Question about stitching leather

H

Hesparus

Joined
Oct 31, 2004
Messages
1,442
What do you guys use to make holes for hand stitching leather? I used to use a drill press, but I never liked the way it makes kind of a jagged hole at the exit end, and I don't have a drill press right now anyway. I've been looking at thonging punches, but I don't know if they're usually long enough for three layers of leather.
Thanks,
Chris
 
I have a friend who uses a $10 HF cordless drill and a awl shaped bit. He makes the 3" long tips from bicycle spokes, and sharpens them while chucked in the running drill and pressing the spoke on the belt grinder. He can punch for hours and makes a clean smooth hole.
 
That's a neat trick, I may try it. Is there a good trick for keeping the holes straight?
Thanks,
Chris
 
I use the drill press, but I set the press so it dosn't drill thru all the way. Just enough so there is a small dimple on the back. I then go over the dimples with my groover to open the holes. Nice clean holes every time.
 
Before I got a sewing machine , I used a cut off sheet rock nail in the drill press. It would burnish the hole as it went through.
 
I use a drill press and a 1/16" bit and drill through the leather and into a piece of wood. I use a saddle stitch so the small holes are well filled with thread when I am done.
 
Use a piece of MDF board under the leather, and make sure the leather is down tight against it when the bit goes through. I like to fix the leather down to the board so I don't end up shifting it and drilling into an existing hole in the board, you want solid backing under the leather on every hole. If you dampen the stitch line before stitching it up the holes will stretch lengthwise and any irregularities will all but disappear.
 
I've been using a 3/32" bit in my drill press, but I'm getting tired of it. I'm actively looking for a sewing machine that will do the job.

I think Bill Moran used an awl in his drill press to make the holes.
 
Huh, no one has mentioned a stitching pony. I was given a really rough plywood mock up that a friend made before making his pony from oak. It has made a world of difference and made using a well polished diamond awl possible, where before the pony, I could never get it to work and had to drill everything. The awl/pony method works for me up to 1/2" with ease and 5 or 6 eighths with a little more effort. I can groove both sides of the sheath, mark both sides, and get my holes to line up, if the awl starts coming through in the wrong place, just back it up and adjust so that it breaks out in the opposite groove. I will never drill again if I can help it!
 
I use a piece of smooth stainless steel rod (3/32" dia.) with a ground sharp point chucked in my drill press. As you make your hole in the leather (wet) it will burnish the inside of the hole as well. Also, I use a good piece of poly board under it too. A regular drill bit makes a mess of the hole IMHO.
 
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