Stitch grover

[KennethM]

Stitched Grover to make a grove for the  stitching.Any resonable price recommendations?I bought a leather starter kit off ebay.The stitch Grover got cloves on first try..It is dull and doesnt work..Barry king is to expensive for me right now..Any recommendations for a good but reasonable price one?

[immiketoo]

There is a decent one available at Rickert Werkzeuge from Germany.  Check them out.

[KennethM]

Thank you man

[immiketoo]

Any time.  I’ll be doing a review on them soon, but if it’s like anything else they have, they’re nice.

[zuludog]

About 18 months ago I went to a lecture & demonstration by Nigel Armitage. on his suggestion i have done two cheap & simple things that have improved my saddle stitch - I no longer use a stitch groover, I just mark the line of the stitching with dividers; and have changed from Tandy 'big eye' needles to John James #2 needles

You're not looking at precision draughtmanship. I got a pair of dividers from a secondhand tool stall at my local market for £2-50, about $3

[Matt S]

I agree with Geoff/Zuludog: my favourite stitch groover is 'none'. I really don't see a point to it in >90% of cases and it can cause an awful lot of problems.

[bikermutt07]

They always seemed to be an unnecessary step that ruined many of my first pieces. 

I can't seem to make all of them disappear. I think I have three right now.

Maybe there is a real application for them, but I haven't run across it, yet. 

Maybe saddlers use them to keep the thread from rubbing on horses? 

[Sheilajeanne]

46 minutes ago, bikermutt07 said:

They always seemed to be an unnecessary step that ruined many of my first pieces. ....

Maybe saddlers use them to keep the thread from rubbing on horses? 

Ditto on that! I bought one when i was first starting, but soon found out it just took one teeny slip for it to ruin a good piece of leather! 

Bikermutt, the idea is to position the thread where it won't get worn by abrasion.  I've cleaned a lot of tack over the years, and I can't really say I've seen spots where that was happening on bridles or halters. Common sense means you just don't put stitches where they are going to get a lot of wear, e.g. on the load-bearing surface of a horse collar or a saddle.  It would irritate the horse's skin as well as shortening the life of the stitching.

[battlemunky]

I followed Nigel's advice on that as well.

The only thing I'll use the stitch groover for now is on the inside of a sheath where the belt loop stitching will be, just to get the stitching below where the blade could possible get it. I've also heard of putting some 5 minute epoxy over the threads as well and it completely eliminates the need for that application. I am trying and can't really think of where they are needed in what I make. I have two though....if I need them, I have them.

@KennethM, if you want to try and sharpen your crappy one, it is pretty easy, just run it in reverse of how you'd use it on some 1500-2000 grit sandpaper and then strop it the same way. It is bound to help!

 

[Matt S]

1 hour ago, Sheilajeanne said:

Ditto on that! I bought one when i was first starting, but soon found out it just took one teeny slip for it to ruin a good piece of leather! 

Bikermutt, the idea is to position the thread where it won't get worn by abrasion.  I've cleaned a lot of tack over the years, and I can't really say I've seen spots where that was happening on bridles or halters. Common sense means you just don't put stitches where they are going to get a lot of wear, e.g. on the load-bearing surface of a horse collar or a saddle.  It would irritate the horse's skin as well as shortening the life of the stitching.

I've found sunk stitches on the inside of harness tugs, not many places in a pair of tugs you can hide a seam! I think that English martingales traditionally have them too, but I've never handled one so couldn't say for certain.

A similar technique is used on leather shoe soles, either with the seam in a groove or (probably better) the seam goes into a slit cut with teh tip of a knife, which is glued back together once the stitching is done.

[fredk]

Contrary to everyone else - I like a stitch grove, not always, but often

I have a standard adjustable one which I got a long time ago. I never really liked that one, never got on with it.

http://www.leprevo.co.uk/photos/adjust_groover.html

A few years ago I bought this set from China. I now prefer it

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/5in1-Leather-Craft-Edge-Stitching-Groover-Creaser-Beveller-Pro-Punch-Sewing-Tool-/263452199132?hash=item3d56f988dc

Its easier to adjust. Note that in the first one the cutter is on the arm, but on the second the arm is the edge alignment guide. Means the second one can be used free-hand easier

btw; two methods of sharpening the groove cutter. 1. use teeth-flossing cord. 2. rub some toothpaste into thin strong thread and use that. Run either back-and-forth through the hole. The tooth-flossing cord will cut faster. (afir a prisoner escaped a prison by cutting thru the iron bars with flossing cord)