Quality and presentation of stitching

[Spyros]

Usually I can tell a machine made stitch from the tell-tale marks from the walking foot or the feed dog teeth, or the thread is just too thin for the project, or the holes are too spaced apart for any stitching chisel to have made them.  Or all the above.

But some times I see stitching that I know it can't possibly have been made by hand (mainly because of the price of the product), but it's so well made and with thick thread that visually I can't distinguish it from hand stitching made with a round hole chisel.

Is that a matter or operator or machine?  What machines produce such great quality stitching that you'd struggle to tell it apart from hand stitching?

[Constabulary]

without knowing at what stitching you looked I would say a needle + awl sewing machine like the Campbell Randall

https://campbell-randall.com/product/model-campbell-lock-stitch

 

 

Edited October 10, 2021 by Constabulary

[RockyAussie]

4 hours ago, Spyros said:

Usually I can tell a machine made stitch from the tell-tale marks from the walking foot or the feed dog teeth, or the thread is just too thin for the project, or the holes are too spaced apart for any stitching chisel to have made them.  Or all the above.

But some times I see stitching that I know it can't possibly have been made by hand (mainly because of the price of the product), but it's so well made and with thick thread that visually I can't distinguish it from hand stitching made with a round hole chisel.

Is that a matter or operator or machine?  What machines produce such great quality stitching that you'd struggle to tell it apart from hand stitching?

What @Constabulary said is true but also softer type upholstery type leathers done on a non toothed dog foot (you should have one on the cb4500)and not too thin top feet and good thread tension you would be hard pressed to tell the difference. A machine with the right foot pressure and right dog foot hole size can be hard to tell except for the stitch angle on the bottom side can sometimes give it away.

[Wizcrafts]

A Union Lockstitch, or a Number 9 machine produce a bottom appearance almost like hand stitching.

[Matt S]

There's a lot of factors. Using a machine and operator combination that's not running right at its upper or lower limits (thickness, thread, tension, speed, general ability...) is 90% of the magic. Correct choice of needle point style and matching thread to needle size (no spaghetti down manholes or hotdogs down hallways) are important too. Some leathers are "springier" and will largely close up around stitch holes, especially if persuaded with a rub or a tap, whereas others are harder and more prone to blowouts. Some leathers simply don't mark much, or the machine is fitted with smooth dogs/plates/feet (maybe modified). I find that needle feed machines tend to mark less and leave smaller holes (less blowout) than walking-foot machines.

Out of interest, what's a round hole chisel? I don't tend to associate round holes with good stitching, hand or otherwise.

[Spyros]

16 minutes ago, Matt S said:

There's a lot of factors. Using a machine and operator combination that's not running right at its upper or lower limits (thickness, thread, tension, speed, general ability...) is 90% of the magic. Correct choice of needle point style and matching thread to needle size (no spaghetti down manholes or hotdogs down hallways) are important too. Some leathers are "springier" and will largely close up around stitch holes, especially if persuaded with a rub or a tap, whereas others are harder and more prone to blowouts. Some leathers simply don't mark much, or the machine is fitted with smooth dogs/plates/feet (maybe modified). I find that needle feed machines tend to mark less and leave smaller holes (less blowout) than walking-foot machines.

Out of interest, what's a round hole chisel? I don't tend to associate round holes with good stitching, hand or otherwise.

I typically use those for gussets, I make the holes separately on each layer from opposite sides of the leather and then count holes to match the layers together.   It makes things easier.

[Spyros]

Thanks all

So basically it's like that movie The Martian, when Matt Damon says "you start solving problems, one problem at the time, and if you solve enough problems you get to go home" 

 

[chrisash]

There may well be a difference on the same machine by someone who sews the odd 15min to maybe 1 hour, than someone who spends all the working day using the machine making small changes to the tensions throughout the day.

The skill of professionals should not be underestimated just like any other skills