BMH Report post Posted May 2, 2019 Hi all, So as stated in the title I am beginner when it comes to creating items made of leather and I am starting to buy some tools and equipment. I have been reading a lot of information on the forum about it and honestly, there is just so much out there that it's a little confusing. I am getting lost between all the different brands, prices... Most of the books I am reading do not really mention brands either. I am looking for a good stitching clamp. I have seen many topics on the subject, and I don't really know what to get. Some people built their clamp from scratch but it's not really a route I want to take. Do you guys have any suggestion for a dependable and fairly priced clamp? I am willing to spend a little more if it means I am getting something good. I am also looking for suggestions for tools. Just brands, which ones to get, which ones to avoid (beside the obvious Chinese crap from Amazon) I will be mostly working on small items, belts, wallets/billfolds, watch straps. Nothing bigger than a purse or a briefcase for sure. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bikermutt07 Report post Posted May 2, 2019 (edited) You can squeak by with very little in the beginning. The best bang for your buck (in my opinion) will come from Wuta. Their tools are great and reasonably priced. Kevin Lee AKA Crazy Cut Leather will be a step above on pricing and quality , not that there is anything wrong with Wuta. I have been very happy with both companies. They are both out of China and make quality stuff. As a beginner, you could do a lot worse. Anything from these two will be higher quality and for the most part less expensive than any comparable item at Tandy. https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F153093879880 Here is a great well thought out kit.. https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F153433833827 And here is a little higher end kit... https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F153432722499 And a few items from Kevin Lee... https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F153422400512 https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F153381008578 https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.com%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F153077040125 While you are waiting on these tools pick up a copy of Al Stohlman's Leather Tools and the Art of Sewing. This will give you plenty of reading while you wait a few minutes for your tools to arrive. I have been dealing with Wuta for about 3 years now and nothing from them has ever broken. Any issues I have had, they jumped up to fix. Great folks to deal with. Kevin is a newer find for me but he has some really great upper end tools that don't break the bank. I suggest browsing both of their eBay stores. You won't be disappointed. Good luck. Edited May 2, 2019 by bikermutt07 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
YinTx Report post Posted May 2, 2019 Depending on the stitching clam you are looking for, Abbey England has some of the European style clams that aren't outrageously priced. Some have conjured their own out of clamps and boards from Harbor Freight for pretty cheap, not a bad route if you aren't sure hand stitching is what you are going to be doing. YinTx Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BMH Report post Posted May 2, 2019 Thanks for the suggestions bikermutt07, I already have Al Stohlman's the Art of Sewing and his leather-work manual but somehow I missed Leather Tools, I'll get it asap. 35 minutes ago, YinTx said: Depending on the stitching clam you are looking for, Abbey England has some of the European style clams that aren't outrageously priced. Some have conjured their own out of clamps and boards from Harbor Freight for pretty cheap, not a bad route if you aren't sure hand stitching is what you are going to be doing. YinTx Hand stitching is definitely something I am interested into. I am unsure about the style of the clamp I would like to get though. I have noticed that the European kind tends to be a bit more pricey. For a beginner is it preferable to get a style over another? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DJole Report post Posted May 2, 2019 The style of stitching clam/pony/horse is a complicated problem. The best solution would be to go try different kinds and see which features you like the best, but that's going to be hard to do-- you've got people living nearby who have all the types? Then you are a lucky leatherworker! So are you wondering whether to get a European style stitching clam, or a stitching pony? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
zuludog Report post Posted May 2, 2019 (edited) Welcome to the fun! I assume you are American, and others will better advise you on what's available in USA, but here are a few comments - If you are starting with small items you could consider a stitching pony instead of a saddler's clam, which is , logically enough, smaller and cheaper. On the other hand, if you get a clam it will do most things you want there are lots of knives available, some of them rather expensive, but you can do a lot with a Stanley knife/box cutter The cheapest precision tools you can buy for leatherwork & hand sewing are John James needles. You should get, at least to start with, size 002, JJ product code L3912. Do not get size 2/0 by mistake, these are too big for most sewing Ritza thread aka Tiger thread is popular but I think linen thread is easier to use, and would be good to start with, till you gain experience. The sizing system for linen thread is a bit obscure, all you need to know is to start with is size 18/3. Get it from a proper leather supply store or buy branded makes like Coates, Somac, or Crawfords, not cheap stuff off Ebay or Amazon. Sajou 'fil au chinois' is very good; they have their own sizing system, the lower the number, the thicker the thread. Try 432 to start with I have found this supplier which has a good selection of thread & needles, plus other things www.craftntools.com There are lots of videos on YouTube. These are good, especially for hand stitching - Leodis Leather/Ian Atkinson and Nigel Armitage Edited May 2, 2019 by zuludog Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BMH Report post Posted May 2, 2019 7 hours ago, DJole said: The style of stitching clam/pony/horse is a complicated problem. The best solution would be to go try different kinds and see which features you like the best, but that's going to be hard to do-- you've got people living nearby who have all the types? Then you are a lucky leatherworker! So are you wondering whether to get a European style stitching clam, or a stitching pony? Yes I am. I also realized I have been using the word "clamp" for both European style stitching clam / stitching pony as I have seen the word being used interchangeably online so my bad for that. I think if a stitching pony is sufficient for smaller items I would tend toward getting one, but I am worried about the quality of the ones I have seen for sale so far (Amazon/Ebay) and I was wondering if there was better options out there. 4 hours ago, zuludog said: Welcome to the fun! I assume you are American, and others will better advise you on what's available in USA, but here are a few comments - If you are starting with small items you could consider a stitching pony instead of a saddler's clam, which is , logically enough, smaller and cheaper. On the other hand, if you get a clam it will do most things you want there are lots of knives available, some of them rather expensive, but you can do a lot with a Stanley knife/box cutter The cheapest precision tools you can buy for leatherwork & hand sewing are John James needles. You should get, at least to start with, size 002, JJ product code L3912. Do not get size 2/0 by mistake, these are too big for most sewing Ritza thread aka Tiger thread is popular but I think linen thread is easier to use, and would be good to start with, till you gain experience. The sizing system for linen thread is a bit obscure, all you need to know is to start with is size 18/3. Get it from a proper leather supply store or buy branded makes like Coates, Somac, or Crawfords, not cheap stuff off Ebay or Amazon. Sajou 'fil au chinois' is very good; they have their own sizing system, the lower the number, the thicker the thread. Try 432 to start with I have found this supplier which has a good selection of thread & needles, plus other things www.craftntools.com There are lots of videos on YouTube. These are good, especially for hand stitching - Leodis Leather/Ian Atkinson and Nigel Armitage Wow, thanks for the very detailed answer! I'll take a look at those websites/suppliers immediately. I will be making smaller items, I am not intending on making anything bigger than a briefcase. At least that's my limit for now, and I am not planning on getting there soon. I'll work my way up starting with watch straps/belts/wallets. If a pony is enough for briefcases then I think I'll go this way. Do you have suggestions for a good quality one though? Also I am not exactly American. I am French, but I do live in the US so you weren't far off. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
zuludog Report post Posted May 2, 2019 Saddler's clam or saddler's clamp? There might be a difference, but really they are just two names for the same thing. Sorry, but I can't advise you on which one, you'll have to wait for someone in USA to respond I've since found out that www.craftntools .com is based in the Ukraine; but it will be useful to see what's available Rocky Mountain Leather Supply - www.rmleathersupply.com - in USA has a similar range of products If you are starting as a complete beginner, why not start with key fobs? They are easy to make and as they are small you can sew them freehand without a clamp or pony. They will get you used to handling leather and will teach you - pattern making; marking out & cutting out; hand sewing; edge bevelling; dyeing; using an awl, or a stitching chisel. Give them to friends & colleagues, you might get requests for more items in the future, and you might even hear of someone who has their Grandfather's old tools stored away in a cupboard. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DJole Report post Posted May 2, 2019 4 hours ago, BMH said: Yes I am. I also realized I have been using the word "clamp" for both European style stitching clam / stitching pony as I have seen the word being used interchangeably online so my bad for that. I think if a stitching pony is sufficient for smaller items I would tend toward getting one, but I am worried about the quality of the ones I have seen for sale so far (Amazon/Ebay) and I was wondering if there was better options out there. Taking a quick look at Amazon, the stitching ponies that come up for sale under that search term are identical to the one I use (I picked mine up at a shop in Seoul, Korea, but it's the same.) Here are the things I find acceptable: 1) Cam lock is nice -- quick and easy to operate, unlike the wing-nut closing type. I also don't find myself getting my thread caught in it (which seems to be a common problem with the wing-nut type.) and if the cam goes bad, I know I can quickly and easily get a replacement cam lock (I checked online.) 2) portable and adjustable -- I can turn the piece for best viewing, and lean it under my leg to give it that tilt which most stitching horses have. Stitching clams do things differently, of course. 3) pretty solid clamping, especially after covering the jaw surfaces with leather to protect the work. 4) If I want to, I can leave the work in the jaws and walk away from it. The leg-closed clams work differently, of course. 5) If you are doing belts, perhaps a longer jaw (longer than the 2 inches) would really be useful. For the price, these will help you improve and speed up your stitching, and should be quite durable. And if you find you really want other features, you didn't waste a lot of money to find that out! There certainly may be much nicer options out there, but these should be nice for starting out. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BMH Report post Posted May 3, 2019 Thanks, that's good to know, I think you answered most of my questions. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rockoboy Report post Posted May 4, 2019 I have 3 different stitching clamps. Two I made and one I bought. The small one I bought because I could not buy the timber and cam closure for what they were asking, and I figured it would work ok. The smallest clamp sits on the table in front of me and the work is at the correct height, but it will only hold medium to small work. At about $16AUD (around $10 -$12USD) it works great for its intended purpose. The middle size clamp sits on a small stool in front of me when I am seated and will hold medium to larger pieces adequately. The largest clamp sits on the floor and it will hold anything that I am working on, small, medium or huge. I think the moral of the story is ... as you develop skills, you may find a different size will benefit you, but always go with what suits you. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Doc Reaper Report post Posted May 7, 2019 I had a friend build a horizontal for me, it was $75 and works, he then built a second one (pictured here). This is still unfinished, it lacks the handles, stain, and protective leather which will be finished in 2 days Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
billybopp Report post Posted May 7, 2019 I bet that'll work a charm for sewing belts and straps, @Doc Reaper! I should make something like that. -Bill Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Danne Report post Posted May 7, 2019 (edited) You say you don't want to make your own, I thought the same but decided to give it a try. It's actually a quick and fun project. The tools/materials I used was a plastic miter saw box, some sandpaper, wood glue, drill, some screws, and a hinge. (Not completely finished in this picture, added some leather and a "lock". Edited May 7, 2019 by Danne Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rockoboy Report post Posted May 8, 2019 14 hours ago, Danne said: I thought the same but decided to give it a try Great job there @Danne. My medium size homemade and small store bought clamps are the same as yours. Its a fairly universal design. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Doc Reaper Report post Posted July 29, 2019 I have another one, had a guy make em for me he sells them fairly cheap Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
