Question about sewing machines

[Isaacherring]

So I stitch all my leather by hand but have thought about sewing machines and I don't see how they would work out how I make sheaths and holsters. I mainly do pancake holsters and I groove front and back and if my lines don't perfectly line up I will just angle my awl to compensate the difference and make it emerge in the groove on the backside but a machine would just put it straight through the back and you couldn't land the thread in the grooves on both sides and I have seen some people just don't groove the backside, wouldn't this cause the thread to wear or is this not really an issue? Is it even possible to groove front and back and machine stitch?

 

[leatherman]

Grooving the back, there are some that will tell you its not an issue, and some that will say yes its and issue. I am of the camp that grooves the back. Done it both ways and I both hate the look of the thread on top, and firmly believe it does wear.

The main decision to make with a machine is if it will get along with your designs. Most all of mine had to be modified from their original look just to please that machine. They went from sleek to clunky in a heartbeat, not to mention the extra time spent redesigning my patterns.

I am a full time sheath maker, and I sold my machine, I just dont do production work.

 

[Isaacherring]

Grooving the back, there are some that will tell you its not an issue, and some that will say yes its and issue. I am of the camp that grooves the back. Done it both ways and I both hate the look of the thread on top, and firmly believe it does wear.

The main decision to make with a machine is if it will get along with your designs. Most all of mine had to be modified from their original look just to please that machine. They went from sleek to clunky in a heartbeat, not to mention the extra time spent redesigning my patterns.

I am a full time sheath maker, and I sold my machine, I just dont do production work.

So you hand stitch all your sheaths?

 

[sheathmaker]

I am also a full time sheath maker. I machine stitch every piece I make. I do not groove the back of my sheaths. I do not find that there is excess wear on the back of the sheath with regard to the stitching. I also do not produce "clunky" sheaths.

There are several ways to accomplish almost anything you want to discuss that produce similar or the same result. This does not make one method better than the other, rather it gives one the opportunity to choose the method that best suits them.
If you are comfortable and satisfied with your hand stitching then by all means stick with it. On the other hand, like me and many others the machine might be the best alternative.

Paul

 

[Isaacherring]

Okay thank you guys for the responses for now I will continue to hand stitch

 

[leatherman]

So you hand stitch all your sheaths?

Yes I do, and dont mind a bit.