Stohlman's Book Method

[BillinTR]

I have the book. I read it, studied it somewhat even. I am curious as to how many actually follow the technique he teaches. By that I mean the two needles and the awl in your hands at all times, make your holes with the awl, keep feeding the needles back and forth, never putting anything down. As my other thread indicated my first attempt at stitching did not go as I had hoped. But perhaps his technique was intended for thinner and/or softer leather than I expect to be using for my projects. I have been reading a good bit here about other ways to line up and make my stitching holes. I have read about using corks to support the back side of the leather I am trying to pierce with the awl. Put two needles, an awl and now a cork in my hands and pretty soon fumble fingered me isn't getting it done. Just curious as to how much of a religion his book is since every time someone is starting out in stitching there are usually at least a couple of recommendations to read his book.

 

[JLSleather]

That's how I do it.  And that's where I saw it originally.  Not hard with a bit of practice.  And a decent awl - and the awl is the hard part these days.  USED to be, you could get one off the shelf from any of a dozen retailers, but most things got so cheap these days most of it is just junk.

I have sewn like this joining multiple layers of 9 oz leather, and also joining 1 1/2 oz calfskin to 3.5 oz cowhide. 

[BillinTR]

You are a better man than I will ever be. I have two layers of 6/7 oz. veg tan that I am sewing. The effort required to push something through those two layers to create a stitching hole would absolutely wear me out to complete a stitch line 18 to 20 inches long. I have since worked over my awl for quite awhile to get it sharp and smooth. Tried the suggestion to use wax on the awl to lubricate it. Went back to a practice piece of the same stuff I am stitching. I will say that I sort of succeeded in that there was a slight reduction in effort from my previous attempt to pierce that thickness of leather and I did manage to get the pointy tip of the awl to see daylight on the back side of the leather. But I still would never want to repeat the effort over and over for 120 or so stitches. Maybe I just don't have the hand/wrist/arm strength. For lighter weight stuff maybe but for my current projects with this veg tan I am going to have punch my holes somehow and proceed from there with his technique.

[Stetson912]

Yes, that is the traditional method. And there is a bit of a learning curve. You have to be consistent with your angle of the awl, the awl needs to be really sharp, and handling all of that with the needles can be tricky. But like everything else, practice.

I use a modified method. I like pricking irons to lay out the holes and then I use an awl to punch them. I still hold the awl and needles in my hands but the holes are pre marked with the correct angle of attack. I never was good enough to make a real nice line by eye. 

When transitioning from needle to awl you should be able to hold the needle between your index and middle fingers while using the awl and start that needle by sort of closing your fist or rotating your hand to start it. Some are even good enough to switch it back to their thumb and index. Ultimately you need to do what works for you. Tradition is great but it isn't the only way either. 

Also try stropping your awl. It will help. And make sure you don't have a burr. The awl should glide easily through the leather.

[soccerdad]

I've sharpened lots of woodworking hand tools for years, but I had a tougher time with leather working awls than I would have expected. The geometry is so different, and the metal seems quite different as well. My take: If you are going to work thick, tough leathers with an awl, get a first-rate awl blade that is very sharp to begin with so you really know for sure what it can do and how it should feel in use. The difference between a badly-made one and a good one is huge. I started just as you are doing, and it's an excellent traditional method. I'm glad I learned that way for all sorts of reasons. Now I use stitching chisels, which put holes all the way through the leather, and the sewing is a separate step. I produce work faster and neater this way, and it's a lot easier on the hands. 

[BillinTR]

18 minutes ago, Stetson912 said:

The awl should glide easily through the leather.

This is the part that is my problem. It isn't the finger dexterity or manipulating myself around the leather being stitched. It is the sheer effort of getting the awl through the thickness of leather. The awl does not glide easily through that thickness of leather. In the Armitage video on sharpening awls he demonstrates working on the identical awl to what I have. I have spent a fair amount of time following his sharpening technique. I feel my awl is in pretty good shape. I am not giving up on the Stohlman technique and will try again later. But for my current efforts with this veg tan I am leaning towards using stitching chisels.

 

[soccerdad]

Good idea. In my experience, it's important to have more than one technique so you can adapt to different leathers and projects. 

[bikermutt07]

That book is great for any number of reasons. However, I don't see that way. 

I use pricking irons to mark my holes. Then, I use my awl to push thru as many holes that are supported by the pony. Then I stitch and repeat.

[Stetson912]

My guess would be you have a burr on the tip of the awl blade. You might be able to feel it. Sometimes you can't.  

Try stropping just the tip of the blade on a strip with either roughe or buffing compound in it. 

Or, very lightly, draw the tip of the blace backwards on the finest stone you have. That would remove the burr. 

Then just polish it again on the strip using the same short forward backwards motion as you do sharpening. 

If you don't have a burr, and the awl is indeed sharp, I'm at a loss of what's wrong.

I have some pretty stout dry hard saddle skirting but it still cuts through that, rawhide as well. I hope you get it figured out. It's far more enjoyable with a sharp well working awl. 

[battlemunky]

I learned how to saddle stitch from watching Nigel and Ian on youtube. It wasn't until I actually read Stohlman that I understood why I was supposed to do the things Nigel and Ian were talking about. IMO Stohlman does more in text and with those drawings than most videos can pull off. If you keep practicing you'll get to the point where it is second nature and you'll get faster at sewing that way and you can start picking up when a stitch is off before you tighten it, etc. It will get easier if you keep at it.

Regarding your awl, if it is too hard it ain't sharp enough. Once I got mine good and sharp I kicked myself for all of the effort I'd wasted forcing the dull one through. When it is right, you'll know it. Watch your fingers on the "out" side of the leather....we are covered in leather, leather nowhere close to as thick and tough as cow leather. I've stuck myself twice since I got my awls sharp and both were deep and both were instantaneous.