Inexpensive diamond Stitching chisel for making stitch holes in holster ?

[bcraig]

I have never used stitching chisels to make a holster and would like to try them.

I will be Making 3 Western style Crossdraw Holsters for my Colt SAA Pietta 45 Colt Clone,  Remington 1858 New Army with 5 1/2 Barrel and another one like it but with an 8 inch barrel.
Using 9 - 10 Ounce leather.

Do I need to get a 1,2 3 or 4 prong ?
I would also like them to be spaced at 5 stitches per inch.

Where can I find a inexpensive Chisel /Chisels at 5 stitches per inch ?

Any advice or pointers to using them ?

Thanks



 

[Tugadude]

Please check out this thread that is in the Sewing Leather forum...

 

Mr. Armitage demonstrates a host of irons on his YouTube channel.  He offers written reviews on his website.

For starters you can get by with two chisels.  Your choice, but a 2-prong for curved areas is a given, then I'd go with either a 4 or 6 prong.  eBay and Amazon have tons of cheap stitching chisels.  Weaver Leather stocks various t.p.i. Irons, you might check them out too.

After you get used to them and know more about what you like or don't like about them, you can upgrade.

 

 

[Spyros]

5 stitches per inch is 25mm/5=5mm spacing, they're not very common but I have seen them somewhere. 

If you don't know how many prongs you need then you probably you need multiple.  For heavy leather I'd go for something polished otherwise it might be trouble to pull them out.  

Wuta leather, Kemovan, Weaver are the usual suspects. 

 

[Matt S]

The single prong chisels are, IMHO, about as much use as tits on a boar. As others have said a 2-prong for tight corners and something a bit longer for straight runs, the length depending on how curvy your design is. Will you be sewing a belt also?

5 SPI chisels are available (I've got them as coarse as 4 SPI) but less common, and to my taste might look a little too coarse on a pistol holster but that's subjective. (I'd go to 6 or 7 SPI for "working" gear and 8 or 10 for "finer" but again that's just me.)

Advice for use? Stab the chisel into a bar of glycerine soap every so often to lubricate it. Works far better than beeswax and you can use it to slick your edges too. Make sure your chisel is perpendicular to the leather before you hit it (bitter experience there). Then when you've finished your project and want to do more, buy a pricking iron and a decent awl and double your sewing speed 

[Spyros]

10 minutes ago, Matt S said:

 Then when you've finished your project and want to do more, buy a pricking iron and a decent awl and double your sewing speed 

And don't forget the band aids :D

[chuck123wapati]

buy good ones you wont be disappointed and you can resell them if you decide. I was given a set of the cheapo Chinese made ones and they bend or break off, and are not polished so are a real pain to get back out of heavy leather.

[fredk]

3 hours ago, Matt S said:

The single prong chisels are, IMHO, about as much use as tits on a boar. 

au contraire, I like single for the apex of corners. Corners first, then work from centre of sides towards corners, adjusting if necessary the last stitch to that corner one. Adjusted stitches are less noticeable at the corners

But in this OPs case I think he can skip the 1 and go for a 2 and a 4

[SLP]

I have some of these.

https://www.goodsjapan.com/seiwa-diamond-leather-stitching-chisel-leathercraft-pricking-iron-tool-6x4mm/a-19162

Not too expensive, but won't bend. A little polishing is nice, but not required. I use them all the time. I have the 4mm x 6 and the 4mm x 2, as well as the 3mm x 6 and 3mm x 2. I like the 4mm for holsters.

 

See this video.

https://youtu.be/Y0EL7K2NhYs

 He talks about them at about 52:00 min in.

 

[chiefjason]

I'm a fan of them for certain things.  For exotic panel on holster that have to be stitched first.  Stuff made from thinner leather.  Smaller items I can do quick.  

For 2 layers of thicker leather I find them too much trouble to deal with.  I wanted to like them.  I tried.  I went back to my awl chucked into my drill press to pre punch holes.  

[bcraig]

I live in the United States and I have looked using Google and Cannot find anything but Imports.
Is there Not a soul that Makes a Good Inexpensive Diamond Stitching Chisel in the US  ?