kskinner Report post Posted August 27, 2020 Hi all, Leatherworker recently moved to Canada here. Make a range of things including hand stitched gloves. I'm trying to hunt down a particular tool that would make my life easier, otherwise I'll have to DIY it. This is called a glover's donkey, some of you know the stitching pony or horse. It's a bit like it. The difference is the foot operated metal jaws, and small teeth for stitch placement. It is a uniquely glover's tool, as for most leathers the teeth would leave a dent or mark. They show up every now and then on antique websites, I would love to know if any of you (or your grandmothers) have one in your attic. Would be willing to pay for it and delivery to Canada. Otherwise, if any of your have had something fabricated at a metal workshop, would you be able to point me in the direction of something who could make such a thing... even the top half. I'm woodworking-savvy but my metal-working skills don't extend past bending bulldog clips. Thanks Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Retswerb Report post Posted August 27, 2020 I’m no help on sourcing one, sorry. Today I learned what a glover’s donkey is lol. Curious though: are you saying the teeth are used as needle guides for stitch placement? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kskinner Report post Posted August 28, 2020 Yes, the idea is that the jaws hold the two components together and you zig zag the needle in and out of the holes (hand-stitched gloves are done with a running stitch), so they dictate the stitch lengths and actually help with the speed of the stitching. Quite ingenious. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
$$hobby Report post Posted August 29, 2020 All i can say is COOL. It doesnt surprise me someone way back them came up with something like that. something to consider. You have what the creator didnt. A real unit to reverse engineer. I would just 3d model it up and use modern tools/materials. The base "U" part of that could be fabbed (welded) with plate steel. Maybe some steel flat bar. Spring steel is still available and that could be used as shown to enable the clamping mechanism. IT looks like that through bolt may provide tension adjustment? If thats the case, spring steel may not be needed. You could also put various springs ( K factors) on it to provide various clamping forces. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kskinner Report post Posted September 1, 2020 On 8/29/2020 at 2:13 AM, $$hobby said: All i can say is COOL. It doesnt surprise me someone way back them came up with something like that. something to consider. You have what the creator didnt. A real unit to reverse engineer. I would just 3d model it up and use modern tools/materials. The base "U" part of that could be fabbed (welded) with plate steel. Maybe some steel flat bar. Spring steel is still available and that could be used as shown to enable the clamping mechanism. IT looks like that through bolt may provide tension adjustment? If thats the case, spring steel may not be needed. You could also put various springs ( K factors) on it to provide various clamping forces. Thanks for the advice. I think getting it fabricated is my best option. Not a metal worker so I take your word for it! Here's a video of it in use. Enjoy. https://youtu.be/0xvJbI9qJJI?t=244 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
$$hobby Report post Posted September 4, 2020 @Kskinner, thanks for the vid. Again, way cool. fwiw, when i was board, i made some elkskin gloves. IIRC, elk skin is great for repelling or keeping your hands intact from friction?. I did it on my sewing machine. But seeing how they did it by hand, made me realize its better by hand. But mine were a real B to get done. I was able to make 1 to fit my 1 hand -like a glove - LOL. but the other one is tighter. sewing it near the web of the fingers was the biggest hurdle. what i did was to get a work glove like they made with the middle piece and reverse engineer the glove, but using my hand as a pattern. it always amazes me that in this day and age, there are still people doing things like the by hand. But it would be real cool to see an automated machine... good luck on getting 1 made. If you are gong to have it made, you may want to get the drawings if they will give them to you and then get a BOM. You may see if anyone wants 1 or some made? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MonicaJean825 Report post Posted November 24, 2020 I’m not sure but this one may still be available. http://www.newsumantiques.co.uk/t-gloving-donkey.html I actually just purchased the exact glovers donkey you posted this spring! I am using it to complete a couple of pairs of gloves that I started making a year ago! (A Christmas present never completed ) I am finding it a bit difficult to keep the leather seams on the fingers to line up and stay perfect before I get them clamped to stitch them. Any recommendations? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hopup Report post Posted December 21, 2020 Love the donkey and great idea on the combed edge for the stitch . What are the dimensions of the jaws? I would think a local machine shop can whittle out the jaws with a slotting cutter. This is one I made with some left over scraps from a bomber seat I fabricated. I followed the same airplane manufacturing design. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
