Trimming after the stitch

[santee]

After you finish stitching a holster together, do you all trim the edges as close as possible to the stitch line, or do you start out with your stitch close to the edge?
Al Stohlman mentions 3/16" away from the edge, but it appears to be too far in...

[Whiskey Creek Adams]

I trim, glue, sand, bevel, groove, mark and stitch in that order. Normally I trim to between 1/8 - 3/16 minimum.

I would think trimming after stitching would be a disaster just waiting to happen.

[Dalton Masterson]

Yep, I also stitch last thing.
I make sure my front of the holster is perfect, as I dont want to change my edges or pattern on the front leaving the backside a little oversize. I do my main stitch groove on the front in the beginning, almost first thing.
I do my pattern, dye, then glue and trim. Then I groove the back side (sometimes I forget) punch holes and get started on stitching. Once the stitching is done, I topcoat it all. DM

[santee]

I would think trimming after stitching would be a disaster just waiting to happen.

I was thinking that might be the case. Thanks for the info, pards.

[Bull Durham]

I always make my groove on both sides and then run the stitch spacing/overstitch wheel thingymabob down the groove on the front side. Next I glue the two sides together. Then I put the project into my homemade stitching horse and poke a couple of holes in it from the front side with my stitching awl. I run a few stitches through then poke more holes and so on until I am almost blind. After the stitching is complete I get out the Dremel and sand down the seam. Next comes the edge beveler. The next step I do is go back over both sides with the overstitch wheel always doing the back side first. I then burnish the seam with Trag. I have never measured the distance from the edge to the stitch after the project is finished but I would guess it usually ends up being about 3/16. I see by reading this thread there are many ways of stitching, this is just works for me.


It's like I'm playing cards with my brother's kids or something!

Bull Durham
SASS # 768
Regulator 

[Springfield Slim]

I always finish trim and burnish after stitching, sometimes the leather moves after being stitched and I like the edges to be perfect if I can. I only glue it enough to hold while stitching, don't do too much.

[Marshal Will Wingam]

I often trim the front piece to the finished size and leave the back one until after the stitching is done to do the back. It's easy to follow the front and make a nice trim line. Burnish and such after that.

Slim is right about too much glue. If you need to take it apart, you don't want to destroy it.

[Sawdust Jim]

On most of the holsters I make I do a French seam. I groove for stitching, skive, dye, then sew. After sewing, I trim, bevel and dye the edge. The finish is last.

Jim

[santee]

Then I put the project into my homemade stitching horse and poke a couple of holes in it from the front side with my stitching awl.

Talk about time consuming. My awl is sharp, but it still ain't fun punching through all that leather. I took Chuck Burrows advice and pre-punched the holes in the front. Sure does help.
I sure can see investing in a machine if you have to mass produce!

[springfield]

Santee: try wiping a little beeswax on the awl needle, it helps with thicker leather.

[cowboywc]

I stab my awl into my wax ball every 3rd hole. I also strop my blade before starting and during any sewing.
WC