This is why I prefer Ksblade

[Danne]

I have Ksblade in 3mm/9spi, and another good brand for 2.7/2.45mm. I don't need to mention the other brand, it's good. But the downside is that most brands don't center to a line like Ksblade. and this is what can happen :/ Hours of work going straight to the trash can. 

This is NOT Ksblade

 

Edited July 12, 2021 by Danne

[Hardrada]

Sinabroks?

Mentioning it is probably a public service, specially if it's expensive.

[chrisash]

What makes you think its the tool and not the skill of the operator?

 

[Tugadude]

In the end, quality is the result of both tool and operator.  At least most of the time.  The average pro golfer could walk into any department store and buy the cheapest set of clubs and still beat most any amateur.  Lee Trevino made a living off of hustling members at a golf course.  He showed up with a single, old, rusty club and would proceed to beat the dickens out of them.  

KS Blade makes both diamond-shaped chisels and pricking irons that are more of a straight, rectangular tooth.  Each will penetrate leather, so the pricking irons can be also be used as stitching chisels as well as for marking holes.  They have a very slight taper to them.  They make round ones too, for what it's worth.  The "double line" irons are interesting!

 

[Danne]

12 hours ago, Hardrada said:

Sinabroks?

Mentioning it is probably a public service, specially if it's expensive.

Yes, I haven't tried Sinabroks, but they might also be a good alternative.

 

[Danne]

11 hours ago, chrisash said:

What makes you think its the tool and not the skill of the operator?

 

I don't say it's not possible to get a perfect result with irons with "flat prongs" I have done a decent amount of straps with 10-11SPI with those tools and with really good results. I mentioned this because I see it as a big benefit from Ksblade. It would be the same to compare a manual creaser you heat over an alcohol lamp with an electric creaser. We all know that a manual creaser can give you perfect results, but what do I see as a benefit with an electric creaser? the fact that it will keep a consistent temperature. 

I also like that Ksblade have a nice weight distribution, and are ergenomically awesome in my opinion. The downside with Ksblade is that they cost more than a lot of the alternatives.

And of course the reason for my failed holes here wasn't because of bad tools. It was me who failed to use the tool in the correct way. I just wanted to share why I prefer Ksblade, I personally find it easier to use.

 

Edited July 12, 2021 by Danne

[Danne]

7 hours ago, Tugadude said:

In the end, quality is the result of both tool and operator.  At least most of the time.  The average pro golfer could walk into any department store and buy the cheapest set of clubs and still beat most any amateur.  Lee Trevino made a living off of hustling members at a golf course.  He showed up with a single, old, rusty club and would proceed to beat the dickens out of them.  

KS Blade makes both diamond-shaped chisels and pricking irons that are more of a straight, rectangular tooth.  Each will penetrate leather, so the pricking irons can be also be used as stitching chisels as well as for marking holes.  They have a very slight taper to them.  They make round ones too, for what it's worth.  The "double line" irons are interesting!

 

I was talking about the European version, with the slightly rounded prong tip. In my opinion they really shine when it comes to leather where it can be hard to see a scribed line, because they are so easy to align.

[Hardrada]

21 minutes ago, Danne said:

they really shine when it comes to leather where it can be hard to see a scribed line, because they are so easy to align.

Please describe your aligning method, because I had a helluva time getting straight lines with them when I first got them!

I've found a way by now, but every now and then I still get the occasional crooked line.

[Danne]

40 minutes ago, Hardrada said:

Please describe your aligning method, because I had a helluva time getting straight lines with them when I first got them!

I've found a way by now, but every now and then I still get the occasional crooked line.

I use my wing divider (which I have made sure have the correct sharpness, not to sharp to cut into leather, but to make a "groove/impression" then I just lay down my prongs in that groove with very little weight, and I can feel how i'm in the centre (Because the prongs have a radii too them. 

Next step is to make a very light impression, if it would be a little off I can realign. Once it's good I push down my iron (by hand) to make a little larger impression. When it's finished all around my project it's easy to put my iron in those holes and punch through. 9/10 situations with my Ksblade I only punch through one layer before assemble, and open them with an awl (Because I like to punch wallets and card holders from the outside, and since my inside have skived edges it would be hard to punch a straight hole.

Also a tip, if you make a wallet/card holder and just punch the exterior. If you print or make your template on paper, and tape it onto your leather, your can pre-punch your paper template. Tape it in place, push your iron by hand through your holes in your template. cut out your exterior. And you have your holes in the correct place. 

 

 

Edited July 12, 2021 by Danne

[Tugadude]

If you look closely at what KS Blade refers to as their pricking iron, it does have a slight radius to the teeth.  I can see how they might sit down in a groove that way.  Otherwise, you just have to look down at an angle and straddle the line.  Doable, but certainly not easy.

[mike02130]

KS Blades are great irons, I have more than a few sets.  The tips are slightly rounded and they have a nice balance and low center of gravity.  They easily sit in the line.  I've tried Sinabroks but didn't like them because of the square teeth.  I see other people using squared off teeth where they scribe a line and then punch on the side or edge of that line.

[Danne]

6 minutes ago, mike02130 said:

KS Blades are great irons, I have more than a few sets.  The tips are slightly rounded and they have a nice balance and low center of gravity.  They easily sit in the line.  I've tried Sinabroks but didn't like them because of the square teeth.  I see other people using squared off teeth where they scribe a line and then punch on the side or edge of that line.

I feel like I get best results (with irons with flat prongs) if I crease the edge before, and just punch close to the creased line. The problem is that I really prefer to make my first crease after stitching and some sanding. I mean most (all?) earlier European pricking irons had flat teeth, so with practice I would get used to them, but tbh, why not use the irons I feel most comfortable with? Of course it's a question about spending money, but personally I rather spend the money for a set of 2.7/10SPI if I feel most comfortable with those tools.

[Hardrada]

Cool. Thanks @Danne!

What I've found is that with the KSB punches, if I punch the holes away from me the line remains straight; I have a greater chance of ending up with a crooked line if I punch towards me, as I do with the diamond punches.

[Danne]

7 minutes ago, Hardrada said:

Cool. Thanks @Danne!

What I've found is that with the KSB punches, if I punch the holes away from me the line remains straight; I have a greater chance of ending up with a crooked line if I punch towards me, as I do with the diamond punches.

It's interesting, for me it's the opposite, I find it a lot harder to punch the holes away from me. Just like I see some people "toe" through a watch strap point with their creaser, I find it easier to "heel", even though I often toe the right side, and heel the left side (to avoid an X where the crease meet the point)