Wallet Question

[Dunluce]

Due to various reasons I really didn’t get a whole lot done on the leathercraft front last year. I’m getting back in and have started with a couple of wallets and it has brought up a question I have thought about before. When punching the leather with a pricking iron do you punch from the front to the inside  or the inside to the front? I am thinking in particular if you punch from the front how do you line up your stitches with the card pockets inside i.e. how do you ensure the pricking iron doesn’t cut the lip of the pocket.

[battlemunky]

Excellent question. Here is what I do, not sure if it is what others do but its how I handle all of what you asked.

First, I punch from the inside out as often as I can. I do that so I can see edges (I think that is what you mean by the lip) of pockets. When I'm making something that forces me to punch from the outside in, I will take my trusty round awl and poke juuuusssst a big enough hole from the inside out so that I can see where I need to in order to miss the edge of the pocket to keep from tearing through at a bad place. The hole is just big enough so I can see it, more of a blemish really, and then I set my pricking iron on it and makes it go away but in a place I know is safe to punch.

I hope that description makes sense.

[Danne]

I punch from the exterior panel before I assemble the interior, and I plan the stitching lengths so it match up with the card pockets. And then when assembled I open up the holes with an awl. The reason I don't punch all the way through is because I skive edges so it would be hard to punch straight through and keep the edge distance.

[Dunluce]

11 minutes ago, battlemunky said:

Excellent question. Here is what I do, not sure if it is what others do but its how I handle all of what you asked.

First, I punch from the inside out as often as I can. I do that so I can see edges (I think that is what you mean by the lip) of pockets. When I'm making something that forces me to punch from the outside in, I will take my trusty round awl and poke juuuusssst a big enough hole from the inside out so that I can see where I need to in order to miss the edge of the pocket to keep from tearing through at a bad place. The hole is just big enough so I can see it, more of a blemish really, and then I set my pricking iron on it and makes it go away but in a place I know is safe to punch.

I hope that description makes sense.

Thanks battlemunky. I had something similar in mind so it’s good to see that it works for you. I think I will try the same.

5 minutes ago, Danne said:

I punch from the exterior panel before I assemble the interior, and I plan the stitching lengths so it match up with the card pockets. And then when assembled I open up the holes with an awl. The reason I don't punch all the way through is because I skive edges so it would be hard to punch straight through and keep the edge distance.

Danne, I have seen the photos you posted of assembling a wallet and could see you pricked only the exterior cover first. I was wondering how you lined it up. I think that takes more precision than I have planned at present.

[Hardrada]

I glue the panels in place and then punch: no problem lining holes up that way.

Care should be taken, though, if you have too many layers or if they are too thick (which they shouldn't, but in case they are), because when punching through hamburgers the chisel has a tendency to get a slant, and then you end up with this:

 

With thick layers it's best to make a test run on scraps, and then tilt the chisel ever so slightly in the opposite direction of which you've seen it tends to go. Or, easier, cleaner, but more time consuming: hit the chisel gently so that the hole is made only on the first layer, and once you've finished half-punching all your holes, finish them with a diamond awl: put the project on a cork board and make sure the awl is perfectly perpendicular to the board. It helps if you mark a line on the other side with your dividers, and check periodically to make sure the awl is coming right on the line. [BTW: all this is predicated on gluing the panels in place: don't try this with loose panels or on individual panels.]

Edited February 9, 2021 by Hardrada

[Danne]

5 hours ago, Dunluce said:

Thanks battlemunky. I had something similar in mind so it’s good to see that it works for you. I think I will try the same.

Danne, I have seen the photos you posted of assembling a wallet and could see you pricked only the exterior cover first. I was wondering how you lined it up. I think that takes more precision than I have planned at present.

Yes, I make the stitching holes on my templates so I get them in the correct place. And when I open the holes with my awl, I can slightly angle the awl if needed to avoid cutting the edge. I wouldn't have that control if I punched the holes straight through with my irons. It's easier to start with punching the holes from the interior after assembled.

[jcuk]

Don't if this is of any use to you.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=haQSsoYZ3_I

Hope this helps

JCUK

[Dunluce]

Gents, wallet made and a couple of photos below. I’m happy with the way it turned out but I feel it is too thick. The cover is Buttero @ 1.2-1.4mm, pigskin for the linings @ 0.6mm and goatskin @ 1.1 mm for the pockets. What thicknesses do you use?

 

[battlemunky]

That looks really nice @Dunluce.

I use 3-4 oz veg for all mine except every once in a while I'll use 5-7 oz veg for the exterior panel. Mine are pretty trim for veg and I could go down to 2 oz leather easily but I intend on mine outlasting the original buyer so I go a bit thicker than I likely should/do. Having said this, you are probably ok on the thickness