also a SIZE 25, but with an "LL" point (which I prefer).  More like a hand awl would make, keeps the stitching line straight (no sissy angled lacey lookin stuff) and fills the hole as you go.  Leaves the leather seam stronger.

[JLSleather]

There's about a zillion types of needles - these are just some I have.  I MUCH prefer teh LL point,  but i got what they had in the size 23 at the time, and the D is similar (I have since bought #25 in LL point, and these have been around a while).

Somewhere around here there's a pdf file explaining this much further, but I just know what I like.

I haven't found "diamond" point needles smaller than #23 for the 441 style machine, and I have not needed anything larger than a #26.  Smaller needles are available for other style machines - I know I have used #16 with a flatbed.

More info than that, check with Bob at teh red link below ...

[Tigdim]

I will be using a hand awl, and stitching as laid out in Al Stohlmans books. Are those needles for machines? If so that is where my ignorance is coming from... I have only been searching for information on harness needles... seems like sizes 000 to 8 are the ones I have seen most.

If I can find an old post by Katsass, that I read a while back, I think he tells everyone what he uses, for hand stitching. 

[Tigdim]

Hoping to make my stitching pony this weekend, if all goes well. I will be doing some practice stitching early next week!

Going to make a variant of the one in the back of "The Art of Hand sewing Leather" by Stohlman.

[Dwight]

1 hour ago, Tigdim said:

Hoping to make my stitching pony this weekend, if all goes well. I will be doing some practice stitching early next week!

Going to make a variant of the one in the back of "The Art of Hand sewing Leather" by Stohlman.

Now this is going to rankle some feathers , . . . and it is just too bad.  I'm just plain lazy, . . . do not like to do any extra work that I can figure a way around or to get out of.

That is why I have a Tippmann Boss sewing machine, . . . "Hands are for hamburgers, . . . sewing machines are for stitching".

But if you don't have the machine yet, . . . this is a down and dirty way to save yourself some grief.

If you have a small drill press, . . . or one of those $20 things that hold a hand drill and work like a drill press, . . . drill a 3/8 inch hole in a piece of plywood about a foot square, . . . tape it down so the hole is where the drill would be, . . . chuck up your awl blade in the press, . . . run your stitch wheel so you know where they need to be punched, . . . use the drill press to punch the holes.  Take a piece of duct tape and tape your chuck so it does not turn on you, . . . or just eyeball it every time you get ready to drop it through.

# 1:  it is a super whole bunch easier

# 2:  it is easier to see where you are punching because your hand is not in the way

# 3:  the holes are absolutely 100% straight up and down (otherwise the back looks somewhere between "not perfect" and "downright shabby")

# 4:  you can punch all the holes for a project, . . . take your awl, your needle and thread and go over to the couch, . . . turn on your favorite TV show, . . . sew and watch the boob tube at the same time.

AND, . . . it is so much easier on the hands.

Also, . . . if you want a bit of a fancy stitch, . . . turn the awl blade about 30 degrees, . . . and it gives a bit of a rope looking effect to your stitching.

May God bless,

Dwight

[Northmount]

3 hours ago, Tigdim said:

I will be using a hand awl, and stitching as laid out in Al Stohlmans books. Are those needles for machines? If so that is where my ignorance is coming from... I have only been searching for information on harness needles... seems like sizes 000 to 8 are the ones I have seen most.

If I can find an old post by Katsass, that I read a while back, I think he tells everyone what he uses, for hand stitching. 

The needle information from JLS is all for machine stitching.

Tom

[JLSleather]

if you can find a '2' harness needle should work.  I have used 4's but you have to mess with the ends of the thread a bit to get it through the eye smoothly.  I don't know if I've ever seen an 8, and a 0 or above is fine if you need a pry bar.

I wouldn't worry about asking questions -- nobody was born knowing this stuff, and hopefully some folks will save you the trouble and expense of repeating mistakes they already made.

[RockyAussie]

9 hours ago, Dwight said:

Now this is going to rankle some feathers , . . . and it is just too bad.  I'm just plain lazy, . . . do not like to do any extra work that I can figure a way around or to get out of.

That is why I have a Tippmann Boss sewing machine, . . . "Hands are for hamburgers, . . . sewing machines are for stitching".

But if you don't have the machine yet, . . . this is a down and dirty way to save yourself some grief.

If you have a small drill press, . . . or one of those $20 things that hold a hand drill and work like a drill press, . . . drill a 3/8 inch hole in a piece of plywood about a foot square, . . . tape it down so the hole is where the drill would be, . . . chuck up your awl blade in the press, . . . run your stitch wheel so you know where they need to be punched, . . . use the drill press to punch the holes.  Take a piece of duct tape and tape your chuck so it does not turn on you, . . . or just eyeball it every time you get ready to drop it through.

# 1:  it is a super whole bunch easier

# 2:  it is easier to see where you are punching because your hand is not in the way

# 3:  the holes are absolutely 100% straight up and down (otherwise the back looks somewhere between "not perfect" and "downright shabby")

# 4:  you can punch all the holes for a project, . . . take your awl, your needle and thread and go over to the couch, . . . turn on your favorite TV show, . . . sew and watch the boob tube at the same time.

AND, . . . it is so much easier on the hands.

Also, . . . if you want a bit of a fancy stitch, . . . turn the awl blade about 30 degrees, . . . and it gives a bit of a rope looking effect to your stitching.

May God bless,

Dwight

Hey Dwight ...I just thought I would add a little to this as I have used your answer here in a different post http://leatherworker.net/forum/topic/79982-braided-dog-leashes/?tab=comments#comment-534074

There is some more detail in that post but in case it helps, here are some pics here that should tell the story . Note that with this set up you can easily set whatever hole or needle spacing you want and get at the same distance from the edge consistently. Brian

 

[Hildebrand]

Another quick way to transfer patterns is to print them onto the clear overhead transparencies.  This lets you see the leather underneath and mark you cutting and stitching lines with a molding tool and it re usable.