Perfect chisel holes and stitching lines ?

[Wisdomsleather]

I been doing some leather work for awhile and I have tried everything seems like. Perfectly straight up and down chisels. using a wing divider making sure my leather pieces are squared up so when go  to use wing divider has right amount spaceing on the side. I have tried the method of  using couple prongs in the last hole to keep straight but I always seem get bad stitching holes on one side usually on the back side also seems like the chisels aren’t cutting through all they more of pushing through the leather I do have a small mallet should I be skyving my leather 

More so just Vito how get straight holes on the backside of the leather 

[Grumpymann]

Looks like you are using a piece of leather under your work as a cushion, try using a plastics cutting board  at least 1/4 th inch thick.

[chuck123wapati]

I think it takes much practice but in the meantime here's how i do it. lol

I punch each piece separately from the finish side then glue using small brass brads  about every inch or so to  line up the holes then use an awl to clean and make sure they are in line. I use a piece of soft wood, pine, as a punching board and some beeswax for lube. 

[Wisdomsleather]

Thank y’all so much for input means a lot spend hrs cutting it out meticulously and mess up the stitching is no fun I’m gonna use y’all’s advice 

[Tugadude]

Which irons are you using?  How many teeth?  I agree that a soft piece of leather under your work might cause the lines to skew because of unwanted movement.

Edited December 6, 2020 by Tugadude

[jcuk]

3 hours ago, Grumpymann said:

Looks like you are using a piece of leather under your work as a cushion, try using a plastics cutting board  at least 1/4 th inch thick.

Don't use stitching chisels but you need to punch into a firmer surface to punch into.

 

49 minutes ago, Tugadude said:

Which irons are you using?  How many teeth?  I agree that a soft piece of leather under your work might cause the lines to skew because of unwanted movement.

Yes it will warp/distort your stitching line.

Hope this helps

JCUK

Edited December 6, 2020 by jcuk

[mike02130]

Are you punching horizontally from left  to right.?   You are on the line but it's obviously coming out the other end awry.  I'd bet money that you are not holding them plumb.  Maybe you have crooked-eye?  I can see the width of your chisel in blocks and can almost count the number of teeth on the tool.  If you are a horizontalist it is impossible to see if they are slightly cocked from front to back, which would result in what I see happening. In other words, mark your line and have it facing to and fro and punch moving away from you so you can sight down the line.  

You may want to think about using an awl to open up those holes on the back of the piece.  You have a giant hole vs small one. May make your stitching look better and go smoother.

I assume you are gluing your work together?

I don't believe it is an issue with your under surface.  I punch on whatever is in reach,  a log off-cut, silicone mat and 6 oz. leather.

 

I glued together two pieces of five ounce leather.  I scribed a line on the front and back. I used a 9 tooth iron. The pictures show the backside.  Top photo was done punching from left to right. The holes missed the line on the backside and looks similar to yours.   The bottom photo I punched moving away from me while sighting the verticalness of my iron.  The holes came out the back on the same line as they went in.  

Let us know iffin ya figure it out.

Edited December 6, 2020 by mike02130
added an indefinite article

[Hardrada]

I use a piece of leather as cushion too, but it's way larger and it has a rough surface. Glue your pieces prior to punching the holes, and then make sure your chisel is perfectly perpendicular. However, when trying to punch through thick layers, say a final thickness of >6 oz, I angle my chisel a wee bit so that the prongs point towards the edge and the head inwards, for I've found that thicker layers tend to pull the prongs away from the edge on the bottom side. You need to gauge how much tilt by experimentation and experience. Try it on scraps.

Another thing I do is to mark the leather first with the chisel as if it were a pricking iron; if I'm happy with the position of the marks, then I punch the holes, otherwise adjust as needed, and then punch the holes.

Edited December 6, 2020 by Hardrada

[Grumpymann]

You could also use a stitch groover, it digs out a sliver of the flesh side of the leather and if your tool is sharp and the teeth are IN LINE they will slide in the gruve and keep straight.

[zuludog]

By the look of the picture in the first Post, in the background you are just using a scrap of leather to support your work when using the stitching chisels. Use something larger and firmer, so your work is well supported on a flat even surface; like a plastic (HDPE?) kitchen chopping board or an old magazine - this is strong and firm enough to support the leather, but soft enough that it won't damage the points of the chisels

Polish the prongs with fine abrasive paper, like the wet & dry paper used for car bodywork repairs, going down the grades 600 -> 800 -> 1000 grit....................lubricate the prongs by rubbing them on a block of beeswax now & again..............hold down the leather with a block of wood when you remove the chisel, this will prevent the leather from stretching or being distorted  

Obviously check that the chisel is correctly positioned, but also hold it firmly in place, pressing down into the leather, not just lightly on the surface

Marking the stitching line with dividers is OK.................practice on scrap.............get it right first, even if it's slow, then you can speed up as you get used to it 

Watch a few YouTube videos on making wallets, and other items, and you'll see how other people do things. Try these - 

GEORDIE LEATHER  "#10 Preparing Leather for Stitching - Leatherwork for Beginners"

THE IDENTITY STORE LTD "Using Stitching Chisels in Leathercraft"

Geordie Leather has made a series of 14 or 15 videos for beginners on various aspects of leatherwork, all useful.  

Edited December 7, 2020 by zuludog