Sewing without a machine..........

[Knarley Bob]

How does one go about sewing tooling leather without a machine? Does one punch holes first as one does with lace?
That harpoon with a spool of rope looks like a trip to the ER to me,(does blood come out of leather easily?)
I have one of those wheels to mark stitch location, and a lacing pony, but have only sewn buckskin. Normally I rivet and or lace my stuff, this project is taking me into uncharted waters.
Thanks,
Knarley

[Gun Butcher]

  Bob, yes you have to pre-punch your holes. I use an awl unless I am sewing real thick leather and then I use a 1/16 drill bit to put in the holes .
If you go to www.tandyleatherfactory.com  they have some free videos that you can look at. Might be helpful.
Just scroll down to info & services and you will see them.

[TN Mongo]

When I hand stitched everything, I pre-punched my holes.  Some people are so good with an awl that they can make holes as they go.  I never could do that.  I had much better success pre-punching my stuff with a scratch awl or a drill press for thicker leather.  Buy Al Stohlman's making holsters or similar book to help you get started.

[ChuckBurrows]

Read This........
http://www.wrtcleather.com/1-ckd/tutorials/_leatherstitch.html

[Slowhand Bob]

HAND SEWING is of what I consider one of the three Stohlman Bibles of Leather working and a bargain at any price, check Tandy and get it first and formost if sewing is where you are at.  If you are like me and do much better/faster when you can see it being done then there are three excellent videos out that do real well on the hand sewing demonstration and offer the added advantage of teaching many other tricks and techniques for holster making.  Our resident artist in leather work, Chuck Burrows has two videos out on sheath and holster making which are a step above excellent.  Dusty Johnson of Pleasant Vally Saddle Shop also offers a mighty fine video which demonstrates hand sewing and machine sewing to some degree.  I think the last guy was J. Simmons, he dealt with a somewhat different sewing technique but does an extensive demo on it in his holster video.  I do not know if he still does any commercial work or not but his material used to be available at Hide Crafters.

[TN Mongo]

Great tutorial Chuck!  Do you have anything similar on beading or do your offer a DVD on the topic?

[GunClick Rick]

Great tutorial Chuck!  Do you have anything similar on beading or do your offer a DVD on the topic?

I'll take one too~~Like how do you thread your beads,to keep the tip of the thread from gettin so soft it's a pain to get through the hole..I am stringing some very old bead shells and soap stone beads..

[Arizona Cattleman]

GCR, go to wally mart to the sewing section an ask for a needle threader.  It just might help stringing the beads.

AC

[ChuckBurrows]

Great tutorial Chuck!  Do you have anything similar on beading or do your offer a DVD on the topic?

I don't but the www.Nativetech.org site does - http://www.nativetech.org/glasbead/glasbead.html - scroll down.
We do have a DVD planned to shoot next summer on how to build frontier style sheaths and I will include some beadwork instructions. To properly do the type of work I do (basically beadwork embroidery) you must use either real braintan leather or the less expenzive alternative German Tan from Crazy Crow.

I'll take one too~~Like how do you thread your beads,to keep the tip of the thread from gettin so soft it's a pain to get through the hole..I am stringing some very old bead shells and soap stone beads..

I use a needle to do my beading..........

[Knarley Bob]

+1 on that beading needle!!!!!!!!!!!!
Knarley

[TN Mongo]

Chuck,

I look forward to seeing that DVD with your beading work.  I've purchased beads.  I just haven't gotten up the courage to try it yet.  Is the braintan leather traditionally tanned buckskin?

[Knarley Bob]

Yup, Brain tanned is the real thing.

Knarley