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[battlemunky]

3/4 oz HO with Fiebing's Oil Dye. Lined with brown duck canvas. Not exactly sure why the pics are upside down... Let me know what you think and thanks for looking!

[battlemunky]

Anyone know how to keep the core from being as visible around the stitching holes? I could have gone back over the stitching with dye or make holes first, then dye?

Edited September 10, 2019 by battlemunky

[LatigoAmigo]

2 hours ago, battlemunky said:

how to keep the core from being as visible around the stitching holes

What are you using for a core? I've used different materials and have had similar issues. I've resorted to dying the edges of the core, if it would take any dye, "just in case."

[battlemunky]

By the core I mean the less than clan exit holes. You can see the inside of the leather. It makes it look a bit shabby. I gave it to the dude who commissioned it and was pleased and he said he would rather just let them get dirty naturally and patina on their own, but it'd still be good to know for next time.

[LatigoAmigo]

On 9/10/2019 at 3:37 PM, battlemunky said:

make holes first, then dye

Then it looks like you answered your own question. It will certainly give your product a more finished look.

[Stetson912]

Are you machine stitching or hand stitching?

If you're hand stitching you'd want to make the holes first then you could dye them and stitch. I'd also try using a very smooth flat hammer and tamping down your stitches. It evens up the tension just a bit and may help that "backside blowout" a bit. In my limited experience any time I've hade that odd buldge in stitching on the back was because my chisels or awl weren't sharp enough. 

[battlemunky]

Sad thing is, I did tamp down those stitches. I figured it was that my irons were dull... I ordered some Sinabroks  I'm working on a LEO wallet and a Dieselpunk Motoko 3 bag right now, so we'll see how those new irons do with blowout.

[Stetson912]

I'm not sure the correct term for that effect. But the leather tends to misshapen and sort of tear when your tools aren't sharp enough. In my experience. 

I want some sinabroks myself. I have some ke blade and love them. The sinabrocks are made by someone who used to be part of is blade. They should be plenty sharp. 

A word of warning though, I damaged mine slightly because I didn't know they were so sharp and I neglected to put enough material beneath them and it went through everything and rolled the tips slightly. Easy fix with a micro file but still. Cutting board or poundo board is the way to go haha 

[battlemunky]

Excellent point (pun intended) @Stetson912. I have one of those clear punch pads and have actually gone through it with other stuff so I think I'm going to put some scrap leather under it just to be safe. They will fly through 7/9 oz like it ain't there. Come out super easy too. I watched about every review out there on them before I bought them and did know about the KS Blade guy starting Sinabroks. I didn't really have a preference aside from Nigel's review tipping me over into SInabroks. Aside from the brass handle on a striking tool thing, I think the SInabroks are just about perfect.I don't even know if the brass handle is going to be a problem because I only use metal on metal for rivets and my stitching chisels are put up by that point.

The Sinabroks are damn fine. I went with a five tooth and a two tooth. If I ever find myself needing larger I'll order another one to fit that in a second. They were $150 for the two of them and I don't have any buyer's remorse. My stitching is already noticeably improved. Any variation from awling and blowout from my cheap irons is remedied. As long as I keep my needles in the right place and my tension good, I'm golden.

Sorry for the impromptu chisel review/fanboy session.

[Stetson912]

5 hours ago, battlemunky said:

Excellent point (pun intended) @Stetson912. I have one of those clear punch pads and have actually gone through it with other stuff so I think I'm going to put some scrap leather under it just to be safe. They will fly through 7/9 oz like it ain't there. Come out super easy too. I watched about every review out there on them before I bought them and did know about the KS Blade guy starting Sinabroks. I didn't really have a preference aside from Nigel's review tipping me over into SInabroks. Aside from the brass handle on a striking tool thing, I think the SInabroks are just about perfect.I don't even know if the brass handle is going to be a problem because I only use metal on metal for rivets and my stitching chisels are put up by that point.

The Sinabroks are damn fine. I went with a five tooth and a two tooth. If I ever find myself needing larger I'll order another one to fit that in a second. They were $150 for the two of them and I don't have any buyer's remorse. My stitching is already noticeably improved. Any variation from awling and blowout from my cheap irons is remedied. As long as I keep my needles in the right place and my tension good, I'm golden.

Sorry for the impromptu chisel review/fanboy session.

No worries. When I got my is blade I was used to smacking the chisels pretty good and it didn't need so much persuasion and went straight down to my granite lol. Just a silly oversight on my part.

For Leatherwork bread won't be an issue. You should, like you said, bed using a plastic, wood, or rawhide mallet for most things. And those won't hate the irons any. I want a set of 7spi and think those will do. 5 and 2 is plenty too.