How do you sew stitches like this?

Scout53 · February 21, 2011, 07:55:01 AM

On Gun Broker there is a leather Ammo Box, just big enough to fit a box of rifle cartridges, that slides onto a belt. The ends of the box are stitched in away that I can not see how it is done.
The Gun Broker auction number is: 216813712.
Is there a book, or other publication, that shows how this is done? I am not thinking of trying to replicate this I just find it very interesting.
Thank you for your help.

hawkeye2 · February 21, 2011, 08:58:10 AM

The stitching goes through the side at an angle, about 45 deg., and out the end without breaking through the inside of the leather. Toe plugs are sewn into holsters this way too. I have never done it but I would guess that the easiest way would be to clamp the leather to a rectangular form to hold the parts in alignment while sewing them.

Skeeter Lewis · February 21, 2011, 10:04:57 AM

What Hawkeye said.
I made a possibles bag by box stitch. I glued the first side to the gusset (the middle section) along the edges where they butted together, holding them to a shaped wood form by rubber bands. Then sewed at 45*. You don't need the wood form for the other side. The project has enough rigidity to do without...

bedbugbilly · February 21, 2011, 11:00:16 AM

Scout53 - that is a great looking cartridge box! I looked it up and if you go back and take a look at it, the end pieces appear to be made (at least to me) from quite heavy "skirting" - possiblya 1/4" or so in thickness. That thickness gives you more "beef to the leather" so that you can stitch it at a 45 degree angle. As was mentioned, it would help to use a "form block" on the inside while you are sewing it. I've done some musket cartridge boxes in the past years exactly in this manner. As you can see by the inside of the cover fold, they've made "V creases" on all of the folding lines of the box. Using thick skirting for the ends, the end can be glued in place prior to stitching - but, from my own experience, a wood block on the inside helps to keep everything rigid and in place while stitching. As also mentioned, toe plugs are done int he same way. If you were going to make one of these and you didn't have access to thick skirting, you could glue several thicknesses of leather together to make the ends. Actually the construction of a box like this is pretty simple and straightforward. Just take you time on the layout and before you do the anle stitching, practice a little. The one thing I learned early on was that since you are sewing on an angle like that, you want to be careful on your stitching tension and how hard you pull - as it is still a "saddle stitch" - you want the stitches tight, but not so tight that they start to pull and de-form the leather. You still use a stitching groove on both parts - the front and the end. If you haven't done it before, be brave and give it a try - you'll do just fine! If you make one of these, we sure want to see a photo of it when you're done!

'r

Ten Wolves Fiveshooter · February 21, 2011, 11:47:17 AM

Good information pards, I'd like to add this, I like to make my 45 degree holes on one piece first , and that would be the thicker of the two pieces used, I take a small piece of wood and drill a 45 degree hole in it big enough so my awl will slide easily through the hole in the wood, after my stitch line is made and and my stitch maker used to mark my holes, I line up my wood jig with each hole and line and push my awl through, if the leather is too thick, you can use your Dremmel to drill a hole , using a 1/16" drill, either way this makes line up much easier, IMHO, this works well for me. I like to use hard woods for this, so I don't get any cracks or splits. then for the other piece or side of leather I make my stitch line after I see where it will come out, and then put my stitching marks in and start sewing, I like to use small but strong finger clamps to hold my pieces together when cementing is impossible.

tEN wOLVES

bedbugbilly · February 21, 2011, 12:40:17 PM

Ten Wolves - thanks for that great tip! I'm adding that little piece of information to my notebook for sure! What you are suggesting would make the whole process much simpler and certainly more uniform than by "eyeing" it up. All of this is getting me fired up to make a cartridge box again!

Ten Wolves Fiveshooter · February 21, 2011, 12:56:44 PM

bedbugbilly , I hope it helps, it sure made things easier for me, and my stitches were all angled right and uniform, which is what I was after.

Let me know how it works for you

tEN wOLVES

Wild Billy Potts · February 21, 2011, 03:41:58 PM

The original maker used a form of some sort. The 2 stamps on each end are where the form was tacked inside, and when the tacks removed they were tooled over to disguise the small holes. That was a common method used on cartridge boxes going way back.

Scout53 · February 25, 2011, 06:28:13 AM

Thank you for the replies to my question. I doubt that I will try this method of stitching but I still find this interesting.
I thought that the answer could be found here in The Leather Shop.
Thank you again.
Scout53

ChuckBurrows · February 25, 2011, 11:08:32 PM

The Art of Handsewing Leather by Al Stohlman shows exactly how to make such boxes and yes they use wooden forms.
IMO anyone interested in sewing leather should have a copy of this book in their library - even after 50 years I refer to it at times to refresh how-to do it....