Cross Stitch on leather

[CWalton]

Hi all--I'm looking to do a cross stitching pattern on leather, and am looking for a tool that would allow me to make many small holes in a piece of leather. Ideally, a punch that puts a square of four holes at a time--I'm not sure such a thing exists, but if it does, I figured someone here would know.

Thanks in advance

[garypl]

Go to Springfield Leather or Weavers -ads at the top of the page.  They have stitching chisels that will do what you want to do!

Gary

[CWalton]

I actually grabbed an overstitch wheel along with a jeweler's leather punch, but I'd like the holes closer. What is the smallest spacing available on an overstitch wheel?

[Stetson912]

Well it isn't cheap, but fine leather working offers a overstitch wheel set that comes with 7 9 10 and 12 tpi wheels. The 12 tpi wheel would be just over 2 mm apart.. that's the finest I have seen. http://www.fineleatherworking.com/leather-tools/pricking-wheel-set

Fine leather working had listed individual wheels. But says it's not available right now. You could contact them and ask when or how you can get them as well. 

[CWalton]

That's just what I was looking for, many thanks

[Stetson912]

Welcome, easy to go bankrupt on that site by the way, I advise caution hehehe

[Matt S]

Modern pricking wheels by Vergez Blanchard go as fine as 12SPI and their pricking irons to 14 SPI. A 2-tooth 14SPI iron is about €33 direct from them.

It wouldn't be difficult, with very basic tools, to cut a piece of square steel bar to suit the job, especially if you're just pricking rather than punching through the leather.

[johnv474]

You can buy perforating bar stock 

You can buy 1/16" hole punches shaped like a pencil, or just the tubes for a rotary punch.  These are threaded.  Mount them in a piece or wood or grind/epoxy the four punches together and voila, a square, repeatable pattern.

Expect the leather to tear through all over the place if you get to 3mm and lower unless you back the leather with a tear-resistant textile.  All those holes makes it like the edge of a postage stamp.

[koreric75]

Is this intended to be a single piece, ie the cross stitch on leather or cross stitch pattern that is accenting a larger item like a bag or purse?  The reason I ask is it seems like many perforated holes in leather will greatly weaken it when stressed, if it's a pattern that will be framed then will there be leather in the voids as accent?  Just trying to get a mental picture of the project...