Hand stitching leather sheath

R A Wilson

R A Wilson

Joined
Dec 5, 2000
Messages
54
I want to try making my own leather sheaths but don't have the funds for a sewing machine. is it possible to sew up a 9-10oz leather sheath with a hand stitcher( the type that resembles an awl with a spool on it)? would I have to pre-drill the holes?
thanks for the help
Bob
 
RAWILSON,i hand stich all my sheaths & have for 17 years,i find it better than machine stiching,although more time consuming.Without getting too complex,when ready to stich,go around edgew/eddge groover,then run your stich spacer tool,i use a 5in1 or 5stiches per inch,it is a tool that looks like a spur rowel w/a handle.in those marks left by the spacer i go to the drill press,adjust it for 1750-2000 rpm and drill w/a 5/64th bit.I use a double stich.It is hard for me to describe this way,but if you want more info.,feel free to email me.

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MJH
 
Bob,I agree with MJH as I also hand stich my sheathes.The drill press works faster, but is very non-forgiving so go easy and make sure your sheath is perpendicular to the drill bit.You can then use waxed thread doing a saddle stitch,or a nice stitch called a stairstep stich ,outlined in David Boye's book.I have used this one alot, and it looks great.Good luck,Dave
 
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The stitching tool goes a long ways in getting your spaces the same distance apart making things look nice and even.
You can also use a nice sharp set of dividers set to what ever distance you want between the stitches. That's the way I still do it since I have never bought the "proper" tool(s) and its spaced wheels.

The double needle method of saddle stitching is still the strongest way to put any leather goods together by sewing. It puts 2 strands of thread in each hole and even if one thread should happen to fray or be cut it will still hold. A nice heavy welt glued between the outside pieces prevents the thread from being cut.

The way I do it, after I have the holes drilled or punched in the leather is to thread 2 needles leaving about 5 feet or so of thread between them.

I start about 5 holes from the end of where the stitching starts and sew by putting one needle through the hole and the other needle in the same hole on the opposite side and puhing or pulling them through at the same time.
When I get to where the stitching is actually supposed to start I then sew back down using the same method until I reach the end of the project or run out of thread. That's called "back stitching" and locks the thread to where it will never come out or loose.
If at the end of the project I then "back stitch" down about 5 holes and cut the thread off close to the leather.

If you see you're going to run out of thread before you get to the finish you can lay a loop of thread that's long enough to finish the project about 5-6 holes before you run out of thread and sew between that thread.
That locks the loop in securely and when you run out of thread just cut it off close to the leather and rethread your needles with the two ends of thread you sewed in place and continue sewing.

Finish it off with a good pounding with a rawhide or smooth faced wood mallet. If it's not smooth faced it can mar your leather.
Use an edge beveling tool to remove the sharp corners, put some beeswax on the edge and smooth it with an edgeing tool or creaser.

If you are going to dye the leather or use an edge dressing on it to make it darker do that before you use the beeswax and edgeing tool or it won't take the dye.

It's a lot easier than it sounds.
smile.gif


There's probably some leather crafting sites online that may have some diagrams or pics that may help if you're not accustomed to sewing leather work.

I think a finely double needle sewn leather sheath is one of the most beautiful and like I said, "It is the strongest." And it has been proven to be since saddle works beginnings.


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>>>>---¥vsa---->®

Each person's work is always a portrait of himself.

---- Samuel Butler.

Khukuri FAQ
Himalayan Imports Website
 
I agree with Yvsa on the saddle needles, on the heavy welts I use a drill press 1/16" bit.

On the tribal forum a coupla people mentioned using the press with an awl blade in place of drill bit(don't turn the drillpress on) one guy used an old shotgun reloader with an awl blade to punch the holes, this would be stronger I'm told than drilling the holes.

My hand awl is made from an old srcewdriver sharpened to a long diamond shape.

I don't care much for the awl's with the little bobbins in them.

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Sola Fide
 
I agree with everything everbody else said, except I use a small finish nail in the drill press instead of a bit. That way leather is pushed out of the way, rather than removed, & I'm told locks the stitches in better.
I also bought one of those benchtop drill presses from Harbor Freight & use it exclusively for punching sheaths....that way I don't worry about grease, metal shavings ,etc.
I also finish off my sheaths in "Goddard's Goop for sheaths"....Wayne Goddard turned me onto this.
I put a 60/40 mix of beeswax/neatsfoot oil in an old electric skillet I got for next to nothing at a yard sale...heat it to about 175F.
While that is warming, I hang the sheath upside down off a wire loop in the toaster oven (yard sale also) set to the same temp (175F). Once the wax is at temp, I dip the sheath for a 10 count, let it drain, then hang it back in the toaster oven to drain over a piece of aluminum foil for 5 minutes or so.
I then take the wire out of the sheath, jam in the blade & bone the sheath to the knife.
Makes a hard, waterproof sheath that holds the blade tight.
Harry
 
I wouldn't suggest a drill bit to make the holes for stiching. If you're going to do that you may as well use a hole punch.

I use a finishing nail in the drill press with it turned on. Doesn't seem to make much difference except that you can remove it easier. Polish the nail with some fine paper while it's turning. Keeps from pulling out bits of leather that makes it look sloppy.

Don't forget to keep the leather wet while sewing. That makes a nice little space for the thread that lays at the level of the leather.

The 2 X 72 is the best thing "since sliced bread" for cleaning up the edges. That's the last step before finishing.

Sorry for the ramble. Do visit the library for leather working books. Fun to read and there are whole books on stiching.

Meandering, Lynn
 
I wouldn't predrill any holes, as then you remove material and you'll keep seeing that.
I always glue my sheath together, and use a punch (triangular or <> shaped) to make all holes. They'll close over time and if you use natural waxed tread, the tread is stuck in the hole. Even if you then cut a few treads, the sheath won't loose structural integrity.

greetz, Bart.

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"If the world wouldn't SUCK, we'd all fall off !"

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member of the BKS
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Exellant Information! Thanks for all the replies. Waxed thread is the best to use then? What do you guys use to color your leather?
Bob
 
Like a couple of others, I wouldn't advise using a drill bit in the conventional manner for my holes. I find that it results in a tearout, leaving a very ragged, cheesy looking hole. What I do use is a worn out drill bit with the end that normally goes into the chuck shaped to a taper with my belt sander. I then chuck the drill bit upside down and drill my holes. I find that it results in a perfectly clean, burnished hole.

Hugh

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President of Knifemakers Anonymous - "The sickness can be cured!" Call 1-800-cutfingers
 
My wife Marian has always made the bulk of our sheaths. She tried using a drill press turned on with a drill bit but she found it to be somewhat sloppy and hard to keep the stitching straight and clean looking so she turned off the juice and started using the drill press just as a manual press with a needle in the chuck. Here's how she describe the technique in another forum......
I put the needle (from a sewing awl) in the chuck and use the press to punch it through the leather. No predrilling of holes is needed. Though I do use a pounce wheel to mark the line so all i have to do is follow it.
On the first stitch punch the needle all the way thru the leather and then pull down on it (the sheath) till you see a loop start to form underneath. Get hold of this loop and pull the loose end thru to the underside. Now, pull the sheath off the needle. The thread on the underside should be 3-4 times the length of the area to be stitched.
This is just like using a sewing awl~ minus the strain.
Now, punch the needle thru for the next stitch and pull down on the sheath till you see the loop starting to form (not all the way off the needle). Put another regular needle
on the loose end and run it thru this loop then pull/push the sheath off the needle.
You have your first stitch.
Be sure to pull the thread from which ever side needed so the knot is hidden inside the hole in the leather. At the end I always drill a 3/16" hole so I can tie off the ends inside there and then put in a rivet. It's very secure then.
You can get a very clean, nice stitch. Be careful to keep the sheath level when you punch the needle thru or the backside will look crooked. It helps to leave some excess leather along the outside edge and grind it down close afterwards. Since Tim won't let me use electricity anymore I'm having to get my pattern just right to start with so I dont need to use the grinder.Not that we have one since he sold it! The wood rasp works well.

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http://www.livelyknives.com
 
Wow! looks like most everyone is of the same opinion on this thread. Kinda rare for this forum. Pretty cool.

I do the same hand stitch described for the saddle stitch. However, I use a leather punch for the holes. Not a round punch that removes material, but a knife edged trident. (My own terminology?) I took a one inch wide by 1/8" thick by 4" long piece of 0-1 and made four 1/8" (or less) evenly spaced prongs on the end of the barstock by making three slots roughly 1/8" wide. Then I thinned the prongs for nearly 3/8" long and heat treated. Once sharpened, these will give the even spacing for threading, will not remove leather and will give a straight line. More tridents like this can be made with two or three tines to use for shorter straight sections or a single for going around bends.

Saw this tool at a leather workers shop. Figured if I can make knives, I can certainly make the tooling also.

May be much easier to drive four evenly spaced holes than to use a press for one hole at a time. Also eliminates the spacing tool.

Dan
Hannon Bearpaw Knives
http://home.nfoling.com/~dhannon/index.htm
 
After having hand stitched ( saddle stitch double needle) for over 40 years--till my fingers were so beat up I could not stand the thought of making another stitch , I gave up and threw in the towel. Every hole had been carefully punched by a saddler`s awl while the sheath was clamped in a stitching horse. This is one of the more tedious parts of stitching. I found that a drill press was far too awkward for my liking to punch holes (or drill them) I tried several ways to ease the load and finally came to the decision to use a Dremel tool with
bit of appropiate size. With just
a little practise eyeballing for
vertical drilling you will be amazed at how proficient you can
become. You will be able to easily
drill holes in sheaths or holsters up to and including thicknesses up to 3/4 of an inch. Do not concern
your self with the loss of leather
as weakening. A good well sewn sheath in 5/6, 6/7, or 7/8 ounce
carving cowhide will defy you to
tear it apart. Your best thread for
hand stitching is Irish linen that is known as 7 cord. It is much easier on your fingers when pulling stitches tight. It can be purchased waxed or unwaxed. Nylon is too hard on the hands. DO NOT stitch leather
when it is wet. Stitches can pull thru the top layer unless extremely
careful, and are hell to repair and
still look good. Stitch length
can be marked off in the stitch groove with a over stitch wheel.
I prefer the five stitches to the inch marker and after stitching you go over the stitches with the same wheel and it makes a pretty job.
The only catch is that you are still
hand stitching and that ain`t no
fun. Sandy
 
I use a drill press with a beveled bit, but to insure precise spacing and alignment I made myself this jig. Just drill the first hole in the tip end of the sheath and then place the hole you just drilled over the locating pin and drill again. Repeat until you have gone as far along the edge as you wish and presto, you're ready to stitch. Perfect alignment from the edge and perfect spacing between holes.
View




[This message has been edited by Mike Conner (edited 12-20-2000).]
 
:
Sandy you're right! I love the tooling and constructon, but I hate the final step of putting projects together, however I prefer hand stitching over laceing and I don't have a stiching horse. I still think about building me one someday though.
smile.gif

But I am always pleased when a project is completed and it turns out better than I expected.

Mike that's a helluva an idea!!!
I never thought of doing something like that when I was still working and had access to the shop.



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&gt;&gt;&gt;&gt;---¥vsa----&gt;®

Each person's work is always a portrait of himself.

---- Samuel Butler.

Khukuri FAQ
Himalayan Imports Website
 
I cut off he little fingers on worn out gloves...slip them over my little fingers & secure with a rubber band so the waxed linen don't cut into that knuckle joint when pulling it tight!
Harry
 
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