Stitch grooving and adjusting for misalignment on punched holes

G

groy87

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Feb 11, 2016
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Does everyone use their stitch groover on the front and back side of their sheaths when making the primary stitch (1/4" from the edge)?

I have been doing so thus far on my sheaths but it becomes a bit of a hassle if the awl is not perfectly square to the sheath and the exit of the punched hole deviates slightly to the left or right. It is not very noticeable right after I punch the holes but when I use the stitch groover any deviation pops. Especially when I have to try to manually account for the deviation and the resulting grooved channel that doesn't follow the edge of the sheath nicely. I am working to improve my process but was wondering if anyone had a tip or trick out there for deal with it.
 
Make sure your edges are trued up prior to running your groove line (which you probably already know to do). I've switched to mostly machine stitching now, but when I was hand stitching I never was able to consistently line my awl up with a back groove, so ultimately gave up on it and only grooved the front. I thought the back was fine without it, but I know from other posts I've read that some folks really prefer the thread to sit down in that line on both sides of the sheath.

I personally think that the quality of the leather has a lot to do with how the awl ultimately punches through. The sheaths I made with better leather always had straighter lines that the ones made with less inexpensive grades. Looking forward to seeing the tips and trips others have to offer.

Amy
 
One of the best ways to assess a restaurant is to go out the back to the kitchen .
Anyone can make the shopfront / service area look nice , but the cleanliness and layout of " out the back "
Is what really shows the experience and skill of the chef and the quality of what is being served up .

When ever I pick up a sheath or leatherwork of any kind I turn it over to see the backside .
It instantly tells you the skill and experience of the maker .
Early on in my time here someone someone told me the exact same thing , and I spent a long time teaching myself to make a whole sheath , not just the front .
I suggest practicing how you are making your holes until you really master the art of straight , vertical, identical, symmetrical holes .
if your holes aren't lining up with it on the backside , its not the groove thats wrong , the angle of the awl was wrong .
Practice makes perfect , its not easy hand stitching to a good standard .
Take your time and make every hole perfect , its not a race . :)

Good luck .

Ken
 
^^^^^Excellent advice there, Ken. Another little trick on multiple layer sheaths is to taper skive all edges down to about one half thickness ( i.e. 8 oz to 4 oz), back about 3/8" to 1/2" from the edge. When assembled and glued up for stitching the results are a much thinner and easier to penetrate edge with out any appreciable reduction of strength or quality of the sheath.

Paul
 
Uneven work on the backside aggravates me as well. I struggle with leatherwork so this is in no way meant as advice!;)
I punch both sides evenly before I glue up. I use needles to line up every fourth hole or so as I glue it together. It's really a terrible process, but it results in even stitches front and back. I use a stitching chisel instead of an awl. The slot makes lining things up a little easier.
 
I just punch holes from the front and from the back
Then align them when stitching. That way both sides of the stitching look good
 
Are you using an awl or a stitching chisel? I found it was a lot easier to get consistent results on the back when using the chisel.

If you're using an awl, and the blade on it is removable from the handle, you can mount the blade in a drill press and (without turning the drill on!) use that to make perfect, consistent holes.
 
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